Cleaning up The Mess

It’s a mess in here right now. Whether you’re elated, fearful, angry, hopeful, or devastated, we still have to figure out what we do next. Today, we’re talking about what God says our response to the election should be—and more importantly, where we find true hope.

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    - Hey, welcome to Crossroads. My name is Brian.
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    It's great to be with you today,
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    this first weekend after the election.
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    Oh, my goodness.
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    I'm recording this on Thursday.
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    We pushed it later in the week than normal
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    because we wanted to be able to comment on the election.
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    What do you know, as of this taping on Thursday,
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    nothing to comment on because
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    we still don't know who the next president is going to be.
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    Is it still going to be President Trump
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    or is it going to be President Elect Joseph Biden?
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    We don't know.
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    And I actually find that fascinating.
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    Two things to say about that before Chuck.
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    Chuck is going to give us some really great real time thoughts.
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    Before he does, two things to consider.
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    Number one, I follow a God who is never up for an election
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    and he can never be booted out of office.
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    My primary allegiance is to Jesus as my leader.
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    And He has a Kingdom that's existed
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    long, long before American democracy
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    and will exist long, long after
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    people have forgotten about America.
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    The second thing is, here's a crazy one,
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    you realize that no matter what you believe,
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    no matter who you voted for,
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    there's 140 million people who voted.
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    And so roughly 70 million people are against your beliefs.
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    Roughly 70 million people think opposite of you and I.
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    It doesn't matter what you think, no matter what you feel.
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    That shows how divided we are in our country.
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    That shows how our culture is hanging by a thread
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    because we're tearing each other apart.
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    We've got to feel secure that we can live
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    with people who disagree with us
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    and we've got to be praying for
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    and fighting for the unity of our land.
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    That's why I love Crossroads.
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    It's a big tent where all kinds of people,
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    different beliefs come together.
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    But we have one thing in common,
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    we're trying to figure out what Jesus wants for our life.
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    That's what we have in common,
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    no matter if you're a seeker,
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    you're a believer, wherever you are,
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    you're here today because you want more
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    or you're open for more from Him.
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    And that's why we're glad you're with us today
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    and that's why we're going to keep going.
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    Hey, before we go any further,
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    we're going to have an opportunity to do communion today.
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    Communion is an opportunity to tap into
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    an ancient spiritual, primal tradition
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    that all followers of Christ have done
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    for thousands of years
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    and it's a way for us to come together as one.
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    So go ahead and get your elements, get them ready.
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    Whatever you have in the house,
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    if you've got wine or juice or Pepsi
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    or crackers or bread, whatever you have, go ahead
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    and get that because you'll need that in a little bit.
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    And right now we're going to worship.
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    Not just a break through our personal lives.
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    We're looking for a breakthrough in our country.
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    So let's sing about that to God together right now.
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    - Look at this room.
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    Whether you feel like you won or not,
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    at the end of the election,
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    somebody has to clean this mess up.
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    And today we're going to clean this mess up.
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    It turns out there's only -- And actually, I should say,
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    I'm filming this before the election happens,
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    because regardless of who wins,
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    the timeless truth of scripture is very clear.
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    I feel like there's a message of good news today,
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    but you're going to have to hang in there with me
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    to hear it and receive it.
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    There's only three times you're going to see me
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    in dress shirts as a pastor:
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    weddings, funerals, and it turns out after this election.
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    Truth is, some of us right now, man, we feel like this.
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    We're elated.
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    Our candidate won.
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    We think all is right in the world.
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    For others of us, we feel like hopes have been busted.
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    And for some of us-- (balloon whining)
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    It's like all the hope just left the building.
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    Of course, that could have more to do with
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    what you ate last night than anything else.
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    But I'm telling you, and even a white balloon.
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    I had to use white balloons, not red and blue balloons,
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    because I don't want to indicate any favor
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    one way or the other.
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    Guys, what are we to do now?
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    I believe the Bible is very clear
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    on how we're to live right now as Christians.
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    I want to say to you that today may be
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    the most engaging and important church experience
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    you've had in a really long time.
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    Because you're not just gonna listen to me talk,
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    but you're going to have a chance to live into
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    and put into practice what it looks like
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    to be the church in a divisive moment like this.
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    I want to read to you from Ephesians 4.
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    It says this; this is Paul writing to the early church:
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    See what the Bible says is no matter
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    what the outcome is of this election,
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    no matter what the issues that divide us may be,
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    we are one as Christians.
