You're Not Lost | Judah Smith

Hey everybody, thanks for joining us for weekly service. I am excited to share this message that I spoke in 2018. So the whole month of September, we're doing old messages, but good messages. In fact, there's one uh where my dad is speaking on here. You got to check that out.

He's in a full suit. It's uh it's sweet and I do miss him every day. Been 16 years since he passed. But you got to check out that message called Shake It Off. It is so good. Uh but this week we are sharing a message and I got the title from a bumper sticker uh in the Northwest because I am from the Northwest.

Portland, Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, one of the most beautiful places in the world. But one of kind of I think it could be like a mantra of the Pacific Northwest and this whole region of the world. There are bumper stickers that proliferate through the Pacific Northwest and they read and I state, "Not all who wander are lost."

Not all who wander are lost. And that is so like Patagonia. It is so like North Face. It is so like we are hikers. Uh I'm not at all, which is ironic. But not all who wander are lost. Now, I titled this message because wandering is a part of being human.

Wondering is a part of being human. It's not always a sign of failure. It's not always a sign of brokenness. It often times is a sign of seeking and exploration. And God will meet us in our wanderings. God will meet us in our musings. I think sometimes we get um unsettled when we feel like our soul has questions.

When we feel like we're curious about what could this turn mean and what could this decision mean and we feel like we we eb and flow. We feel like we drift. That's you being a human. God will meet you there. I've discovered that oftent times in my wonderings, in my musings, in my wandering, in the es and flows of life, and if I dare say even some of my drifting, God's met me there.

Some of the most magnanimous, generous moments with God that I've ever had came in a in a season where I felt like, God, is this are you am I? And he meets me there. So, if you feel like right now you're in one of those chapters and maybe I just described it almost emotionally like God, are we should I where um wait, if that kind of describes what you're feeling right now in your spiritual journey, okay, this message is for you.

I believe there's going to be renewed clarity, a sense of God encountering you and meeting you. I'm really excited. Um, I have looked at the sermon. I do look younger. My jeans are tighter, but it is a good message and I think it can really help you. So, without any further ado, this is uh originally aired in 2018.

A message entitled, "Not all who wander are lost." Luke chapter 15. Luke 15 has framed for me so much of my life and frankly so much of the impetus and passion behind why our community exists. And let me explain. It says in Luke 15 verse verses 1 and 2, now the tax collectors and sinners all drew near to hear Jesus.

And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, this man receives sinners and eats with them. Let me read this to you in the message Bible if I can. In those first couple of verses, it says, "By this time, a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus."

Maybe you've never heard this about Jesus, but he attracted a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation, which is to say, a lot of people that did not go to church were attracted to Jesus. >> They were hanging around him, listening intently. Wow. Jesus had a draw to him.

And the the the pastors, the preachers were not pleased at all cuz this wasn't these weren't church folk. They didn't smell like church. They didn't look like church. They didn't talk like church. Their favorite words were not church words. And so they were not pleased. And they growled and grumbled.

And they said, "He takes in bad people or sinners and he eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Treating them like old friends. And their grumbling triggered this story. In other words, the pastors and preachers of Jesus day could not understand his friends. They could not understand his social circle.

Now, a lot of people today um we we throw out the name of Jesus and the person of Jesus and he is portrayed in a lot of a number of different ways. Many of which I'm sure are relevant and important and valuable. But one of the aspects of Jesus social life that many people don't talk about is the fact that he had friends that were not good people.

He didn't just befriend these people, he ate meals with them. And in antiquity in ancient time to eat a meal with someone is to align yourself with them socially. It is to say you are my friend. I accept you. You belong in my heart. You belong in my life.

So Jesus doesn't just you know I don't know dap somebody on the street. He says come to my house. Let's eat together. And so the rumor mill began because Jesus had bad friends. I want to suggest to you that not only should our life look like Jesus life socially, but our church should look like the social life of Jesus.

Everyone should be welcome in the church that Jesus is building. Now, in an effort to explain himself to his critics, Jesus tells us one story with three parts. We've talked much about this, but I'd like to take the next couple of weeks and talk even more about it.

He tells us one parable with three parts. First, he talks about a shepherd and some sheep. Then, he talks about a woman in a coin collection. He talks about a dad with two sons. In every single story, there will be something that is lost, something that is found, and there'll be a party in a home.

