From Burnout to Breakthrough | Judah Smith

And I want to start in Hebrews chapter 12, and I want to read this verse of scripture that will probably pick up on. Now, I I I must admit that whether it's the Passion Translation or the Message Bible, there is much deliberation amongst the um how should I say the brilliant establishment of theologian theologians and scholars on whether or not these are good translations.

Can I just say, ladies and gentlemen, any English translation uh is not perfect. You have to understand that there are English words and there were no words in the Greek or the Hebrew for those English words. And so, I urge you that you learn how to do word studies.

If you don't know how to do a word study, man, you can take download the Bible app for free, drown download a Strong's Concordance, call a friend, type into pastor chat, we'll help you do word studies. But I I I find it funny that often times people are like, you know, Judah, I'm I'm I get emails like, you know, you can't use the Passion Translation.

I'm like, well, the truth is you got to look at every English translation and go back to the original language to try to get the full breadth, height, and length of the meaning of the word. Is that fair? So, for all scholarly people that are concerned that I'm wearing an oversized suit and reading from the Passion Translation, one's called fashion, the other's called research and study.

Okay, HERE WE GO. HEBREWS CHAPTER 12 AND VERSE ONE. As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So, we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we'll be able to run life's marathon. 2023.

Marathon is an appropriate term at this point. Okay, this hasn't been the fastest moving few years on the planet in this modern era. Life can be a marathon, but we're to run it with passion and determination. Now, if you are here and you have not la- lost some passion and determination, I would like to hand you the mic and anoint you as the lead pastor of this church.

Okay, because for the rest of us, there have been some days in the last few years we have lost some passion and some determination. I find that in Hebrews chapter 12 we have for us a way TO REIGNITE PASSION, DETERMINATION, DREAMING, INTENT, expectation of good. One of the favorite things that I'm saying with my friends, my closest friends lately, is we'll text each other almost daily, there is so much to look forward to.

That's a cool statement. Just steal it. Take it. Use it today. Watch how it helps your brain. And just say out loud, THERE IS SO MUCH to look forward to. SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO WITH PASSION AND DETERMINATION for the path that's been already marked out before us.

Oh, there's so much here. We're going to get into this. We look away from the natural realm. Yes, we do. We look AWAY FROM THE NATURAL JUDAH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS LOOK AWAY FROM CNN AND FOX. OKAY, I'M SORRY. WE LOOK AWAY FROM THE Not a lot of laughs there cuz I covered both of your news outlets.

Interesting. All right. And there will be more of those jokes TO COME. WE FASTEN OUR gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith's perfection. His example is this. Here's his example. This is supposed to be like da da da da. Here it is.

Here's his example. This is what it looks like. Cuz his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his. I'll read this again. His heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his. You're not going to believe after the comma.

He endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation. Part of the humiliation was completely nude and naked. Beaten and exposed. The Bible wants US TO KNOW THAT ALL CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN, ALL CONJECTURE, ALL OPINIONS, AND ALL CONCEPTS AND THOUGHTS OF WHY JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS OR HOW HE WENT TO THE CROSS OR WHAT WAS ON HIS MIND WHEN HE WAS CARRYING HIS CROSS OR HANGING THERE FOR 6 HOURS, HEBREWS tells us the truth.

YOU KNOW HOW HE STAYED THERE? By the way, it was not Rome. It was not a man that put him on that cross. He put himself on that cross. REMEMBER, HE SAYS, "NO ONE TAKES MY LIFE. I LAY it down." SO, HE KEPT HIMSELF ON THE CROSS. HOW?

BECAUSE his heart was focused on the joy of knowing you would be his. All the mystery of it. How could he think of me? He did. Yeah, but but how? Now, for some of you who've grown up in Sunday school, I don't mean to disrespect kind of your how should I say elevator music Christian clichés, but about this time if you've grown up in church and the pastor quotes Hebrews chapter 12 and gets into for the joy set before him he endured the cross, that's when you queue when the Sunday school teacher says, "He thought of you, boys and girls.

He thought of you and that's why he went to the cross." And when you were 6 years old, you were like, "He thought of me. He thought of me." And then you get older and you're like, "That's actually scientifically not possible." In fact, I wasn't even born yet.

That's ridiculous and incredulous. No no no no no it it's the Bible can't exaggerate. This isn't poetry. This isn't like kind of metaphor. It It actually means somehow in the mystery and magnitude of God, he knew your name, man. He knew your face. He knew your PERSONALITY AND HE SAW YOU HOME WITH HIM.

And it moved him. Home not being Earth, but home being a new heavens and a new Earth and a place called eternity. That is what motivated him. Now, it gets interesting because watch this. He says he endured the agony of the cross cards to me and now sits exalted at the right hand of throne of God.

Sitting is a really important position. It means he's done with the work. It means he's done. He's completed. It's over. It's not like God is still trying to redeem you, still trying to pay the price, still he's seated. It's done. It's over. It's complete. If you simply believe and receive, it's done.

It's done, right? He's seated. That's important. SO, CONSIDER CAREFULLY how Jesus faced such intense opposition from sinners. Consider carefully. That'd be a good thing for 2023. Consider Jesus carefully. Consider care- What are the things you consider carefully in your life? Taxes? What are the things you considered carefully?

I was watching some of the Bernie Madoff Netflix documentary and all the times he warded off people who went to look carefully. But because of greed, they decided, "Hey, the returns are good. Let's not look too too closely." I urge you, fellow Americans and friends, look carefully into Jesus.

Look carefully into the details that makes him who he is and what he's done. Take care of your taxes. Take care of your 5013c. Take care of your retirement. Take care of your investments. TAKE CARE, BUT TAKE VERY MUCH CARE IN LOOKING in to Jesus. Who faced such intense opposition from sinners who oppose their own souls so that you won't become so that you won't become so that you won't become worn down and cave in under life's pressures.

