Full transcript
0:12I don't know , I , umm when we were
0:18worshiping earlier , maybe you sang "
0:20Come and Reign , Mighty and Powerful , "
0:23and it's a good vibe . But honestly ,
0:26brothers and sisters , I cried . I cried
0:29there . Why did I cry ? Because if you
0:35listen to what I have to share over the
0:38next 40 minutes , maybe you will
0:40understand why I cried during that song
0:43. I didn't cry because I was sad about
0:47the song , of course , but I cried
0:50because my feelings were mixed , looking
0:53at what we were singing and looking at
0:55this nation . But anyway , today I’ve
1:01been asked to speak about the theme " a
1:03teachable heart , " right . Let's say it
1:06together : a teachable heart . So instead
1:10of getting all emotional , let's start
1:11with something funny first . Let’s
1:14start with this , brothers and sisters .
1:17Why , um , where is it appearing ? Ah , why
1:22aren't you laughing ? I was hoping
1:26you’d laugh immediately because I
1:28don't know how many of you watch it .
1:30Has anyone watched it ? Watched it .
1:32Hello ? Not just seen it , watched it .
1:35Has anyone watched it ? Okay , maybe some
1:37didn't watch it because you felt this
1:39film has no benefit , perhaps . That’s
1:42fine , if it has no benefit and you
1:43don't watch it , there's no problem . But
1:45, um , I think we are all familiar with
1:48SpongeBob SquarePants , right . So the
1:52character , the yellow sponge who always
1:54does silly things together with his
1:57loyal friend . His name is
2:03you guys read the Bible so much you've
2:06forgotten to look at the world , right ,
2:08it’s Patrick , and I don't know if you
2:10like watching it or not , but honestly ,
2:13I feel this isn't something I want to
2:15watch , but anyway , maybe our kids love
2:17watching this film . Maybe our children
2:21or maybe you enjoy the silliness . Just
2:24entertainment , just for fun . Yes . But
2:27how do you feel ? I’d like multimedia
2:30to follow my page , please . How do you
2:32feel when you see this one character ?
2:38Hello , who is he ?
2:41Squidward . Yeah , I just want to make
2:44sure . Is there anyone who doesn't know
2:46Squidward ? You know him , right ? You
2:49know him , right ? We know Squidward ,
2:51Patrick , and SpongeBob better than
2:52Bible characters , don't we . So this
2:54Squidward is a character — I want to
2:57ask you , what is your feeling when
3:00Squidward appears ? Try asking , how do
3:06you feel ? Try asking the person to your
3:07left and right . How do you feel when
3:09Squidward appears ? Ask them , why are
3:11you looking at me ?
3:14Huh?
3:17How many of you would say that when
3:19Squidward appears , your mood
3:20immediately collapses ? Right .
3:24Right . You feel that Squidward is a
3:28mood killer where the atmosphere , the
3:30vibes , are cheerful . The atmosphere is ,
3:35well , fun , funny , happy , silly . But
3:38suddenly Squidward appears with that
3:40disinterested face of his . And he’s
3:44always cynical about everything . Isn't
3:47he ? I very rarely see Squidward
3:49enjoying anything except when he plays
3:51the clarinet . Yeah , I feel like I'm the
3:55only one here who watches it . Huh ? I
4:00already told you I don't like watching
4:01it . But I studied it for this , brothers
4:03and sisters . Yes , I studied this sermon
4:05, er , studied this film for this sermon
4:07. And honestly , the thought crossed my
4:11mind , I don't know if you feel it or
4:14not , but maybe Squidward is us . today I
4:21don't mean to ruin your mood . I'm sorry
4:23, I don't want to be a Squidward here ,
4:25in front of this pulpit . But if I may
4:28try to offer a perspective , because all
4:31this time we might have been looking
4:33from the perspective of Spongebob who
4:36is cheerful , or Patrick who is just
4:39innocent . But can we look from
4:43Squidward's perspective on what life is
4:45? Do you feel like you relate to
4:49Squidward when today you are in the
4:52land of Konoha experiencing what the
5:00Gen Z kids call adulting becoming an
5:05adult filled with all kinds of
5:07responsibilities . Do you relate to
5:11Squidward ? Squidward is someone who
5:14cannot enjoy his life because he works
5:17a job he doesn't like . He is always
5:21annoyed seeing his money-grubbing boss .