Remember, this is an explanation. Jesus is explaining why he befriends the people he does. He says, "Let me tell you a story." He says, "There's a shepherd has a hund sheep. He loses one, leaves a 99, finds the sheep, calls his neighbors, his fellow shepherds, has a celebration in a home."

Another part, there's a woman. She has a 10 coin collection. She loses one of the 10. She rips her house apart looking for the one coin. Finds it. Calls the neighbors in the culde-sac when she finds it and throws a party and a celebration. Fast forward. Third and final aspect of the story.

He says there is a father. He's got two sons. The oldest stays home and and does his thing. The youngest is wayward. The youngest wants to go to Vegas. The youngest wants to go to the ends of the earth and he wants to party. So he gets his inheritance early.

He goes into some foreign land and he parties, parties, parties until he's got no more money. And then he finds his way trying to make his way back to the father's house. The father sees him a long way off, runs to him, embraces him, gives him new clothes, new jewelry, new shoes, gets a DJ, dance floor, music, filet minan, and they celebrate.

Okay, that is Jesus explanation to you and me of why he loves bad people. He tells us about sheep, a coin, and a son. And here's what I'd like to talk about the next several weeks. Here's how God sees you and me. He sees us as human beings who are prone to wander yet bear his image and are most certainly his children.

God loves you and me, but he knows that we are prone to wander. We bear his image. Genesis says, "Let us make man in our image." We bear his image and we are most certainly his children. For God desires that none would perish, but all would come to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, their heavenly father.

What I'd like to do is I'd like to take the next few weeks. I'd like to talk about why we wander, how Jesus solves our wandering. I want to talk to us about how we bear his image and the implications of that. And I want to talk about how we are in fact children of God.

So tonight, today we're going to dedicate the next few minutes to understand this idea of of of wandering. And so we're going to go to quite frankly the most famous chapter in the Bible. The most famous verse is probably John 3:16, but the most famous chapter is Psalms >> 23. >> 23.

Okay. All right. 14 of you thought about that. Okay. Psalms 23. So let's go there together. And I'm going to title this sermon, not all who wander are lost. I I just saw a bumper sticker. I thought it was funny. Okay, I love it. Not all who wander are lost.

Psalms 23 says this. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I'd like us to use that passage to understand this passage of course is rooted in the metaphor of sheep and shepherd. Sheep and shepherd. Jesus says he likens our nature to sheep. That's why he tells us in his parable that we are like sheep that have wandered, but the shepherd comes looking for us.

And I want to talk to you about our our wanderings tonight. And I'd like to show you in scripture how God solves and satisfies the wanderings of your life and heart and soul. I want to remind you that the big idea when we get together is not to think more about ourselves, but it's to think more about God.

For that's where the power is to change and grow in this life. Someone saying amen would not be a bad thing. Amen. >> Jesus, thank you for the moments that we share. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love. Um God, we we sense that you're here right now.

And we know that you have a plan and a purpose. And so, um, we ask Lord, what whatever we came in with this room that you'd allow us in the brief moments that we do share studying your story to focus, to lean in, to listen, to hear, and to experience your grace and your goodness.

Um, God, we we we need something supernatural to happen at the Coliseum on Sunday against these Rams. Um, help the Seahawks. With all my heart I ask the Rams don't even need any more wins. Just help us win Lord in Jesus name. Jesus name. Jesus name. Amen. I uh I grew up without without cell phones which is kind of a weird thing to say now.

I'm 40 and I talked to my kids about this this era of life that they know nothing about. Um I had a pager in high school. Anybody have a pager? Any any pager people? Let's go. Let's go. We ought to bring pagers back actually. It's it was so it's just like oh man I got to call.

I'll be back. You know, you go to the pay phone 1800 collect. It was always my mom. But right. So, so like there were things taken for granted because we didn't have cell phones. For instance, when you go to the zoo or you go to Disneyland or you go to the mall, growing up, we had to have a little get together before we went our separate ways at the zoo or Disneyland or at the mall.

It went something like this. We're all Disneyland. It was like, "All right, all right. It's 12:30 right now. It's 12:30. Everybody meet at the teacups at 4:30 now." 4:31, now 4:35. 4:30. You understand? You have a good day. Everybody got some cash. Okay. Everybody's fine. Again, 4:30 at the teacups.