If that last sentence doesn't relate to you, you are the reincarnation of Mother Teresa. Let me read that one more time. And don't become worn down and cave in under life's pressures. I like this passage because it's not pulling punches. Life's got pressures. Life's got pressures. Recently, I was bemoaning some pressure in my life and literally my therapist counselor, who I have have loved and known many many years, went to high school with her son.

She said this, and I quote, "What did you think it was going to be?" What do you mean? Being a preacher, a public figure, A PASTOR, WHAT DID YOU THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE? WELL, I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE ME. WELL, THEN YOU WERE WRONG. YOU MAKE FUN OF CNN AND FOX.

PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO LIKE YOU. YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU CAN'T WHAT DID YOU THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE? BUT ISN'T THAT FUNNY AS YOU GET OLDER, YOU GOT TO GROW up and go, "Wow, it's it's not all Care Bears." Anybody remember them? Stuff doesn't come OUT OF YOUR BELLY.

Some of you, you know, your belly IS GETTING MORE PROMINENT THESE DAYS, BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT. SOME OF YOU ARE WORKING ON YOUR CARE BEAR. BUT LIFE IS GOT PRESSURE. ISN'T IT FUNNY? IT'S GOT PRESSURE. AND IT'S THE OLDER YOU GET, THE MORE PRESSURE THERE IS.

NO ONE TOLD ME LIKE I COULDN'T WAIT TO HAVE KIDS. I WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE KIDS. YOU KNOW, YOU JUST PEOPLE TO SHARE YOUR DNA. PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE YOU AND ACT LIKE YOU. WHAT A NOVEL A NOVEL CONCEPT. THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING. AND SO, OUR OUR FIRSTBORN OUR FIRST son was born 4 WEEKS PREMATURE.

I THOUGHT HIS PREMATURE birth was pressure packed. Now he's 18. He's developing A WORLDVIEW. OH GOD. NO ONE TOLD ME THE STAKES WOULD BE SO HIGH. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE RAISING YOUR like like making sure yourself is okay is one thing. Making sure your spouse is okay is one thing similar age.

She'll be okay. But now you're like, "What do I do with you?" And you have this direct reflection not of what you say but of what you do and how you live. Like the things that annoy me about my kids, they're sarcastic. I'm like, "Hey, hey, watch your attitude."

They look at me like, "You're the most sarcastic person we've ever met." And that's when I say, "Do as I say, not as I do." I'm kidding. I'm kidding. [laughter] I'm kidding. But you know what I MEAN? LIKE WHATEVER IT IS, MAN. Life is going to try to wear you down and have pressure.

If you've ever felt like that, this passage is for you. Going on verse 4, "After all, you've not yet reached the point of sweating blood in your opposition to sin." So much about that verse, we'll keep moving. "Have you forgotten his encouraging words spoken to you as children?"

Are you ready for these encouraging words spoken to you as children? Here's the encouraging words. Oh, thank you, Hebrews. He said, "My child, don't underestimate the value of discipline." YAY! DISCIPLINE AND THE TRAINING OF THE LORD. OR GET DEPRESSED WHEN HE HAS TO CORRECT YOU. HUH. BUMMER. NEWSFLASH, some of you right now are going through what we like to call training.

Now, old school preachers used to call it discipline, correction, spanking. 2023, can't say that. We're going TO GO WITH TRAINING TODAY. Don't you like that? That's a good That's a good word. I like training. Training's better. It's like training elite athletes, okay? Some of you right now are going through training and you are trying to resist the devil but it's God's training.

And I'm going to show you today how you know the difference between attack and training. And it's going to help you a lot cuz some of you going to go home and go, "Huh, man, I've been telling the devil to leave, leave, leave and it's BEEN THE LORD TRAINING ME."

I have good news. God doesn't train anyone he hasn't prepared something you to be trained for. HE'S NOT A SADISTIC FATHER. BECAUSE I SAID SO. GOD DOESN'T DO THAT. HE COULD. It would work. It's justified. But it's more than he said so. He's got a plan for you.

So he's training you so when you arrive to where he's taking you, you'll be ready to be you. To be you. To be you. To be you. Okay. And as the evidence of his is the evidence of his faith. Well, when he draws you to himself, it proves that you are his delightful child.

I We're going to keep reading. We'll keep reading. "Fully embrace God's correction as part of your training, for he's doing what any loving father does for his children. For who has ever heard of a child who never had to be corrected?" Uh some of us know some parents. "We all should welcome God's discipline as the validation of authentic sonship.

For if you've never once endured his correction, his training only proves we are strangers and not sons. Isn't it true that we respected our earthly fathers even though they corrected and disciplined us? Then we should have demonstrated even greater respect for God, our spiritual father, as we submit to his life-giving discipline." "Our parents correct us for the short time of our childhood as it seemed good to them, but God corrects us through our lives for our own good, giving us an invitation to share his holiness consistency.

Holiness consistency. That's a good synonym in English. He wants us to share his consistency. He wants you to share his consistency. You know how your marriage will get better? Share his consistency. You You You know how you have a better attitude? Share his consistency. You know how you have better evenings?

Share his consistency. You know how you wake up with more? Share his consistency. You ever met anyone who's consistent? Don't ever let them leave your life. Share his consistency. I'd like to meet someone who's sharing his consistency. You know, someone who's full of righteousness, peace, and joy consistently.

You know, someone who is someone you can depend on because they're consistent. The Bible says God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is immutable BY DEFINITION. HE DOES NOT CHANGE. HE WILL NOT CHANGE. HE CANNOT CHANGE. THE BIBLE SAYS, "I WANT YOU TO SHARE MY CONSISTENCY."