5:24What's his name ?
5:26Mr. Krabs . Wow . Who is always obsessed
5:32with money and even ignores or exploits
5:35his employees . Hello . Relatable . Oh ,
5:38you work at that company , the one owned
5:39by a child of God , right ? Praise the
5:41Lord . He has neighbors who don't
5:43understand boundaries ; when Squidward
5:46wants to rest , his neighbors are noisy .
5:48Who are his neighbors again ? Patrick
5:50and Spongebob , right ? Always noisy ,
5:52right ? He always looks out the window ,
5:55he’s always complaining about those
5:56people , brothers and sisters . And
5:59Squidward is someone who has artistic
6:01dreams . That's why he plays the
6:03clarinet , he wants to paint , but it's
6:06never realized and no one appreciates
6:08him , right ? He is a person experiencing
6:11a bitter life , brothers and sisters .
6:14Experiencing life's reality where he is
6:16disappointed with many things . He feels
6:18he deserves to live a better life . But
6:21somehow he is trapped in a life
6:24situation being a boring cashier ,
6:26working for very little pay . Stuck in a
6:30circle of people who annoy him . I don't
6:32know , brothers and sisters . I'm so
6:33sorry . I didn't mean to ruin your mood
6:35hearing this word . But I want to invite
6:38us to relate to our situation today . We
6:42are grateful that we celebrate
6:45Indonesia's independence and we are
6:50celebrating a Golden Indonesia . Look
6:57left and right , see who looks confused .
7:00Aha , busted , you don't follow the news ,
7:01right ? Hello , do you know ? Do you know ?
7:07If you're confused , relax . You are me .
7:10Because last night I was also confused .
7:11Huh ? What ? I was shown by this
7:13Christian brother here , bro . Do you
7:17know this news ? So , let's go . Okay ,
7:26let's go . Emm Our president gave a
7:32speech and then he pointed out Mrs.
7:34Suzan whose wage is 700,000 . An onion
7:38peeler for 700,000 rupiah per kilo .
7:42Anyone want to be an onion peeler now ?
7:44It's currently being bullied all over
7:47social media . How could an onion peeler
7:49have a wage of 700,000 per
7:52kilo of onions . If you calculate it , I
7:55saw in your memes it's said to be 200
7:56million a month . Not bad . Come on , at
7:59the front there's registration for
8:01onion peelers , CLCC has coordinated it .
8:03Please , brothers and sisters . Indonesia
8:11be honest with me , gold or anxious ? Why
8:18are we anxious ? Because we feel that
8:22maybe life isn't as ideal as
8:25Squidward's . I'm so sorry , brothers and
8:28sisters , I don't mean to ruin your mood
8:30, yeah . But I'm trying to make you see
8:34from another perspective that if we
8:36want to be honest and look at our
8:38reality today , we could be like
8:40Squidward , we could be seeing our
8:42reality today . I , I meet so many people
8:46today who don't always speak in a
8:48positive tone . Even if you meet and say
8:51, " How , how are you ? I'm good .
8:54Extraordinary , marvelous , fabulous , and
8:56so on . Wow , lit. " But how many of us ,
8:59when we return to our realistic lives ,
9:02cry there ? When we look at our sales
9:05turnover , we instantly get mentally hit
9:08. Do you know what it means to be
9:09mentally hit , brothers and sisters ? Yes
9:10, we look at what our life reality is
9:13today . Looking at our work , our job
9:15tasks , the targets given to us . I don't
9:18know , brothers and sisters . What do you
9:21feel if you are someone who can be like
9:23Spongebob and Patrick and " I'm happy
9:26because everything seems fine because
9:29my life is so good for you . " I am
9:33grateful that you are experiencing a
9:35good life . Praise God , but I am trying
9:38to be realistic that not all of us feel
9:40life is like Spongebob and Patrick . We
9:44might be Squidward . Squidward . Once
9:49again , I'm so sorry . I don't mean to
9:51make today's vibes ruined . But we see
9:54two very different characters today .