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    Unity exists because of what Jesus has already done.
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    Unity is maintained by the powerful spirit of God,
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    and unity is preserved when believers
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    make every effort to make peace with one another.
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    And I don't mean a negative peace.
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    I don't mean a peace that ignores the brokenness
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    and the problems,
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    the real problems that need to be addressed.
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    I'm talking about a positive peace
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    where we say we understand that
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    in this broken world we are one.
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    As followers of Jesus, how are we one in this moment?
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    Well, first, let me talk to those who feel like you won,
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    you feel like this is what the country needed.
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    We got exactly what we need it for the best in our country.
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    Paul's words to you are very clear
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    in the same way they are to people who feel like they lost.
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    Be completely humble and gentle.
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    Be meek with those who disagree.
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    Recognize that there are people today who feel
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    like they're bearing a disproportionate burden
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    because of the results of the election.
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    They don't feel like it was in their best interest
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    and just be willing to be humble enough
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    and gentle enough to get proximate to people
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    who may feel hurt or angry or sad or disappointed today,
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    to check in with them,
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    not as a person who voted differently,
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    but as a fellow brother and sister in Christ.
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    Be willing to be humble and gentle and meek in that way.
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    Now, let me talk to those who feel like you lost.
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    Maybe today you are angry, you're hurt, you're confused.
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    But Paul's words are equally applicable to you,
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    to be humble and gentle.
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    People who believe that even if you landed
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    in a different place in this election,
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    we serve the same Jesus
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    and His grace is sufficient for both of us
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    in the places that we need it.
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    What does it look like to give grace in this moment?
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    What does it look like to get proximate with those
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    who may feel a sense of relief or joy
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    and to seek to understand
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    more than trying to be understood.
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    Whether you feel like you won or lost,
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    there are three things I think all of us
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    are called to in this moment as people of Jesus.
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    First, whether you won or lost, we all need to lament.
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    We all need to lament.
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    That we're lament in the Bible is actually an outcry.
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    It means, "God, how?"
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    We're saying, "God, how can we be in this place?"
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    And we need to lament.
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    Now, if you felt like you lost,
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    you're probably in lamentation.
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    But even if you won, we need to lament the fact
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    that, sadly, God's church has been more divided
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    on these issues than people who don't follow Jesus
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    and that breaks the heart of God.
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    Jesus didn't die for a divided church.
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    He didn't die for a church that
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    couldn't get over our political differences.
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    He did it.
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    And that was the beauty of the first century church
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    is that you had, Republican and Democrat.
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    You had conservative and liberal.
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    Now, they didn't have those terms,
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    but they had social differences that were profound.
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    There were political differences that were profound.
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    There were cultural differences that were profound.
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    And yet through what Jesus had done,
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    they became one body,
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    breaking bread at the same table.
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    And we have to get back there today,
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    maybe not today, but, church, we've got to
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    get back there in the weeks and in the months to come.
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    Which means that whether you won or lost,
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    the second thing is we all need to repent.
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    Repentance is the sweet term in the Bible.
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    It's this invitation that we have from God
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    to change our direction, to change our mind.
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    I just need to be honest with you
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    and just repent and say
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    I have really struggled with anger in this election.
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    I'm not typically an angry person,
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    but man, I am angry.
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    I've been angry with people I don't know.
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    I've been angry about positions that people have taken
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    that disagree with my position.
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    I have really struggled.
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    I have struggled to pray for people.
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    I have struggled to have grace.
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    And I just need to repent of that because
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    Jesus has forgiven me of so much.
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    You know how many times I am opposite to what He wants?
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    Do you know how many times the way that I think
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    or the things that I do are not what He desires.
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    Jesus calls me to be a person of grace.
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    That doesn't mean I have to agree.
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    It doesn't mean I have to line up with every point of view,
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    but it means that no matter what I'm called to love.
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    No matter who wins, I'm called to love.
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    No matter who wins, I'm called to pray for my president.
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    None of this of like it's not my president.
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    No, I am called to pray for whoever is in that office.
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    I am called to not be afraid, but to trust the Lord.
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    And I'm called to do that from a place of repentance.
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    So whether you won or lost,
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    we all have something to lament of.
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    It's a broken, broken time and the church,
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    unfortunately, has not shown up as the salt and light
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    that we're called to be in so many ways.
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    And we need to repent of that.
