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Faith, Forgiveness, and Duty · The Grove Church

• 0:05
  Charlie Loften: The questions we wrestle with as Christians about who God is, how do we live out our faith, what is the Bible, what is the truth of the Bible, what are we supposed to believe? How are we supposed to live? There are really big, deep questions that we ask each other, that we ask God, that we wrestle with ourselves. And that's why the Cultivate podcast exists, to help us go deeper in our understanding of who God is, his word, and the way that he's called us to live. Everyone, welcome to the Cultivate Podcast with The Grove Church.
• 0:38
  I'm Charlie Loften. I'm the lead pastor there, and I'm here with the super casual feet on the table. Yeah. Her mom would not approve.
• 0:45
  Abgail Boone: Probably not.
• 0:46
  Charlie Loften: Bagel Boone. Know my mom would not approve.
• 0:49
  Abgail Boone: I think she's an audio only.
• 0:51
  Charlie Loften: Oh, okay. So she doesn't know that you currently have your feet on a table with your shoes Your fully shoes are on, and your feet are on the table. Your mom doesn't know that.
• 1:00
  Abgail Boone: You know what? Just told her, I'll
• 1:03
  Charlie Loften: text her.
• 1:04
  Abgail Boone: There's times where I'm still to this day at my mom's house and she would say that I'd be like at my house. Can put your shoes wherever you want.
• 1:10
  Charlie Loften: She says that
• 1:11
  Abgail Boone: no me. That's my retort. That's the thing that I was like, I
• 1:16
  Charlie Loften: think about when I was a kid and we would run around the sanctuary and people would say to us as kids, you know, you don't run-in God's house. He wouldn't run-in.
• 1:27
  Abgail Boone: Now, hosts a five ks in the seminary, He in the sanctuary every
• 1:32
  Charlie Loften: wouldn't run-in your house and I'm like, I run-in my house So I would love to run with God. He could absolutely run-in my house. Yes. So take that.
• 1:43
  Abgail Boone: Why wouldn't he?
• 1:44
  Charlie Loften: It's great. It's like a big donut shape. Can run laps around like this. My brother gets mad in this room right here, but if he is not there.
• 1:51
  Abgail Boone: Yeah. Let's see this seated position happens every single day at my house. My feet shoes on on the coffee table
• 1:58
  Charlie Loften: laptop in your lap right there. Like your knees are functioning as the table. That's fair. Okay,
• 2:03
  Abgail Boone: that or I'm sketching or doing something. Okay. I have a mobile piano.
• 2:07
  Charlie Loften: Okay. Let me know what your mom says about
• 2:10
  Abgail Boone: the feet on the table and
• 2:12
  Charlie Loften: I guess we need to still find out there is Horse Cops in Jonesboro. All right. We are is still in our series in the parables. I guess we're about two thirds of the way through there right now.
• 2:26
  Abgail Boone: This is probably like episode 21.
• 2:28
  Charlie Loften: Yeah, we got a lot. We got a lot. There's a lot the SSA and this is this is definitely going to fall in the category of ones you don't you've not heard Okay. And you're going to be like, what? And then you're gonna be like, woah, it's in my prediction of how Abigail response.
• 2:45
  Let's get to the setup here. First one, Jesus said to his disciples,
• 2:49
  Abgail Boone: chapter 17,
• 2:50
  Charlie Loften: chapter 17, we got the setup. I'm sorry. What I know what I said. Luke 17, Luke 17, the setup here, Jesus said to his disciples, so he's got he's got his inner circle with him. It's not the crowd.
• 3:00
  It's not the Pharisees. These are people who are already committed to following Jesus. Jesus said to his disciples, Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It will be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves.
• 3:22
  If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them, and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, I repent, you must forgive them. That's the setup. We haven't gotten to the parable yet. That's just the setup.
• 3:43
  Where are you at so far? How are doing?
• 3:45
  Abgail Boone: Well, the millstone is intense. The second paragraph, as the youngest of three, it's very hard to practice.
• 3:56
  Charlie Loften: Well, it's metaphorical brother and sister, they get eight, right? So they're going to be things in this world that are going to cause you to stumble that are going to make you lose. I'm trying to be I'm trying to mail. We've been talking about off ramps, right? This is same sort of deal.
• 4:15
  Like I'm on this path. I'm trying to stay on the path. And every there's going to be something in this path is going to make me stumble. Yeah, that's inevitable. And so that kind of goes back to where we were talking about last time.
