I want to start off this morning with a quick survey question and you can give your answer to your neighbor on left or right side you choose. And if you don't have a neighbor sitting by, you can just shout it out loud or if you're watching online, put it in the comment section. But the survey question to start things out today Is that when you compare today to 10 years ago, do you think there are less or more distractions available to us today compared to 10 years ago? Are there less or more distractions? Go ahead and give your answer to your neighbor? Mhm. I'm hearing lots of moore's. I'm hearing a few people who are just waking up like what are we doing? I don't know, you just volunteered to pray. That's what we did. So go ahead and just getting um and uh and so did I just make prayer joke? That sounds not right. I probably shouldn't do that. Lord forgive me. Okay. Um they do that, it's true, right? Like if you're in like a christian school or setting and like everyone's being loud you say okay let's pray. And then I feel like we use prayer to shush people. But anyway, um from what I could hear is that everybody that I could hear out there and everybody first service, the answer was more and and some would say a lot more are definitely more, it just seems like these days that there are so many things to distract us. Pastor Clay Scroggins puts it this way, he compares it to this idea of white noise, if you think of white noise, maybe a white noise app or sound machine or do anyone sleep with the sound machine or used to that kind of thing, Like the purpose of white noise or at least in a sound machine. Is that a, a bunch of high frequency noises altogether kind of washes out the other noise. And so while it might help you sleep because then you don't hear that creaking of a door or the faucet dripping or the jingling of the dog collar or something at night because it's just masked by this vague noise that goes from the background into the foreground. Well what happens though in a spiritual realm is that distractions serve as a white noise that kind of mask the inner feelings or inner needs of our heart. And so you have on one hand, the noise of a distraction and then you have on the other, the true need of your heart, here's where this works out practically. So you have this feeling, you're working through a difficult circumstance or situation. So instead of feeling what you need to feel instead of having the hard conversations doing the hard thing, you go to fill in the blank, right for some people, it's eating for some people, it's shopping for some people, it's streaming for some people, it's social media for some people, it's sports and we all have different distractions sometimes they're even good things, but good things in replacement of greater things can still cause us harm because rather than feeling what we need to feel rather than thinking what we need to think, rather than having the hard conversation with ourselves or with others, we turn to something to distract us numb us or like I don't want to feel that. And so I turned to this and so what we want to do today is we want to talk how how can we turn down the white noise? How can we turn down the distraction in exchange for our devotion? So if you're taking notes, I want you to write this down. That distraction is the enemy of devotion and discipline is the catalyst of devotion. We want to keep this phrase up there for a moment because we want to break this down. That distraction is something that pulls you away from what you're called to do, or pulls your focus away in the same way when you think of attraction, it pulls you to the person that you love, distraction pulls you away. Attraction pulls you towards it. It's about attention and about focus. And so when you think about devotion, it's about commitment or love you have for something or someone. So in a loving relationship in a dating relationship, engagement or marriage, you might be thinking of devotion there, but this also applies in other circumstances. So if you think about your team, devotion to your team, devotion to your friendships, devotion to your calling and purpose, The # one enemy that I believe we face today, it's not even persecution in our setting, but really distraction. It's the thing that keeps us from the greater thing. It's the noise that keeps us from our greater need. But then thankfully the reverse here is true. Now discipline usually discipline gets associated with some type of negative context. Maybe when you hear the word discipline, you think of like the old one room schoolhouse with the teacher or the nun with a ruler discipline or you think or feel guilty because your mind goes to self discipline, something that you should, but you aren't doing. You know, I'm talking about like when you hear someone's really self disciplined, don't you judge that person a little bit right? Like you think about the diet that you should have or the workout plan that you should have or the finances the budget that you should have or the look or the interaction like I'm not doing that. And so we tend to associate discipline with a negative thing and, and then we bring that context into spiritual disciplines or spiritual formation. But the reality is, is that discipline is the catalyst to devotion because it means you are being intentional with who or what you love and so spiritual disciplines, what I want to talk to you or challenge you with today is not so much a legalistic checklist of things to do, but rather it is the key to unlocking a healthy relationship with someone you love. So the word spiritual disciplines and we're gonna talk about four practices of jesus, of four disciplines, of jesus today that displayed his devotion to God, if that seems really churchy for you, I want you to think about in the context of a relationship because while we might not want to be these like spiritual formed or self disciplined kind of people that seems kind of religious, religious, I can speak and um and but we do want better relationships. There's no one that walked into the room today that said, man, I really hope my relationships get worse this year, you know, I I could use a little more bitterness in my life, you know, You know, I just wish I could be more angry in 2022, You know, my