That's how you had to roll >> because there was no chance you were going to talk again for the rest of the day, right? And you always got back to the teacups and there was always somebody in the family or in your group who never got there on time.

That was me, just to be clear. I was always showing up at like 4:45. My mom was like, I swear. Except she would never swear. So, it was called a meeting point. It's this thing called rendevous. Maybe you've never heard of it, but it's like a place you meet because you don't have point now.

Now, literally, think about it. We all just like show up Disneyland. All right, kids. Talk to you soon. All right. Everybody just kind of runs off and hey, where are you? I'm on this ride. And it's just constant communication. This brings me to a recent event between Chelsea and I.

Now, we'd only been 18 years married a few weeks ago. Now it's 19 years, but we went over to a local mall and we didn't bring our phones. One of the reasons we didn't bring our friends our phones is because we wanted to be present for each other.

Wanted to be there for her. Okay. It's actually like a love language now. I think there's like five. I think there should be a sixth love language. It's like no cell phones. That's my love language. That is Chelsea's love language. I'm not joking. Like it's it's no longer quality time.

It's no it's no longer words of affirmation. It's no phone. When I have no phone, she's like, "Oh my gosh, you love me." Okay, this is surreal. So, we go to the mall. It's Friday date day. That's what we do now. Friday's our date day. Kids are in school.

Praise the Lord. And we go on a date on Friday. So, we're not going to bring our phones. So, we go shopping and we're walking and we're holding hands and it's just the best time. And we walk into a department store and we're walking around. This is so great.

She's like, "Hey, I'm going to go over to, you know, this section." I'm like, "Okay, perfect. I'm going to go over this section. it'll be great. And so we kind of go our separate ways just momentarily. It's date day for crying out loud. And suddenly, I think it probably dawned on us at the same time, we never communicated >> and we have no phones.

Now, I know you're going to laugh at me, but for a moment I was like, I may never see her again. Like, I mean, no, it's I'm serious. It's a weird You're like, I I have the keys. I will raise the kids without her. Like, I actually don't know how this is going to work now.

And it was the 20th longest minutes of our marriage because then then you're in the dilemma. Do I stay in the men's department? Because she knows I'm here. And she's over in her department going, "Do I stay here or do I go there?" And and we would later compare notes.

We were literally going up and down the escalator missing each other. I started to think to myself, what will I say to the kids? I lost your mom. We'll hope for a new one. No, I'm just kidding. Relax. Relax. It's a joke. But like, we just I mean, 40-year-old man in a department store.

I'm just looking everywhere. A few people are like, "Hey, you okay?" I'm like, "No, what's wrong? I lost my wife." Right? And everyone's like, "Why don't you call her?" I'm like, "I never thought of that. That's amazing. She doesn't have a phone. I don't have a phone. Our life is over."

Like, it is amazing how we just assume. It's so easy to get lost in this life. I was 9 years old, got lost in the Atlanta airport. That's before pagers, actually. And I got lost for one little old reason. My dad took a right down the escalator to go to the gate.

My mom sent me ahead said, "Catch up with your dad." Because we were late for the flight. We went to different places in the country. My dad would talk to young people about purpose and destiny and vision and he was my hero. And so I ran after dad.

Didn't know why I was running after dad. Dad took her right down the escalator to another terminal. And I kept running. Kept running. Kept running. Kept running. I'm 9 years old. Just just sad. And I'm just I'm in the middle of the concourse just like I literally start, dad, dad.

Stranger just walking past me. That's what's wrong with this country, you know? Like and this sweet lady came up. She goes, she goes, "Baby boy, are you I said lost?" [laughter] You know, I didn't mean to get lost at nine. I didn't mean to lose my wife at 40, but it's easy.

It's amazing how in scripture sometimes, if you're familiar with the narrative and familiar with Bible, there a lot is made of lost. People are lost. People are lost. But I think sometimes we assume that people are lost because they did something wrong or or or bad or they wanted to get lost.

But I would like to go on record to say I think it's easy to get lost because I think we're prone to wonder. It's in our nature. I think that's why the Bible speaks of sheep 400 times. Over 400 times this book references sheep. Most of which is a reference as a metaphor to the human nature.