9:57The first character is Squidward who is
9:59cynical and negative . When he sees
10:01everything , he just , uh , he's always
10:04grumbling and so on . But the other
10:06character is so cheerful and so
10:07positive that he sees everything as , "
10:09Ah , that's good , " right , brothers and
10:11sisters ? Wow , cool . Wow , happy . Even
10:14doing things like that . Brothers and
10:16sisters , my question is , which one is
10:17spiritual ? Be honest with me , which one
10:24is spiritual , left or right ? If you are
10:28in God , do you become the left or the
10:30right ? If you , uh , sorry , am I over , is
10:35this not limited , right ? If you are in
10:38God , you are filled with the Gospel ,
10:40you are filled with hope , uh , you are
10:43filled with what ? Spirituality ,
10:45anointing , whatever . I want to ask , are
10:46you on the left or the right ? I'm
10:48asking , where are the ones on the left ?
10:52The ones on the right . Praise the Lord .
10:55Those who didn't raise their hands .
10:57Those who are confused . Friends , I
11:00suspect that our instincts
11:02subconsciously tell us that in God , we
11:04must always be on the right . Because
11:07why ? Because we are grateful in all
11:09things , happy and joyful in all things ,
11:12and we are always positive in all
11:14things . Which is ok . It's something
11:17that I really appreciate . But honestly ,
11:21if you open Jeremiah chapters 27 , 28 ,
11:2429 , you will find that the one on the
11:27left is Jeremiah and the one on the
11:30right is Hananiah , a false prophet
11:33delivering the word of God . False . You
11:39will find that vibe . If you want to be
11:42honest , you will find in Jeremiah
11:44chapter 28 that there is a tension
11:48between the prophet Jeremiah . Jeremiah ,
11:51surely many of you have a friend or a
11:53child or a nephew named Jeremy . Yes .
11:55No. That's a common name . Jeremiah . The
12:04prophet with that common name is the
12:06prophet positioned to look like
12:08Squidward . That is the reality . Like
12:13Squidward facing off against a prophet
12:16who seems positive , named Hananiah . And
12:22if you read Jeremiah , Jeremiah is , if
12:25you google a bit for the theological
12:27term , many theologians nickname
12:30Jeremiah as the weeping prophet , the
12:33prophet who laments . The book of
12:41Lamentations in the Old Testament was
12:43written by Jeremiah . So Jeremiah didn't
12:47just write Jeremiah , but also wrote
12:48Lamentations . The prophet who cries ,
12:52the prophet who laments . Which , as I
12:56said again , the vibe is like Squidward .
13:01If you are in a dualistic view between
13:03happy and sad , Jeremiah's vibe is sad .
13:06Jeremiah's vibe is lamenting .
13:08Jeremiah's vibe is being heavy-hearted .
13:13Hello , just hearing this makes you
13:16heavy-hearted , right ? But that is the
13:19reality . That is the word . This is what
13:22I preach . If you pay attention to
13:25Jeremiah , Jeremiah is , why you might
13:27ask me , " Pastor , why is it like that ?
13:30Why is it like that ? Why so negative ? "
13:32Well , yes . The problem is you will find
13:36in the Bible stories , not everything in
13:38life is always going up , friends . Right
13:40? You will find in the stories in the
13:42Bible , not everything is victory ,
13:43victory , victory , victory . Huh , like
13:45that , right ? It's not like that ,
13:46friends . You will find in the Bible
13:50stories where moments of destruction
13:52happen . In the history of Israel , you
13:56will find not all kings were good .
13:59Right ? You will find there were kings
14:03who were very bad , very corrupt . And in
14:07those times around the seventh century
14:12BC , you will find that Israel once had
14:15a king named King Josiah . Say it
14:18together with me , Josiah . King Josiah ,
14:21for some reason , became a very good
14:23king , feared God , and was faithful . The
14:27mindset of the Israelites , the people
14:28of Judah at that time , was , " Wow , this
14:30is the king we've been waiting for . "
14:32We’ve been waiting for the best king
14:35for a long time , right ? Hello . But what
14:40happened to Josiah ? A king who feared
14:43God , who was faithful , who carried out
14:44reforms . Hello . His long-lasting life
14:49wasn't honest . What did Josiah die for ?
14:54Pharaoh Necho of Egypt was expanding .
14:58King Josiah wasn't looking for trouble .