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    We need to turn our hearts and change our direction
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    so that we can resolve to make every effort
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    to maintain the spirit of unity in the bond of peace.
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    That word "make every effort" in the Greek
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    is the word "spoudazo".
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    It means to do it with all of your energy.
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    Hey, it is not going to be automatic.
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    See, here's the problem.
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    The problem that we face is not that
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    one person wins and one person loses in this election.
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    It's that the division and brokenness
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    that has been rippling through our culture
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    in the last several months and years
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    is such that it will take decades of healing to overcome,
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    regardless of who sits in the White House.
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    And, and it has to start with the church.
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    We are called to make every effort to be unified.
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    We're called to keep or to guard that unity.
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    We're called to, as one person so aptly put it,
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    we're called to become who we already are in Jesus.
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    See, in Ephesians Paul's talking about unity
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    and he's basing it on a premise that he wrote about
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    two chapters earlier in that same book.
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    The premise is what Jesus has done for us.
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    In Ephesians II Paul says: we were dead in our sins.
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    We were all enemies of God,
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    but Jesus saved us by grace.
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    We've been saved.
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    But he goes on to say that Jesus's rescue of us
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    didn't just make us right in relationship with God,
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    it actually makes us right in relationship
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    with those who are different.
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    In Ephesians 2:15-16, Paul says that
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    by abolishing the law of commands expressed in ordinances,
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    Jesus did this, that he might create in Himself
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    one new man in place of the two, so making peace.
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    This is referencing the deep divide
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    between Jew and non-Jew,
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    this deep cultural divide that had existed for centuries,
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    this deep cultural divide that caused people
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    to line up on one side,
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    to have some in an in group and some in an out group.
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    But Paul is saying what Jesus did on the Cross
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    made one new man out of those two.
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    And it might reconcile us both to God
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    in one body through the Cross, killing the hostility.
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    Jesus purchased our unity.
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    Jesus perfects our unity through His Spirit.
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    And so we are called to live like the people we have become.
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    See, I believe right now how we respond is critical.
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    I think it was very important
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    for us to engage on November 3rd.
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    I hope that you did.
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    I hope if you had a chance to vote
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    that you exercise that right to vote.
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    That's very important.
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    And as important as November 3rd is,
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    I want to submit to you that for the church,
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    November 4th, November 5th, November 6th, 7th,
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    ongoing is even more important
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    because how do we heal the brokenness?
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    How do we clean this mess up?
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    How do we bring ourselves back to that bond of peace?
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    I believe the way that we do it
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    is we adopt a different constitution.
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    I'm not anti the constitution of our country,
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    but we need to adopt a greater constitution,
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    the constitution of Jesus,
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    the Constitution of the Kingdom.
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    Jesus gives His constitution as the Sermon on the Mount
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    in Matthew Chapters 5, 6, and 7.
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    But in Matthew 5 at the beginning,
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    Jesus proclaims His preamble.
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    Jesus stood up.
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    He stood up on a hillside
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    and He proclaimed His preamble to His constitution.
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    And He opened his mouth and He said,
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    "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
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    for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
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    Blessed are those who mourn,
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    for they shall be comforted.
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    Blessed are the meek,
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    for they shall inherit the earth.
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    Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
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    for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
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    Blessed are the merciful,
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    for they shall receive mercy.
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    Blessed are the pure in heart,
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    for they shall see God.
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    for they shall be called Sons of God.
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    Blessed are those who are persecuted
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    for righteousness sake,
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    for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • 00:19:08
    Blessed are you when others revile you
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    and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil
  • 00:19:14
    against you falsely on my account.
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    Rejoice and be exceedingly glad
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    for great is your reward in heaven
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    for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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    Jesus lays out this preamble
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    as a set of behavior for us
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    and how we honor each other,
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    how we preserve our unity.
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    He says that we're to be poor in spirit,
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    to be spiritually innocent enough to say
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    we don't have all the answers.
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    We're called to mourn,
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    not just to mourn with those who mourn,
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    but also mourn the fact that anyone in this world,
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    in this country would feel in some way
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    like they don't have representation
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    or no one is fighting for them.
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    We want to be people who mourn that.
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    We also want to be meek.
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    And that means that we're the opposite
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    of self asserted and rude and harsh,
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    that we're gentle and our emotions are under control.
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    We are to be people who hunger and thirst
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    for a world where all can flourish
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    and want to see more of the reign of our good God
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    impact every person in America,
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    not just America, but all around the world.