Now, now don't be mad at me. It's God's book. But sheep are not exactly known for being the brightest. Sheep are easily distracted, vulnerable and animals, prone to wander. Over and over and over and over, the Bible says makes it clear, we are like sheep. Jesus says it again.

They say, why you got these friends? And basically his answer is because they're like sheep. In fact, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Look, they're like sheep without a shepherd. We're vulnerable." How strong we think we are, how safe we think we are. When, if you're honest with yourself, this life is fragile.

You and me, fragility is the name of our existence. We are so vulnerable. We are so fragile. Safety is so elusive. control is not entirely real. We're doing our best, but we don't even know how our body functions the way it functions. We're we're incredibly dependent, vulnerable beings.

We are like sheep, the Bible says over 400 times. But I would like to add that over 100 times in scripture, God is likened to a shepherd. God is likened to a shepherd. Now, before we go any further in Psalms 23, it is imperative for us to understand and to put ourselves in the ancient historical understanding of shepherds.

Today, the concept of a shepherd could be someone on a four-wheeler, could be someone in a helicopter, could be someone on a horse who's kind of hering sheep, it could be a ranch hand, it could be a hireling, somebody who's just kind of getting the sheep together. But in antiquity, in ancient time, not only was shephering something that was allencompassing, it was all consuming, but it was done very intentionally and delicate delicately.

Let me say it like this. King David, who writes Psalms 23, was a shepherd for many, many years. And he was probably far closer to his sheep than he was most human relationships. He would have named the sheep. He would have known, I know this sounds weird, he would have known the smell of the sheep.

The shepherd lives with the herd, lives with the sheep, knows the propensities and personalities of the different sheep. Understands that this sheep is a little honory and this sheep is a little stubborn or this sheep is kind of whimpering and kind of whines a little bit and this one doesn't like the hills and this one doesn't like the plains and this one doesn't eat real well and this one is little always kind of bothered and agitated.

He would have known that about his sheep. He would have watched over the herd at night when they sleep. It was an intimate metaphor for God who calls himself the good shepherd. The good shepherd. Oh, you and me, we're we're prone to wander. But I got good news.

There is a God, and he is likened to a good >> shepherd. Now, now that takes us to Psalms 23 where David, think about it, a former shepherd, now a king who says, "Let me tell you about God and his nature. Let me tell you about God and how he takes care of you and me."

And David is going to use one of the favorite metaphors in all of scripture. It has been said about Psalms 23. It is the most intimate chapter or portion of scripture in regards to God being with us. Remember Christmas time, you ever hear this? Emmanuel running around town, you hear Emmanuel.

You're at the mall, all a sudden Emanuel, God with us. Music's playing. Emanuel literally means God with us. Scholars believe Psalms 23 is the greatest explanation of God with us. I want to show you three reasons you and I wander. And while doing that, I want to show you exactly how God solves those three reasons we wander.

Psalms 23 starts off like this. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I shall not want. Number one, I wander because I want. I wander because I need. I wander because there must be more. I wander because I need more. I wander because I want more.

I wander because I desire more and more and more. It's in our nature and so it is in the nature of sheep. I wander because I want let me let me explain to you sheep. Sheep graze on average for 7 hours a day. Seven hours a day. And basically the rest of the time they sleep.

So here let here let let let's let's explain the rhythm of of a sheep's day. You ready? It goes something like this. Wake up. Eat move. Eat move. Eat move. Eat move. Eat. Sleep. Wake up. Eat. Move. Eat. Move. Eat. What are these cows? Move. Eat. Graze. Graze is a nice word for move.

And the definition of a sheep's life is want. I eat here and I want more. Now eat. Sheep can eat. Can I just say that? You want to talk about consumerism? Sheep can tear up some grass. Sheep can just eat, move, eat, move, eat, move, eat, move. That's interesting.

If we're not careful, that can make up a whole life. Want, get, move. Want, get, move. Want, get. Not what I thought it was. Move. Want, get, move. Want, want, want, want, want, want, get, move. What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What? No. Move. Man, I just love this life.

You do? Yeah. Always looking for more. Awesome. How was your day? is good, but man, in a couple of weeks, I'm finally gonna, you know, finally get that do that, you know. Wow. Two weeks later. Hey, man. So, this that was the big week. Yeah, it's it's not what I thought, but in a couple of months, I'm going to, you know, do something better.