• 4:26
  Made a full commitment, but you're going to you're going to stumble along the way. You won't be perfect, but don't be one of the people who causes people causes the stumble. That's that's bad.
• 4:38
  Abgail Boone: That's pretty. And you're going to be tossed into the sea. Millstone is like a weight basically, right? Yeah. So you just go into the bottom
• 4:46
  Charlie Loften: better to drown than than to be like this. And so that really kind of levels up what he's talking about here. Not like it's not like, oh, some Oh, oh, I stumbled. I stumbled. I mean, it's it's big like you do not want to be to be someone who shipwrecked wreck somebody else's faith that is going to happen.
• 5:12
  People are people you're going get your faith wrecked. But you don't want to be one of those people. Yeah, it's just a little bit cocky when James says you don't want to become a teacher because you're just going to get judged a little more harshly. You're going get judged more harshly, and you do not want to be someone that because of your actions. You are prohibiting someone from doing well in their faith.
• 5:35
  And again, I think it also is speaking to not it's not accidental.
• 5:40
  Abgail Boone: Right.
• 5:41
  Charlie Loften: Yeah. I am someone who is intentionally trying to prevent someone from pursuing God. So I don't want this to be kind of almost to start off already here with you like, right. I think I think I said something once somebody to somebody, you know, anyways, Jesus thinks it's a bubble wrap mode. Okay.
• 5:59
  So then and again this and the next thing Jesus says is controversial to them, but we, you know, is not really very common for us to know Jesus is really big into a lot of forgiving even if it's seven times a day. Yeah, if they are, if they are sincere and, and repent, then you should forgive them. Even if they send the same time today, seven times they come back to you saying, I repent, you must forgive them are just a really strong unconditional forgiveness here. Now, different podcasts, different day podcast series is called
• 6:33
  Abgail Boone: toxic relationships,
• 6:35
  Charlie Loften: toxic relationships, or common misunderstandings things things were preachers take things too far or whatever. Mean, like what I mean, something like that. Like there there's there's a category here for which Jesus is not referring. This is assuming. Two regular people.
• 6:54
  Abgail Boone: Yeah,
• 6:54
  Charlie Loften: not I accidentally. Became friends with a psychopath. Yeah. Okay. So let's
• 7:01
  Abgail Boone: just it is kind of cool though because last episode you're categorizing all the different ones that we've done so far and there were a lot of them that showed. Kind of unexplainable Grace or unexplainable forgiveness all that kind of stuff. Now he's also calling you to do that.
• 7:19
  Charlie Loften: Yeah, and then based on that, it's going be real interesting to kind of wear this this goes.
• 7:23
  Abgail Boone: Okay. Well, the next line of what the Apostles say back is not how I would have ever thought to respond.
• 7:28
  Charlie Loften: Also said to the Lord increase our faith. Okay, so I'm not sure we believe enough. We trust God enough. We trust you enough to do this thing that
• 7:40
  Abgail Boone: you're saying. Okay.
• 7:42
  Charlie Loften: I mean, I'm not capable. Am man. I'm like at best of four out of 10. Okay. And to do this thing that you're saying would be at minimum eight out of 10.
• 7:52
  There is funding to me up to level me up. Yeah, I'm I die. I am so far in my faith and trust in you to be able to forgive people who are hurting me, that I'm going to need a huge increase in my faith in order for me to be able to do this.
• 8:10
  Abgail Boone: Okay.
• 8:11
  Charlie Loften: Okay? And Jesus' response, He replied, If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to the mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea, it will obey you.' Okay? Jesus, in order for me to be able to forgive the way that You say, I need a lot of faith. I don't have enough faith. And Jesus says what in response?
• 8:37
  Abgail Boone: You actually can have faith as small as this, and it'll... Can have a
• 8:42
  Charlie Loften: teensy tiny amount of faith and do something even more astonishing than that. So whatever problem it is that you have with doing this thing that I say you need to be you are called to do, It is not the volume of your faith. Yeah, it's just not a faith volume problem. Yeah, a little bit of faith is enough to do insanely ridiculous things that you can't even conceive of. That's not the problem.
• 9:14
  Abgail Boone: What is the problem?
• 9:15
  Charlie Loften: Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Well, he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, Come along now and sit down to eat. Make sure we understand the setup here. So you have a servant and he's working for you out in the field. It's the end of the day, he's done working in the field and he comes to the house.
• 9:37
  Once your servant has done working out in the field in the day, come sit down here with me. Let's eat together. Verse eight, won't he rather say, prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink. After that, you may eat and drink. Okay?