15:00He was just blocking the Pharaoh . Eh ,
15:01stopped and died . The one who feared
15:06God , instead , huh . I encountered a
15:10reality . There was a mother who said , "
15:12Oh , sir . My son , Yunyung — you know ,
15:14Yunyung is Hebrew , brothers . My son ,
15:18Yunyung . He was such a good boy , died
15:20young . The one left now is the gambler
15:22son . Who only works by asking for money
15:24, but why won't he just die ? " She said ,
15:26brothers and sisters , we find anomaly
15:29after anomaly . Say " anomaly " together
15:31with me . Sometimes , life has its
15:34anomalies . You hope the left lane is
15:37straight . Oh , it doesn't look like it's
15:38jammed . Eh , it's jammed , brothers . Even
15:41though you had already prayed , right ?
15:42God , lead my way so it’s smooth . Eh ,
15:44it wasn't smooth . Hello . You feel that .
15:48Coming to PVJ , you pray , " God , give me
15:49a parking spot . " There’s no parking
15:51spot . Oh , not really ? If it's in the
15:53morning , it's not relatable , right . If
15:55it's a bit later , it's all relatable .
15:56Surely you are laughing , right . I hope
15:57you are laughing , actually , yes . That's
16:01what happened . King Josiah died young .
16:04The people of Judah were in chaos , "
16:05Wait , why is it like this ? " The next
16:07king rose , brothers and sisters , King
16:08Jehoahaz . But King Jehoahaz didn't even
16:11reach 3 months , brothers and sisters ,
16:12he was immediately removed . Because of
16:14what ? Because Babylonia invaded Egypt .
16:18Finally what ? King Jehoiakim was
16:19installed . But then , along the way , the
16:22state of Judah did not get better .
16:24Finally , Babylon came again to destroy
16:26Jerusalem . Finally what ? King
16:28Jehoiachin rose . When King Jehoiachin
16:30rose , for 3 months , he was removed
16:32again , brothers . Political instability
16:35occurred . The people were confused ,
16:37where is God ? Where is God ? Where is
16:40the God of Israel ? The situation was a
16:43mess . It was chaotic , brothers and
16:46sisters . That is when Jeremiah lamented
16:51. That is the context . The context is
16:55Jeremiah lamenting . Jeremiah said ,
16:57Jeremiah received a message from God , "
16:59Surrender yourselves to Babylon because
17:00destruction is before your eyes . "
17:03Babylon will come and invade Jerusalem ,
17:06invade Judah . Babylon will come and
17:09take everything . The temple of God had
17:12its treasures plundered . God
17:15specifically said , " Surrender
17:16yourselves through the intermediary of
17:18the Prophet Jeremiah . " But in the midst
17:22of Jeremiah receiving that message from
17:24God , along came Hananiah . Let's read it
17:28together . 1 , 2 , 3 . In that same year ,
17:31at the beginning of the reign of the
17:33King of Judah , the prophet Hananiah son
17:36of Azzur spoke in the presence of the
17:38priests and all the people , " This is
17:40what the Lord of hosts , the God of
17:42Israel , says . I have broken the yoke of
17:45the King of Babylon . Within two years ,
17:48I will bring back to this place all the
17:50articles of the Lord's house that
17:52Nebuchadnezzar took from this place . I
17:56will also bring back Jeconiah son of
17:58Jehoiakim , king of Judah , and all the
18:00exiles from Judah who were taken to
18:02Babylon . This is the word of the Lord .
18:08Brothers , Hananiah came with positivity
18:11. He came with positivism . He came and
18:14said , this is the word of the Lord of
18:16hosts . Wow , that's cool , brothers .
18:20Imagine , brothers , if you were among
18:22the people of Judah that day and heard
18:23a prophet named Hananiah say , " Listen
18:25to the word of the Lord , in two years
18:27everything will return to how it was . "
18:31When the Lord restores the fortunes of
18:34Zion , " wow brothers , that was the
18:36feeling . In two years everything
18:43returns , in two years everything will
18:45be good . That was Hananiah's message .
18:50But what was Jeremiah's message before
18:51that ? Just surrender . It's just that
18:55the time has come for Babylon to come
18:58and destroy . Why ? Because Israel's
19:00depravity is beyond remedy . Hello . That
19:04was the message . In other words ,
19:07brothers , what was Hananiah talking
19:08about at that time ? Let's have faith .
