How many of you like
things that are great?
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How about this, how many of you
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would like to be
considered great?
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Wouldn't be great get
at the end of your life
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and wow, they were
such a great person?
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Did you know great has an enemy?
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That's right and the
topic, our topic today is
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"The Enemy of
Great," "The Enemy of Great."
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I'm gonna ask if you
will bow your heads with me,
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I'm gonna kneel and ask God
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to bless this
time we have together.
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Heavenly Father, Father,
we know that all greatness,
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true greatness comes from You.
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And as we discuss
the enemy of great today,
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we're pray Father, Your
Holy Spirit would give us
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understanding as to how this
applies to our Christian life,
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how we can became
great in Jesus Christ?
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Father, this is
my prayer in His name
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and for His sake, amen.
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"The Enemy of Great." I
was reading a book recently
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by a man named Jim Collins,
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now Jim Collins
is a former professor
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of the Stanford
Graduate School of Business.
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The book is actually
called "Good to Great"
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and it's a book that's written
on the subject of business.
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But Jim Collins brings
something very interesting
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in this book and I
want to share with you
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a paragraph from the
book "Good to Great."
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Here's what he says,
"Good is the enemy of great.
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And that is one
of the key reasons
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that we have so
little that becomes great.
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We don't have great schools,
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principally because
we have good schools.
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We don't have great government,
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primarily because
we have good government
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that works pretty well.
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And truth be told, the
vast majority of people
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will look back from the
end of their lives and realize
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that they did not have
a great life in large part
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because it was just so
easy to settle for a good one!"
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Now I think that's profound
coming from a secular mindset,
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it could be discouraging
impossibly even devastating
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to look back on one's good life
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only to say it
could have been great.
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But from a Christian prospective
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we must understand that anything
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less than a great
life will fail at eternity.
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And a great
life can only be ours
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through a complete
surrender to Jesus Christ,
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because it's Him who
makes our life great.
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Good, Jim Collin
says, is the enemy of great.
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Now I want to share with
you a passage in the scripture
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and I think it's
right along these lines.
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It's in the book of
Second Corinthians Chapter 10,
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Second Corinthians Chapter 10,
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if you go to the
New Testament start out
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with the book of Matthew
then Mark, Luke, John, Acts
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Romans, First Corinthians,
Second Corinthians Chapter 10.
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And we're going
to go to verse 12,
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Second Corinthians
Chapter 10 and verse 12.
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Okay, are we there?
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Let's read Second
Corinthians 10 and verse 12,
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the Apostle Paul says,
"For we dare not class ourselves
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or compare ourselves with
those who commend themselves
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but they measuring
themselves by themselves,
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and comparing
themselves among themselves,
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are not wise." The
Apostle talks about those
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who measure
themselves by themselves
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and compare
themselves among themselves,
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he says, this is not wise,
this is a foolish thing to do.
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You know, I think
that goes right along
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with the idea of good
being the enemy of great.
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So often we determine
what our life should be
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by what everybody else is doing,
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we want to live good
lives, where is our standard,
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well, we look to
the people around us.
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Maybe it's my wife,
maybe it's your husband,
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maybe it's a
friend, or a coworker,
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or a boss, or a pastor.
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But Apostle Paul
says, here it's dangerous
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to compare
ourselves among ourselves
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because we are not the standard
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we are to be reaching for.
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No human being is the standard
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and I think that we
fall into this bad habit
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of comparing
ourselves among ourselves
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and settling for subpar.
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Let me give you
another Bible example,
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let's go in our
Bibles to the book of Luke.
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Matthew, Mark, Luke Chapter 18.
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Luke Chapter 18, now
Jesus tells a parable here
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that's known as
the parable of the tax,
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the Pharisees and the public,
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you know, the
Pharisees and the tax collector.
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Luke Chapter 18 and
starting in verse 9,
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Luke Chapter 18 and
starting in verse 9,
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the Bible says,
"Also He spoke this parable
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to some who trust in themselves
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that they were
righteous, and despised others.
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Two men went up to
the temple to pray,
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one a Pharisee and
the other a tax collector.
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The Pharisee stood and
prayed thus with himself,
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'God, I thank you that
I am not like other men,
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extortioners,
unjust, adulterers,
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or even as this
tax collector here.
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I fast twice a week, I
give tithes of all I possess.'
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And the tax
collector, standing afar off,
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would not so much as
raise his eyes to heaven,
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but he beat his breast, saying,
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'God be merciful
to me, a sinner.'
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I tell you this man
went down to his house
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justified rather than the other.
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For everyone who
exalts himself will be abased,
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and he who humbles
himself will be exalted."
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Now you have to
understand something
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about the tax collectors,
the Jews viewed tax collectors
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as traders to their country.
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In fact they were two marks
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against the tax
collector in the Jewish mind,
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first and
foremost the Jewish nation
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at the time of Christ
was under tribute to Rome.
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The Government of Rome
ruled the Jewish nation
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and their desire was at
that their Messiah would come
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and free them
from Roman oppression.
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They felt that the
Romans were their enemies
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and any Jew that would
league with the Romans,
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i.e., becamea tax collector
work for the government
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was an enemy to the Jewish race.
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And so they look
down on the tax collector.
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Second of all,
the tax collectors
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because of they said,
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hey, they're
already looking down on us,
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it doesn't matter
that I'm honest or not.
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And so the tax
collectors would regularly
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overcharge
people for their taxes
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and skim that
money off for themselves.
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And so the tax collector
was despised above all people.
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And here we see a parable,
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incidentally this
parable does not related
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to a made up story
but a real situation
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that Jesus had observed
right there in the temple
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where two men came in,
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one a Pharisee,
one a tax collector.
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And the Pharisee
comes in and he says,
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'I thank you, God,
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that I'm not as
bad as other men.'
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In other words, God, I
thank you that I'm good.
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Notice something, the
Pharisee does not claim
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greatness just goodness,
he doesn't claim greatness,
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he just thanks God that at least
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he's not as bad as this guy.
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Good is the enemy of great.
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The Pharisee was
complacent and self satisfied
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that at least he wasn't
as bad as the tax collector,
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you know, we do the same thing.
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We look at people, we
run into people in situations
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and we look at
people and we say,
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I can't believe a
person could live like that,
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I don't believe a
person could act like that.
00:10:29.32\00:10:31.34
Sometimes we get
err about ourselves
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that I may not be perfect
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but at least I'm
not as bad as that guy.
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You know what, that guy is
not your example or that girl,
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that person is not your example.
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Sometimes we settle with good
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instead of striving for great,
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because we compare
ourselves among ourselves,
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this is what's going on
here, this is what's going on
00:11:00.95\00:11:03.78
with the
Pharisee and the publican,
00:11:03.79\00:11:05.99
the Pharisee does not
consider himself great
00:11:06.00\00:11:08.05
but good enough.
00:11:08.06\00:11:09.03
You know, sometimes
it's easy for us to point out
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people who are not doing maybe
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as well as we think we're doing.
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I hear from people a lot,
I hear from Christians a lot.
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We see something
going on in society,
00:11:28.90\00:11:30.70
we see something going on,
00:11:30.71\00:11:31.68
I had a person
recently who was--
00:11:31.69\00:11:34.89
who was in a situation
where, with another person,
00:11:34.90\00:11:41.28
a church member who
ran into some situation
00:11:41.29\00:11:43.54
with a person who
is not a Christian
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where they felt that the
person treated them wrong,
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said something mean to them,
said something rude to them.
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Sometimes it is the
person at the check out,
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and we say, I can't
believe that person's so rude.
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This person they
felt was rude to them
00:12:04.55\00:12:07.78
and began to
build up in their minds,
00:12:07.79\00:12:10.08
the idea you know that,
well, at least I'm not that bad.
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We do that, we have
this bad habit of doing that.
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It reminds of a story,
a story of the evangelist,
00:12:15.51\00:12:19.22
the minister, John
Wesley, one of the founders
00:12:19.23\00:12:21.83
of the Methodist
Churches, he was walking
00:12:21.84\00:12:23.16
through the streets of
London with a friend of his.
00:12:23.17\00:12:26.53
And he saw a man, who
was a slave to alcohol,
00:12:26.54\00:12:32.99
the man was drunk and sick,
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face down in the gutter of
the street there in London.
00:12:36.84\00:12:43.98
And Wesley's
friend points to the man
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and he says to him, what
a-- he says to John Wesley,
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"What a wretch of a
man, look at that filth?
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Why don't they get
this filth off the streets?"
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And John Wesley
commented on it as he thought,
00:12:56.61\00:12:58.89
as he reflected for a moment,
he says, "you know, what?
00:12:58.90\00:13:01.45
He says, if it
weren't for the grace of God,
00:13:01.46\00:13:05.54
I would be that man."
00:13:05.55\00:13:10.44
You know, the Pharisee said,
00:13:10.45\00:13:11.42
at least I'm not
as bad as that guy,
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if you're not it's
because of the grace of God.
00:13:14.15\00:13:16.34
We too often compare
ourselves among ourselves.
00:13:16.35\00:13:20.30
And keep this in mind,
just because somebody else
00:13:20.31\00:13:22.43
maybe struggling or doing poorly
00:13:22.44\00:13:24.96
doesn't change the standard,
00:13:24.97\00:13:26.40
the high
standard of Christianity.
