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The God Who Seeks · Crusade with Me

0:13
Welcome back to Crusade with me. Lovely. Of course
0:50
you are. I'm not shiny and shimmering or whatever
0:53
you said last week. Well, we have another late
0:57
start to the day. Yeah, we had a long delay today,
1:02
right? Yeah, we had a long day yesterday. Exciting,
1:06
but long day. Yeah, I'm looking forward to listening
1:09
to that. Yeah, we had Reverend Schumacher in
1:14
and had a great visit. Yeah. And we did an episode
1:21
and he and I did an episode and then we all shared,
1:28
we fellowshiped at a lunch together that you
1:30
made. It was fabulous. Yeah. I will do that totally
1:34
different next time. We are famished by the time
1:36
that happened. Well, you know what? You can tell
1:39
it's a good visit and you can tell time got away
1:42
from us. I mean, literally got away. I think
1:45
he arrived at 1030. and we were just chatting,
1:51
truly. I mean, in the kitchen, all three of us
1:52
were just standing in the kitchen, yeah, just
1:55
chatting. And the next thing I knew, it was almost
1:58
noon and we hadn't even started recording the
2:02
episode. So we didn't get done with the episode.
2:08
We did take a break, all right, because it's
2:10
another longer episode. We just took a break.
2:13
We did... We didn't get done with that episode
2:16
till closer to 2 30. Yeah. And then a lunch,
2:22
which was, yeah, that was bad on our part. But
2:25
anyway, so appreciative and can't wait for people
2:30
to hear Reverend Schumacher story, which is a
2:36
wonderful story. And I was thinking about the
2:39
almost divine intervention and I use that term
2:43
loosely, but You know, he, one of the focuses
2:49
of his ministry all of his life has been to the
2:54
deaf. And that's why we're gonna be friends.
3:00
And then he was here at our house and that was
3:03
pretty special. And I told him I could read lips
3:06
and he put me to the test, didn't he? Yes he
3:08
did, yes he did. And I passed. Well yeah, you
3:11
got two out of three of the vowels. That he was
3:15
well because you can't read lips on a vowel.
3:18
That's why I pass. That's true. That's true So
3:20
I did pass that was his whole point exactly,
3:24
right? when you say II Yeah, you did it doesn't
3:32
Right exposed in your mouth doesn't necessarily
3:35
move Correct. That was his whole point. So we
3:39
have a couple scripture readings for today I
3:42
don't wanna make this episode as long as we did.
3:46
Reverend Schumacher's episode. And it was all
3:48
good. Again, just like with Pastor Mike, I can't
3:53
find anything there to chop out, to shorten it
3:57
up. Just outstanding. And I think we're gonna
4:02
have him back. He wants to discuss. I think I've
4:06
got him to agree with me that we will get back
4:08
and he will discuss. the book, The Bondage of
4:11
the Will, The Bondage of the Will, which is a
4:15
Martin Luther book, and I've read it twice, and
4:20
I still got a lot of questions, so. I'm gonna
4:24
depend on Reverend Schumacher. This is something
4:26
I found, I was listening to a podcast the other
4:28
day, coming home from work, called Issues, Etc.
4:32
Issues, Etc. is a podcast by the LCMS, the Luther
4:38
Church Missouri Synod. And that happens to be
4:41
where we worship, is in a congregation that is
4:44
an LCMS church. And, full disclosure, Reverend
4:53
Schumacher was a pastor for years and is still,
4:59
through the LCMS, worked at the seminary. He
5:03
claims to be retired, but then when he talks
5:06
about all the things he does, he seems to be
5:09
very yet. I think he's related to your friend
5:13
Terry somehow. I don't know. Retirement to me
5:15
means something far different than these people.
5:17
I don't get it. And he says, retirement's a wonderful
5:21
thing. And I'm thinking, you seem very busy.
5:23
Yes, exactly right. Exactly right. And yeah.