19:10Victory happens here . That's it ,
19:16brothers . Breakthrough , restoration —
19:18those are always the messages . But what
19:22was Jeremiah saying ? God's judgment .
19:25Surrender yourselves . Surrender
19:27yourselves . Hello . Be honest with me ,
19:30how do you feel right now ? Huh ? If I
19:36were to preach like this , I know ,
19:38brothers , the situation is like this ,
19:40right . Nobody wants a message like this
19:43. Even when Jeremiah delivered his
19:46prophecy , delivered God's message ,
19:49nobody wanted it . In fact , someone
19:52might even say , " Jeremiah , you're
19:53really ruining things . You're ruining
19:56our whole situation . You're ruining
19:59everything , all these positive things
20:01here , you're really ruining it . Because
20:06Hananiah came with the message , " God
20:08will restore your old normal . " God will
20:10build it again . If you used to be
20:12royalty , God will make you even more
20:14than royalty . Ah , brothers , that's how
20:16it is . But Jeremiah is saying , " God is
20:20asking you to learn to live faithfully
20:23in the new normal . " Brothers , do we
20:26prefer the old normal or the new normal
20:29? Honestly ? Honestly , brothers , we are
20:35humans who tend to want to be nostalgic
20:37about the glories of the past . Right ?
20:40The comforts of the past , the happiness
20:42of the past . We are always nostalgic
20:45and , without realizing it , we make our
20:47nostalgia the message from God that we
20:49want to hear . Today you will see two
21:02prophets who are like Spongebob and
21:04Squidward . Hananiah , who is a false
21:08prophet , says life must be optimistic ,
21:11bro . And Jeremiah is not being
21:16pessimistic . If you read carefully , I
21:19suggest that when you get home , you
21:22read Jeremiah 28 and 29 again . May I ?
21:25May I ,
21:26may I , okay ? For those who are married ,
21:29remind each other , don't forget . May I ,
21:31okay ? Because I believe the LCC
21:32congregation wants to keep learning .
21:34Amen .
21:35Yes . Read them again when you get home .
21:37I cannot read these two chapters as my
21:38time is limited , brothers and sisters .
21:41But if you read them , Jeremiah says
21:43this to Hananiah when Hananiah says , "
21:45God will bring them back in two years .
21:48God will fix everything . God will
21:49restore everything well . " Uh , all the
21:52good stuff . What does Jeremiah say ?
21:54Amen . Yes , indeed . Jeremiah turns out
21:59not to be a very negative person . He
22:01says , " Amen , I want that too . " Jeremiah
22:0428 verse 6 . If you want to take notes ,
22:06you can note it down . Jeremiah says
22:08this , " Amen . May the Lord do so . May
22:12the Lord fulfill the words you have
22:14prophesied by bringing back the
22:16articles of the Lord's house and all
22:18the exiles from Babylon . " Then Jeremiah
22:21went home . After meeting Hananiah ,
22:25Jeremiah said , " Amen , I like it , I want
22:27that too . But when he went home , the
22:30word of the Lord came to Jeremiah ,
22:32verse 13 of chapter 28 . The word of the
22:37Lord said this , " Go , tell Hananiah ,
22:39this is what the Lord says , you have
22:42broken a wooden yoke , but I will make
22:44an iron yoke in its place . " For this is
22:47what the Lord says , " I will put an iron
22:49yoke on the necks of all these nations
22:51so that they will be subject to
22:53Nebuchadnezzar . Truly , they will be
22:55subject to him . " Verse 15 . Then the
22:58prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah , "
23:02Listen , Hananiah , the Lord has not sent
23:05you , yet you have made this nation
23:08trust in lies . " You will find that , in
23:18fact , Jeremiah also wanted the problems
23:20of his nation to pass quickly . Jeremiah
23:24was not a figure who wanted to destroy
23:30his nation just because he said that ,
23:33oh Judah , submit to Babylon . He did not
23:39intend to destroy his nation , but that
23:41was the word of the Lord that came to
23:42him . Jeremiah wanted the nation's
23:46problems to end quickly . But the
23:48problem was that Jeremiah found that
23:51God's message was different . Brothers
23:56and sisters , I intentionally made you
23:58think about only two poles at the
24:00beginning , Squidward and SpongeBob . And
24:04sometimes we only think between those
24:06two , always between optimistic or
24:08pessimistic . And we always tell
24:11ourselves that being optimistic is good
24:14. Optimistic . Oh , I agree that being
24:16optimistic is good . But the problem is
24:18that this is not about being optimistic
24:20or pessimistic , but this is about what ?