00:13:26.41\00:13:30.38
I want to share
with you a statement
00:13:30.39\00:13:31.49
that I read from
the Review and Herald
00:13:31.50\00:13:34.42
of August 31, 1886.
00:13:34.43\00:13:36.67
I want you to listen to
what this says in this article,
00:13:36.68\00:13:40.67
"The people of God
should not measure themselves
00:13:40.68\00:13:43.65
by the world, nor
by the opinions of men,
00:13:43.66\00:13:48.75
nor by what they once were
before embracing the truth."
00:13:48.76\00:13:55.75
Now, you know, you might
be able to say with myself,
00:13:55.76\00:13:59.91
praise God I'm not what I used
to be before I came to Jesus.
00:13:59.92\00:14:05.58
But even then it says here,
00:14:05.59\00:14:07.32
we are not to compare ourselves
00:14:07.33\00:14:09.46
even with what we once
were before embracing the truth.
00:14:09.47\00:14:12.50
Well, I was bad
then, and I'm better now.
00:14:12.51\00:14:16.19
Listen to what
it goes on to say.
00:14:16.20\00:14:19.12
"But their faith and
position in the world,
00:14:19.13\00:14:22.00
as they now
are, must be compared
00:14:22.01\00:14:26.39
with what they would
have been if their course
00:14:26.40\00:14:30.38
had continually
been onward and upward
00:14:30.39\00:14:33.77
since they professed to
be followers of Christ."
00:14:33.78\00:14:38.27
What are we to
compare ourselves with,
00:14:38.28\00:14:40.56
brother here or sister here
00:14:40.57\00:14:42.77
or the pastor or
somebody else, no.
00:14:42.78\00:14:46.99
my own life before I
became a Christian, no.
00:14:47.00\00:14:50.62
The only safe
comparison to be made is,
00:14:50.63\00:14:52.25
what would you be now
had you the first time
00:14:52.26\00:14:54.70
you accepted, Jesus,
continually followed Him
00:14:54.71\00:14:56.96
step by step onward and upward.
00:14:56.97\00:14:58.75
"This is the only safe
comparison that can be made."
00:15:03.78\00:15:06.46
You know,
friends, we have to admit,
00:15:09.75\00:15:12.70
we have to admit our
badness before Christ
00:15:12.71\00:15:15.76
can take us not only to
goodness but to greatness.
00:15:15.77\00:15:18.58
We have to be willing
to admit that badness.
00:15:21.48\00:15:24.08
You know, they
say, it takes a big man
00:15:24.09\00:15:26.57
to admit that he's a small man.
00:15:26.58\00:15:28.04
It takes a big man to
admit that he's nothing.
00:15:31.12\00:15:34.14
I like what Martin Luther says,
00:15:34.15\00:15:35.27
he says, the great reformer,
the Protestant reformer,
00:15:35.28\00:15:38.78
he said, "God makes
something out of nothing."
00:15:38.79\00:15:43.10
God creates out of nothing
and until a man becomes nothing
00:15:43.11\00:15:48.71
God can't make
anything out of him.
00:15:48.72\00:15:51.95
So it takes a big man to
admit that he's a small man,
00:15:51.96\00:15:53.93
but in reality the
person who could admit
00:15:53.94\00:15:55.43
he's nothing
without Christ has potential
00:15:55.44\00:15:57.10
to became a great man.
00:15:57.11\00:15:59.12
So often we
admit whether we are--
00:15:59.13\00:16:04.38
we're sinners
but we make the habit
00:16:04.39\00:16:06.56
of comparing
ourselves among ourselves.
00:16:06.57\00:16:09.91
We say, yes, I need a savior
00:16:09.92\00:16:11.18
but then we, we start to grow
00:16:11.19\00:16:12.31
in our Christian
life and we stop.
00:16:12.32\00:16:14.65
Well, this is good
enough, just like the Pharisee,
00:16:14.66\00:16:17.81
at least I'm not
as bad as that guy.
00:16:17.82\00:16:23.23
We settle for good when
we could have been great.
00:16:23.24\00:16:28.03
Why do we settle for mediocrity?
00:16:28.04\00:16:30.39
Why do we do it, why do
we settle for mediocrity
00:16:30.40\00:16:33.61
when God has placed
before us the opportunity
00:16:33.62\00:16:36.14
of something so much greater?
00:16:36.15\00:16:38.31
You know sometimes we say,
00:16:42.36\00:16:43.33
why are you asking me
to be a better Christian
00:16:43.34\00:16:44.80
when brother so and so
isn't a better Christian.
00:16:44.81\00:16:48.09
I'm not gonna strive in
my Christianity to be great,
00:16:48.10\00:16:51.18
I'm not gonna strive
at being a great Christian
00:16:51.19\00:16:52.90
when brother so
and so isn't going to.
00:16:52.91\00:16:56.11
Let me ask you a question,
00:16:56.12\00:16:57.09
who's losing and
who's gaining there?
00:16:57.10\00:17:00.96
You're losing
out, you're losing out
00:17:00.97\00:17:03.84
because God has
given us a high calling,
00:17:03.85\00:17:05.97
the highest privilege we have
00:17:05.98\00:17:07.45
as Christians
is Christ likeness.
00:17:07.46\00:17:10.86
Godliness,
Godlikeness this is the standard
00:17:12.96\00:17:15.30
that God has for us to reach.
00:17:15.31\00:17:17.55
This is what God
wants to do for you.
00:17:17.56\00:17:21.64
God wants to take you
and He wants to take me
00:17:21.65\00:17:23.71
and He wants make us
great for His name's sake.
00:17:23.72\00:17:30.82
The price of Christianity
is to fulfill the purpose
00:17:30.83\00:17:34.16
that God has created us for.
00:17:34.17\00:17:36.97
And when we
settle for mediocrity,
00:17:36.98\00:17:39.88
good enough, when
we settle for good
00:17:39.89\00:17:44.09
instead of
marching onward to great,
00:17:44.10\00:17:47.69
we lose out on the privilege
00:17:47.70\00:17:50.03
that God has put before us.
00:17:50.04\00:17:53.49
Friends, the sacrifice
of Calvary was not given
00:17:53.50\00:17:57.59
so that we could enter heaven
as a culprits barely pardoned,
00:17:57.60\00:18:02.73
but as a conquerors.
00:18:02.74\00:18:05.17
God doesn't want us to
just be good in this life,
00:18:05.18\00:18:07.55
He says, "I can make you great
00:18:07.56\00:18:09.07
if you'll submit all to me."
00:18:09.08\00:18:10.70
You know, I think
back to high school.
00:18:15.84\00:18:17.70
When I went to high school,
00:18:20.18\00:18:21.94
In fact, I moved
from living with my mother
00:18:21.95\00:18:26.16
in the Midwest in Missouri
00:18:26.17\00:18:29.59
to moving with my father
00:18:29.60\00:18:31.86
before what was going to be
my junior year of high school.
00:18:31.87\00:18:35.89
Only as I got there
and I began to dialogue
00:18:35.90\00:18:38.84
with the school they were
on a different credit system
00:18:38.85\00:18:42.11
and they were able
to move me from my--
00:18:42.12\00:18:44.08
I skipped my junior year
00:18:44.09\00:18:45.45
and went right
into my senior year.
00:18:45.46\00:18:47.70
Oh, hotdog I was gonna
be on a high school it was,
00:18:47.71\00:18:49.83
it was great, I
can get out quick.
00:18:49.84\00:18:52.88
And one of things I
did for high school,
00:18:52.89\00:18:54.64
in high school when
I scheduled my classes
00:18:54.65\00:18:56.47
was I made sure I
scheduled a study hall
00:18:56.48\00:18:59.00
for the last class of the day,
00:18:59.01\00:19:01.31
you know what that
means? That means you don't go
00:19:01.32\00:19:03.38
to the last class
of the day, you leave.
00:19:03.39\00:19:05.09
I wanted to escape by,
00:19:07.55\00:19:09.16
do what I had to do get
out and get out of high school.
00:19:09.17\00:19:12.95
I remember sitting
up and working on papers
00:19:12.96\00:19:15.75
that were assigned
in my English class,
00:19:15.76\00:19:18.38
I was able to do
fairly well with English.
00:19:18.39\00:19:20.82
Teacher would assign
book reports or essays,
00:19:20.83\00:19:22.70
I'd wait until the
night before they were due
00:19:22.71\00:19:26.17
and I'd stay up
and I turn them in
00:19:26.18\00:19:27.62
and I could get a
B on those papers.
00:19:27.63\00:19:29.87
I felt satisfied with
that, I was a good student,
00:19:29.88\00:19:34.66
I looked back and realized
00:19:34.67\00:19:35.67
I could have
been a great student.
00:19:35.68\00:19:38.22
You know, there are
things in high school
00:19:38.23\00:19:39.36
that you do, there's classes
that you take and you think,
00:19:39.37\00:19:41.55
well, I'm never gonna
use this for anything.
00:19:41.56\00:19:44.75
Sometimes it's
not even the class
00:19:44.76\00:19:46.09
as much as learning
to discipline your mind.
00:19:46.10\00:19:48.85
I look back and I regret
not striving for greatness.
00:19:48.86\00:19:54.84
Always settle for goodness,
00:19:54.85\00:19:55.97
I was a good
student and for that reason
00:19:55.98\00:19:57.90
I didn't become a great student,
00:19:57.91\00:19:59.59
I wish I'd applied myself
00:19:59.60\00:20:01.34
but I settled for good.