Oh, eat, move, eat, move, eat, move. David says, "The Lord is my shepherd. >> And I don't have to move. >> I shall not want." Watch this. He says, next verse, "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." Now, that he makes me lie down.

It sounds like God says, "Hey, lay down. And that could be relevant. But you know what the actual Hebrew here? You look it up. You know what it means? It means these sheep arrive in a pasture unlike they have ever seen. In fact, they didn't even believe a pasture like this existed.

And so when they get to this pasture, the sheep go, "Oh, we ain't going nowhere." I say that right now. Are you? Yeah. Me? Yeah, I'm good. You good? I'm good. You want to graze? I'm done. My grazing days are over. Be honest. I'm good. Right here. Meaning his goodness makes me lie down.

For it is the goodness of God that leads me to change, leads me to lay down, leads me to relinquish, >> leads me to say, "I don't have to search any longer. My search is over. I have found the desire of all nations and the lover of my soul.

Bop bop. And the striving ceases and angst and the stress and he leads me beside. The word still there. It's better transliterated uh quiet >> meaning it's got that nice trickle of a little creek sound and and everything is just as it as it should be. He He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Jesus is supposed to frame for you what you want in this life. The Bible says God will give you the desires of your heart. There is nothing inherently wrong with your desires or your passions as long as you and I accept the universal reality that only God can truly satisfy the longing of your soul.

And that puts everything in its place. I wander because I still haven't found what I'm looking for. That just came to me. We wander. Shut up. We wander because we still haven't found what we're looking for. How many more people got to have more stuff than you until we learn that stuff is never going to deliver to the core of your being what you think it is. >> It's never going to deliver what it promises.

That job won't deliver what it promises. That income won't deliver what it promises. That that social status won't deliver what it promises. It'll be like eat, move, consume, move, and your whole life follows this rhythm. And we wonder why so many people keep thinking to themselves, just over the bend, just over the horizon, just around the corner.

I'm going to finally get what I'm looking for. David as a king now says, "Oh, the Lord is the one who satisfies me. He is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down." David says, "It's so good with God. I quit searching." Now, that's crazy because we read Luke 15:es 1 and two.

And where did the bad people go? They moved towards who? They moved towards Jesus. And when they got there, they sat down and listened because when they got around him, it's like he made them lie down. Something something was satisfied in bad people. That's why people were drawn to Jesus because when you get there, you're like, "Oh, now this is green pastures.

This will satisfy my soul." I I I I wander because I want going on. I wander. I get lost in this life. I deviate. I go through detours. I get distracted because I'm afraid. because I fear and fear complicates things and convolutes things. And so I I get lost in my head.

I get lost in my thoughts. I get lost in my emotions because I'm so afraid. It goes on in verses three and four and five. It says, "Even though, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." Wow. David. Yeah, David had been through some valleys.

He said, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." The word evil there in the Hebrew means harm or injury or threat. I will fear no threat. I will fear no harm. I will fear no injury because you're with me. >> Your rod and your staff, they they comfort me.

Let me let me let me talk about you are with me. David has an understanding of a shepherd. He was a shepherd. So, he's thinking about ancient shepherds and how they function. And one thing about a shepherd is a shepherd is not a shepherd when he drives the sheep.

Shepherds never drive the sheep. In other words, they never go behind the sheep and push the sheep. That's not how you lead sheep. Sheep are too dumb to drive them. You've got to get out in front of them so the sheep can follow in your footsteps. And so when David says, "The reason I'm not afraid in dark seasons and dark times and dark valleys is because I can look to you.

You're right in front of me. In fact, you're going to go through the dark valley before I even get there. You are ahead of me preparing the way for me." So when he says you're with me, he doesn't just mean you're at my side. He means you're ahead of me. >> And let me tell you something about Jesus.

He will not drive you or push you. He will lead you. >> He will lead. Nothing like a leader who leads the way. Nothing like a leader who says, "Y'all be good. God help you." As opposed to, "Follow me. Let's do this." >> Leadership. >> He says, "I I know I know you're I know you're ahead of me.

I know you're ahead of me. I know you're ahead of me." And then he says, I love this and and nobody talks about this when it comes to Jesus. Uh Jesus doesn't just have a staff. He has a rod. Let me tell you something about this rod. It is not for the sheep.