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    And we're called to be peacemakers,
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    people who represent the peacemaking power of Jesus
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    and show up that way.
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    For that to be true, we have to show up that way
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    in our own relationships.
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    We have to show up that way at home,
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    at work, as a church.
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    We have to show up that way with our neighbors.
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    And for that peace that we need,
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    I love what the Bible says,
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    that God wants to give us a peace
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    that passes all understanding,
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    that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
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    And from that place of peace we can love,
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    we can be repairers of the breach
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    in this moment of division,
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    and we can be those who have a peace that says
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    even when it looks like this world is out of control,
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    my King is still on the throne
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    and His Kingdom is still advancing.
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    We can be people who live out the constitution of Jesus.
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    And I want to give us an opportunity
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    to have that peace in a fuller measure
  • 00:21:03
    because we're going to need it.
  • 00:21:04
    And the way that we do that is we come together
  • 00:21:07
    and we pray together.
  • 00:21:08
    And so this would be an easy time
  • 00:21:09
    for you to check out and to think,
  • 00:21:11
    "Oh, I've heard the message, I'm all done."
  • 00:21:12
    But I want to submit to you
  • 00:21:13
    what we're about to do next
  • 00:21:14
    is the most important thing
  • 00:21:15
    that we're doing in our time today.
  • 00:21:17
    We're going to pray together.
  • 00:21:18
    Let's do that now.
  • 00:21:28
    Justin, thanks for being with me, man.
  • 00:21:29
    - Glad to be here.
  • 00:21:31
    - This next part is something we're going to do together.
  • 00:21:33
    Justin is here with me because we're going to pray.
  • 00:21:36
    And one of the ways that we pray
  • 00:21:38
    is we actually sing prayers set to music.
  • 00:21:40
    And so we're going to be doing
  • 00:21:41
    some praying and some singing.
  • 00:21:42
    And this is the part where I said,
  • 00:21:44
    this is why I think this is such an important weekend
  • 00:21:47
    and an important moment for all of us,
  • 00:21:49
    because as much as I hope that
  • 00:21:51
    you've been helped by what I've shared,
  • 00:21:53
    God wants us to act in this moment.
  • 00:21:55
    One of the ways we do that together is through prayer.
  • 00:21:58
    You know, there's a moment where Jesus
  • 00:21:59
    is coming into Jerusalem as He's preparing to be crucified.
  • 00:22:04
    And it says in Luke 19, that:
  • 00:22:17
    And I believe that Jesus right now
  • 00:22:19
    would weep over our country.
  • 00:22:20
    And I really believe He would weep
  • 00:22:21
    over the state of His church and say,
  • 00:22:23
    "This is a moment, church, where we need
  • 00:22:25
    to be doing those things that lead to peace."
  • 00:22:27
    And one of the things that leads to peace
  • 00:22:28
    is when we come together in prayer.
  • 00:22:30
    Later, we're going to take communion.
  • 00:22:32
    If you haven't had a chance yet to grab
  • 00:22:33
    some elements to participate in communion,
  • 00:22:35
    I want to encourage you to do that.
  • 00:22:37
    This is the most important thing
  • 00:22:38
    I think we can do that leads to peace.
  • 00:22:41
    It's just to humble ourselves before God
  • 00:22:43
    and seek Him together.
  • 00:22:45
    We're going to start by kind of being
  • 00:22:47
    in a place of lament, of lamentation.
  • 00:22:49
    You know, the Bible has so many prayers
  • 00:22:51
    that are really just honest expressions to God
  • 00:22:54
    about the pain or the questions that we have.
  • 00:22:58
    And I know for many of us, t
  • 00:22:59
    his is a moment of questioning.
  • 00:23:01
    Psalm 61 says this. It says:
  • 00:23:03
    "You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us."
  • 00:23:07
    Some of us may feel that way right now.
  • 00:23:18
    And I know for for me it feels like
  • 00:23:20
    there's so many fissures and fractures
  • 00:23:22
    that have been just broken wide open
  • 00:23:23
    in our country through this election cycle.
  • 00:23:26
    God, we just want to come to you with those feelings.
  • 00:23:29
    I want to ask you as Justin plays and as he sings
  • 00:23:33
    to just pray, to talk to God.
  • 00:23:34
    What are you feeling right now?
  • 00:23:36
    What's in your heart?
  • 00:23:37
    Bring that raw, honest state before God right now.
  • 00:23:40
    He cares about it.
  • 00:23:42
    Are you filled up in this moment?