00:20:04.64\00:20:06.01
How many of us as
Christians settle for good,
00:20:07.51\00:20:10.42
we settle for good experience
00:20:10.43\00:20:11.50
when we could have
a great experience.
00:20:11.51\00:20:14.19
We settle for good witness
00:20:14.20\00:20:15.34
when we could
have a great witness.
00:20:15.35\00:20:18.49
Good is the enemy of great,
00:20:18.50\00:20:23.16
but God has a higher
calling for His people,
00:20:23.17\00:20:26.80
God has a higher
calling, I want you to--
00:20:26.81\00:20:28.57
I want you to see it in
the Book of Revelation with me,
00:20:28.58\00:20:30.39
Revelation Chapter 14.
00:20:30.40\00:20:31.91
Revelation
Chapter 14 and verse 6,
00:20:33.09\00:20:36.08
Revelation 14 and verse 6,
the last book of the Bible.
00:20:38.22\00:20:41.86
Chapter 14 and verse 6,
this is what the Bible says,
00:20:44.33\00:20:47.53
"Then I saw another angel
flying in midst of heaven,
00:20:49.51\00:20:53.56
having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those
00:20:53.57\00:20:56.67
who dwell on the earth."
00:20:56.68\00:20:58.39
Just a point here,
the gospel commission
00:20:58.40\00:21:02.79
has not been given to angels,
00:21:02.80\00:21:04.24
it's been given to men.
00:21:04.25\00:21:06.37
We find it in
Matthew 24, Jesus said,
00:21:06.38\00:21:07.98
"This gospel must be
preached in all the world
00:21:07.99\00:21:09.46
for a witness and
then the end will come."
00:21:09.47\00:21:10.73
We find it in
Matthew 28 where Jesus gives
00:21:10.74\00:21:12.70
the last
commission to His disciples,
00:21:12.71\00:21:14.09
"Go ye therefore and
teach all the nations,
00:21:14.10\00:21:17.38
baptizing them in
the name of the Father,
00:21:17.39\00:21:18.75
the Son and the Holy
Spirit and teaching them
00:21:18.76\00:21:20.28
to observe all things
that I've commanded you."
00:21:20.29\00:21:22.44
Jesus gave men the
gospel commission and yet,
00:21:22.45\00:21:24.78
when we come to
the book of Revelation,
00:21:24.79\00:21:26.31
God uses an angel to
picture the power of the message
00:21:26.32\00:21:29.43
that He's gonna
give through people.
00:21:29.44\00:21:32.86
That is a great calling
and there is no higher calling
00:21:32.87\00:21:37.69
than what we find here
in the pages of scripture
00:21:37.70\00:21:40.34
for God's people.
00:21:40.35\00:21:42.66
"I saw this angel
flying in the midst of heaven
00:21:42.67\00:21:44.45
with the everlasting
gospel to preach to everyone."
00:21:44.46\00:21:49.29
Verse 7, Saying
with a loud voice,
00:21:49.30\00:21:52.23
Fear God, and give what?
00:21:52.24\00:21:55.60
"Give glory to Him for the
hour of His judgment is come."
00:21:55.61\00:22:00.99
Fear God, and give glory to him,
00:22:01.00\00:22:02.55
what does that
mean, give glory to him?
00:22:02.56\00:22:05.15
How do we give God glory,
00:22:05.16\00:22:06.66
how we are supposed to give God,
00:22:06.67\00:22:07.64
what is this mean?
00:22:07.65\00:22:09.65
I want you turning
your Bibles to Matthew 5,
00:22:09.66\00:22:13.78
Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 16,
00:22:13.79\00:22:17.44
what does it mean
to give glory to God?
00:22:17.45\00:22:21.03
Matthew 5 and verse 16.
00:22:21.04\00:22:25.19
Notice what Jesus says here,
00:22:28.88\00:22:31.51
Matthew 5 verse 16,
notice what he says,
00:22:31.52\00:22:34.39
Let your light
so shine before men,
00:22:34.40\00:22:39.08
that they may see," your what?
00:22:39.09\00:22:42.06
Your good works, and
glorify you for them.
00:22:42.07\00:22:46.35
Is that what it says? No.
00:22:46.36\00:22:49.57
It says, "Let your
light so shine before men,
00:22:49.58\00:22:51.18
that they may
see your good works,
00:22:51.19\00:22:52.72
and glorify your
Father who is in heaven."
00:22:52.73\00:22:59.36
We don't have any good works.
00:22:59.37\00:23:01.27
What are our good works?
00:23:01.28\00:23:03.08
He says, "let them
see your good works."
00:23:03.09\00:23:05.41
Listen folks, when
people see our good works
00:23:05.42\00:23:09.32
people who know me
and who knew me now,
00:23:09.33\00:23:12.76
know me and knew me then,
00:23:12.77\00:23:15.22
will look in my life
and if they see good works
00:23:15.23\00:23:17.13
they'll see I know
couldn't be that guy,
00:23:17.14\00:23:18.51
I knew him before.
00:23:18.52\00:23:20.01
It must be a greater
power at work within him.
00:23:20.02\00:23:24.70
Jesus says, he wants his works
00:23:24.71\00:23:26.25
to be seeing his people why
so that can give us glory? No.
00:23:26.26\00:23:29.28
So they can glorify
our Father in heaven.
00:23:29.29\00:23:31.30
I want you to see that again,
00:23:33.23\00:23:35.45
I want you to see that
again in First Peter Chapter 2.
00:23:35.46\00:23:38.99
Go to the New Testament
toward the end of the book
00:23:39.00\00:23:41.32
after all the T's,
00:23:41.33\00:23:43.09
the T's are
conveniently group together,
00:23:43.10\00:23:44.58
they're in the New Testament,
00:23:44.59\00:23:45.56
you get the book of Hebrews
and then the book of James
00:23:45.57\00:23:47.64
and the book of First Peter,
First Peter 2 and verse 11.
00:23:47.65\00:23:51.97
First Peter 2 and verse
11, let's read this text here.
00:23:54.33\00:23:58.32
"Beloved, I beg you as
sojourners and pilgrims,
00:24:02.27\00:24:05.13
to abstain from fleshly lust,
which war against the soul,
00:24:05.14\00:24:10.19
having your conduct," what?
00:24:10.20\00:24:12.99
"Your conduct
honorable among the Gentiles,"
00:24:13.00\00:24:16.68
that is the unbelievers,
00:24:16.69\00:24:18.98
"that when they speak
against you as evildoers,
00:24:18.99\00:24:22.46
they may, by your," what?
00:24:22.47\00:24:25.98
"Your good works
which they observe,
00:24:25.99\00:24:30.61
glorify God in the
day of visitation."
00:24:30.62\00:24:33.09
Peter says, the Gentiles,
00:24:33.10\00:24:34.62
when they
observe your good works
00:24:34.63\00:24:36.26
they can glorify God.
00:24:36.27\00:24:39.32
God has a high
calling for His people,
00:24:39.33\00:24:42.74
and preaching the everlasting
gospel to every nation,
00:24:42.75\00:24:45.84
and kindred, and
tongue, and people,
00:24:45.85\00:24:47.08
it's not just a
preaching with words, friends.
00:24:47.09\00:24:50.22
It's a preaching
with our very lives.
00:24:50.23\00:24:53.38
As people see something
in us as they see the works
00:24:53.39\00:24:56.61
that are shown that
Christ abides in our hearts,
00:24:56.62\00:24:59.21
the works that show that
we've been transform by Christ
00:24:59.22\00:25:02.18
then God is glorified.
00:25:02.19\00:25:03.65
God is called us to
greatness not just goodness.
00:25:05.32\00:25:08.83
God is called us the greatness
00:25:08.84\00:25:10.10
because the
greatness is from Him,
00:25:10.11\00:25:12.72
when we submit to
God's making us great.
00:25:12.73\00:25:18.33
People will glorify His
name for what he is able to do
00:25:18.34\00:25:21.07
with fallen humanity and
praise His name for that.
00:25:21.08\00:25:24.47
What a high
calling for God's people?
00:25:24.48\00:25:28.71
What a high calling
God has given His people.
00:25:32.06\00:25:38.17
He wants a people ready
for the day of His coming
00:25:38.18\00:25:43.71
so that when Jesus Christ
comes in the clouds of glory
00:25:43.72\00:25:46.37
we will be able to
behold Him as He is.
00:25:46.38\00:25:49.39
Friends, good will not cut it
in the day of Christ's coming,
00:25:54.96\00:25:58.50
only great will do. And
good is the enemy of great,
00:25:58.51\00:26:05.01
settling for
mediocrity inhibits us
00:26:05.02\00:26:11.19
from being all we
could be in Christ Jesus.
00:26:11.20\00:26:14.80
You know, some
people, some people are happy
00:26:14.81\00:26:21.73
to settle for
mediocrity, they say,
00:26:21.74\00:26:22.89
if I can make it with
mediocrity I'm gonna do it.
00:26:22.90\00:26:26.31
You know, I tell you
that I don't think mediocrity
00:26:26.32\00:26:27.98
is gonna cut it in
the day of Jesus coming,
00:26:27.99\00:26:29.29
I don't think
good is gonna cut it.