THE ONLY WAY I AM ALLOWED TO BE A CHURCH LEADER IS CONSISTENCY. ONE OF THE requirements for the three boards that govern this church is that I have to be consistent. Do you know what those categories are that I have to be consistent? I have to be consistent in my marriage.

If I am having sex OR SEXUAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER WOMAN or another man, one of those boards, if not all those boards, just say, "Hey, this is inconsistent. It's not healthy for him to be the leader." You know that, right? So we've got three boards. We've got a a a a >> [laughter] >> a lead pastor's council, which by the way, my mom is on.

She has not left the building. She will never leave my life. Okay? Pastor Jude has been my pastor since I was 9 years old, Leon Sandberg, okay, who's been in this city 129 years. I don't know where Leon is. So I'm making jokes about Oh, there he is.

Leon and Donna. OKAY? THIS IS REAL TO ME. WE HAVE A LEAD PASTOR COUNCIL. We have a compensation committee and we have a board of leaders. This is important, okay? Consistency is actually imperative in church leadership. HOW MUCH MORE IF YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE? GOD WANTS FOR YOU CONSISTENCY.

SOME OF YOU ARE GOING through training for more consistency so that you can have the life you dreamed of. I'M WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THIS. OKAY? This is By the way, this is this is this is a different kind of preaching that I oftentimes do because we're going to keep going back over these verses and I'm going to do my best to explain them to you because this was my assignment.

I had another sermon prepared, but it got changed early this morning and this is it, okay? So this is for somebody out there. Just a couple of you. That was the time you're going to make Jude, it's for all of us. Good sermon. Okay. All right. >> [clears throat] >> He wants us to share his holiness.

Verse 11. "Now all discipline seems to be more pain than pleasure at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character." The problem is as Americans, we don't do well with later. Don't get me started, okay? I I don't have much time to spend on that one, but we just don't do good.

When God says later, WE GO, "NOW! NOW!" NOT NOW. NOW DESTROYS YOU. Later preserves you and the dream. I'm going to do later. We got more to All right, later produces a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it. You hear that word?

Yield. Verse 12. "So be made strong even in your weakness by lifting up your tired hands in prayer and worship." Don't get it twisted. That does not mean a long prayer meeting or an Israel Houghton worship set. Now, both I recommend highly, particularly the second one, and I love prayer meetings.

But an Israel Houghton worship set is going to do you some good today. But that prayer and worship literally means worship is grateful thoughts. Worship is words you say to your friends about Jesus. Prayer is, "God, help me today as I go into this conference room and try to get this job."

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Prayer and worship. Doesn't have to be grand. Doesn't have to be hours and hours. It can be, that's awesome as well. I highly recommend that. But prayer and worship can be throughout your day and strengthen your weak knees. "As you keep walking forward on God's path, all your stumbling ways will be divinely healed.

In every relationship, be swift to choose peace over competition." This is a very interesting digression as we get towards the end of what we're reading today. "And run swiftly towards consistency." For those who are not consistent, they won't understand God. They won't see him. It's interesting. He's a daily God.

He's a consistent God. If you're not into the daily consistent, you miss him. You don't see him. You can't see him. You can't see him in the hummingbird. You can't see him in the sunset. You can't see him in the sunrise. You can't see him. Whoever's not consistent You can't see the Lord.

You're constantly concerned about other things. You can't see his daily miracles. You can't see the grass grow. You You can't see the miracles of the different seasons and how the rain makes it so green in the northwest. You can't see it anymore and you just become an average bystander who's just going through the life and you don't You're not consistent so you can't see. "Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God's grace."

Wait, what? I thought IT WAS LIKE, "WATCH OVER, MAKE SURE NOBODY MESSES UP REAL BAD AND MAKES US LOOK DUMB." MAKE SURE EVERYBODY VOTES RIGHT. MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S PAYING THEIR TAXES. NO, IT SAYS, "HEY, LOOK AROUND THE COMMUNITY. MAKE SURE NOBODY IS MISSING GRACE." "MAKE SURE NO ONE LIVES WITH THE ROOT of bitterness."

Isn't it interesting? Revelation of grace and then we're warned about bitterness. Bitterness is resentment. I This sermon is way out of order, but I like it. You know why some of us are dealing with resentment? Because we have not carefully investigated the revelation of grace. Brothers and sisters, when you wrap your arms around do bad, get good, resentment doesn't stick.

Because when people do bad to you after you've done good to them, YOU GO, "WELL, >> [laughter] >> I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF GOD HADN'T GIVEN ME WHAT I DIDN'T DESERVE. SO YOU KNOW WHAT? I FORGIVE THEM. THAT'LL BE ALL RIGHT. I COME ON. I'M NOT SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE BOUNDARIES and situations where you got to get the government INVOLVED AND I'M NOT MAKING LIGHT OF ANYTHING, BUT I AM SAYING THERE IS NO LEGISLATION FOR THE RESENTMENT YOU HOLD in your YOUR THERE'S NO COURT CASE THAT WILL SOLVE the resentment in your heart.

That is between you and your God in the secret quiet evenings of the night. And the question is, are you revolving in your head all the wrong that has been done to you, or you carefully investigating Jesus and the revelation of grace? Don't let a root of bitterness a root of bit and then it it's resentment gets roots.

Grows. Now, interesting, have you ever seen a root of a tree up a whole sidewalk? Have you ever seen that? Maybe it's in your neighborhood and you're like, "Oh, we got to fix this sidewalk." Well, you got to do something about the tree. You can put more cement, but cement doesn't stand a chance for roots.