  • 00:23:44
    Are you empty in this moment?
  • 00:23:46
    Whatever it is, just honestly pray that before God now.
  • 00:23:55
    - (singing) Nowhere else to go,
  • 00:23:58
    we've nowhere else to turn.
  • 00:24:02
    We're kneeling at your door singing,
  • 00:24:06
    come near, come here.
  • 00:24:13
    - God, hear our prayers in this moment.
  • 00:24:16
    Hear our heart before You,
  • 00:24:17
    all of our emotions we bring to You.
  • 00:24:22
    - (singing) We need Your Kingdom now.
  • 00:24:25
    Would You exchange it for our doubts?
  • 00:24:28
    We're kneeling at your door singing
  • 00:24:32
    come near, come here,
  • 00:24:35
    come near, come here, God, come near,
  • 00:24:40
    God of the breakthrough, Your promise to stand true.
  • 00:24:47
    You haven't failed us yet.
  • 00:24:49
    No, You haven't failed us yet.
  • 00:24:53
    Our miracle maker, our hope and our Savior,
  • 00:25:00
    you haven't failed us yet.
  • 00:25:03
    You haven't failed us yet.
  • 00:25:10
    - One of the things that we do
  • 00:25:11
    when we open up our heart to God is we recognize
  • 00:25:14
    there are things in our heart that need to change.
  • 00:25:16
    The Bible calls this repentance.
  • 00:25:17
    Repentance is the sweet, sweet word
  • 00:25:19
    where we get invited to go in a new direction,
  • 00:25:23
    but through the power of God's Spirit working in us.
  • 00:25:26
    In Psalm 51:10, David, put it this way:
  • 00:25:34
    Can I ask you a question?
  • 00:25:36
    What's pressing on your heart right now?
  • 00:25:39
    Maybe God is pointing out something in your life right now.
  • 00:25:43
    I know for me, God has been pointing out my pride.
  • 00:25:47
    My pride, that sometimes this righteous indignation
  • 00:25:49
    is sometimes is just plain old pride,
  • 00:25:51
    that I know better,
  • 00:25:52
    that if everybody would just see this
  • 00:25:53
    the way that I see it,
  • 00:25:54
    it would be better for our country,
  • 00:25:55
    it would be better for the world,
  • 00:25:56
    it'd be better for the church.
  • 00:25:57
    And I just have to say, "God, I repent of that pride.
  • 00:26:00
    I want to lay it down.
  • 00:26:01
    I want to go a new direction."
  • 00:26:04
    You know, for me, it's also been fear,
  • 00:26:07
    which has led to a grasping for control,
  • 00:26:09
    if it doesn't go the way that I think it should go.
  • 00:26:11
    And God, too, I just lay that before you.
  • 00:26:13
    What is it that you need to repent of?
  • 00:26:15
    You just need to say, "God, create in me a clean heart."
  • 00:26:19
    While the music plays, I just ask you
  • 00:26:21
    to have that conversation with God right now.
  • 00:26:22
    You can just say, "God, I repent of,"
  • 00:26:24
    and just fill in that blank.
  • 00:26:25
    What is it? Offer that to God in prayer.
  • 00:26:58
    And because we're talking about the unity of the church,
  • 00:27:00
    our repentance has to move
  • 00:27:02
    from just a heart thing to an action thing.
  • 00:27:04
    Jesus put it this way in Matthew, he says:
  • 00:27:14
    Jesus says, and go, first, make things right
  • 00:27:19
    with your brother or your sister or your coworker
  • 00:27:23
    or your cousin or your uncle or your aunt
  • 00:27:26
    or your small group member
  • 00:27:28
    and then come back and offer your gift.
  • 00:27:34
    - It's convicting there.
  • 00:27:38
    I sing a lot of songs
  • 00:27:40
    in front of a lot of people on a Sunday morning.
  • 00:27:43
    Rarely do I start the first song and go,
  • 00:27:46
    "Oh, wait, I shouldn't be singing this right now.
  • 00:27:49
    I should put my guitar down and go back
  • 00:27:51
    to the person I wronged earlier this week."
  • 00:27:54
    You know? Conviction, how much Jesus cares about that
  • 00:27:58
    and how right we need to be together.
  • 00:28:01
    And I immediately think of grace,
  • 00:28:05
    that God has shown me this amazing amount of grace
  • 00:28:09
    and I'm stingy with it and I'm stingy with it
  • 00:28:13
    most often with those who disagree with me.