00:26:29.30\00:26:31.16
There are some of you who say,
00:26:31.17\00:26:32.14
hey, if good can't
cut it I'm gonna be there
00:26:32.15\00:26:33.73
I'd rather be good,
00:26:33.74\00:26:35.02
I don't want to
have to strive for great,
00:26:35.03\00:26:36.26
I don't want to
go to that trouble.
00:26:36.27\00:26:39.76
But you're
thinking about it all wrong.
00:26:39.77\00:26:42.08
The greatness
that God promises us
00:26:42.09\00:26:43.77
number one, it is a promise.
00:26:43.78\00:26:44.88
Number two, there
is no greater honor
00:26:44.89\00:26:48.68
that God could bestow upon us.
00:26:48.69\00:26:50.58
Then to prepare us to stand
in the day of Christ coming.
00:26:54.81\00:27:00.03
There is no greater honor
that God could bestow upon us
00:27:00.04\00:27:04.34
to give us the gift
of His righteousness
00:27:04.35\00:27:06.06
and make us great
through His omnipotent power.
00:27:06.07\00:27:14.38
And yet, some of us still
will settle for mediocrity, why?
00:27:16.86\00:27:20.30
Why do we do that? You
know, I remember growing up
00:27:20.31\00:27:22.81
and I remember Christmas time.
00:27:22.82\00:27:25.28
When I was young, I
remember Christmas time,
00:27:25.29\00:27:28.82
we'd have all these
packages, all these presents,
00:27:28.83\00:27:30.99
presents and kids would come up
00:27:31.00\00:27:32.99
and they gather around
and look at the presents
00:27:33.00\00:27:34.78
and you know, our
eyes were always drawn
00:27:34.79\00:27:36.67
not to the little tiny box
00:27:36.68\00:27:38.76
but to that one
huge box, whose is that?
00:27:38.77\00:27:41.88
We go and look at
it and everybody would,
00:27:41.89\00:27:43.52
oh, ah, what's in the box?
00:27:43.53\00:27:45.97
Oh, we wish that box was ours.
00:27:45.98\00:27:48.75
Generally one name on it,
we wanted the big present,
00:27:48.76\00:27:53.62
how many people
take the small present
00:27:53.63\00:27:55.29
when you can
have the big present.
00:27:55.30\00:27:57.89
And, yet, we
settle for mediocrity,
00:27:57.90\00:27:59.39
we say, no, no thanks, I
know that God wants to do
00:27:59.40\00:28:01.29
greater things for me,
but I'll settle for good,
00:28:01.30\00:28:04.10
why would we do such a thing?
00:28:04.11\00:28:06.00
Especially knowing that
submitting to that greatness
00:28:06.01\00:28:09.32
only exemplifies God's greatness
00:28:09.33\00:28:12.12
and brings glory to His name.
00:28:12.13\00:28:14.13
Fear God and give
glory to Him, the Bible says.
00:28:14.14\00:28:17.63
Turn with me in your Bibles
00:28:22.72\00:28:23.77
to the book of
Philippians Chapter 3.
00:28:23.78\00:28:25.85
Philippians Chapter 3,
00:28:28.22\00:28:31.97
if we go in the New
Testament past the gospels,
00:28:31.98\00:28:35.62
Acts, Romans, First
amd Second Corinthians,
00:28:35.63\00:28:37.60
Galatians,
Ephesians, and Philippians.
00:28:37.61\00:28:41.96
Philippians Chapter 3,
we're gonna start in verse 12.
00:28:41.97\00:28:45.45
Philippians 3 and
starting in verse 12,
00:28:47.65\00:28:50.04
notice the words
of the Apostle Paul.
00:28:50.05\00:28:53.14
If there was anybody
in the Christian walk
00:28:55.18\00:28:58.99
who strive for greatness
it was the Apostle Paul.
00:28:59.00\00:29:02.46
Listen to how he describes
it, Philippians 3 and verse 12,
00:29:03.55\00:29:08.00
he says, "Not that I
have already attained,
00:29:08.01\00:29:10.39
or I'm already perfected."
00:29:10.40\00:29:12.41
No I'm not great yet, he says,
00:29:12.42\00:29:13.91
"I'm not attained to
greatness but he says,
00:29:13.92\00:29:15.91
I press on that I
may lay hold of that
00:29:15.92\00:29:20.42
for which Christ Jesus
has also laid hold of me."
00:29:20.43\00:29:25.40
Paul says here, Jesus
Christ, Jesus has laid
00:29:25.41\00:29:27.71
hold of us to give us
greatness and he says,
00:29:27.72\00:29:31.44
I'm not there yet
but that's my goal,
00:29:31.45\00:29:34.43
I'm pressing on to be all that
He intended that I should be.
00:29:34.44\00:29:38.97
Verse 13, "Brethren, he says,
00:29:43.59\00:29:45.01
I do not count
myself to have apprehended,"
00:29:45.02\00:29:47.68
I'm not there yet, you
know, we can all say that,
00:29:47.69\00:29:51.01
we can look at
our lives and say,
00:29:51.02\00:29:52.15
I'm not there yet but
let's not settle for less.
00:29:52.16\00:29:57.48
Let's aim for that goal,
00:29:57.49\00:29:58.46
let's press on
like the Apostle Paul.
00:29:58.47\00:30:01.19
Brethren, he
says, I'm not attained,
00:30:01.20\00:30:03.19
I've not
apprehended, but one thing I do,
00:30:08.11\00:30:12.09
forgetting those
things which are behind
00:30:12.10\00:30:13.91
and reaching forward to
those things which are ahead,
00:30:13.92\00:30:15.96
I press toward
the goal for the price
00:30:15.97\00:30:19.27
of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus."
00:30:19.28\00:30:23.10
Paul says, "I
press toward the goal."
00:30:23.11\00:30:24.86
I'm aiming for the
goal, no I'm not there yet,
00:30:24.87\00:30:27.87
but Christ Jesus laid hold of me
00:30:27.88\00:30:30.69
so He could make me great,
00:30:30.70\00:30:31.95
and I'm not gonna let Him down.
00:30:31.96\00:30:35.19
You see, friends,
Jesus wants to demonstrate
00:30:35.20\00:30:37.40
His own greatness by what
He's doing in His followers.
00:30:37.41\00:30:44.21
He points to His
followers and He says,
00:30:44.22\00:30:45.90
"Here, here's what they
were and here's My grace,
00:30:45.91\00:30:50.19
here's what My
grace can do in them.
00:30:50.20\00:30:54.03
Here are my followers."
00:30:54.04\00:30:55.27
And what do we see?
00:30:55.28\00:30:59.10
A group of
lackadaisical, lukewarm,
00:30:59.11\00:31:01.34
mediocre settled for good,
professed followers of Christ.
00:31:01.35\00:31:04.62
Where are those who are striving
00:31:04.63\00:31:05.92
to press on for greatness?
00:31:05.93\00:31:08.79
Not greatness that we obtain,
00:31:08.80\00:31:10.43
but greatness that Christ
has already obtained for us.
00:31:10.44\00:31:13.09
Forgetting
what's behind, He says,
00:31:20.20\00:31:21.70
"I press on." You know,
sometimes we look behind us.
00:31:21.71\00:31:28.03
We look at our hindrances,
we look at the discouragements
00:31:28.04\00:31:30.13
maybe a job that didn't pan out,
00:31:30.14\00:31:32.05
maybe some future
plans that didn't go
00:31:32.06\00:31:33.75
just the way we
thought, maybe at one time
00:31:33.76\00:31:35.77
we were looking for
greatness and then we just,
00:31:35.78\00:31:37.96
oh, it didn't workout,
00:31:37.97\00:31:38.94
a relationship
that didn't workout,
00:31:38.95\00:31:40.46
a spiritual
struggle that we've had
00:31:40.47\00:31:42.07
and we've not
gained the victory yet,
00:31:42.08\00:31:43.49
and we look behind and we say,
00:31:43.50\00:31:44.63
"Oh, I'm just--I'm not
gonna ever make it to great,
00:31:44.64\00:31:47.46
I'll settle for good."
00:31:47.47\00:31:50.29
Heed the words of the
Apostle Paul, nobody says,
00:31:50.30\00:31:52.82
"I'm not yet
attained." But I press on.
00:31:52.83\00:31:56.82
This one thing I do,
this one goal I have.
00:31:56.83\00:31:59.84
Sometimes it's
because we're looking behind,
00:32:05.35\00:32:07.25
that we just
settle for mediocrity.
00:32:07.26\00:32:08.66
Sometimes it's
because we have conflicts
00:32:08.67\00:32:10.27
with church members.
00:32:10.28\00:32:12.06
You know, it's funny
as we compare ourselves
00:32:12.07\00:32:14.01
among ourselves,
sometimes we get so caught up
00:32:14.02\00:32:16.13
and who in the
church isn't just right.
00:32:16.14\00:32:19.91
And it amazes me when
I hear church members say
00:32:19.92\00:32:21.86
"I don't understand why
some of these other people."
00:32:21.87\00:32:23.88
You know what?
00:32:23.89\00:32:25.51
The devil brings
people into the church,
00:32:25.52\00:32:26.91
did you know
that? The devil runs--
00:32:26.92\00:32:30.14
The devil is always running
his own evangelistic campaign.