• 9:57
  Would he say that? So you got a servant, someone who works for you, right? Not slave here, right? Right, You got somebody who works for you and his job is to do what he's do, his job is Yeah. Serving So, I've been tending to your sheep, and now it's dinner time.
• 10:13
  I come in, and it is now my job to make dinner. I make dinner.
• 10:19
  Abgail Boone: The servant? Servant
• 10:21
  Charlie Loften: makes the dinner, serves you the dinner, and when you're done eating your dinner, I go have my dinner. That's what a servant does. Yeah, you don't after you work out in the field. You don't all of a sudden you're not a servant, right? You're still a servant and you have more servant jobs to do.
• 10:37
  When you've done all of your servant jobs, then you can eat, then you can eat. Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? Jesus asks rhetorically. So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, we are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty.
• 11:02
  Abgail Boone: This is like a very tangled knot to me.
• 11:06
  Charlie Loften: So far, we're right on track with what I said. You're take your first response is going to be like,
• 11:10
  Abgail Boone: okay.
• 11:11
  Charlie Loften: Well, I've never heard of this, right? That's the first thing. And the second thing is you're going to be like, what?
• 11:19
  Abgail Boone: And now it's
• 11:20
  Charlie Loften: And now I yeah, so now we're at, And then we got to get
• 11:24
  Abgail Boone: to the next. So we're going to keep going. That's it. Okay.
• 11:29
  Charlie Loften: So what's the after here? What's Jesus saying?
• 11:34
  Abgail Boone: I I can't tell if he's saying. Be a good servant and also go ahead and cook the meal before or be saying you as the boss CEO, whatever should not make the servant cook.
• 11:57
  Charlie Loften: Now, this scenario, are
• 11:59
  Abgail Boone: we the servant or are we the boss? Servant. Okay.
• 12:03
  Charlie Loften: And God is the CEO. He's the he's the owner of the house. So you're doing a duty for God out in the field and then you come back and you still have more to do. And then you do it. Continue to do what you've been told to do and you don't you're not doing you're not doing your boss a favor by doing work.
• 12:26
  Okay.
• 12:26
  Abgail Boone: Yeah, you're just doing this.
• 12:28
  Charlie Loften: You're just doing what you're supposed to do. Same day with you when you do what God has called you to do. You're not doing some huge thing. You're just being doing what you're asked to do.
• 12:40
  Abgail Boone: Yeah. Okay. And so is he saying that they they don't do this? Why is he answering this way? That's my question.
• 12:51
  Charlie Loften: So let's keep working out. He was ears to hear Abigail. She says here's the here. Okay.
• 12:58
  Abgail Boone: Here first the first paragraph response to increase our faith seven through 10 seem like a total random story. Does it relate to increase our faith?
• 13:14
  Charlie Loften: What's that
• 13:15
  Abgail Boone: seven through 10? Because it the mustard seed and like no, no, no, have it's not a faith volume option, right?
• 13:26
  Charlie Loften: So just in order for me to be able to do this thing, I'm going to need a lot more from you. God, I'm going need you to do a lot more in order to get me to the place where I can do this thing that you've asked me to do.
• 13:43
  Abgail Boone: Oh, so he's saying you're already doing what you
• 13:45
  Charlie Loften: saying you already have what you need do what you're told. So
• 13:51
  Abgail Boone: in okay, so he's saying they're equipped to do the forgiving and not causing someone to stumble.
• 13:59
  Charlie Loften: You already have enough faith to be forgiving the way that I've called you to. You already have enough faith. Not about the quantity, all you need is a mustard seed. And in fact, you are thinking about your obedience. You're thinking you need to do extra when you think yeah, this is somehow graduate school level.
• 14:24
  Okay. I've been working. I've been working all day out in the field and now you want me to make you dinner? Yeah. This is always the this is this is the job.
• 14:36
  This is the job. Job is, you know, you work out in the field, you come, you make dinner, and then you can have dinner. And the job is, you follow me, you lay down your life, you forgive other people, even though you think it's hard, even though you may be tired, even though I think you may not want to and and and it is not it is not about you're not doing God some huge above and beyond service by obeying his basic commands, even if they even if you perceive of them to be hard.
• 15:11
  Abgail Boone: Yeah, of the not causing someone to stumble and
• 15:15
  Charlie Loften: I think really they're probably more reacting to the
• 15:17
  Abgail Boone: forgiveness,
• 15:18
  Charlie Loften: the forgiveness one. To forgive the same person and over seven times in one day.