5:30
It's a 21st century, right? So everybody gets
5:32
to define words as they see fit. Reverend Schumacher,
5:37
Terry, out there in the world. And the thing
5:40
that I told him that I found to be amazingly
5:44
wonderful is he is minute, which is what we should
5:50
all be doing, ministering with. To the children
5:55
of the neighborhood that he yes, he was working
5:58
woodworking and he's teaching some of the kids
6:00
that are interested in Woodworking and also I
6:04
guess he has a wall that has all kinds of different
6:08
crosses different types What did he say 62 different
6:11
crosses on this wall in his office? Yeah, and
6:14
so a Neighbor boy came over and wanted to make
6:20
one And instead of as adults, we seem to be like,
6:22
yeah, maybe sometime one day. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
6:25
He's like, OK, I've got some wood here. What
6:28
kind of wood would you like? Right, right. And
6:31
he picked out his wood and now he sat him down
6:34
in his office in his office here in my chair
6:37
wall. And you tell me which shape and you can
6:41
take a different type from this cross and different
6:45
pattern. And I'll draw it out. And he did. And
6:48
he did. I mean, this was a Process. Yes, it was
6:52
and so we drew it out and then he Taught him
6:55
with guidance how to make cuts on this how to
6:59
use some power to how to use some power tools
7:01
And then after they got it finished and done
7:04
then the sister came over And decided that she
7:09
wanted one she wanted one Took that she could
7:14
hold. Yeah, so it needed to be smaller. I need
7:16
to be small and she used a purple wood And that
7:21
was wood from Africa. Yes that type of wood,
7:24
but she ended up Hanging it when he got to over
7:28
there now that I don't think she used any of
7:30
the equipment But he told she told him she was
7:33
so excited When he got finished with it and she
7:37
said I hung it up way high Up in my room so I
7:42
could look at it when I'm look up at it look
7:44
up at it from my bed or when I'm standing and
7:48
he said Well, you know, you're just a little
7:52
thing. I can't But you know, but anyways, I told
7:57
him I said that is just so precious because it
8:00
is most people Even someone who's a grandmother
8:04
You know, I find myself saying yeah. Yeah sure
8:09
sometime not right now. This is it but that is
8:12
that describes him or what I know of him it does
8:16
to be patient Well, he came here and visited
8:20
with us, so he'd always made it. So yeah, I thought
8:28
that was a very sweet, tender story. That did
8:32
not make it on the podcast, by the way. No, no,
8:35
that's why I wanted to share it. I would, yeah.
8:36
Well, I didn't know what was on the podcast,
8:38
but I, yeah. So let's start out with, the reading
8:44
is from 1 Timothy 1. 12 through 17. My Queen,
8:50
would you mind reading that text? I thank him
8:55
who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord,
8:59
because he judged me faithful, appointing me
9:02
to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer,
9:06
persecutor, an insolent opponent, but I received
9:11
mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief.
9:16
and the grace of God overflowed for me with the
9:19
faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The
9:23
saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance
9:26
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
9:29
sinners of whom I am foremost. But I receive
9:34
mercy for this reason that in me as the foremost
9:37
Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience
9:42
as an example to those who were to believe in
9:45
him for eternal life. To the king of ages, immortal,
9:50
invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever
9:54
and ever. Amen. Amen. So really kind of cool
10:02
stuff right here. I mean, right out of the gate,
10:04
right? Don't you hear, sorry, don't you hear
10:09
Pastor Hagee from Cornerstone? Getting that engine
10:17
running, getting a little winded, getting a little,
10:21
I'm not promoting him. There was a time in our
10:23
life when we used to listen to him. He had some
10:27
great sermons, I mean, partially. Well, I'm not
10:30
talking about any of his sermons, but he would
10:33
read, and I could hear him. I will say, you're
10:38
reading out of the ESV, a couple of... differences
10:42
between yours and mine. Mine is the New American
10:45
Standard Bible translation. And it starts off
10:48
right at the get go, and I like the New American
10:50
Standard in verse 12, because it says, I thank
10:53
Christ Jesus our Lord. It doesn't leave any equivocation
10:59
as to who Paul's referencing here. Who has strengthened
11:03
me, because he considers me faithful, putting
11:05
me into service. And I think it was verse 14.