00:32:30.15\00:32:33.94
The same time God'
bringing in the church,
00:32:33.95\00:32:35.37
the devil wants to
bring people in the church
00:32:35.38\00:32:36.86
just to get you stirred up.
00:32:36.87\00:32:39.39
Don't let him do it, brother.
00:32:39.40\00:32:40.87
Don't let him do it,
sister. Don't let him do it.
00:32:40.88\00:32:45.97
Press on for greatness.
00:32:45.98\00:32:50.34
And if there's
that brother or sister,
00:32:50.35\00:32:51.51
that's stirring
you up, pray for them,
00:32:51.52\00:32:54.79
minister to them
just as Jesus would do.
00:32:54.80\00:33:02.58
You know, sometimes we just,
00:33:02.59\00:33:03.83
it's as if-- When we're fighting
00:33:03.84\00:33:05.83
the good fight of faith,
we run up against struggles,
00:33:05.84\00:33:09.73
and sometimes as
Christians, we act so surprised.
00:33:09.74\00:33:11.67
I don't understand why
I'm, why I'm running into this,
00:33:11.68\00:33:13.92
I don't understand why I'm
having such a difficult time.
00:33:13.93\00:33:19.26
Friends the devil is not gonna
let you go out of his service,
00:33:19.27\00:33:21.78
let me go out of his
service without a fight.
00:33:21.79\00:33:25.10
It reminds me of a
story of a, of a lady who,
00:33:25.11\00:33:31.10
who was always so
positive about everything.
00:33:31.11\00:33:34.38
You know, and some people just,
00:33:34.39\00:33:35.58
they can't deal with that well,
00:33:35.59\00:33:37.10
her boss couldn't
deal with that well.
00:33:37.11\00:33:39.69
She just always came
into work so chipper.
00:33:39.70\00:33:41.31
Oh, how are you
doing? Everything's so great,
00:33:41.32\00:33:42.91
everything so lovely just like
00:33:42.92\00:33:44.00
she always has something
good to say about everything,
00:33:44.01\00:33:46.38
it makes me sick.
00:33:46.39\00:33:47.55
He said, you know
what, I've got an idea,
00:33:47.56\00:33:49.22
I've got it, I know something
00:33:49.23\00:33:50.41
she can't say
anything good about.
00:33:50.42\00:33:52.70
So he came into her
one morning and he says,
00:33:52.71\00:33:54.33
"Sister, he says,
I've got something to,
00:33:54.34\00:33:57.79
what do you have to
say about the devil?"
00:33:57.80\00:34:00.24
She said, "Boy, he
sure is a hard worker,
00:34:00.25\00:34:02.69
he sure is a hard worker."
00:34:02.70\00:34:04.85
The devil is
always at work, friends.
00:34:04.86\00:34:07.09
We've got understand that,
00:34:07.10\00:34:08.35
but don't be hindered by it.
00:34:08.36\00:34:10.16
Press on as the
Apostle Paul pressed on.
00:34:10.17\00:34:14.02
Jesus Christ wants us
to become great for Him.
00:34:14.03\00:34:22.36
When we give up the struggle,
00:34:22.37\00:34:25.84
when we cease to press on,
00:34:25.85\00:34:30.77
when we give into the
devil's discouragements
00:34:30.78\00:34:32.73
and set backs, we rob
Jesus Christ of the very thing
00:34:32.74\00:34:37.45
He's been longing to do for us,
00:34:37.46\00:34:40.34
to make us great in Him.
00:34:40.35\00:34:41.72
We rob Him of the
thing that He deserves.
00:34:41.73\00:34:47.08
In the book Christ Object
lessons page 331, it says,
00:34:47.09\00:34:50.69
"Many whom God has
qualified to do excellent work
00:34:50.70\00:34:55.43
accomplish very little,
because they attempt little."
00:34:55.44\00:34:59.42
They can do a great work
but they settle for good.
00:34:59.43\00:35:04.53
God wants greatness for us.
00:35:04.54\00:35:09.41
The Apostle Paul says,
00:35:09.42\00:35:10.60
"Here I press on
toward the goal."
00:35:10.61\00:35:12.62
It's
interesting the Apostle Paul
00:35:12.63\00:35:13.69
uses his imagery of a
race not just in this place.
00:35:13.70\00:35:17.96
Let's turn to another
text where he uses it,
00:35:17.97\00:35:20.50
in regard to the Christian life.
00:35:20.51\00:35:22.27
Let's go back from Philippians
00:35:22.28\00:35:24.14
to the book of First
Corinthians Chapter 9,
00:35:24.15\00:35:27.77
First Corinthians Chapter 9
and we're going to verse 25,
00:35:27.78\00:35:31.87
in fact 24 is where we'll start.
00:35:31.88\00:35:37.62
First Corinthians
Chapter 9 and verse 24,
00:35:37.63\00:35:43.58
notice what the
Apostle says here,
00:35:43.59\00:35:47.56
"Do you not know that
those who run in a race all run,
00:35:47.57\00:35:53.74
but one receives the prize?
00:35:53.75\00:35:56.48
Run in such a way
that you may obtain it.
00:35:56.49\00:36:01.95
And everyone who
competes for the prize
00:36:01.96\00:36:05.03
is temperate in
what? In all things.
00:36:05.04\00:36:09.57
Now they do it to
obtain a perishable crown,
00:36:09.58\00:36:13.28
but we for an
imperishable crown.
00:36:13.29\00:36:17.79
Paul's using an illustration
here that was well known
00:36:17.80\00:36:20.01
in his days in
that Greco-Roman Culture
00:36:20.02\00:36:22.18
something that we
know today as the Olympics.
00:36:22.19\00:36:25.72
They get together for these
big Greek races and he says,
00:36:25.73\00:36:30.11
don't you know that
when all those people train
00:36:30.12\00:36:31.90
and they work and
they get out there
00:36:31.91\00:36:33.10
and they run in the
race, only one person wins.
00:36:33.11\00:36:36.60
And what are they winning?
00:36:36.61\00:36:37.58
He says, they win
a perishable crown,
00:36:37.59\00:36:40.75
today we give
medals, gold, silver, bronze.
00:36:40.76\00:36:45.21
But you know what
they got in Paul's day?
00:36:45.22\00:36:47.32
They got a crown of
laurel leaves on their head,
00:36:47.33\00:36:49.95
like you see
with the FTD flowers,
00:36:49.96\00:36:51.39
there's little
leaves that was the prize.
00:36:51.40\00:36:54.79
And there would be people
that would strain themselves
00:36:54.80\00:36:57.71
and some would even
die through overexertion
00:36:57.72\00:37:02.08
in some of those races.
00:37:02.09\00:37:03.62
Intense competition
just to gain the crown,
00:37:03.63\00:37:08.85
only one could win.
00:37:08.86\00:37:13.04
What are we looking for?
00:37:13.05\00:37:14.02
What are we pressing on for?
00:37:14.03\00:37:15.34
Do we have a
goal, do we have a prize
00:37:15.35\00:37:17.00
worth more than a
crown of laurel leaves?
00:37:17.01\00:37:19.37
The Apostle
says, we do, he says,
00:37:19.38\00:37:22.95
everyone who competes
for the prize is temperate
00:37:22.96\00:37:25.05
in all things, they do
it for a perishable crown
00:37:25.06\00:37:27.89
but we for an
imperishable crown.
00:37:27.90\00:37:30.09
How much more
should we run diligently,
00:37:30.10\00:37:36.21
perseveringly to
win the Christian race,
00:37:36.22\00:37:42.32
to strive for the greatness
that Christ is calling us to.
00:37:42.33\00:37:46.84
Again in verse 25, he says,
00:37:51.16\00:37:52.64
"Everyone who competes
is temperate in all things."
00:37:52.65\00:37:55.25
Now I have known
people who have competed in,
00:37:55.26\00:37:57.34
in things before
whether they be races,
00:37:57.35\00:37:59.54
whether they be other type of
sporting events body builders.
00:37:59.55\00:38:05.85
And you know, when they got,
00:38:05.86\00:38:06.93
when they've got one
of their meets coming up,
00:38:06.94\00:38:09.25
whether it would be the
race, whether it'd be the--
00:38:09.26\00:38:11.98
and I know a guy
who was a body builder
00:38:11.99\00:38:14.29
and when that thing
was around the corner.
00:38:14.30\00:38:16.96
He would be very careful
in everything that he ate
00:38:16.97\00:38:19.52
and didn't eat, he
wouldn't go out drinking,
00:38:19.53\00:38:22.38
even though he normally would,
00:38:22.39\00:38:23.37
he's not going
to the bar at all,
00:38:23.38\00:38:25.52
he's not gonna eat out,
he didn't eat any fast food.
00:38:25.53\00:38:30.00
Temperate in all things,
he wouldn't go to bed late.
00:38:30.01\00:38:32.59
He went to bed very early,
00:38:32.60\00:38:33.57
he make sure he
got all the sleep,
00:38:33.58\00:38:34.79
because he
wanted to be top notch
00:38:34.80\00:38:37.14
when that
competition came around.
00:38:37.15\00:38:39.55
Temperate in all
things, now I mentioned to you
00:38:39.56\00:38:41.82
as we opened up this book
by Jim Collins "Good to Great."
00:38:41.83\00:38:46.13
Jim Collins shared
something in this book that
00:38:46.14\00:38:49.29
I have to share with you,
00:38:49.30\00:38:51.10
he talks about a friend of his
00:38:51.11\00:38:53.05
who was competing for
what's called the iron man.