• 15:24
  Abgail Boone: Yeah. It's probably most applicable to parents.
• 15:31
  Charlie Loften: Or like you said, actually inter sibling relationships, little brothers and sisters. Yes.
• 15:38
  Abgail Boone: So the first part then is that like they just move on and forget that he said don't cause someone to stumble.
• 15:46
  Charlie Loften: What do you mean?
• 15:47
  Abgail Boone: Like they're probably most mostly reacting to the forgiveness, but he also said a really big statement before that.
• 15:55
  Charlie Loften: Yeah, I mean that is I think that I think you don't want to be someone who prohibits someone from having faith. It seems unlikely to me that
• 16:05
  Abgail Boone: the disciples were like,
• 16:08
  Charlie Loften: what? That's what I was planning on doing. Sure. Right. I think the the the shocking thing of like, it's better for you to be murdered in the sea Then for that to happen to you, I mean, that's that's shocking and alarming.
• 16:24
  But the thing that he's calling them to is not next level discipleship, but it does feel like next level discipleship for them to say that I have to forgive someone who is perpetually hurting me.
• 16:36
  Abgail Boone: And
• 16:37
  Charlie Loften: so if you're going to call me to next level discipleship, I'm going to need next level faith. I'm going to need you to give me next level faith.
• 16:47
  Abgail Boone: And
• 16:48
  Charlie Loften: Jesus is like, You are misunderstanding here. It is not about the volume of your faith. You haven't faith enough to do incredible miracles. Here. The problem is, is that you you see this as doing God a favor.
• 17:10
  Yeah. I'm going to go out of my way to show God how much I love him by forgiving people
• 17:17
  Abgail Boone: over and over
• 17:18
  Charlie Loften: and over again.
• 17:20
  Abgail Boone: Kind of feels like
• 17:21
  Charlie Loften: that is just your baseline duty. You're not adding anything to God. You're not you're not doing him any, you know, as you're not doing God a solid. You are just being who God has called you to be. Do not applaud for yourself and do not give yourself excuses when you fail at kind of one of really kind of just one of the basic parts of the mission, which is to extend the grace that you have been offered.
• 17:47
  Yeah, that's not what look at you. You forgave somebody and Jesus and God's over like, I've never even heard of that. Can you imagine forgiving somebody who sins a lot on the same day? I've never known anybody to do that.
• 18:05
  Abgail Boone: I feel like it is a compliment that people are like, wow, you're really forgiving.
• 18:09
  Charlie Loften: And maybe between you and I, I can look at you and say, Abigail, you're actually very forgiving, but you're to say that to God, right? God, I can't believe you're asking me to forgive somebody who sins multiple times in the same day and God be looking at you like, like, what do you mean?
• 18:27
  Abgail Boone: Yeah, this is what I do with you. Also, he's like, what do you think I'm doing?
• 18:32
  Charlie Loften: That's he said. What he said. Do you think I'm doing? Yeah. This is what this is my whole my whole relationship with you is based on me perpetually forgiving a repeat offender who keeps coming back to me sincerely.
• 18:47
  And so this is what I then the primary doer of this am calling you to do.
• 18:54
  Abgail Boone: And
• 18:54
  Charlie Loften: this is not I'm not asking you to perform me some great some some some great favor some great act of kindness. I'm asking you to do the thing that this is the minute this is what it is. This is who we are. Are is your
• 19:12
  Abgail Boone: you a special assignment to go forgive. It's like you already should
• 19:17
  Charlie Loften: It's base level
• 19:19
  Abgail Boone: standard of care, right?
• 19:21
  Charlie Loften: It is not and it's not something that I have to I have to do a little bit more. I'm going to in order to get you to do this. I'm going to have to do more for you than what I have already currently done. And so then again, there is a there's some there's some Workspace theology even in that like all the work that needs to be done in order to get you to be the person that God has called you to be has already been done. Yeah, and you are now in my service and this is what I ask of you and you have everything that you need to be able to do it.
• 19:55
  And so there is even in the what feels like Jesus is pushing saying you've got to work even harder. There really is a there's also a point
• 20:05
  Abgail Boone: of to what you already should
• 20:06
  Charlie Loften: have been based perspective on this, which is everything that you need to do and be who I've called you to be you already have you just need an attitude. You need an attitude adjustment. You are thinking of basic service as favors and or kind of grad school level faith and it's not it's
• 20:31
  Abgail Boone: just what we're called
• 20:32
  Charlie Loften: to just what you're called to do.