11:13
And the grace of our Lord was more than abundant
11:16
with the faith and love which are found in Christ
11:21
Jesus. Just a couple of, just a little, you know,
11:25
the wording is slightly different. I think the
11:27
ESV, you know, hits the mark, but I think that
11:31
the New American Standard Bible gives it a little
11:33
bit more depth as far as. Clarifying some things.
11:40
So, you know, just, I think it's obvious. The
11:43
first thing that I think in my mind that jumps
11:45
into my head that out of this reading is, it's
11:50
a confession. Paul's confessing, but he's more
11:53
than just, he's saying, hey, I am the foremost
11:56
sinner. Right? And I, yeah. And I think that's
12:04
telling. He's like, Look what I've done. And
12:09
he enumerates it here. He persecuted, he actually
12:13
killed Christians. And he doesn't step around
12:18
that. He doesn't make excuses for that. Here's
12:23
what I've done. And what I also find interesting
12:27
in the Greek, why Paul uses the present tense.
12:33
He didn't say, I used to be the chief of centers.
12:36
He says, I am the chief of centers. And I find
12:46
that interesting. Because I think a lot of times,
12:50
and I'm not bashing churches, but I think a lot
12:54
of times when we are involved in church, we do
13:01
mental gymnastics. to make ourselves think. I'm
13:09
pretty good. I'm pretty good. I'm better than
13:11
most, right? I mean, I'm going to worship, I'm
13:14
doing this, I'm doing that. Paul's kind of putting
13:20
that to rest real quickly. Right. Well, I think
13:26
we've talked before. You know, we like to play
13:30
that game of ranking sins. And so if we're in
13:39
church and we're in attendance and our little
13:44
tiny little sins, it can't be that bad. Because
13:46
we're not out here in the world, we're not committing
13:49
these things. We're just over here doing little
13:52
things like maybe telling a little lie over here.
13:57
And I've been struggling with this, not struggling
14:01
with it, I've been. sorting this out in my mind
14:03
all morning. And I've never been a big fan of
14:08
series, a podcast series, we're gonna do a series.
14:14
But it's really becoming into fruition in my
14:18
mind that I think I wanna start committing to
14:21
the concept that we will do a series. And it's
14:26
going to be on the 10 commandments. And I know
14:28
we... was I did that looking at the Ten Commandments
14:32
in Advent, during Advent. However, I wanna do
14:37
this a little bit differently. I wanna look at
14:39
the Ten Commandments much, much more deeply to
14:44
where it might be like 10 weeks where we would
14:46
take one commandment per episode. And I think
14:52
that would be warranted. We did it, I think,
14:54
in like three weeks. We did three three and or
14:59
we did three four and I can't remember we broke
15:02
it up and it was it was only a few weeks But
15:06
that's been on my mind when you talk about Well,
15:09
we read our sin and you know, this is not as
15:11
bad as murder You know, of course, of course.
15:16
Mm -hmm. Oh, yeah What else do you get out of
15:21
this? I mean, you know, this is the text to me
15:23
is pretty heavy here But I think it's rich. It's
15:27
rich with some stuff. Yeah. Well. I believe,
15:36
obviously, there's a lot of. Praise, what are
15:42
you doing? I was looking at the video. I think
15:47
it's falling that I'm not seeing. OK. Huh? Said
15:53
keep going. Oh, I thought you were okay. Sorry.
15:56
I believe there's Obviously there's some introspective
16:01
things going on here, right? I mean that's He's
16:08
He's thinking about his own His own journey he's
16:17
Where he came where he's at and where he's going,
16:21
right? And then he's getting ready to make a
16:26
charge to Timothy. Correct. So, and... Oh, you're
16:41
exactly right. So I I didn't want to like make
16:44
the cross over to because we're not there. Yeah.