  • 00:28:16
    And so when you talk about repenting of pride,
  • 00:28:20
    that's where I'm convicted right in this moment.
  • 00:28:23
    I'm not a grace giver to people who disagree with me.
  • 00:28:26
    I think about a conversation with my dad
  • 00:28:29
    just a couple of months ago.
  • 00:28:30
    I was not a grace giver in that.
  • 00:28:32
    I was giving out judgment.
  • 00:28:34
    I was making a statement and not listening.
  • 00:28:37
    And so I need to be reminded
  • 00:28:39
    the amount of grace Jesus has given me
  • 00:28:43
    and then give it away freely, like he says.
  • 00:28:45
    So who do you need to make it right with?
  • 00:28:49
    - Yeah. Yeah. Who is that for you?
  • 00:28:50
    Who do you need to make it right with?
  • 00:28:52
    Some person in your life,
  • 00:28:54
    maybe it's a person who voted the other way.
  • 00:28:55
    - Yeah.
  • 00:28:56
    - Maybe it's a person who disagrees with you
  • 00:28:57
    on some other issue.
  • 00:28:59
    It could be someone under your roof,
  • 00:29:00
    it could be someone that you work with,
  • 00:29:01
    but Jesus is very clear.
  • 00:29:04
    No other act of worship matters
  • 00:29:06
    if we haven't first done that. That is convicted.
  • 00:29:11
    - There's some work I need to do,
  • 00:29:13
    there's some places I need to go,
  • 00:29:14
    some phone calls I need to make,
  • 00:29:15
    and I just would encourage you to do the same thing.
  • 00:29:18
    Let's be reconcilers.
  • 00:29:19
    It's what the world desperately needs right now.
  • 00:29:22
    And the only way we can do that is
  • 00:29:23
    if we really believe that we've received
  • 00:29:25
    the grace that God freely offers to us.
  • 00:29:28
    - Yeah, so this is where my mind went for us.
  • 00:29:33
    (singing) Amazing grace,
  • 00:29:38
    how sweet the sound
  • 00:29:44
    that saved a wretch like me.
  • 00:29:55
    I once was lost,
  • 00:30:00
    but now I'm found,
  • 00:30:06
    was blind, but now I see.
  • 00:30:17
    - Grace is amazing, and it's only through grace
  • 00:30:20
    that we can do what we see in Ephesians,
  • 00:30:24
    conduct yourselves with all humility,
  • 00:30:26
    gentleness and patience.
  • 00:30:27
    It is so important that we say
  • 00:30:29
    we're going to adopt that mindset.
  • 00:30:31
    We're going to adopt that way
  • 00:30:32
    of engaging with other people,
  • 00:30:34
    particularly in this moment.
  • 00:30:36
    Accept each other with love
  • 00:30:38
    and make an effort to preserve
  • 00:30:40
    the unity of the spirit
  • 00:30:41
    with the peace that ties you together.
  • 00:30:44
    We are one.
  • 00:30:45
    We are one through the peace
  • 00:30:46
    that Jesus purchased for us on the Cross.
  • 00:30:48
    We are one.
  • 00:30:50
    So, God, in this moment, I want to pray for unity.
  • 00:30:52
    Would you join me in praying this?
  • 00:30:54
    God, I want to start by just praying
  • 00:30:55
    for unity in our own church in Crossroads.
  • 00:30:58
    God, we're a broad, diverse range of people,
  • 00:31:00
    people who voted all kinds of different ways,
  • 00:31:02
    people who hold all kinds of different political
  • 00:31:05
    And God, we just say together we want to lean in
  • 00:31:09
    and reflect the peace that is ours through Jesus.
  • 00:31:12
    Lord, would You unify our church in this moment?
  • 00:31:16
    Would you bring couples back together?
  • 00:31:18
    Would you bring families back together?
  • 00:31:20
    Would you bring friends back together?
  • 00:31:22
    Would you bring Your church closer to that bond
  • 00:31:26
    of unity in the spirit of peace?
  • 00:31:28
    God, I also want to pray that
  • 00:31:29
    for churches all across the country.
  • 00:31:30
    Right now, this is a challenging time
  • 00:31:32
    for believers everywhere.
  • 00:31:34
    And God, I'm praying that You would do
  • 00:31:35
    something miraculous in Your church,
  • 00:31:38
    a miraculous work of unity,
  • 00:31:39
    a miraculous work of bringing our hearts together.