Some of you got roots of resentment that are causing upheaval in your life and you think it's the concrete problem and a sidewalk problem, but it's a resentment problem. And I know that you know that you have resentment. Oh, I'm getting so ahead of myself. But there's such a difference between training and resentment and attacks of the enemy and resentment that lead to resentment and then the training of the Lord and I'm going to get to it in a second.

I'm getting way too ahead of myself. But then again, I have no notes, so how can I say I'm getting ahead of myself? Sprouting within them which will only cause trouble. Now, watch this. Isn't this interesting? Your roots of resentment will poison who? Hearts of many. So, here's the problem.

As your pastor, I am bound to the book to tell you that if you let these roots kick up other concrete, it won't just ruin your sidewalk. It'll start hurting other people's sidewalks. And now your sidewalk has now impacted other people's walk and now they're stumbling because of your resentment.

See, the truth is, if I came up here with resentment and started preaching from resentment it would affect your sidewalk. What I mean by that it would affect your walk. So, EVERYBODY DIDN'T WANT JUDAH TO GET RESENTFUL. But you're allowed to? Well, I'm not THE PREACHER. SO WHAT?

YOU PREACHING to somebody. Mostly your kids or your grandkids or your spouse or your co-workers. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOUR LIFE. SOMEBODY'S watching your sermon. AND THAT THING THAT YOU WON'T LET GO OF THAT WRONG THAT WAS DONE TO YOU IS GOING TO DESTROY sidewalks for other people. But there's an answer for resentment.

Don't worry. And the revelation of grace can root out resentment in one Sunday morning. I'm not playing. That's how powerful it is. So, we're going to get there. If you need a little bit of rooting out today, not a problem. We got 2 more hours to go here.

This is going to be great. >> [laughter] >> Give me give me one one Sunday service. I mean, come on now. And then this it goes on and says, "It'll poison the hearts of many." All right, we'll we'll we'll stop there for today. I want to make a few observations.

But here's the first question I want to ask you. Jesus, it says about Jesus that there was a joy set before him. Let me ask you a question. What are you setting before you? What are you setting before you? Don't underestimate what you're setting before you. Now, when I say what are you setting before you, let me say it like this.

What is on your mind and in your mouth? What is on your mind and in your mouth? What is on your mind and in your mouth? Cuz what's on your mind and in your mouth have dramatic impact on the life you live. What's on your mind and in your mouth?

Now, I found a connection. I'm sure you have too. This is no deep revelation. Bear with me, but often times what's on your mind comes out your mouth. Now, it is important to note and I'm not going to you know, I'm not like the spiritual warfare guy, but I want to say something about demons and devils and the opposition.

They cannot read your mind. Devils and demons cannot read your mind. God knows your thoughts and the intents of your heart. Scripture never says devils or demons ever know what is on your mind. But devils and demons can hear what come out your mouth. Now, you might find this silly, but anything in print I take note of.

A friend of mine is starting a water business and recently he had a big release on cnn.com and I called him. I said, "You listen to me. You're not the only one that can see that article. Your name is now in print and I'm telling you devils can read newspapers."

So, please hear me when I say this. It matters what you say OUT LOUD. "I WANT A DIVORCE." BE CAREFUL BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT WANT THAT. IT MIGHT JUST BE AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT. BUT NOW YOU HAVE PUT IT OUT THERE. AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE DONE.

I'M JUST SAYING THOSE THERE ARE SOME WORDS IN THE SMITH HOUSEHOLD WE JUST DON'T USE. AND SOMEBODY LIKE, "THAT is so noble." It's not noble. I'M JUST NOT DUMB. DON'T BE DUMB ABOUT THE DEVICES of the enemy. SO, I DON'T HAVE TO GIVE AWAY ALL MY STUFF. WE DON'T SAY THE D WORD IN THE SMITH HOUSE.

BECAUSE I THINK IT GIVES IT MORE POWER. DO I FEEL LIKE DIVORCING CHELSEA? NEVER. FEW TIMES, BUT THE POINT IS I HATE YOU, CHURCH. I'M GETTING I LOVE YOU. I love you. I love you. Sarcasm. There it is. Right? I mean, let's not FOOL OURSELVES. WE'VE ALL HAD WE HAD A FIGHT LAST WEEK.

AND CHELSEA WAS CHELSEA WAS THROWING VITAMIN WATER. SHE'S LIKE, "YOU THROW STUFF, I'M GOING TO THROW STUFF." And Vitamin Water Zeros going everywhere and I'm like, "That's that's sweet stevia. It's expensive." LIKE THIS IS REAL LIFE. BUT WHAT YOU SAY MATTERS. WHAT'S ON your mind and what comes out your mouth matters.

Isn't it interesting that this whole passage hinges on look carefully at Jesus. Get Jesus on your mind. Get Jesus on your mind. And I'm going to say something about church. And a lot of people don't know. They're like, "Man, what is ChurchHome doing? Where is Judah? He's never here live.

He's never" I mean, all of my friends text me, "When are you going to be live in Kirkland? When are you going to be live in LA?" And a lot of my friends I don't tell them because I'm trying to make a point. And that is if you are hinging the health and wealth of your spiritual walk on my live sermons, grow up and get out more.

This is an everyday journey with Jesus and ChurchHome is TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A MODEL THAT HELPS PEOPLE EVERY DAY ALL OVER THE WORLD. CUZ WALKING WITH JESUS IS EVERYDAY all over the world. IT AIN'T A SUNDAY MORNING THING. AND I LOVE TO PREACH LIVE. SOMEONE SOMEONE ASKED ME, "DO YOU LIKE PREACH DO YOU LIKE PREACHING?"