24:23About what we want and what God wants .
24:30Jeremiah wanted to tell Hananiah , " I
24:32want the same , bro . But faith is not
24:35about our plans . Faith is about God's
24:40plan . Faith is not you injecting your
24:44plan so that God approves it . And you
24:47become more faithful so that what ? So
24:48that God will surely approve . No.
24:51Jeremiah says , " Sorry , Bro . " Faith is
24:54about wanting to know God's plan for
24:56our lives and fully surrendering to
24:58that plan . That is faith , according to
25:01Jeremiah . The word of God delivered by
25:05Jeremiah was not very populist . Let us
25:07read it together . 1 , 2 , 3 . Jeremiah 20 :
25:098 . Every time I speak , I am forced to
25:13cry out about violence and oppression .
25:17Because the word of the Lord has
25:19brought me insult and derision , that is
25:22how Jeremiah felt , brothers and sisters
25:25. Why ? Because he said this , " I want to
25:30say good things . I want to say
25:33something pleasant . To the ears of the
25:35Israelites , but the problem is you are
25:37already very corrupt . The little people
25:43are oppressed , mistreated , and you
25:45still say that God is with you . "
25:49Jeremiah spoke of violence and
25:51oppression . But by saying that , he was
25:54opposed by people . Jeremiah , you’re
25:57just making the vibes bad , you know ,
25:58brothers and sisters . Understand ?
26:00Jeremiah , you are saying things that
26:02don't please our ears . That’s why he
26:05said , " Because the word of the Lord
26:06that I speak has become an insult and
26:08derision to me . " I am opposed by
26:11everyone . Why ? Because I am saying
26:14something that does not please people's
26:16hearts . That is Jeremiah . Today , please
26:21forgive me , sometimes you will find
26:24people who prophesy but actually it’s
26:26not a prophecy , but something they just
26:29make up . Make no mistake . I come from a
26:35charismatic tradition . Make no mistake .
26:42When talking about prophetic matters ,
26:44brothers and sisters , I do that . Make
26:48no mistake , brothers and sisters . But
26:50the more I study the Word , the more I
26:53learn the truth of God's Word , we might
26:57have to be honest and say , what if we
27:00always make God's Word into something
27:02that makes us happy ? We are always
27:05looking for what makes us happy . The
27:07question is , is what makes us happy
27:09true or not ? Not necessarily . I was
27:14once in a climate where a friend told
27:17me , " Bro , pray for me . Pray that I get
27:21together with Tuti . " Oh , declare in the
27:23name of Jesus , Tuti , Tuti , Tuti , she is
27:25my soulmate . Brothers and sisters . Is
27:29that truly from God or is it just
27:31something you force so that you are
27:33happy ? Jeremiah was destroyed by
27:39everyone because of what ? His message
27:42was different from the others . This
27:44prophet was indeed a bit different ,
27:45brothers and sisters . Hello , do you
27:47like it when someone is a bit different
27:48? You don't , right , brothers and
27:50sisters ? You want everything to go
27:51according to your wishes , right ? That
27:53is the reality . Now , that is why
27:56Jeremiah came with what kind of message
27:57? Let us have a teachable heart . Say it
28:00together with me , " A teachable heart . "
28:02A " teachable heart " isn't just saying , "
28:04What did God say ? " " Okay , I'll just
28:05believe it , brothers and sisters . "
28:06It’s a very thin line . I am not
28:07saying that this is wrong , but brothers
28:10and sisters , we must become mature
28:11Christians . Not just , " What did God say
28:14? Okay , I'll just believe it . " Later ,
28:15if everyone keeps saying different
28:17things — one says A , the next says B.