00:38:53.06\00:38:59.02
Where he wanted to
go, this man was training
00:38:59.03\00:39:00.70
and he wanted to win this event.
00:39:00.71\00:39:03.89
And he says in his
book that this friend of his
00:39:03.90\00:39:06.97
as he was training for this meet
00:39:06.98\00:39:09.21
was so
temperate, he was so serious
00:39:09.22\00:39:11.67
about not taking in
any extra fat or calories
00:39:11.68\00:39:15.07
that he actually would
take his cottage cheese
00:39:15.08\00:39:17.75
and rinse it to
make sure there wasn't
00:39:17.76\00:39:19.86
any excess fat in it.
00:39:19.87\00:39:24.08
He rinsed his cottage
cheese for crying out loud,
00:39:24.09\00:39:27.93
to win the iron man.
00:39:27.94\00:39:31.90
How much more should
a Christian be willing
00:39:31.91\00:39:35.53
to be temperate in all
things for Christ Jesus?
00:39:35.54\00:39:39.54
How much more should
we be willing to give all
00:39:39.55\00:39:42.42
to attain to the greatness
that God's called us to?
00:39:42.43\00:39:47.83
Sometimes we think of
our Christian experience
00:39:47.84\00:39:50.93
and we talk about
striving for greatness
00:39:50.94\00:39:53.35
and I think that's
gone a little bit overboard.
00:39:53.36\00:40:00.46
Rinsing your cottage
cheese, but you know what,
00:40:00.47\00:40:04.90
the Apostle Paul
says, I press on,
00:40:04.91\00:40:07.56
the man who runs in the
race is temperate in all things.
00:40:07.57\00:40:10.02
Look what he goes on to say,
00:40:10.03\00:40:13.10
First
Corinthians 9 and verse 26,
00:40:13.11\00:40:17.70
let's back up to 25 again,
00:40:17.71\00:40:19.32
"Everyone who
competes for the prize
00:40:19.33\00:40:20.99
is temperate in all things.
00:40:21.00\00:40:22.28
Now they do it to
obtain a perishable crown,
00:40:22.29\00:40:25.02
but we for an
imperishable crown,
00:40:25.03\00:40:29.22
crown of eternal life."
00:40:29.23\00:40:31.81
Verse 26, "Therefore
this is the way I run,
00:40:31.82\00:40:35.31
not with uncertainty.
00:40:35.32\00:40:39.22
This is the way I fight,
00:40:39.23\00:40:40.52
not as one who beats the air.
00:40:40.53\00:40:42.39
He says I don't
run to no purpose,
00:40:42.40\00:40:44.38
I don't run like
those people in the Olympics
00:40:44.39\00:40:46.20
where only one person wins
because in this Christian race
00:40:46.21\00:40:49.53
everyone who stays in
the race wins the race,
00:40:49.54\00:40:53.64
but too many of
us are dropping out,
00:40:53.65\00:40:55.21
we say I've gone far enough.
00:40:55.22\00:40:57.66
Friends, we've got
to press on, he says,
00:40:57.67\00:41:00.43
I'm running but I don't
run with the uncertainty
00:41:00.44\00:41:02.72
that the people who run
in this Olympic races run.
00:41:02.73\00:41:05.39
Only one of them is
gonna win but I know
00:41:05.40\00:41:07.75
that if I press on
by the grace of God
00:41:07.76\00:41:09.70
I will win the race,
00:41:09.71\00:41:11.24
you can win the race,
we can all win that race.
00:41:11.25\00:41:13.88
It's not an uncertain race
00:41:13.89\00:41:15.41
and the crown is not perishable,
00:41:15.42\00:41:16.95
it's a crown of eternal life.
00:41:16.96\00:41:20.65
So he says, "Thus I
run, not with uncertainty.
00:41:20.66\00:41:23.33
Thus I fight, not as
one who beats the air."
00:41:23.34\00:41:25.04
Verse 27, "But I
discipline my body
00:41:25.05\00:41:28.11
and bring it into subjection,
00:41:28.12\00:41:31.62
lest, when I have
preached to others,
00:41:31.63\00:41:33.67
I myself should
become disqualified."
00:41:33.68\00:41:37.64
Now it's
interesting the New Testament
00:41:37.65\00:41:39.27
was written in
the Greek Language
00:41:39.28\00:41:42.48
and the Greek
phrase that's translated,
00:41:42.49\00:41:45.90
I discipline my
body means literally
00:41:45.91\00:41:49.92
to blacken under the
eyes, to give a black eye.
00:41:49.93\00:41:53.38
Paul says, I
discipline my body when my body,
00:41:53.39\00:41:56.19
when my carnal,
when my carnal nature
00:41:56.20\00:41:59.95
wants to get me to,
to sit back and relax
00:41:59.96\00:42:02.40
and quit striving.
00:42:02.41\00:42:04.46
Well my carnal nature
tries to pull me aside
00:42:04.47\00:42:06.66
and get me to quit
running in the race,
00:42:06.67\00:42:08.13
he says, I blacken
the eye, I beat it back
00:42:08.14\00:42:11.75
and I press forward.
00:42:11.76\00:42:14.08
He uses the
strongest language he can here
00:42:14.09\00:42:16.19
about a vivid struggle
00:42:16.20\00:42:17.98
and a perseverance
that will not fail.
00:42:17.99\00:42:25.82
If those who
train for worldly events
00:42:25.83\00:42:29.14
are gonna be
temperate in all things,
00:42:29.15\00:42:30.62
how much more, he says,
should we as Christians?
00:42:30.63\00:42:34.29
Who Christ has
promised in eternal crown
00:42:34.30\00:42:36.34
how much more should we
press on toward greatness,
00:42:36.35\00:42:39.64
greatness that will
bring joy to the heart of Jesus
00:42:39.65\00:42:44.86
who gave his life for us.
00:42:44.87\00:42:47.27
Temperate in all things.
00:42:47.28\00:42:51.37
Sharing with you again from
the book Christ Object Lessons
00:42:58.08\00:43:02.91
on page 332, the book says this,
00:43:02.92\00:43:05.32
"The heavenly intelligences
will work with the human agent
00:43:05.33\00:43:08.52
who seeks with
the determined faith
00:43:08.53\00:43:10.95
that perfection of
character which will reach out
00:43:10.96\00:43:13.65
to perfection in action.
00:43:13.66\00:43:16.66
It says, the heavenly
angels will work with the person
00:43:16.67\00:43:19.21
who is striving
for that greatness.
00:43:19.22\00:43:23.45
To everyone, it
goes on to say this,
00:43:23.46\00:43:25.25
"To everyone
engaged in this work,"
00:43:25.26\00:43:27.21
are you running this race,
00:43:27.22\00:43:28.30
is it your desire to
attain to that greatness.
00:43:28.31\00:43:30.67
It says, "To everyone
who is engaged in this work,
00:43:30.68\00:43:34.55
Christ says, I am at
your right hand to help you."
00:43:34.56\00:43:39.53
We're not
running the race alone,
00:43:39.54\00:43:41.48
Christ is at our
right hand to help us,
00:43:41.49\00:43:44.78
to give us that victory,
to make us great in Him.
00:43:44.79\00:43:50.89
Also from the same
book, one page later,
00:43:50.90\00:43:53.02
333, Christ Object Lessons,
00:43:53.03\00:43:55.02
"As the will of man co-operates
00:43:55.03\00:43:56.42
with the will of God,
00:43:56.43\00:43:57.51
it becomes
omnipotent, all powerful.
00:43:57.52\00:44:02.68
Whatever is to be
done at God's command
00:44:02.69\00:44:05.25
may be
accomplished in His strength.
00:44:05.26\00:44:07.18
All His biddings are enablings."
00:44:07.19\00:44:09.22
God will give us strength
00:44:09.23\00:44:12.96
that we maybe
become great in Him.
00:44:12.97\00:44:20.00
God will give us the
strength to make us great in Him
00:44:20.01\00:44:23.74
and I want to
share one more statement
00:44:23.75\00:44:25.10
with you along these same lines,
00:44:25.11\00:44:29.05
it's from Testimonies
for the Church Volume 7,
00:44:29.06\00:44:31.96
it's on page 17 and in this book
00:44:31.97\00:44:33.63
I want you to note what it says,
00:44:33.64\00:44:36.80
"Nothing is
apparently more helpless,
00:44:36.81\00:44:41.91
yet really more
invincible than the soul
00:44:41.92\00:44:45.41
that feels its nothingness
00:44:45.42\00:44:48.17
and relies wholly on
the merits of our Savior."
00:44:48.18\00:44:51.18
You know sometimes
when we talk about resting
00:44:51.19\00:44:52.69
wholly on the
merits of our Savior,
00:44:52.70\00:44:54.23
we said it in kind
of a passive, weak way.
00:44:54.24\00:44:56.93
Well, you know, I'm
resting on the savior
00:44:56.94\00:44:58.21
and I'm just, I'm so
weak and we almost use it
00:44:58.22\00:45:00.57
as an excuse to
settle for goodness.
00:45:00.58\00:45:04.60
But listen
again to what it says,
00:45:04.61\00:45:05.91
"Nothing is
apparently more helpless,
00:45:05.92\00:45:08.04
outwardly it looks helpless.