People take this passage and they say that now God will use the rod on you sometimes. You need to be careful cuz God will just he'll just God will get you. Oh man, you do something dumb on a Friday night. Bam. What's that? That's the rod from God.

God's nickname is rod. No, the the rod is not for the sheep. The rod is for your enemies. The rod is for the threats. The rod is for the predators. The rod was literally a club worn on the belt of a shepherd. And when there were predators and when there were enemies and when there were threats, the shepherd with courage and strength and accuracy would pulverize the enemy >> while the sheep huddled behind the shepherd.

He would protect the herd. >> Shepherds don't use rods on sheep. So many people believe that God has a rod. Stop thinking that. It's like the most direct thing a preacher could say. Stop. It's bad. Quit it. That rod is not for you. That rod is for your enemy.

Now, the staff is for you. And the staff often times would have a little hook as it's been popularized. And that hook was to guide you, to bring you back, to keep you from a cliff, to keep you from harming yourself and hurting yourself. But see, sometimes we misappropriate God's staff with his rod.

And we think it's his rod. It's not his wrath. It's not his judgment. That was all appeaseed in the finished work of Jesus. No, he's using his staff to guide you. It's not always convenient or comfortable. But God is not here to beat you up. That's why preachers shouldn't beat people up cuz God doesn't beat people up. >> Preachers are using rods and God doesn't. >> He uses a staff >> and he guides his beloved sheep in whom he is named in whom he is numbered in whom he is intimately involved.

Oftent times in the night while the sheep would rest, the shepherd would come by and check the eyes and the ears and the mouth for any infections for any h bugs that would be trying to harm the shepherd. He would know their eyes. He would know their mouth.

He would know their ears. He would know the smallest parts of them. He was he was a good shepherd. He says, "The rod comforts me." How does a rod comfort? cuz you watch your enemies get pulverized. >> No weapon formed against you will prosper. There is a shepherd that is ahead of you and he will fight this battle for you.

The battle is the Lord's. I I wander because I get afraid and I think I've got to do this on my own. I know it feels so alone in this dark, difficult, challenging season. But I'm here to tell you, you are not alone. There is a God who is likened to a good shepherd.

And he's going before you. >> And David says, even though I go through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Going on in verse five, suddenly we get a change. And I end here.

Suddenly, do you see it? You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemy. What happened to the sheep shepherd thing? Did this turn into a dining room metaphor or you see that everything sheep shepherd? Sheep shepherd. Sheep shepherd. Sheep shepherd. And then it's like, you're a great host and I am your guest.

I thought we were talking about sheep and shepherds. Now, scholars have talked about how the table could be high ground and the tabletop ground where the shepherds would go beforehand and search it out and seek it out and eliminate predators to prepare the herd to go up on the table top.

But I think I know what David's doing here. He gets to the end of this famous psalm. This is a song, by the way, that was actually sung to music. And he says, um, you're not just a shepherd. You're the ultimate host. Now listen to this. He says, before I got to you, you had already prepared a spread and a table for me, even in the presence of my enemies.

Now, think about this for a moment. David is saying, "God is the ultimate host, and I'm honored to be his guest." You want to talk about a world view? God is the creator of heaven and earth. He made the earth and all that is in it. And then, you know what he did?

He made you and me and said, "Come on in." And he's been a host ever since. And watch how he hosts because it is consistent with ancient chivalry and hosting. In the Bible days, David says, "And when you come to his table, he anoints your head with oil and your cup will overflow."

David's telling you something about God that can put some things to rest. Not only do I wander because I want, not only do I wander because I fear, but the last thing, I wander because I keep striving. I keep striving. I keep striving. And I have failed to realize that I am on earth being hosted.

Please hear me. We're being hosted. God has hosted us. You want to talk about putting in some trouble to get ready for company? You you ever had company coming over and it's like what? We all just get turned on each other in the Smith family. It's like just put it away.

Clean it up. They'll be here in 10 minutes. You know how much preparation God put in to hosting you? Like gravity was inserted to host you. Without it, we'd be really unhosted. God set everything in motion. so that you could breathe, so that your heart would beat. So that you could live in the elements and the stars and the seas.