  • 00:31:44
    And that's all based on what Jesus did.
  • 00:31:47
    It's not lost on me that the symbol that Jesus chose
  • 00:31:51
    for us to remember what it means to be
  • 00:31:53
    a part of his family
  • 00:31:54
    is the simple act of breaking bread together.
  • 00:31:57
    The simple act of a shared meal.
  • 00:32:00
    It's a reminder of unity.
  • 00:32:01
    It's a reminder of grace.
  • 00:32:03
    It's a reminder of what's possible in relationships
  • 00:32:05
    when Jesus is at the center.
  • 00:32:06
    So we're going to practice communion right now.
  • 00:32:10
    We're going to practice it because
  • 00:32:11
    it's so important for us to remember
  • 00:32:12
    that Jesus is blood purchased our unity.
  • 00:32:15
    You know, here in the United States we have a motto.
  • 00:32:18
    It's a model that shows up on our money,
  • 00:32:20
    E Pluribus Unum, from many one.
  • 00:32:26
    Can I be honest and tell you,
  • 00:32:28
    without the reconciling power of Jesus,
  • 00:32:30
    that's a pipe dream, that's a pipe dream.
  • 00:32:33
    We have seen progress certainly as a country.
  • 00:32:36
    We've seen progress.
  • 00:32:37
    And obviously we have seen challenges to that.
  • 00:32:39
    But can I just tell you, the only thing
  • 00:32:40
    that can route me in oneness with people
  • 00:32:42
    who are fundamentally different than me is the one body,
  • 00:32:48
    the one body who broke itself for me,
  • 00:32:52
    the one body who shed blood for me,
  • 00:32:54
    the blood of Jesus Christ.
  • 00:32:55
    And that's why it says in 1 Corinthians 10:17,
  • 00:32:57
    because there is one bread, we who are many are one body,
  • 00:33:02
    E Pluribus Unum, from we all partake of the one bread.
  • 00:33:06
    And so we're going to do that together.
  • 00:33:08
    We're going to partake of the bread together.
  • 00:33:09
    And we're also going to use this as an opportunity
  • 00:33:11
    to say, God, we want to continue to be people of peace.
  • 00:33:14
    Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers,
  • 00:33:16
    for they are the children of God.
  • 00:33:18
    So I want to invite you to grab
  • 00:33:19
    whatever elements you have in this moment
  • 00:33:22
    to join us in partaking in communion.
  • 00:33:24
    If you're a follower of Jesus,
  • 00:33:25
    it is right for you to do this.
  • 00:33:27
    And I think in this moment
  • 00:33:28
    it is so important for us to remember this.
  • 00:33:31
    Justin, I want to offer you from the one loaf.
  • 00:33:36
    And as we do this together,
  • 00:33:38
    I want to invite you to do it with us.
  • 00:33:40
    I'll take a piece of myself.
  • 00:33:42
    Just a reminder to us,
  • 00:33:44
    the body of Christ was broken for our unity
  • 00:33:46
    and our oneness.
  • 00:33:47
    You're not like my brother, you are my brother.
  • 00:33:49
    - That's right.
  • 00:33:51
    - And His blood was shed
  • 00:33:52
    for our oneness with Him and with each other.
  • 00:33:55
    - Thank you.
  • 00:33:56
    - Justin and I are going to dip
  • 00:33:57
    because we are dipping church, not a sipping church.
  • 00:34:00
    You can do whatever makes sense with your elements,
  • 00:34:03
    but we remember in this moment the blood and body of Jesus.
  • 00:34:12
    As we wrap up this time, I just want to invite you
  • 00:34:15
    to take a posture of saying yes to Jesus.
  • 00:34:17
    Put your hands out like this, just an act of surrender,
  • 00:34:20
    to say we're going to say yes.
  • 00:34:22
    In the days ahead, I think
  • 00:34:23
    it's going to be really important
  • 00:34:24
    that we say yes to love and not fear.
  • 00:34:28
    That we say yes to unity and not division.
  • 00:34:30
    That we say yes to humility and not pride.
  • 00:34:33
    That we choose to be peacemakers,
  • 00:34:35
    not just in our hearts, but in our lives.
  • 00:34:38
    So let's just use this song as a prayer of declaration
  • 00:34:41
    and say, "Jesus, because of what You've done for us,
  • 00:34:43
    we say yes to these things.
  • 00:34:45
    We say yes to being Your peacemakers in the world today."