new year's resolution for 2022 is to worry more, Right? No, No one has that why? Because we want to get better, but you don't get better by accident and if if you care about the relationship, if you care about purpose, if you care about a team or a job, you want to take those steps to improve that and that's what discipline really is. See, we're in our series called All Things new, we talked about trying to get a fresh start in the New Year spiritually speaking And that when it comes to getting a fresh start to growing in our faith, to making 2022, the year of spiritual growth that it starts by modeling or living or walking in the way that jesus walked and so in week one of our series which you can get on podcasts or you can get on our Youtube channel or on our website, we talked about how jesus depended upon the holy spirit and that if jesus himself lived spirit filled spirit led, we too can walk in the spirit and that it changes everything. Well today we're gonna talk about how Jesus displayed devotion to God, devote devotion to his heavenly father and he gives us four practices that if we practice we can follow his path, follow his model and actually grow in our faith because we can turn down the white noise, turn down the distraction and turn up the discipline and increase our devotion to God. Let's jump in this together. The first practice of jesus is that jesus practice solitude and sabbath, jesus practice solitude and sabbath. Now, if that feels too churchy to you in a relational context. What we're talking about is time your notes in the little parentheses, you can write the word time because that's what solitude and sabbath is meant to do is that you spend time with the people you love. So he got away and he took a day specifically to rest to connect and to celebrate with his heavenly father. So it's not just, the idea of like, you know, fortress of solitude, like superman or something like we might not have a cave in the North Pole for ourselves. But do you take regular time to connect with God? Because if you think about a relationship context, if you guys came to me and said, hey john, how's your marriage? He said great, when's the last time you spent time together? Oh, last year? Sometime, you know, it was great. Like it wouldn't work. Like if you want to grow in your relationship with someone, you have to spend time together. If you want to grow in your relationship with your teammates in a sports setting and a band in a workplace, you have to spend time together and this is what is crucial for us to spend time with God. Now just being transparent with you of the four practices, this is probably the one I struggle with the most because I'm very much type a go, go, go right and and it's such a common response for americans. They say, hey, how are you doing? And within the first couple of phrases, we've used the phrase busy, right? Like it's a badge of honor and and busy doesn't necessarily mean bad, but again, even good things in replacement of greater things causes us to miss our greater need. And so when I challenge, I want to challenge you with two verses here, when it comes to, when we claim to be busy. First one here comes from genesis chapter two, verses two and three it says. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it, God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. So God himself rested, gave us this rhythm of six days, one day, six days, one day and A few questions and thoughts here from this passage. No one did God actually need to rest? No. So then why did he do it? Then? It adds that example for us. Another interesting thought. So God rested on the seventh day. When did God make man? Six day. Here's what's interesting about that while it was the 6th day when he created male and female the human race. What is the first day they experienced seven on sabbath. Right. So the first day they experienced with sabbath and they were given the task of stewarding the whole earth, naming the animals tending to the garden. And so they were given work, they were given responsibility, but they were first called to. And so here's the interesting question that I ask myself, you know, I I consider myself a busy person. I understand that I like being busy. I like doing things. You know, we're running to church last year finished grad school, three young kids running around so busy was very common in our household, but when I look at my to do list this week, I do not see on there to create the entire universe as I know it. Do you does anyone have on their list this week of two DUIs? Like pick up some milk and create the entire universe, anybody, I have that on there to do this week? No, Okay, So if God had the ultimate busy factor of creating and sustaining entire life as we know it and then chooses rest, then I think we should think about that. You go to the new testament. The gospel of Mark, Jesus is speaking in Mark two verse 27 28 he says this and he said to them, the sabbath was made for man, not the man for sabbath. So the son of man is Lord even of the sabbath. And so you have this picture of sabbath which is a day set apart for celebration, connection and rest in God. It is time spent With the one who created you, with the one who loves you. And so I love this because jesus says in here that sabbath was made for man, I gave this to you. This is a gift like i it's not legalistic, like it's not like everyone took it too far and said, well you can't do this, can't do this, can't do this and super extreme said no, it's it's you were not made for the sabbath? The sabbath was made for you and he exemplified that and and so I think to myself, okay, um jesus save the entire world, that is another thing not on my to do list this week, okay, you know, uh staff meeting kids practice laundry, um paying for the sins of the world is not on my list of to do this week, but yet jesus practice solitude and sabbath and so if God in creation demonstrated rest of jesus through the process of discipleship, living preaching, praying all these things, Salvation practiced it. We need to understand that we need this rhythm in our life and we can start by just committing time to be with the God who loves us and to be with the ones we love. So are we willing to to get away? The second practice