00:45:08.05\00:45:10.73
But in reality more
invincible than the soul
00:45:10.74\00:45:14.17
that feels its nothingness
and relies upon Jesus Christ,
00:45:14.18\00:45:17.52
on His merits, invincible."
00:45:17.53\00:45:23.19
God--listen to
the next sentence,
00:45:23.20\00:45:27.08
this is the punch line here,
00:45:27.09\00:45:28.26
"God would send
every angel in heaven
00:45:28.27\00:45:33.17
to the aid of such a one,
00:45:33.18\00:45:35.90
rather than allow
him to be overcome."
00:45:35.91\00:45:39.23
You're not in this fight alone,
00:45:39.24\00:45:41.28
God would send
every angel in heaven
00:45:41.29\00:45:43.54
to give you victory,
00:45:43.55\00:45:45.55
God will send
every angel in heaven
00:45:45.56\00:45:47.55
to help you win that race
and become great for Jesus.
00:45:47.56\00:45:51.84
Oh, friends, let's
not settle for mediocrity,
00:45:51.85\00:45:55.25
why would we settle
for less than the best
00:45:55.26\00:45:57.80
that God has offered us.
00:45:57.81\00:45:59.64
You know, the Apostle
says, in Philippians that we,
00:46:04.20\00:46:07.96
where we already read,
00:46:07.97\00:46:11.38
"I press on to
obtain that which Christ,
00:46:11.39\00:46:16.19
for which Christ
took hold of me."
00:46:16.20\00:46:19.10
Christ has a
purpose for my life,
00:46:19.11\00:46:21.69
for your life and
that purpose is greatness.
00:46:21.70\00:46:24.98
He wants us to be great in Him,
00:46:24.99\00:46:27.82
not settling for good
00:46:27.83\00:46:30.61
but reaching
forward to greatness.
00:46:30.62\00:46:35.74
You know, in my church
one thing that we've done
00:46:35.75\00:46:37.53
and I've had added
to, to the bulletins
00:46:37.54\00:46:40.13
that we hand out the programs.
00:46:40.14\00:46:42.54
I've had three
questions added there,
00:46:42.86\00:46:44.40
sometimes I watch
people and as people sit
00:46:44.41\00:46:46.56
and they come and they listen
to the word being preached.
00:46:46.57\00:46:48.49
Often times, I mean,
just to sit and listen,
00:46:48.50\00:46:51.42
I'll be honest with you,
00:46:51.43\00:46:52.40
just to sit and
listen to a long presentation
00:46:52.41\00:46:55.09
can be wearing if
that's all you're doing.
00:46:55.10\00:46:57.02
I always encourage
people, take down some notes.
00:46:57.03\00:46:59.75
Listen, when you come out
to hear the word preached,
00:46:59.76\00:47:02.14
don't just come out and
say, oh, that was interesting.
00:47:02.15\00:47:04.00
The Bible talks
about those in the prophet,
00:47:04.01\00:47:06.72
in the book of Ezekiel,
00:47:06.73\00:47:07.70
the prophet
Ezekiel in Chapter 33,
00:47:07.71\00:47:09.61
talks about
those who come and hear
00:47:09.62\00:47:10.85
the sayings of the
prophet of the Lord
00:47:10.86\00:47:13.00
but they don't put
them into practice,
00:47:13.01\00:47:14.69
they don't do them.
00:47:14.70\00:47:17.16
Sometimes people come
out to hear the word preach,
00:47:17.17\00:47:19.03
but they have no
intent to put them
00:47:19.04\00:47:20.26
into practice in their life,
00:47:20.27\00:47:21.31
they're not
striving for greatness,
00:47:21.32\00:47:22.51
they've settled for goodness.
00:47:22.52\00:47:24.71
They say, you know, I'm
satisfied with where I am,
00:47:24.72\00:47:26.96
I used to be pretty bad,
00:47:26.97\00:47:28.12
I'm better now and
this is good enough.
00:47:28.13\00:47:31.05
Friends, we ought to
come and hear the preach word
00:47:31.06\00:47:32.78
with an intent to
learn something new
00:47:32.79\00:47:34.70
and practice something new.
00:47:34.71\00:47:35.84
And so I have this added in the,
00:47:35.85\00:47:37.32
in the programs
that we use in my church.
00:47:37.33\00:47:40.18
Three questions,
question number one,
00:47:40.19\00:47:42.06
what new thing did you learn,
I'm gonna ask you that today,
00:47:42.07\00:47:45.28
what new thing did you learn,
00:47:45.29\00:47:46.63
as you're thinking about this,
00:47:46.64\00:47:47.64
as you're listening.
00:47:47.65\00:47:49.83
And not just in
this presentation
00:47:49.84\00:47:51.50
but in anything
you hear from the word
00:47:51.51\00:47:54.16
could be in a
study class as well.
00:47:54.17\00:47:55.84
What new thing
did you learn today?
00:47:55.85\00:47:57.96
You know, a lot of times
00:47:57.97\00:47:58.94
if you've been a
Christian for awhile,
00:47:58.95\00:47:59.98
oh, I've heard that before,
00:47:59.99\00:48:01.41
I've heard that
before, that's fine.
00:48:01.42\00:48:04.20
What new thing did you learn?
00:48:04.21\00:48:06.31
What new thing did
you learn, jot it down.
00:48:06.32\00:48:12.73
You know, a
pastor friend of mine
00:48:12.74\00:48:14.69
made an interesting point,
and you probably noticed this
00:48:14.70\00:48:18.66
before that every
time you come to the Bible,
00:48:18.67\00:48:21.34
you can read a passage
you've read a hundred times,
00:48:21.35\00:48:23.08
when you come and read it again
00:48:23.09\00:48:24.31
you may get
something brand-new out of it.
00:48:24.32\00:48:28.49
He said, you know, why?
00:48:28.50\00:48:30.52
Because every
time you read it again,
00:48:30.53\00:48:32.09
you're a new person,
you're a different person
00:48:32.10\00:48:33.61
than the person
you were the last time
00:48:33.62\00:48:34.72
you read it, why?
00:48:34.73\00:48:35.70
Because the word of
God is living and powerful.
00:48:35.71\00:48:38.27
Did you know when
you read the word of God
00:48:38.28\00:48:40.57
with an intent to
practice it in your life
00:48:40.58\00:48:42.34
and strive for that greatness
Christ has called you to.
00:48:42.35\00:48:44.99
Did you know
that, that word of God
00:48:45.00\00:48:47.08
is transforming in His
power, living and powerful?
00:48:47.09\00:48:51.69
So that the next time
you come to that passage
00:48:51.70\00:48:53.33
you're a new
person and that new person
00:48:53.34\00:48:55.52
that you've become get
something new out of it.
00:48:55.53\00:48:58.44
What new thing did you learn?
00:48:58.45\00:49:01.19
Number two, I ask them
00:49:01.20\00:49:02.17
what old thing
were you reminded of,
00:49:02.18\00:49:05.24
what old thing
were you reminded of,
00:49:05.25\00:49:06.33
maybe there was
something that you knew
00:49:06.34\00:49:07.55
but you forget it
and it struck you,
00:49:07.56\00:49:08.78
so that's interesting
00:49:08.79\00:49:10.15
and then the
most important part,
00:49:10.16\00:49:12.27
the most important part
00:49:12.28\00:49:13.43
what do you're
going to do about it?
00:49:13.44\00:49:15.70
What do you're going
to do about these things
00:49:15.71\00:49:17.16
that you heard
and learned today?
00:49:17.17\00:49:18.71
I'd ask you that today,
what are you going to do?
00:49:18.72\00:49:20.45
Are you thinking about
what you're going to do
00:49:20.46\00:49:21.94
about the message you're
hearing today of the passages?
00:49:21.95\00:49:24.54
Are you gonna,
are you determining
00:49:24.55\00:49:25.97
in your mind even now,
00:49:25.98\00:49:27.15
I want to strive for greatness,
00:49:27.16\00:49:30.72
I want to become all that Christ
00:49:30.73\00:49:32.41
has intended for me to be.
00:49:32.42\00:49:36.48
That's your privilege today.
00:49:36.49\00:49:39.40
I challenge you to put,
to make personal application
00:49:39.41\00:49:44.96
to the things
that you're learning.
00:49:44.97\00:49:48.20
The goal of coming
to hear the word is
00:49:48.21\00:49:50.11
to put it into practice,
00:49:50.12\00:49:51.37
let it transform your
lives by making application.
00:49:51.38\00:49:55.94
And never forget,
00:49:55.95\00:49:57.36
it's the word of the living God,
00:49:57.37\00:50:00.07
Jesus spoke and it was.
00:50:00.08\00:50:02.49
He said, let there
be light and it was,
00:50:02.50\00:50:04.14
and when you read
something in His word,
00:50:04.15\00:50:05.51
that power is in the
word now as much it was then.
00:50:05.52\00:50:10.18
Let it change your life, friend.
00:50:10.19\00:50:13.82
Jesus has called us to greatness
00:50:13.83\00:50:19.52
not just to goodness,
00:50:19.53\00:50:21.87
our lives are to bear
witness to Jesus Christ.
00:50:21.88\00:50:27.90
Let me rephrase that.