28:18One says God told me you should be with
28:20Tuti . Another says you should be with
28:21Sushi . We get confused , right ? Finally ,
28:23we think , " Well , let's just practice
28:24polygamy . " " That's a disaster , you
28:26know . A huge disaster . Isn't that right
28:28, brothers and sisters ? A total
28:30disaster . A teachable heart should be :
28:33I have my convictions , I have my
28:34experiences , I have my expectations ,
28:36and even my own theological views . But
28:39listen to this , I open wide space for
28:42God to correct my heart . Oh my goodness
28:44. That is the Gospel , brothers and
28:46sisters . I open wide space to humble
28:51myself , saying , " Okay , God , let Your
28:54will be done , not mine . " Sometimes ,
28:59brothers and sisters , we are not really
29:03hearing God's voice . We just want God
29:07to confirm what we want . That's why we
29:11sometimes need to distinguish between
29:13God's voice and my preferred voice . Now
29:17, as I said before , the line between
29:19prophecy and " you make it up " is very
29:21thin . Hananiah offered hope without
29:29truth , but Jeremiah offered truth ,
29:36which produces hope . What's the
29:39difference , brother ? Hananiah just
29:42wanted to offer something that was
29:44pleasant to the ears . There was no
29:45truth in it . Right . No truth in it . But
29:50Jeremiah said , " Brother , I choose truth
29:52. Because from truth , we get hope . "
29:56Tell those to your left and right , "
29:58From truth , you get hope . " " Right . Right
30:02. Sometimes the truth is not pleasant ,
30:08but the truth is restorative . The truth
30:12is hard to hear , but it restores our
30:14lives , brothers and sisters . Isn't it ?
30:16God's Word says that from truth , peace
30:19grows . What does it mean to speak the
30:22truth ? Admitting you're wrong . Okay ,
30:23I'm wrong . Brother , all this time I was
30:29wrong , I was mistaken . I lied to you .
30:32I'm so sorry . But from that truth ,
30:35peace emerges . Yes . Meaning what ? We no
30:38longer need to live in pretense . We
30:41don't need to live in a state of mutual
30:42deception . True . Our husband says to us
30:50, " I'm playing this to get big gains .
30:55I'm playing this to get big money . " You
30:57know deep in your heart that something
30:59is wrong . But if you don't speak the
31:04truth , you keep your husband falling
31:07deeper . Isn't it ? So you speak the
31:11truth , " Sorry , Honey . I think this
31:14seems to be a mistake . " From the truth ,
31:19hope arises . Listen to this . We always
31:28think the way is left or right ,
31:30pessimistic or optimistic . We always
31:35think the path is either apathy or
31:38positivism . I'm not talking about
31:40positivity , but positivism . Be careful
31:43with positivism , everyone . " Oh ,
31:45everything is surely good . " Everything
31:46is surely fine , right , brothers ? You
31:48get robbed by someone . Then you say , "
31:50Here , take this too . It's all good . "
31:52Yes , be careful with positivism ,
31:54brothers and sisters . We are positive
31:56people , but we are not into positivism .
31:58Right ? If it's wrong , then it's wrong ;
32:00if it's mistaken , then it's mistaken .
32:02We don't need to act all "
32:03positive-positive " like that , brothers
32:05and sisters . Brothers and sisters ,
32:06there is a third way . Instead of just
32:10being pessimistic or optimistic ,
32:12instead of just being realistic or ... oh
32:15, life . No , not us ; we Christians who
32:18live by the Gospel are not on the left
32:21or the right as we always think . Oh , if
32:24, if , if , if it's spiritual , does it
32:26mean what ? Wow , always good , always
32:29good . We admit it . Admit what our
32:33situation is . We admit that something
32:35is wrong . But from there , from that
32:39true Gospel , that true truth , hope
32:41arises . That is what Jeremiah did . What
32:47is hope ? Allow me to provide this
32:50definition after I have thought about
32:52it carefully . Let us read it together
32:54slowly . The basis of our attitude and
32:59response is not good or bad
33:01circumstances , but God who remains
33:05faithful and continues to work in the
33:09midst of those circumstances . Hope .
33:15Hope is when our response is not based
33:17on good or bad . Sometimes we always
33:20think , " Which is good , which is good ,
33:22which is good . " What do you mean by
33:24good ? Pleasing to us . We always want to
33:28think , " Oh , if it's smooth , wow , this
33:30smooth path must be God's way , brothers
33:31and sisters . What is smooth is not
33:34always God's way . " Right ? Jesus was
33:38hungry . God said , " If it's smooth , is
33:41it easy to turn stones into bread ? Is
33:44it smooth ? A toll road ? " No. But it
33:46doesn't mean it's from God . Be careful ,
33:50okay . I met a Christian — I don't know
33:53if I've told this story here or not —
33:54who said , " Sir , I'm feeling conflicted .