of jesus is that jesus prayed, jesus prayed and if prayer seems too churchy for you, just think about this concept of just talking because solitude and sabbath is about time, prayer is about talking, but it's, it's talking and listening to clarify any parents in the room, had this conversation as your kids get older, you pick them up from school or practice and like, hey how was your day? And you want to connect with them, right? It's relationship, how was your day? Fine, what did you do stuff and like you're like, okay, come on, give me a little something. Why? Because you want that relationship because you see prayer is not a button to be pushed, but a relationship to be pursued. Yes, we bring all of our things to him. But at the end of the day, the purpose of prayer is the presence of God. And he wants that relationship. He wants to have communion. He wants to have connection with you. It's not just some button we push or a check mark in the box of produce, but a relationship, you know, again, if we go back to the marriage relationship, if someone, hey john, how's it going? And I was like, good. You know, when's the last time you talked to Sam? I don't know when I needed something. Things weren't things were really difficult. I was really in the middle of a storm. So I finally called her up. No, like it's it's a daily thing. It's a regular rhythm. And the beautiful thing is that God can talk to you at any moment. So if you're angry, be angry with God. If you're worried and doubtful, be doubtful and worried with God. If you're hurt, expressed that hurt to God. If you are struggling and and and fighting and and hoping and longing bring that longing to God because he wants you to, he's there. He's willing, he's ready. How do we do that, Jesus all throughout the gospels. We see this here Luke Luke. Chapter five is an example. He says verse 15, but now Um and so um actually go to Luke five here it says, but now even more, the report about him went abroad and the great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. Short version Jesus was busy, he had ministry to do, he had things to do, But then in verse 16, he says this, but he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. How do we pray? We don't have time to deep dive into it, but I want you to encourage you to read Matthew six. The Lord's prayer is a great example of that. If you want to see even a deeper Um not deeper, but a longer prayer like personal prayer at the heart of Jesus, you can look at the high priestly prayer of John 17 and just begin being able to sit in silence to listen to God. Maybe you're you're you don't like sitting, still go for a walk, driving the car, but do that one with your eyes open and to spend time and to talk with God because it makes a difference there is power in prayer and jesus himself modeled that and we should too. So the first thing he practiced solitude and sabbath. The second thing is jesus pray the third is that Jesus used scripture, jesus used scripture and here the relational concept here is truth makes sense because satan is the father of lies. And so you don't fight lies with lies. You fight lies with truth and the truth is found in the word of God. We see this as an example here with jesus. We see this example found and when Jesus was tempted and look for it says that the devil said to him that you were the son of God, command this stone to become bread because he just hadn't Eating food in 40 days. And Jesus answered him, It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone. Jesus quotes scripture Verse five, and the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And he said to him to you, I will give all the authority and their glory. For it has been give, it has been delivered to me and I will give it to whom I will. If you then worship me it will, it will all be yours. And Jesus answered him. It is written. You shall worship the Lord, your God and him alone. You shall serve so when Jesus was tempted with a lie, he responded with truth elsewhere. In the new testament. Second timothy 3 16 and 17, We're gonna pause in verse 16 for Mona and it says this all of scripture is breathed out by God. That idea of breath. You picture, we talked about the holy spirit connected in with the spirit of God. Here. We see the word of God, this is breathed out by God and profitable. And you see four things for teaching for reproof for correction and for training and righteousness. So it is good. And we go back to that verse for just a moment for verse 16. And so the fact that it was good for teaching means that it is good that you learn what is right. And then with the fact that the bible is good for reproof, it teaches us what is not right. The fact that it's good for correction shows us how to get right. And then it says for training. So that's how to stay right. So as we read and use the word of God in our lives, we we learn how to what is right, what is not right how to get right and how to stay right. And then we see then verse 17, it says that the man of God may be complete equipped for every good work. You need the word of God, you need the truth in your life because you've got work to do. And any healthy relationship is based in honesty. If you are not honest in a relationship, it will not be healthy. And the same is true with God. It's more than just reading scripture. It's using scripture in your life, Charles Spurgeon puts it this way, he says the word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose and the lion will defend itself. I love that picture. You don't have to defend scripture. You have to unleash scripture. So many of us are worried like, oh I don't like that. I don't know, I don't want to offend someone. I'm kind of offended. I don't agree. I don't know. Okay, it's it's stopped trying to negotiate scripture and instead unleash it in your life. The words of God, the word of God is eternal. The truths of this world will fade, the beauty of this world will fade. But the words of God stand forever. It was relevant. It is relevant and always will be why? Because it is true. I love the golf and years back golfers started using this phrase and it's a dumb phrase. I'm just going to preface it. But if you if you hit a good tee shot, you stand up on the T and you want to hit a big