I GO, "YEAH, LOVE IT." THEY GO, "WHY?" I WAS LIKE, "I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT I'M going to say." Yeah. And that's the truth. IT JUST CAME OUT OF MY HEART, YOU KNOW, LIKE SO, I LOVE IT. It's not that I don't love it, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A CHURCH FOR THE FUTURE.

UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO WIN THE WORLD, they're all not going TO COME TO OUR BUILDINGS TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS. WE GOT TO TAKE IT TO THE STREETS. WE GOT TO TAKE IT TO THE FIELDS. We got to take it all over the world. That's why we're doing this every single day.

What's on your mind and what's coming out of your mouth? The joy and and and and and we're talking about dreaming. Somebody like, "Was this a story about Was this a sermon about dreaming or what was this?" Yes. Because this is the ultimate dream I've ever seen in all of scripture.

I've never seen a more potent powerful dream in the whole Bible. I know Joseph had a dream and I know all the sermons about the dreams, but I'm telling you this is the biggest dream. This is the best dream and you're supposed to share this dream. And the dream is that someday you'll go home and you'll be with your father.

You're going to go home someday and this is not it. And that joy and that dream and that passion is to be on your mind and in your mouth. On your mind and in your mouth. You know the old adage? They say we live like this life is forever.

Think it's going to stock piling money as if the money is going to be there forever and so will we. Is anybody else fatigued with the whole pursuit of the American dream? Brothers and sisters, I respect money. I understand that it can change things. We pool our resources at ChurchHome to make a difference, but money is not to be served.

Jesus is. Money is to serve me as I serve Jesus. I'M GOING HOME SOMEDAY TO ENDURE THE PRESSURE of this life. THE BIBLE URGES US, "LOOK CAREFULLY AT JESUS." BUT notice it starts by letting go. Letting go. Let go. And I want to show you, it's very simple.

I want to show you how to let go of resentment. How to let go of wounds. By the way, when it says let go of these wounds and these sins that so easily beset us. Now, some of you when you think sins, you automatically think, you know, that sin you struggle with.

Maybe it's exaggeration. People ask me, "Do you lie?" I'm like, "No, I'm not a liar. I'm an exaggerator. They're very different." All right. Maybe that's your sin. You're like, "I got to stop lying." But actually, the sin referenced here in context is most likely simply the sin of unbelief.

And the Bible says in Hebrews, "It easily sneaks into your life." And you start to go, "Is God for me?" "Is he blessing me?" Some drama's broken out of my life and what's new, you know? As I said, my counselor goes, "What do you expect?" Thanks. And I had a couple days, maybe 2 weeks ago.

I had a couple days and I was just frustrated and I was Chelsea's like, "Are you okay?" And I'm like, "I don't know. I'm just I'm so agitated." And I might have thrown my cellular phone in a pond and I'm going to get into it. It's not the first time.

I threw my phone in the pond, splash in the pond. And Zion's like, "What are you going to do?" And I'm like, "Probably have a wonderful few days now without my phone, to be honest." It took a week for the team to help me get another one. That was a wonderful week.

I didn't miss you at all. But anyways, I was so frustrated and I forget when it was. It was a morning or an evening, but God reminded me of that scripture. Be a friend to God because he's already a friend to you. And the Holy Spirit said, "You are not treating me like your friend."

For you earthly fathers know how to give good gifts. But how much more your heavenly father will give good things to those who ask. And I started to liken him to an earthly father. And I started to wonder if the father was mad at me. God, did I do something?

And for 2 days, God showed me, "You weren't a friend. You didn't believe that I was your friend. And it unhinged you, Judah. I want you to be a friend to me because I'm already a friend of yours." Has God become something less than a friend of yours?

Has he become a partner? Has he become an estranged partner in life and you're wondering, "God, where are you?" I'm telling you, even when he's training you, he's your friend. But the Bible says, you got to let go of the wounds and the sins of unbelief. And And the operative is is how?

How do I do that? How do I do that? Everything will get back to look carefully at Jesus. Look carefully at Jesus. And I'm not exaggerating when I say what I'm actually practically suggesting. Okay? All of my preacher friends tell me I'm not practical enough. So, congratulations. The beginning of 2023, this is practical as I can get, okay?

And next sermon, we'll get back to metaphor and parables, which I love, and emotion. But what I really mean, the way you look carefully into Jesus sometimes is actually sitting down with a fellow Jesus follower and saying what you know about. I know this sounds strange, but talk about the piercings.

Talk about the pain. Talk about the 6 hours he hung there. Talk about why he gave himself up. One of my favorite parts of the story is when Herod Excuse me, Pilate says, "Do you know who I am? I have the power to save you or kill you."

And that's when Jesus speaks up and he says, "You have no power except that which is given to you from my father in heaven." And it sends chills in my body because I'm like, "That's what I'm talking about." All of these pompous dictators and leaders in the world think they have power.

They have no power unless it was given to them from the Father. For he puts up one and he puts down another. He is the king of all kings and he is the Lord of all lords and Caesar is not king. Jesus is. Don't get me started because there's a whole 'nother sermon.

If you haven't heard it already, things like, do you know the Bible says he's seated at the right hand of God on high? Do you know that was a statement not made by Jesus first. That was a statement they made about Caesar in Rome. THEY SAID HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.

PETER STOOD UP AND PREACHED ONE OF THE FIRST SERMONS OF THE EARLY CHURCH, WHEN THE CHURCH WAS JUST BEGINNING, RIGHT AFTER THE UPPER ROOM. AND HE SAYS, "JESUS IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD." THEY SAID OF CAESAR, ONLY CAESAR could open UP THE SEALS. ONLY CAESAR KNOWS THE MYSTERIES of God.