16:46
No, no Where do you want to go? Yeah, I just
16:50
I just wanted to focus on this one just right
16:53
So I'll just read the New American Standard Version
17:01
Because I think Christ Jesus our Lord who has
17:03
strengthened me because he considered me faithful
17:05
putting me into service Even though I was formerly
17:08
blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.
17:15
Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly
17:19
in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was more
17:24
than abundant, with the faith and love which
17:28
are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy
17:33
statement, deserving full acceptance. that Christ
17:39
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among
17:43
whom I am the foremost of all. Yet for this reason
17:48
I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost,
17:55
Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience
18:00
as an example for those who would believe in
18:03
Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal,
18:10
immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and
18:16
glory forever and ever. Amen. What I get Paul
18:24
saying here is God is delights in showing mercy.
18:32
And I think I have been so focused on the confession
18:37
And Paul's bringing it out here. And the grace
18:41
of our Lord was more than abundant by showing
18:47
mercy to Paul. Right. And I've heard lots of
18:51
people try to describe what mercy is, and I think
18:55
I read one time that mercy is when you, like
19:04
your boss agrees to pay you $700 a week as your
19:09
salary and you go in to collect your $700 and
19:13
you get your $700 and he gives you an additional
19:16
$1 ,000, right? That's well Yeah, that's it.
19:22
That's an interesting way of looking at it. I
19:24
don't know if I agree with that, but it's it
19:27
you're getting more than you deserve Well here
19:33
yeah, that's true I'm trying to change my point
19:37
of reference to a lot of things related to sin.
19:41
And that's because I want to do that deeper dive
19:45
in the Ten Commandments. And I don't want to
19:48
get into it too deep here and now, but there's
19:52
two ways to look at sin, right? A lot of people
19:55
look at sin as the TV series, right? Well. I
20:00
don't think that's the name of the TV series,
20:01
but there's an ad, there's a tag on that TV series
20:05
that's been on forever. And the tag is crime
20:09
and punishment. So a lot of people look at the
20:12
Ten Commandments, that's the law. So it's punishable,
20:18
a violation of that law is punishable. When you
20:25
really get into the Hebrew, I don't think it's
20:32
a great translation to call them the 10 commandments
20:35
because the actual word there is just that. The
20:43
Bible references this section as the 10 words.
20:48
These are the 10 words of God in stone. when
20:58
you think of it as, oh, these are the 10 words,
21:02
these are the 10 criteria, these are the 10 standards,
21:07
these are what God says, this is what you gotta
21:11
try to live to. That's a little different than
21:16
this is the law. As devout Lutherans, we like
21:20
to talk about law and gospel, right? And so,
21:25
I know I'm not trying to put my heel against
21:28
the plow. I'm just saying that there's also a
21:32
way to look at this as sin, in the Old Testament
21:38
specifically, it explicitly talks about sin causes
21:43
death. So when my mind, I can switch, I'd like
21:52
to switch sometimes from crime and punishment
21:55
to sin is a disease. Yes, you talked a little
22:02
bit about that. Yes, with you, yes. No, with
22:04
Mike. Oh, okay, yes, okay, yeah, I guess I did,
22:07
you're right. Not on here, but. No, yes, Mike,
22:10
and I did have that right. And that makes a lot
22:16
of the New Testament. come to life from the standpoint
22:20
of, they talk about being healed. Well, you don't
22:26
get healed from punishment or crime, you get
22:28
healed from a disease. You get healed when you're
22:31
sick. And I will use the Lutheran phrase, we
22:36
are a sin -sick fallen people. Right? In need
22:40
of the great position, in need of the healing.
22:45
And... I think Paul is saying that here. He has
22:50
healed me so that I can now see His abundant
22:55
mercy and grace that He's given me. And none
23:00
of that mercy and grace is possible without the
23:04
gift of Jesus Christ. Exactly right. God cannot
23:07
extend that to us without the sacrifice of Christ.