drive down there with a driver. Sometimes you would say let the big dog eat. It's dumb. I know it's dumb but golfers know, but it's fun to say go ahead and try it right there with your neighbor turn to your neighbor try it. It's fun and say let the big dog eat. Now, just for frame reference. It's better if you don't whisper it, Let the let the big dog eat. It's time to let the big dog eat. It's time to let the word of God be the word of God and to rule and reign in our lives. And some people try to stand on the word meaning like they have authority and they like this first, they don't like this one, but collectively here in michigan, if we sit under the authority of the word that if there's something in scripture, I don't like, I'm probably the one that needs to change, jesus understood this, we we need to understand this. Well, how do we apply it? Let me just give you one practical model. There's a lot of deep studies that you can go into and you can just dive deep, deep, deep, deep into scripture and you're gonna see something rich and new. But let me just give you a starting point. If anyone needs a starting point, it's how to hear from God. I didn't come up with the acronym, but I like it and I use it and so I want to share that with you. And so to hear from God, four steps here, if you're having this quiet time as some people call it, Is to # one highlight. So if you're reading a story or reading a chapter or reading a portion of scripture highlights, something that stands out to you, a character, a phrase of verse and then in your words, then explain what that means, you want to look and you want to listen to what, what God's word has to say. Do you understand what that is? You can get that's the beauty of the age we live in, is that now you can get the phone in your pocket and online and there's commentaries and their stories and there is um scholars who are in a room with us, so you know, I just go I just go to dr thick in here, so I just call them up at three in the morning, I'm just kidding, I won't do that, but um but you can you can learn these things but it's okay to ask questions and so highlight something, explain it, try to see what is it saying here, but then you go to apply, okay, is there something for me to do? What does this mean for me? Is there a principle to follow? Is there a truth to believe? Is there a promise to cling to? Is there a command to obey? What is it that God has spoken then that applies to me in this moment? Now and then the last part is then you respond. And when you respond, that's when you really unleash scripture and when you combine that with prayer, it's awesome, right? Reading gets you into the word prayer, gets the word into you and when you combine that with that time alone with God man, amazing things can happen. Last thing here that jesus practiced, he did more than four, but we're just limited time wise, so we're gonna stop it at four here is that jesus worshiped, jesus worship and to worship is to give everything you have to whom or what you value most. And the relational concept at the end of the day comes down to trust when you worship what you're saying is God, I trust you and it's not that we are created, wondering, will you worship you were created worshiping. And so the question is, what do you worship or whom do you worship? Because when you go to a sports arena, when you go to a concert, when you go to a movie premiere, when you have, when you see the sunrise or sunset mountain top or at the ocean or a hug from a loved one, you experience something that transcends yourself and that that experience that expression, that obedience is worship and so are you worshiping God or something else or maybe even self, It comes down to trust, Jesus says this in John four, he says, but the hour is coming and now is here when the true worshipers will worship the father in spirit and in truth for the father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit. And those who worship him must worship in spirit. And in truth. And then later in scripture Romans 12 1, it says, I appeal to you. Therefore, brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God. So living your life in a way that shows you trust God is your spiritual worship. So as we close again, just think of this for a moment, that distraction is the enemy, a devotion but discipline is the catalyst, devotion. And if you think about relational terms, if you want a healthy relationship, it's not limited to, but you need what you need time, you need to talk to one another and have communication. It needs to be based on truth and to be honest and you have to have trust. Right? Well, if you want to have a growing relationship, a growing devotion for God, you need those same four things which comes through the disciplines of solitude and sabbath of prayer of scripture and of worship. However, you're taking notes, I want you to think for a moment and I want you to write down for you. My distraction is I want you to write that in, I want you to fill in that blank maybe again, shopping, eating, streaming social media, sports politics. What is it like we do this, don't we? We have a lot of work to do. We have a lot of responsibility, we feel stressed, we feel worried and we find ourselves rabbit holing trailing down into this in degree of a topic that doesn't necessarily matter or is that just me? Is it my only one that does that, right? And so what we wanna do is whatever that distraction, you just wrote down, won't you give that to God? Try to turn down that noise in exchange the noise for the need so that you can grow in your devotion to God. Let's pray dear heavenly father, I just thank you for what you've done and who you are and got everything that we give we give to you, help us with all the distractions that this world offers, help us not to exchange them for our devotion for you, hopeless to turn down that noise and help us to grow in our devotion through our time, through talking with you, finding truth in your word and then trusting you in our worship, where we live, how jesus lived when we walk, how jesus walked and ask now that we may, we respond and our worship and our lives to you. Mhm. God. We ask that you make all things new, his son's name. We pray amen. Will you stand and sing with me?