And I mean, you you you just you you you remove bees. We've all seen it. Be bees and and stuff starts to go right like everything plays its part because the ultimate host has set it in motion. You're being hosted. You're being hosted right now. Well, Judah, that's weird.

Well, then how are you breathing? Well, it's because And how did that happen? Well, it's because And how did that happen? Well, it's because And how did that happen? Well, that some stuff just collided and then it and then and how did that happen? It it did. We're being hosted.

And David says, "Here's the kind of host God is." When you anointed someone's head with oil in your home, if you were the host, it oftentimes was very expensive and it was very fragrant. And the more expensive it was and the more fragrant it was, the more honor and esteem you were granting your guest.

In other words, they get out the good oil. Like if the president came over, if if if your favorite well-known figure came over, they would give the good stuff to honor the role, to honor the position. David says, "God, God, God prepared a table and then he poured oil on my head."

What' you say? He pours oil on my head. God serves you. Yeah. He He honored me in the process. He valued me in the process. Nobody talked when they anointed the guest with oil. It was a moment of esteem. It was a moment of value. It was a moment of placement.

It was to say, "You are always welcomed at this table. This is the table you belong." Our entire family is honored that you're here. So many people today are wandering because they're looking for where they fit. They're looking for value in the things they do. And David thousands of years ago says there's a host.

His name is God. And he's prepared to spread for his children. And he anoints your head with oil. And your cup runs over. This is the character of God on display. He loves you more than you could ever imagine. What's happening in Psalms 23 is it's one of the greatest demonstrations of Hed.

Hassed is the unconditional covenantal love of God. In fact, there is not an English word or enough words in the language to even describe Hassed. has said is this supernatural otherworldly love that God has for you. You have a seat at his table and he is honored to be your host.

This is how much God loves you. So then David in light of this reality says this in verse six. He says, "Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I'm going to go to God's house." I'm ending right here. So much of this life is what I got to go get for me.

I've heard people say, "If it's meant to be, it's up to me. If it's meant to be, it's up to me." And that's fine. I'm just saying that's not how God works. Your value was there before you were even conceived. The Bible says has nothing to do with what you did or how hard you work or how excellent or gifted you are.

God values you because you are his and you're in his image and he has a place appointed at his table for you and he's prepared to spread and he's honored and privileged and you are esteemed and loved and of infinite value no matter what anybody says about you and then that's clappable and then David says the steadfast this is a reference to the steadfast love of God chases me for the rest of my life.

Look what it says in the message. Same verse, Psalms 23:6 in the Message Bible. It says, it says, "Yes, your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life, and I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life." Well, you read this and you read between the lines and all the layers and all the historical context and all the backstory and all the background and you can't help but step back for a moment and say, "Are you telling me there is a God who is this good?

He's that good of a shepherd? He's that good of a host?" Yes. And that's why King David said, "And to top it all off, I don't have to go looking for God's love. It chases me." That Hebrew word chase is that of an animal chasing down its prey.

That God is on the hunt to love you. >> That's why some of you like, I can't shake. Everywhere I go, it seems like God people are around. The chase is on. I go to cafes. I go to restaurants. I go to clubs. to go to parties to go to games.

It's just like God loves you. He's chasing you. David says, "I'm home." What's he talking about? The palace he lives in. No, I'm home with God. >> I'm back home in his house for the rest of my life. Our church exists to see Psalms 23 demonstrated in people's lives. >> That's why we exist. >> That's why we exist as a church.

We can't chase anybody. But I'm going to tell you right now, we can let everybody know there's a God chasing them. >> He's chasing you. Some of you here tonight, you're like, "Man, this is getting creepy." Well, it's close to Halloween. It's to be expected. God's chasing you.

God loves you so much. He's prepared this place for you to host you. And the Bible says someday there'll be a new heavens and a new earth. And the ultimate host will be there, too. And he's prepared it for you and for me. I pray that David's words ring true to many of us tonight.

In conclusion, I'm also very aware that there are many people who are still striving and stressing and struggling. And I'll be the first to admit that there are some days where that's how it feels for me, too. But I find again the reminder that God is my source.

He's my shepherd. He's my host. He's my strength. And I'm reminded again that I don't have to go searching for God. He came searching for me. Yeah. >> And of course, that's how Luke 15 concludes. I dream of a church that looks like this. Luke 15:es 1 and 2.