• 20:33
  Abgail Boone: Kind of feels like it. I know he's talking to different crowds or groups of people but similar to what we talked about last episode of it's just like you should account at the cost to know that's just what you're fully repenting towards. That's what you're fully accepting the call of.
• 20:53
  Charlie Loften: And this is him kind of enumerating for his disciples. This is the cost, the cost of receiving the overwhelming forgiveness and grace of God is that you take it and you pass it on. And that that's just what this is. Have been deeply forgiven and you will forgive that's that's base level. That's base level.
• 21:17
  You're not doing anybody any favors by doing that and you don't need an extra bit of grace be able to do it. And so there's, again, I think this parable, depending on which angle you look at it from, has both prodigal son and parable of the talents in it. All the work that needs to be done is already been done. You've already been forgiven deeply. And now you have everything that you need to be able to forgive deeply to also don't expect me to thank you, right?
• 21:51
  And again, you think, God's I mean, even in the parable of the talents, and he's like, well done, faithful servant. Mean, like, it means again, it's like, it's not that God is not kind, right? And wouldn't be like, I'm so proud I'm of proud of you, right? But like again, it's one thing for God to be able to say, I'm proud of you. And for Him to be kind in that way, it's another thing for you to think you're doing God a favor.
• 22:23
  Yeah, you're not, you're not doing any favors. Know, it's again. Parenting is is a really good metaphor for this too. It's like, okay, do the dishes. What are you going to?
• 22:37
  What are you going to? What are you going to give me? Nothing. Room and board. Like, what do you what do you mean?
• 22:46
  What do you mean? Like, what do you even like? The question is offensive. Yeah, maybe I was going to give my daughter a treat of some kind for doing this chore. Maybe I was and I was certainly going to thank her.
• 23:00
  Abgail Boone: But
• 23:01
  Charlie Loften: her attitude should not be into it. Yeah, what am I going to get out of my basic obligations for participation in this household? And so your attitude with God is not my obedience is doing God a favor. He gains nothing. Yeah, From your like, Oh, God, God's just a little bit stronger now.
• 23:22
  He's a little bit happier. Like he just Nope. God is God. And you're doing what he's what you call to do. Now, from God's perspective, he may be like, I'm really pleased with them.
• 23:32
  Yeah, this makes me happy. But your attitude isn't. I'm either trying to earn something or I'm doing God a favor. It's neither of those things
• 23:41
  Abgail Boone: more of a heart check of where the disciples are at of disciples us. Yeah, a heart check of what do you think this really is that you're doing?
• 23:55
  Charlie Loften: God is calling you at least on the surface to do something that feels impossible. Yeah. And so your reaction is, I need more from you if I'm going to be able to do that. And Jesus reaction is, no, you're wrong. You have everything that you need.
• 24:14
  And if you have this much faith, you have the ability to do this and so much more than you can even possibly imagine. Yeah, that's not the problem. Allow me then to tell you what your problem is. You're coming into with what we would call now you're coming into this relationship with a bit of privilege as if you believe that you are somehow above the idea of forgiveness. Yeah, you are not.
• 24:42
  You are a servant in the kingdom of God who has been you are blessed to be there. In order for you to even be there means you've experienced overwhelming amount of forgiveness And you passing that forgiveness on you need to understand is just it's your job. Yeah. Do not think that you're doing anything other than just your job. Need to get over yourself a little bit.
• 25:08
  And again, dial it back. God is a really God word. God probably is the kind of guy who would be like he came in from the field and be like, Hey, let's just make dinner together. Let's make dinner together. We'll do it together.
• 25:21
  And they'd be great. We can sit down together. God is that kind of boss. And I tried to be that kind of dad. I'm not looking for any attitude though.
• 25:32
  Abgail Boone: Yeah, do not
• 25:34
  Charlie Loften: miss all my Grace for you doing me a favor. Well,
• 25:40
  Abgail Boone: it also the last chapter two chapters before this last episode talked about the saltiness again, and it's not like it's a shock when assault is being salt or like assault isn't incapable of being salt because it already is salt, right? So it really fits back into that really nicely of like it's not you being you adding saltiness to a meal is like you'll yeah, that's what salt does.
• 26:11
  Charlie Loften: Yeah. I mean a nice boss will thank you for doing your job. We'll appreciate you. That's what a good boss does a good boss Appreciate someone who does their job. If you go to your job and do your job all day, and there's no
• 26:27
  Abgail Boone: thankful. Yeah.