  • 00:35:51
    - I just want to bless you and commission you
  • 00:35:54
    to be a peacemaker,
  • 00:35:56
    to be someone who lives
  • 00:35:58
    the constitution of our God and King Jesus.
  • 00:36:01
    No matter what the days ahead may bring,
  • 00:36:03
    we know one thing: His Kingdom is sure
  • 00:36:06
    and it will last forever.
  • 00:36:08
    So we say yes to Him.
  • 00:36:09
    We say yes to His ways.
  • 00:36:11
    May you be a peacemaker.
  • 00:36:13
    May you be one of the people who makes every effort
  • 00:36:18
    to maintain the spirit of unity and the bond of peace.
  • 00:36:21
    God bless you and thanks for being with us today.
  • 00:41:06
    - Well, I hope you met God today
  • 00:41:07
    or got something that caused you to think about Him
  • 00:41:10
    in a way that you really needed to think about Him.
  • 00:41:12
    That's why we're here.
  • 00:41:14
    We're also going to have an ability to be like Him,
  • 00:41:17
    that is to be generous.
  • 00:41:18
    You can go to Crossroads.net/give
  • 00:41:21
    if you want to be on the team of people
  • 00:41:23
    who are fueling life change in ourselves and others.
  • 00:41:26
    Go ahead and do that.
  • 00:41:27
    And I really want you to experience
  • 00:41:29
    the full, adventurous life.
  • 00:41:31
    Here's some ways you can do that and get connected.
  • 00:41:33
    We'd love to pray with you or just talk.
  • 00:41:35
    There's a whole team of people here
  • 00:41:37
    to give you prayer and care for you.
  • 00:41:39
    Chat with us at Crossroads.net.
  • 00:41:41
    Keep moving with your group or connect with a new one.
  • 00:41:44
    The Journey's over, but you can keep going together.
  • 00:41:47
    Unpack the weekend message
  • 00:41:48
    with our weekend follow up prompts.
  • 00:41:50
    They're posted every week at Crossroads.net/followup.
  • 00:41:54
    You can also help a family this Thanksgiving.
  • 00:41:56
    For two decades, we've done a thing
  • 00:41:58
    called the Thanksgiving Food Drive to help families
  • 00:42:01
    that are struggling to have a great Thanksgiving meal.
  • 00:42:04
    To find out more, go to Crossroads.net/TFD.
  • 00:42:08
    So we've got a brand new series starting next week.
  • 00:42:10
    I'm pretty excited about it,
  • 00:42:11
    it's called Thrive this Winter.
  • 00:42:13
    We'll see you then.
  • 00:42:16
    (bird chirping) Winter's coming.
  • 00:42:19
    Cold, long, dark,
  • 00:42:24
    and it's going to be...
  • 00:42:25
    amazing!
  • 00:42:27
    Give yourself a shot in the arm of encouragement.
  • 00:42:30
    Just survive, hibernate?
  • 00:42:32
    No way!
  • 00:42:34
    God wants you to thrive this winter
  • 00:42:35
    and we'll show you how.
  • 00:42:37
    A new weekly series from Crossroads.
  • 00:42:39
    Check it out by downloading the Crossroads app
  • 00:42:41
    on your smart TV or at Crossroads.net.

Process, journal or discuss the themes of this article - here's a few questions to get the ball rolling...

Welcome to the Weekend Followup. The questions below are for the weekend of Nov 7th & 8th.

  1. Let’s be real, this has been an eventful week. We may be in different spots regarding this 2020 election. Share in one word how you are feeling in this moment. Seriously, just one word.

  2. Read Ephesians 4:1-6. No matter the outcome of any cultural issue that divides us, Jesus invites us to pursue peace. Discuss as a group what preserving peace looks like practically in your life, right now.

  3. People who follow Jesus are called to love one another above all else. Read Psalm 51:10. Think of your pitfalls. Maybe it’s pride, fear, control or something else. How might God be pressing you to change right now? Share with the group.

  4. To begin healing it first starts with us and our relationships. Read Matthew 5:23-24. Who is the person that you need to make things right with? Share with the group. Then take time now to put on your calendar when you will reach out to them then do it.

  5. Close your time by going around praying for the bond of unity and peace in our relationships, in our church, and in our nation.

More from the Weekend

Come back next week for our new weekly series, Thrive This Winter.

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Nov 7, 2020 43 mins 5 sec

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