AND LATER PETER WOULD PREACH THAT ONLY JESUS OPENS THE SEALS AND ONLY JESUS knows the mystery OF GOD. YOU MAKE NO MISTAKE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THOUGH WE MAY BE IN ROME AND CAESAR MAY BE KING. THOUGH WE MAY BE IN AMERICA AND THERE IS A PRESIDENT, THERE IS ONLY ONE KING.

AND I AM AS SERIOUS AS ANYTHING ELSE I'LL EVER TELL YOU IN THIS LIFE. I WILL PAY MY TAXES AND I WILL CAST MY VOTE. BUT WHOEVER SITS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, I KNOW WHO SITS ON THE THRONE. AND I WILL SERVE AT HIS BECK AND CALL. I AM NOT PREACHING ANARCHY OR CONFUSION OR CALAMITY IN AMERICA, BUT I AM CALLING BELIEVERS, THE SAME BELIEVERS THAT LIVED UNDER THE TYRANNY OF ROME AND THE AGGRESSIVE EXAGGERATION OF CAESAR'S POWER.

SO WE LIVE TODAY IN A NATION AND WE HAVE GREATLY EXAGGERATED THE POWER OF OUR PRESIDENT. And there is one king. AND LET THEM SAY WHEN I'M DONE PREACHING, I preached about King Jesus. You vote who you want to vote FOR AND WE PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF THIS NATION.

But Jesus is king, not Caesar. Just to be clear. AND YOU BETTER CLAP EVEN WHEN YOUR guy or gal is in office. Some of you are like, "Yeah, that's right, Joe Biden." It's cuz you didn't vote for him. You better clap no matter who, red or blue. Jesus is king.

They would have proclaimers behind the trail of Caesar when he walked when he when they carried him through Rome. And they would call him the son of God. In Peter's first sermon of the church, he called Jesus the son of God. In fact, it says in Acts chapter 17 and verse 7, I believe it is, they said, "The criticism of the early church is THAT THEY MAKE MUCH of Jesus and THEY MAKE NOTHING OF CAESAR.

THEY SHOULD BE INCARCERATED." OOH, be careful, church. We are not here today to analyze the systems of this country. We are here today to make much of Jesus. And what comes of that in this country, may God bless America. But my citizenship is ultimately in heaven. And I would not go the next 17 years preaching to this church.

We were not We're not just going to be an American church. You better hear me. We're not just going to be an American church. We're going to be a church for the world. And Jesus is king of the world. He's a king of every continent, every country in the world.

HE IS KING. AND HE CANNOT BE VOTED IN AND HE CANNOT BE VOTED OUT. HE SITS ON THE THRONE AND HE LAUGHS AT HIS ENEMIES. GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT A POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND. AND THE SAME SPIRIT THAT MOVED THE EARLY DAY CHRISTIANS, THE SAME SPIRIT THAT SAID, "EVEN IF WE MUST STAND AGAINST CAESAR, WE WILL STAND WITH JESUS."

FOR CAESAR DID NOT DIE ON A CROSS, ONLY JESUS DID. Please hear me. Whatever country you're from, I pray God blesses your country. But we going home someday. When we go home, we will see the beauty and the tapestry of our diversity. I am not making light for a moment of all the different beautiful ethnicities that make up the image of God, but I promise you, it is your beautiful ethnicity that will matter more in eternity than your country.

But [snorts] our country is eternity. And we're going home soon. Keep it on your mind and keep it in your mouth. Make less of all of the comings and comings of this life. Make more of people and make much of Jesus. We have replaced propaganda and particular preferences and judicial legislative systems and we have chosen them over caring for our neighbor.

And that was not the way of the early Christian. That was not the way. That was not the way. Show me the pervasive language in the writings of the early fathers where they speak in depth about the governing bodies because they do not. They speak of the wondrous ways of Jesus.

And it's dramatic impact on any government and any continent and any country. Please hear me. I believe in the systems. I believe in voting. I believe in being a Come on now. You know the body of work, 30 years of this church, what we've tried to do. But there is one king.

And it's not Caesar. It's Jesus. And if push comes to shove, Caesar or Jesus, I choose Jesus and I won't even have a Caesar salad. I won't even have a Caesar haircut. I kind of do right now, but you know what I mean. And no, it's it's Jesus alone.

Trying to preach this sermon, but you're distracting me. So, going on in like verse 3 or 4, I forget which one we're on. W- Wait, there it is. So, consider carefully that Jesus faced such intense opposition from sinners who opposed him, so that you won't become worn down and cave in to life pressures.

Verse 4, After all, you've not reached the point of sweating blood in your opposition to sin. Verse 5, Have you forgotten his encouraging words spoken to you as children? He said, "My children, don't underestimate the value of the discipline of God." God is God is God is training you.

And And here's Remember I told you I would tell you the difference between training and attack. Here it is. Discipline and training of the Lord or get depressed when he has to correct you. For the Lord's training of your life is the evidence of his faithful love, and when he draws you to himself, it proves you're his delightful child.

Here's the training I have issue with. There is a training in the church that is fleshly, and it leads to self-preoccupation. It's called the law. And what we do is we train people with lists of do's and don'ts. But the training of the Lord is mystical, spiritual, invisible, and supernatural.

And here's how you will know you're up under the training of the Lord because he will draw you to himself. And you will make less of the constructs of man, and you will make far more of the constructs and wooing and ways of Jesus. For those who hang their hat on what they do or don't do, the Bible warns you, having been birthed in the spirit, WILL YOU NOW BE MADE PERFECTED BY THE FLESH?