23:13
And I believe that this also is pointing to the
23:17
fact that God's grace is his character. That's
23:23
where he goes. He doesn't go to, you know, flooding
23:29
of the earth and throwing thunderbolts around
23:32
the cosmos, right? He goes to grace. He goes
23:36
to mercy. And I believe that's what he's calling
23:41
his people to be. Because we think that Christianity
23:52
is becoming impressive, right? We have to be
23:58
impressive, we have to be good, or at least we
24:03
have to look good. So that's this distortion
24:08
in our own minds. We need to become I mean, this
24:15
is something honestly coming from a Back where
24:19
things appeared at times to be showy, right?
24:23
Yes And so I have struggled with that over the
24:27
years Back in the years to be make it Singular
24:34
this is just singular and in a relationship way
24:37
between you and him. Yes, everything else gets
24:40
blocked out And that and that is hard at times
24:44
to block things out. And just it's not about
24:50
what how I look, and especially when you're a
24:52
person that deals with anxiety. Sure, yeah. When
25:02
you think that, excuse me, people are looking
25:05
at you and, you know, and that's not. And nothing
25:09
to be further than the truth. But in your mind,
25:11
that's what's happening. But anyways, but yes,
25:14
I've had to to deal with that in the in the past
25:18
that this isn't about anybody else. This is about
25:21
you and him and yes, and nothing else. And and
25:25
there's no for me personally, there's no better
25:28
place for that to happen than in the Lutheran
25:31
Church, especially at the rail and. Well, except
25:35
when you go to a new church in the first four
25:39
weeks out of the gate, I've embarrassed myself.
25:44
But anyways. OK, it's again, it's not about being
25:47
impressive. I know again, but I have social anxieties.
25:52
But I believe that's what Paul is trying to call
25:54
out here. Yeah, I know. Is that? Well, that's
25:56
why we're never to we're never ever on easy street
26:01
where we're not struggling with something. I
26:04
mean, what I get out of, Paul says Christianity
26:08
begins when we stop pretending that we're impressive.
26:16
That's where I, you know, let's not act like
26:21
we have all the answers. How many times have,
26:23
how many times in this, you know, well over a
26:26
year now we've done crusade with me. I know we
26:29
took a break. But still, well over a year. We
26:34
were pretty much both born in a Church or at
26:39
least a religious households, right? We've studied
26:44
the Bible since we were crapping our pants It's
26:49
some waveform fashion, right? Having Bible songs
26:53
sung to us Yes, you know understand what I'm
26:58
saying How often And I mean, I know the answer,
27:03
but I just would like to hear you say it. How
27:06
often have you and I, even on this podcast, talked
27:08
about this hit me today or this week in this
27:14
text? In a different way? Yes. Or why have I
27:18
never read it like this? Correct, yes. Or, yeah,
27:22
all the time. Because in my mind, there is so
27:25
much wisdom. And I don't even want to get into,
27:30
you know, are the 66 books the Bible or is it
27:35
that Orthodox Bible over there that has 84 books
27:40
or is it the, you know, I mean, and I think I
27:43
might've just misquoted it, probably doesn't
27:45
have 84 books, but it's got significantly more
27:48
than 66. And I started reading the Apocryphal.
27:56
I don't want to get into all that. Because I
27:58
believe in the 66 books is absolutely enough,
28:02
all right? These other books that I'm reading,
28:05
now that gives you, like Pastor Mike was talking
28:07
about the pixels in a picture. I think it adds
28:11
dots to clarify the picture. I think that the
28:17
meat of what we need is in these 66 books that
28:19
we currently have. That's all. We can get into
28:27
all of this theological dig deep, and I like
28:33
doing that, as you know. But the truth of the
28:35
matter is Paul summarizes it so well. Where was
28:43
I at? Let me see, and the grace of our Lord was
28:56
more abundant with the faith and love which are
29:01
found in Christ Jesus. Deserving full acceptance
29:05
that Jesus Christ came into the world to save
29:09
sinners. Paul's not saying Christ came into the
29:21
world to save the nearly righteous, the pretty
29:26
close to perfect, the ones who understood sanctification,
29:32
right? And this actually will come back to us
29:37
in our gospel reading, of course. The other thing
29:45
I get out of this is Paul makes it real clear.
