Initiate meaningful conversation with your family no matter how long the commute with Joe White's age appropriate short talks on scripture, parenting, culture, and community.
Episodes
Thursday Sep 26, 2019
Thursday Sep 26, 2019
"Have you ever wondered who it was who invented the 'we're Number one' slogan? I'm not positive, but the first time I ever saw it was at Ohio state and we were playing the Buckeyes before a gigantic stadium of crazy Ohio State fans. And I was scared to death, but they started chanting. "We're number one. We're number one. We're number one." And you know what? After I walked off that field, I agreed with them."
Family Discussion:
- What is your fear in awe look like of Jesus now?
- What does that fear and awe and respect do to motivate you to live your life for his praise and his glory today?
Transcription:
00:14 Have you ever wondered who it was who invented the 'we're Number one' slogan? I'm not positive, but the first time I ever saw it was at Ohio state and we were playing the Buckeyes before a gigantic stadium of crazy Ohio State fans. And I was scared to death, but they started chanting. "We're number one. We're number one. We're number one." And you know what? After I walked off that field, I agreed with them. They sure beat the tar out of us. But today we're going to talk about who's number one. And if you've ever wondered who's really number one, I don't think you're ever going to wonder again after this. This is an exciting study.
00:52 We're in Revelation one verse four through six and it says this, "John to the seven churches that are in Asia graced you and peace from him. Who is and who was and who is to come. And from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, to the ruler of the kings of the earth, to him who loves us and releases us from our sins by his blood. And he has made us to be a kingdom. Priests to his God and father to him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
01:31 I want to talk about awe today. I am in awe of the one about whom this is written. I had a coach at SMU named Ray Utley. He was the defensive coordinator. And I'm gonna tell you what. I was in awe of this man. He was the toughest, most demanding guy that I'd ever played for in my life. I saw grown men cry when they'd walk off the practice field after training under this man. But I loved him so much that I named my son after him. I was in awe of this man. I feared him, but it was a good, healthy fear. He brought out the best in us.
02:07 There's something like that that comes out in me when I read about Jesus and I've written down a couple of notes because I don't want to miss any of it. John says that, first of all, he's the Christ. That means he's the Messiah. He's the anointed one. Secondly, he says he's the faithful witness. He was the one of whom Paul wrote in Colossians that he's the image of the invisible god. The firstborn of all creation for by hand, Paul said, "all things are created both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether Thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things have been created by him and for him, and he is before all things and in him all things hold together for was the father's good pleasure. Paul said for all the fullness to dwell in him."
02:45 So I believe what John is saying, he's the faithful witness. I believe he's encapsulating all of that that Paul wrote about him in Colossians. Then he says he's the firstborn from the dead. It was indeed he who was resurrected from the dead. John, one of the witnesses of that, by the way. And then he says he's the ruler of the kings of the earth. That means that Jesus is sovereign. He's ruler over everything. And he says to him who loves us and to that, all I can say is wow. After all of that, if he is all of that and he's still the one who loves us, it just blows my mind.
03:21 And then he says, he is the one by whom we'd been released by his blood. We'd been released from the bondage of our sin. Some in drugs. Some in alcohol. Some in pornography. Some in hatred. Some in bitterness. Some in doomed in to live eternity in hell. And yet he said, he's released us by his blood. And then he says that we are a kingdom of priests forever. And that means that we are the ones who represent him. We'll represent him in this earth and we'll represent him in heaven. And that means we will follow him with obedience. And then at the end of all of that, he says to him, be the glory forever and ever. How could there be any thing else if he's all of that? What else is there except to say to him be the glory forever and ever.
04:09 My question to you today is this. What is your fear in awe look like of Jesus now? And then what does that fear and awe and respect do to motivate you to live your life for his praise and his glory today? And like I said before, with all of that, go hug somebody today. Tell them Jesus loves them.