THE KINGDOM OF GOD, ROMANS 14 SAYS, IS NOT A MATTER WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY OR DON'T PUT IN YOUR BODY OR WHAT YOU WEAR OR DON'T WEAR OR THE INK YOU HAVE TATTOOED INTO THE LITTLE PARTS OF THE ENTRY LEVEL OF YOUR SKIN. TATTOOS. THE POINT IS, IT'S NOT WHETHER YOU'RE TATTED OR NOT.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS. IT'S NOT WHERE YOU'RE WHETHER YOU'RE WEARING A HAT OR NOT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS. IT'S NOT WEARING YOUR CHEWING GUM OR NOT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS. IT'S NOT WHETHER YOU CUSS OR NOT. WE THOUGHT it was. Words matter. Be careful. All right, I'm convicted.

ALL RIGHT, POINT IS, BUT YOU KNOW ROMANS 14:17, in the spirit. It's in the spirit. It's in the spirit. It's in the spirit. Now, I'm going to tell you something about God's training. It doesn't have a timetable like we put timetables to. So, here's what you'll know about God's training.

You know that God's training you when you feel like it's not going fast enough. Cuz God's not a microwave trainer. He's long-suffering. And he takes it day by day. Day by day. And you're becoming just a little more like him. And you'll know that he's training you because there'll be there'll be pain, and you'll be like, God, what's going on?

But you ever you ever This ever happen to you? You're like, I am going through one of the more difficult seasons of my life, but I am really in love with Jesus right now, and it is so weird. It's not weird. It's not weird. It's not weird. That's called training.

And he's wooing you to himself, and the fruits of his training are focus on your position, righteousness, and the emotion that comes with your position, which is peace and joy. Now, attacks of the enemy get you to focus on your circumstance. Training of the Lord gets you focused on your position.

Your position transcends circumstance. But if you let your position to be informed by your circumstance, calamity and confusion will set in, and the Bible says God does not author that, so it's not from him. BUT WHEN GOD STARTS TO TRAIN YOU, HE STARTS TO REMIND YOU YOU ARE MY SON.

YOU ARE MY DAUGHTER. I AM YOUR FATHER. I LOVE YOU. I CHOOSE YOU. I ANOINTED YOU. I APPOINTED YOU. I DESIGNED YOU. I PUT YOU TOGETHER IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB. YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE. I PREDETERMINED WHAT TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY YOU WOULD BE BORN. I PREDETERMINED WHAT CONTINENT, WHAT COUNTRY, WHAT SPACE, WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT CUL-DE-SAC, WHAT CHURCH YOU'D BE A PART OF.

I CHOSE YOU. THIS IS MY ORCHESTRATION. I AM SOVEREIGN. I AM BEHIND YOUR EXISTENCE. I AM BEHIND YOUR NAME. I AM BEHIND YOUR JOURNEY. I AM BEHIND YOUR STEPS. IT'S ME. AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THERE COMES A SENSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH PRODUCES A PEACE AND JOY THAT TRANSCENDS CIRCUMSTANCE.

AND THAT IS WHY PAUL WRITES THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS, AND IT'S A 15-MINUTE READ. AND 16 TO 19 TIMES IN ONE 15-MINUTE READ, HE SAYS, "JOY." AND IF YOU'RE AN AMERICAN, YOU GOT TO READ THAT AND GO, "WHERE'S THE JOY?" BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS, PAUL IS IN JAIL WHEN HE WRITES IT.

WHERE [screaming] ARE THE CHRISTIANS WHILE UNDER INCARCERATION SPEAK OF JOY MORE THAN OTHER TOPICS? WHERE ARE THE BLOGGERS WHO SPEAK OF JOY? WHERE ARE THE NEWSCASTERS THAT SPEAK OF JOY? WHERE ARE THE PREACHERS THAT SPEAK OF JOY? WE ARE SO TIED DOWN BY OUR CIRCUMSTANCE. WE ARE SO INFORMED BY OUR SITUATIONS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD PREDESTINED US FOR. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE CALLED YOU TO. HE CALLED YOU TO HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY. WHEN THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD CRUMBLE, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS SECURE. RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN THE SPIRIT. THAT'S WHAT THE OLD Christians knew. And that's why you could kill them.

You could imprison them. You could persecute them, and they would rejoice. >> [sighs and gasps] >> And they would rejoice, for the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus says the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent. Repent. Repent. You know what repent means? It means change the way you think.

Change what's in your mind. You know why he said? Because the kingdom of heaven is at arm's length. It is to say the kingdom is not far. It is right here. It's right here. Jesus is near. Jesus is available. His realities are here. It's not far. I don't have a corner on the kingdom.

You and I got the same access to the kingdom. Your position is secure. The Bible says he sat down at the right hand of God. AND THAT POSITION, THAT RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD, THAT ACCEPTANCE before God, that approval before God, that's why this preacher is committed to tell you every time I GET TO SEE YOU OR TALK TO YOU THROUGH A SCREEN, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT GOD IS PLEASED with you.

He loves you. HE ACCEPTS YOU. HE'S SMILING AT YOU. HIS COUNTENANCE towards you is out of approval and acceptance. You don't prove it. Righteousness, peace, and joy. The domain of the king. When he pulls you into his family, your position is paramount, and it informs your emotions. So, resist the devil.

If you are being attacked, here's how you'll know you're being attacked by the enemy. He will make very light of your position. That's where the power is. Oh, you're righteous? How are you righteous? IF PEOPLE KNEW WHAT YOU WATCHED LATE AT NIGHT, YOU AIN'T RIGHTEOUS. And there it is.

And what's the sin that so easily besets us? Hebrews 12. Unbelief. Can we believe it? What Wait, what's How do we fight? Anybody remember what the New Testament says? Our job, our work is to believe. We fight the good fight of So, here we are. What are you going to focus on?