29:48
Paul cannot erase his past. And guess what? Neither
29:54
can we. So as we feel guilty about things we've
30:02
done in our past, as we feel shame for things
30:07
that we've done in our past, we can't change
30:11
it. But Christ can. And that is what I think
30:19
the world needs to understand. and maybe a lot
30:24
of Christians need to understand, we can't do
30:30
anything, but Christ can change our past. So,
30:42
you know, to put the book into this text, so
30:46
Paul becomes a great missionary for the church.
30:54
Not because his past disappeared, right? Do you
30:59
think the people in Ephesus were real excited
31:04
about this Paul guy coming, the one that killed
31:08
Christians and they know about it? I think they
31:11
were probably very fearful it was a trap. Correct,
31:14
correct. His past did not disappear. But grace
31:26
redeemed his past. You know, I learned this from
31:33
my mother -in -law. You can redeem a cupid. Right?
31:40
A woman's always got a cupid. I know. And that's
31:44
what you call that, right? When you give them
31:46
the cupid? Well, it's a coupon, but she calls
31:49
them a cupid. Eastern Kentucky, I guess. I don't
31:53
know. But that's the, in my mind, the first Timothy,
32:00
Paul's letter to Timothy here is, we're all sin
32:06
sick Poland people. We can't change that, but
32:10
Christ can and he does. And it's in his character
32:13
and God's character that he wants to do that.
32:18
And that's the gift. That's the free gift. that
32:25
sadly a lot of people won't look at. Okay, let's
32:35
jump over to Luke. What is it? It's Luke 15,
32:45
one through 10, my queen. Now the tax collectors
33:01
and sinners were all drawing near to him and
33:04
the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled saying
33:07
this man received sinners and eats with them
33:10
So he told them this parable what man of you
33:14
having a hundred sheep if he has lost one of
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them does not leave the 99 in the open country
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and go after the one that is lost until he finds
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it and when he had found it He lays it on his
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shoulders rejoicing and when he comes home he
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calls together his friends and his neighbors
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saying to them Rejoice with me for I have found
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my sheep that was lost Just so I tell you there
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will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
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repents than over 99 righteous persons who need
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no repentance Or for that what woman having ten
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silver coins if she loses one coin does not light
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a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently
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until she finds it and When she has found it
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she calls together her friends and neighbors
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saying We rejoice with me for I have found the
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coin that I had lost Just so I tell you there
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is joy before the angels of God over one sinner
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who repents Absolutely. So we got the Pharisees
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here complaining. Shocking the religious leaders
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of the day. This man receives sinners. We talked
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about in Paul's letter to Timothy, the pretending.
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And then everything that follows that answers
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that accusation in my mind. That's pretty straightforward
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and clear. So looking at this from the perspective
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of the heart, this is what people really ought
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to cling to or lean into, right? No, I haven't
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heard you say that in a while. Lean into it.
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Because this ought to bring solace to everyone.
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God searches. God pursues. And God rejoices.
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Just like the parable. I'm sure you know. I'm
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sorry. Go ahead. No, I just say we've all seen
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that picture of Jesus, the interpretation with
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the lamb on his shoulder. And so. You can. The
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lamb, the sheep, whatever, I don't know. What's
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the difference between a lamb and a sheep? I
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think a lamb is a young sheep. Well, that was
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what I was thinking, but I just went there for
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a minute. We can ask our daughter. She'll probably
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know that. She probably would. Or our grandson.
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Yeah, let's go with him. Let's go with Baba.
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So Jesus is coming back from this rescue. The
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crowds are cheering and Jesus is smiling, laughing.