00:50:27.91\00:50:31.60
Our lives bear witness to Jesus,
00:50:31.61\00:50:34.64
I didn't say
what kind of witness,
00:50:34.65\00:50:36.93
you've got to
answer that question.
00:50:36.94\00:50:39.24
What kind of witness is
your life bringing to Jesus.
00:50:39.25\00:50:41.56
You know, when
you're settling for great,
00:50:41.57\00:50:42.66
I'm sorry, when
you're settling for good
00:50:42.67\00:50:44.83
and I'm settling
for good what is my,
00:50:44.84\00:50:47.37
what is my life saying.
00:50:47.38\00:50:49.66
What kind of witness
am I giving to Jesus,
00:50:49.67\00:50:52.88
when I settle for less
than what he wants for me?
00:50:52.89\00:50:56.91
My witness is not to
the fullness of his power
00:50:56.92\00:50:59.27
that it could and should be.
00:50:59.28\00:51:02.40
Your life is a witness,
what kind of witness is it?
00:51:02.41\00:51:05.50
You claim to be a
follower of Jesus Christ,
00:51:05.51\00:51:07.32
what kind of follower are you?
00:51:07.33\00:51:08.54
What kind of
message are people getting?
00:51:08.55\00:51:13.37
Did you know that when we
call ourselves Christians,
00:51:13.38\00:51:17.44
we're
advertising by the very name
00:51:17.45\00:51:20.10
that we're the
followers of Christ?
00:51:20.11\00:51:23.06
What is your
advertisement saying?
00:51:23.07\00:51:25.98
We advertise by the
very, I'm a Christian,
00:51:25.99\00:51:28.38
you're advertising you are
a follower of Jesus Christ.
00:51:28.39\00:51:30.72
Well, how does the
ad read in your life?
00:51:30.73\00:51:35.86
How does that ad
read in your life?
00:51:35.87\00:51:40.93
God doesn't want
us to settle for good,
00:51:40.94\00:51:44.08
for mediocre, he's
calling us to greatness
00:51:44.09\00:51:46.83
all that we can be in Him.
00:51:46.84\00:51:48.25
It reminds me of a story,
00:51:48.26\00:51:51.15
there's a man by
the name of John Piper.
00:51:51.16\00:51:55.38
John Piper is a minister,
he's a son of an evangelist
00:51:55.39\00:51:58.00
and his father, he
says, I still remember
00:51:58.01\00:52:00.75
the stories that my
father used to tell.
00:52:00.76\00:52:04.01
My father would be preaching
00:52:04.02\00:52:05.49
to congregations to
multitudes of people,
00:52:05.50\00:52:07.52
inviting them to accept Jesus.
00:52:07.53\00:52:09.21
He says, I remember the stories
00:52:09.22\00:52:10.42
that you would tell about people
00:52:10.43\00:52:11.68
who would go out of his meetings
00:52:11.69\00:52:12.89
and meet with some tragedy.
00:52:12.90\00:52:15.50
They wouldn't make
their decision for Jesus
00:52:15.51\00:52:17.33
and then they go and
some accident would happen
00:52:17.34\00:52:19.70
and they'd never
have that decision,
00:52:19.71\00:52:20.90
they never have that opportunity
00:52:20.91\00:52:22.87
to make the decision for Jesus.
00:52:22.88\00:52:24.07
He says, I
remember those stories,
00:52:24.08\00:52:28.27
but he said, there's one story
00:52:28.28\00:52:29.49
that stuck out in my
mind more than any other.
00:52:29.50\00:52:34.44
It's a story of a man,
00:52:34.45\00:52:36.78
an elderly man in a church
that my father frequented,
00:52:36.79\00:52:44.19
this elderly gentleman
was a man from the community,
00:52:44.20\00:52:47.34
and year after year
after year the church worked
00:52:47.35\00:52:50.40
to try to reach this man.
00:52:50.41\00:52:52.49
They would
invite him to meetings,
00:52:52.50\00:52:53.81
they would invite him
here, they would invite him,
00:52:53.82\00:52:55.39
come on out, they
wanted to him to come,
00:52:55.40\00:52:57.69
they wanted him to
accept Jesus as his Savior.
00:52:57.70\00:52:59.52
But he wouldn't
come, he wouldn't come,
00:52:59.53\00:53:00.71
he wouldn't decide.
00:53:00.72\00:53:02.25
Years and years
passed by and his old age,
00:53:06.57\00:53:10.96
this gentleman, this old
man comes into a meeting.
00:53:10.97\00:53:14.45
John Piper says,
he came into a meeting
00:53:14.46\00:53:15.93
that my father was preaching.
00:53:15.94\00:53:17.82
He says, at the
end of that meeting,
00:53:19.79\00:53:22.82
my father made a call
00:53:22.83\00:53:25.32
to accept Jesus
Christ as Savior.
00:53:25.33\00:53:28.25
And he says, that old man got up
00:53:30.30\00:53:33.29
and came forward to
the front of the church,
00:53:33.30\00:53:36.39
he came forward for
the call to accept Jesus
00:53:36.40\00:53:38.79
and he sat down
on the front row,
00:53:38.80\00:53:44.42
and began to weep,
00:53:44.43\00:53:45.51
and as he wept, he
said, "I've wasted it,
00:53:49.21\00:53:55.92
I've wasted it, I've wasted it."
00:53:55.93\00:54:01.08
He lift his whole
life for the devil,
00:54:04.22\00:54:08.54
he lived his whole
life apart from Christ
00:54:08.55\00:54:10.56
and now in his old
age, he'd accepted Christ.
00:54:10.57\00:54:14.86
And he was glad that he did,
00:54:14.87\00:54:17.88
but remorseful that he
wasted the bulk of his life
00:54:17.89\00:54:24.19
when he could have
been serving Jesus.
00:54:24.20\00:54:28.02
As much as he was glad to know
00:54:28.03\00:54:29.85
that he had a
Savior, his heart broke
00:54:29.86\00:54:33.71
because he realized
that he let his Savior down,
00:54:33.72\00:54:38.87
he'd wasted his life.
00:54:38.88\00:54:41.51
His life could have been great
00:54:41.52\00:54:45.36
and he'd settled for good.
00:54:45.37\00:54:46.60
What about you, friend?
00:54:50.38\00:54:53.33
Are you settling for goodness?
00:54:53.34\00:54:56.07
Are you settling for mediocrity?
00:54:56.08\00:54:59.10
Do you want to come
to the end of your life,
00:54:59.11\00:55:03.28
like that old man,
and have to say I wasted,
00:55:03.29\00:55:07.44
I wasted, I
could have been great,
00:55:07.45\00:55:10.37
I could have
reached the standard
00:55:10.38\00:55:11.87
that God has called me to.
00:55:11.88\00:55:13.73
I could have had all
that God is calling me to be,
00:55:13.74\00:55:17.97
but I settled for
good, I settled for mediocre,
00:55:17.98\00:55:23.31
I settled for status quo.
00:55:23.32\00:55:27.54
I accepted the standard of good
00:55:27.55\00:55:29.17
that everybody else is set out,
00:55:29.18\00:55:31.88
instead of the standard
that God has put before me
00:55:31.89\00:55:35.85
and the heights to which
I could attain through Him.
00:55:35.86\00:55:39.90
Friend, don't
settle for mediocrity,
00:55:41.46\00:55:43.02
for Jesus sake don't do it.
00:55:43.03\00:55:44.90
When the devil tries to
bring in something to hinder you
00:55:46.96\00:55:48.99
and discourage you
from reaching the prize,
00:55:49.00\00:55:51.47
don't let him do that.
00:55:51.48\00:55:52.84
When we allow the
devil to side track us.
00:55:52.85\00:55:56.67
We also allow him
to bring discouragement
00:55:58.06\00:55:59.78
to Jesus Christ and
to take away the prize
00:55:59.79\00:56:02.12
that is rightfully His.
00:56:02.13\00:56:03.33
Again in that same
book, Christ Object Lessons,
00:56:08.34\00:56:10.50
page 331, it says,
00:56:10.51\00:56:13.99
"Remember that you will
never reach a higher standard
00:56:14.00\00:56:16.81
than you yourself set.
00:56:16.82\00:56:19.70
Then set your mark
high, and step by step,
00:56:19.71\00:56:24.48
ascend the whole
ladder of progress
00:56:24.49\00:56:27.36
let nothing hinder you."
00:56:27.37\00:56:28.68
Friend, may be your goal today
00:56:31.20\00:56:34.02
to glorify Jesus
in all that you do,
00:56:34.03\00:56:36.49
to strive, to press on
as the Apostle Paul says,
00:56:38.69\00:56:42.50
for the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
00:56:42.51\00:56:45.13
Don't settle for
good, don't waste your life.
00:56:45.14\00:56:48.55
God has a plan for you,
00:56:48.56\00:56:50.03
even now God has a
plan for your life.
00:56:50.04\00:56:53.83
And it's not a mediocre plan,
00:56:53.84\00:56:56.46
it's greater than
anything that you could imagine.
00:56:56.47\00:56:59.18
God has a plan fit for you
00:56:59.19\00:57:01.25
greater than anything
00:57:01.26\00:57:02.51
that you could ever
know apart from him.
00:57:02.52\00:57:04.96
It's yours now if you press on.
00:57:04.97\00:57:07.98
Don't let great be
compromised by good,
00:57:09.67\00:57:13.50
strive to be
one in Christ Jesus.
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