Here's the truth. If God told me your circumstance was going to improve, I'd try to tell you, but he doesn't tell me that stuff. He barely tells me about my own circumstance. So, I can make no guarantees about the constructs of man, about I don't know, traffic, traffic lights, taxation, systems.

We'll do our best. But I can make a guarantee here. For all who believe, you are called sons and daughters of the king. And you ARE RIGHTEOUS. FATHER, FORGIVE THEM. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. Do you hear THOSE WORDS NOW? FATHER, FORGIVE THEM. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

JUST FORGIVE THEM. I'M DOING THIS SO YOU FORGIVE ALL OF THEM. FORGIVENESS WILL FLOW THROUGH THE STREETS LIKE THE TIDES OF THE OCEAN, AND AND and they'll be righteous. You will never be more righteous than you are right now. Therefore, you have every eternal right to have peace and joy.

Okay. You know, the early saints, they said stuff like this, "Even if they kill us, that just means we get to go home early." Down here, we scrape to make sure we live forever. Botox. I'm not against it. You know, everything to look like we're not dying. Everything.

Everything to look like we're not dying. And I'm not saying the early Christians were obsessed with death, but they weren't afraid. Jesus is king. >> [laughter] >> Jesus is king. You're righteous. Let that inform your emotions. Dream again. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross. The Bible says go over it.

Message Bible says go over it line by line, and it will shoot adrenaline in your veins. But I want to say this. Hebrews 12 stands like a billboard to believers everywhere. Do you see it? Do you see it? Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross.

That verse isn't for Jesus and it isn't for dead Christians cuz they know that verse is for you. What if you set the same joy before you? What if we talked to our kids about heaven? What [snorts] if we talked to our loved ones about home with our father?

And someday we're going to be there. But now we endure with peace and joy in a position that's eternal. I got [snorts] no promises for 2023. I'll make declarations, you know I will. I will always be the pastor in your life saying the best is yet to come. God's got good things in store for you.

And I believe in that 2023 you get all the snow cones you want, cherry and grape. But maybe some days won't be full of snow cones and ice cream cones. What will you do? Tirelessly work to improve your conditions and your circumstance thinking that income will solve it?

Brothers and sisters, the early Christians, when they heard that somebody in the church needed money, they would just give them money. Here. Here. Take the money. How about that? Come on, let's follow Jesus. And now in the modern age church members sue church members. I I want my money back.

One of the one of my financial heroes told me recently, "Oh Judah, don't forget. Money is the easiest thing for God to replace. Don't worry about money." And I don't know who I'm talking to, but there is somebody here. Money can have an attitude and it can attach to you.

And it can honestly consume your outlook and your view. And I got a sense today that by the presence and power of God, he is setting you free from a money-filled future. This life is not about money. And I know what you're saying. The Smith family, we grew up broke, okay?

And so you know what rich people always say? It's not about money. And all the less rich people are like, "But can I just see for myself? Let me just check that out though. I'm just make sure. Okay, it's not. A little bit, it's not. Okay, all right."

You know, like I got no shade to throw here. I get it. I get it. But what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but in the process lose his own soul? Are you thirsty? Are you weary? ARE YOU DISCOURAGED? ARE YOU EXHAUSTED? [screaming] ARE YOU OVERWHELMED?

DO YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED? ARE YOU WONDERING IF GOD IS FOR YOU? COME ON. [screaming] COME ON, CHURCH. LET'S LOOK UNTO JESUS. THE ONE WHO STARTED, THE ONE WHO WILL FINISH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, YOU AND ME, AND ETERNITY, FOREVER, ENDURED THE CROSS. LOOK CAREFULLY UNTO JESUS.

STUDY JESUS. GET JESUS ON YOUR MIND. GET JESUS IN YOUR MOUTH. AND SO YOU WILL REALIZE THE KINGDOM REALITIES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST. WHAT IF 2023 WAS THE MOST JOY-FILLED AND PEACE-FILLED YEAR YOU'VE EVER HAD? I can believe for that. I can believe FOR THAT, NO MATTER WHAT COMES.

So Lord Jesus, WE YIELD to you, oh God. WE YIELD TO YOU, OH GOD. YOU ARE THE MASTER. YOU ARE THE COMMANDER. YOU ARE THE LEADER. YOU ARE THE KING. YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT. You are the leader. You're the shepherd. You're the pastor. Shepherd your people this morning.

Meet us here, wonderful king. Wonderful savior, the lion of Judah, the lion of Judah. You are strong. You are the king of the jungle. You are in charge and you are in control. We fix our eyes on you, Jesus. Fill our mind and fill our mouth with your wonderful ways, your wonderful miraculous ways.

We love you. We trust you and we rely on you. If you're here today, just before we begin to sing, just before we begin to use melody and harmony as a point of connection. If you're here today and say, "Judah, I want to be a follower of Jesus.

I want to receive the free gift of forgiveness that only Jesus offers." On the count of three, I'm going to ask you to lift up your hand all over the auditorium, but before I do, I'm going to ask everyone to close your eyes. I don't want to embarrass you, but if you're here today and say, "Judah, I receive Jesus as my king.

I receive Jesus as the savior for my selfishness AND MY SIN. I BELIEVE THAT JESUS is God." If that's you, on the count of three, I want you to lift up your hand. 1 2 3, if that's you, shoot your hand up. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Hands all over. Thank you. OH GOD, YOU SEE THESE HANDS AND YOU SEE THESE HEARTS. AND YOU KNOW OUR HEART AND YOU KNOW OUR WAYS AND YOU KNOW OUR MIND AND YOU KNOW OUR MOUTH AND YOU FORGIVE US ANYWAYS. We love you. WE WORSHIP YOU. WE HONOR YOU.

WE ADORE YOU. In Jesus' name. And everybody said, "Amen."