• 26:30
  Charlie Loften: All you've really I mean, I did my job and in exchange for this job. I get certain privileges and pay.
• 26:38
  Abgail Boone: I
• 26:39
  Charlie Loften: get to live in my master's house. I get to eat my master's food. I probably he probably gets some sort of day wage to or whatever his arrangement is. He is exchanging time and work for privileges. And I'll get you.
• 26:56
  You did it. I went I went to Chick fil A I worked, I worked my eight hours. And at the end of the day, I exchanged my eight hours for a certain amount of money. And again, they're probably really nice bosses over there. Hey, thanks.
• 27:10
  Appreciate how hard you work today. Thank you so much. But in the end, just did what you're Oh, expected you did was what you contractually signed up to do. Yeah. Don't act like you're doing anybody some huge favor.
• 27:23
  And then again, the theological component of it, too, is, yeah, but the mustard, the mustard seed don't act like you don't. You don't need more. Yeah, you just need you just need to check yourself and just. Just just do it, right? So, do we work our way all the way through it, which is I've never heard of this to, to okay.
• 27:50
  I think I like
• 27:50
  Abgail Boone: this one. I was a 100%, right? Like big time.
• 27:54
  Charlie Loften: But
• 27:56
  Abgail Boone: no, it makes a lot more sense. And as
• 27:58
  Charlie Loften: soon as I as soon as I was going over earlier today, I was like, this is going
• 28:01
  Abgail Boone: to be one. She's gonna take a roller coaster.
• 28:05
  Charlie Loften: We're thinking Abigail on a journey on this one.
• 28:07
  Abgail Boone: It's also kind of funny. This is not significant to the parable at all. But didn't we do a parable a while ago where we talked about mustard seeds being not great, Right? So it's funny whenever we first did that parable. Don't remember what it was specifically, but it was the first time I had heard a negative about a mustard seed because everybody's like, oh, yeah, mustard seed can move a mountain or whatever.
• 28:29
  Charlie Loften: There's there's two things that are true about mustard seeds. One is that they are of the seeds that they knew about. It was the smallest of all the seeds. There are in fact now in the broader range of botany is known that there are in fact smaller seeds than that. Okay, but as far as the known seeds for them, it was the smallest ones as a Jesus.
• 28:47
  It's the smallest of seeds. Somebody goes, Uh-uh, actually, this seed is like, what? It was not indigenous to their... Right. He wasn't making a biological statement.
• 28:57
  He was making a cultural statement. So checkmate Christians. There's a smaller seed that exists Anyways, so it's very small and it is also an invasive plant.
• 29:07
  Abgail Boone: Is it a weed?
• 29:08
  Charlie Loften: Yes, an invasive weed.
• 29:10
  Abgail Boone: Okay.
• 29:10
  Charlie Loften: And so those two things are true. And so depending on Jesus usage of it, it's one or the other or both. So in this way, all that matters is that it is really, really small. But when he's in the when the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, he's actually using both, even though it is very small, It is very invasive plant quickly.
• 29:32
  Abgail Boone: Yeah. Have we done that one?
• 29:34
  Charlie Loften: But in this context, it's just that it is small.
• 29:37
  Abgail Boone: Okay. Well, I kept thinking about that as we were reading it that I had never heard the mustard seed one in a negative content context of it being like a weed and this felt like the first time coming back around. I'm like, oh, there's a good
• 29:50
  Charlie Loften: It's note for good. Small but mighty. It's It's throwing a mountain into the sea. Anyway, that's a weird thing for it to do. Anyways, thank you as always and allowing me to take you on the journey.
• 30:09
  Thank you. Hope you guys went on a good journey as well. Then, again, we also always invite questions. You can find us at thegrovechurch.org, go to our connect page. There's a form you can fill out questions, thoughts, comments, anything.
• 30:21
  Would love to hear from you. And we'd love to see you on a Sunday. You can find all the information about our services both online and in, in person. Any way we can connect with you, help you, we would love to do that. Thanks again for joining us, and we'll see you next time.
• 30:39
  Thank you for listening to the Cultivate podcast. Our hope is that you are taking steps to go deeper in your faith, that you're asking big questions, and you're looking for answers. We hope that we can be a resource for you through our podcast and any other way that we can help you. You can find all our episodes anywhere that you can find podcasts, including YouTube. And, again, thank you so much for joining us.