One more time in the Message Bible. Guys, if we could read that. Luke 15:es 1 and two in the Message Bible. Here's the kind of church I dream of. And I believe the church that we are becoming. By this time, a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around church home listening to Jesus.

Some religious people didn't like it. They said, "That church takes in sinners and eats meals with them and treats them like old friends." That's the kind of church I dream of. And when people ask, "Why do we do that?" We'll explain to them as Jesus did. Well, we believe people are like sheep.

They wander, but they bear his image. And each and every one of them are his kids, >> and he loves them. At the end there, I make a statement that really sticks out to me and I'd like to say it again in conclusion. Often times, uh, for those of us who want to grow spiritually or develop spiritually or understand the spiritual life, we think in terms of searching out God.

I've got to go seek God. I've got to go search for God. What if life was actually far more about God seeking you and God searching you out, God finding you? What if we were more honest about the reality of our plight as human beings that I actually can't find God?

God has to find me. And I think in so many ways, I kind of want to leave you with that sensation. I want to leave you with that truth. God is searching you out. God is going to find you. I'm not so sure you or I can find God, but God will find you.

God loves you. God's not mad at you. And I think this maybe season of ambiguity, this season of wandering, this season of wondering, maybe a season of hesitation, a deeper yearning. I I I want to make sense of it all. I think God's going to meet you here.

God's going to meet you in this unique moment and in this unusual chapter. Uh I'm I'm excited. I really am excited to hear even what happens um in your life. Um, and I do want you to know that even as I am recording this right now, I'm thinking to myself, um, all the different kind of experiences people are going to have perhaps that you are going to have at the conclusion of this message.

In in many ways I dream that when this content is recorded that as people watch it they start to feel the nearness of this great big wonderful gracious God that all of the sudden you start to sense in your body and in your brain there's a God and he's found me and he loves me.

He's not far. He's not mad. He chooses me. He accepts me. Um cuz that for me has changed my whole life. My entire life. I want to thank you for watching. Thank you for trusting us with this content to speak about spiritual things into your life is very sacred and special to me and to our whole team and our staff here at Church Home.

Now, if you're watching on YouTube and you want more of this content by now, you've been on YouTube long enough to know that uh you can click the link right now and become a subscriber here at our YouTube channel. And by doing that, you're going to get a bunch more content.

One of my favorite things that we do for anyone anywhere is daily guided prayers. And those are available for you right here. I want to again thank you for your trust and for watching us. And right after I film this, I'm going to go play golf. So say a prayer for me that I beat my friends and play really good.

All right, I love you and uh become a subscriber and let's do some more of this together. Thanks for watching. ((music playing)) This is the air I breathe. ((music playing)) This is the air I breathe. Your holy presence living in me. ((music playing)) This is my daily breath. ((music playing)) This is my daily breath. Your very word spoken to me.

((music playing)) And I I'm desperate for you. ((music playing)) And I I'm lost without you. ((music playing)) And I'm desperate for you. ((music playing)) And I ((music playing)) lost without you. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) And how I live for the moment where I'm still in your presence and all the noise that's now. Lord speak to me now. You have all my attention.

I will let you listen. I can't miss a thing. And Lord, I know my heart wants more of you. My heart wants something new. So I surrender all. And all I want is to live within your love. Be undone by who you are. My desire is to know you deeper.

Lord, I will open up again. Throw my fears into the wind. I am desperate for a touch of heaven. Woah. ((applause)) Woah. Woah. Oh, you're the fire in the morning. You're the cool in the evening, the breath in my soul. You're the life in my bones. There is no hesitation in your love and affection.

It's the sweetest of all. ((music playing)) And what I know my heart wants glory. My heart wants something new. So I surren ((music playing)) you. My desire is to know you deeper. I will open up again my feet into the wind. Heat. Heat. Heat. W ((music playing)) ((music playing)) I open up my heart to you.

I open up my heart to you now. So do what only you can. Jesus. Jesus have your way in me now. Open my heart. I open up my heart to you. Open up my heart to do. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((applause)) Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh ((music playing)) within your love beyond by who you are.

My desire is to know you deeper. I will open up again. Through my fears into the wind. I am desperate for the touch of heaven. Desperate for ((music playing)) ((music playing)) me