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Everyone's happy and rejoicing. And if you are
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a parent. and have physically lost a child for
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a few minutes like we have at a water park. You
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know that pain, you know that panic. And when
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you find them, your heart starts slowing down
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because it's been beating out of your chest.
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You know the rejoicing when you found that child.
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And then if you have spiritually lost your child,
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you are grateful for the promises of our Lord
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and Savior when they are returned to the flock.
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Correct. And the next parable, we didn't read
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that one, but that's kind of exactly to your
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point, which is Luke's rendition of the prodigal,
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right? Yeah. Further on. Chapter 15. Yeah, when
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you get to the, yeah. But no, you're exactly
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right. You know what else caught me up in this?
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Notice who's doing the action. Not the sinner.
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We're all sin sick fallen people. I've heard
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churches, I've been in churches, I've been, find
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God. That's the sinner. Jesus says, God is already
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looking for you. Because in this story, Jesus
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is the shepherd. And in the lost coin parable,
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he is the woman searching. Ultimately, he is
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the one who leaves heaven to find the lost. And
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that shepherd doesn't merely search. That shepherd
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lays down his life. And the part to the coin
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parable that really struck me is, once found,
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we become who joins God's search for others.
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And the other part to the coin, even when it
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was lost, It didn't lose its value. You understand
39:44
what I mean? That's God's grace and mercy. So
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as the religious leaders at the beginning of
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chapter 15 of Luke say, well, you are receiving
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and eating with sinners. I think the lesson here
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is they have value. Which going back to last
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week. Yes, they were worthy enough to sit at
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the banquet Where right the sick? Correct the
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homeless Correct They have value Good anymore
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you'd like to add to this from these readings
40:30
from the text today Those were my notes. Awesome.
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The water park story. I love it. Did you remember
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that? I do. Well, not until you brought it up,
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did I remember that. I think we all can relate
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to those losing something and finding something,
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whether it be tangible, personal, like the coin,
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we've all lost something valuable, which obviously
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a loved one, a child. Right So before we depart
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I got some questions, you know me mm -hmm Challenges
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or questions just questions. I just want where
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do you see yourself in? These stories today out
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of the text Where do you see yourself and these
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stories because I wanna talk a few minutes about
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let's build something here. You know, every time
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we open God's word, we're faced with a choice.
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We can admire it. We can agree with it. Even
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be inspired. or we can allow it to build us into
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the people God created us to be. So let's ask
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three simple questions. Out of the text today,
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what truth do I need to carry with me this week?
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because your past may explain you, but it doesn't
42:48
define you. God's grace defines you now. And
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what kind of a person is God forming in me? You
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know, Jesus tells us the story of one, heaven
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rejoices when one sinner repents. So think about
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that. The Pharisees, they're keeping score, right?
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God was celebrating. So this week, Refuse to
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become someone who keeps score. Instead, become
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someone who celebrates redemption. Celebrate
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the small victories with your spouse. Celebrate
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the progress with your children. Celebrate the
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person who's trying to change instead of reminding
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them who they used to be. and that's the heart
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of Christ. So what's one thing I can do because
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of today's text? Think of one person you've quietly
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given up on. Maybe it's a family member. Maybe
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it's an old friend. Maybe it's someone who has
44:39
made a mess of their life. This week, pray for
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them by name. And if the opportunity presents
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itself, send a text, make a phone call, write
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a note, or simply let them know they haven't
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been forgotten. because the Good Shepherd never
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stops searching. And if we're becoming more like
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Him, neither should we. So why did we close?
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Let me remember this. God is not merely making
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better people. He's making new people. The law
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reveals where we're broken. The gospel reveals
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the one who heals. And the Holy Spirit patiently
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builds us one day, one choice, one act of faith
45:57
at a time. Thank you for joining us on Crusade
46:04
with Me. If today's episode encouraged you, share
46:20
it with someone who needs to hear that one who
46:24
is beyond reach of God's grace. Until next time,
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keep your eyes on Christ, keep walking in his
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grace, and keep building the life God is building
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in you. Grace and peace, my friends.