33:57" Why ? Because there's this , what , CLBK
34:00— or what — what's the term for it ? An
34:04old flame . An old flame .
34:06Huh ? Ex . Ex . Yes , we were friends back
34:09then , but we actually liked each other .
34:11Now he comes and says , " Hey , I love you
34:13. " Right ? " Yes , I'm a successful
34:15entrepreneur now , but I have a wife ,
34:17you have a husband , so let's just
34:18divorce our respective partners and get
34:20married . " He went home , he was
34:22conflicted . " God , if this is Your way ,
34:24make our divorce go smoothly . " And that
34:28afternoon it went smoothly for him . So ,
34:37the basis of our life is not about
34:39whether things are smooth or not . The
34:41basis of our life is not about good or
34:43bad . But the basis of our life is that
34:45whether things are smooth or jammed ,
34:47God is in control . God is faithful and
34:55He works together in our circumstances .
34:59So actually , SpongeBob and Squidward
35:01are in the same category . Why ? Because
35:05they are only self-centered ; the only
35:07difference is wanting to please
35:09themselves . One is disappointed with
35:12the situation . One is trying to say , "
35:17Oh , happy , oh , it's good , all is good ,
35:19all is good . " But he is only centered
35:21on the circumstances . Okay , let's make
35:23everything good , let's make everything
35:24always good . Always good . Have you
35:26watched the movie Inside Out ? Have you
35:29watched it ? Those who have watched it ,
35:31do you understand what I mean ? That
35:33happiness and cheerfulness aren't
35:36always the best . That even crying can
35:39be beautiful . Amen . Yes . The other one
35:48is centered on themselves . That's why
35:51they only fixate , " Oh , this life is
35:53boring . This life isn't ideal . This
35:55life is dull . This life is not good . "
35:57What is the final response of their
35:58heart ? Disappointment , anger ,
36:00bitterness . Correct . These two people
36:04have the same problem . They are focused
36:07on themselves . That is their problem .
36:10But Jeremiah is not actually Squidward .
36:14Jeremiah is centered on God . He says
36:20honestly , " Hananiah , I also want that ,
36:22Hananiah , I want all the good things
36:24you mentioned . " But honestly , Hananiah ,
36:28it's not like that , bro . But I believe
36:33God hasn't left us . The situation is
36:39difficult . Yes . Just admit that it is
36:41difficult . Just admit that life isn't
36:44always fine . Yes . But we both know we
36:46don't live for circumstances . We don't
36:51live for circumstances and we are not
36:54in a project to do what ? Create an
36:56ideal life for ourselves . Because we
36:58know that we are unable to control our
37:00lives . Everything is in God's hands .
37:03Isn't it ? Everything is in God's hands .
37:09Because life is not about my mission ,
37:12but life is about God's mission . Life
37:18is not about me finally getting the
37:20life like they say on social media , " I
37:22want to work so that what ? So that I
37:25can retire young . " I'm not saying
37:27that's wrong . Hello , don't get me wrong
37:30. Don't , don't , don't , don't look at me
37:32like that . No , I don't want to be a
37:34maniac about suffering . No , no , no .
37:38Okay . But listen carefully . Is God's
37:40design for our lives like that ? Oh , I
37:43want my life to be easy . I want this ,
37:46so what finally happens ? Well , just
37:48marry a rich person's kid . Is that
37:51God's plan ? I don't think so . Truly ,
37:55brothers and sisters , be careful with
37:57what the world offers around us . What
37:59is the result ? We unconsciously make
38:02our lives our mission , which is
38:04ourselves , our pleasure , our happiness .
38:09But the problem is , life is about God .
38:12I don't know , brothers and sisters . Do
38:14you relate to this idea ? I don't intend
38:18for you to just do self-motivation .
38:21Okay , this is God's . Listen to me
38:23carefully . What is the difference
38:25between my mission and God's mission ?
38:28Listen to me carefully . I once lived a
38:30life where everything is about me , my
38:32mission . And the problem is that my
38:34mission sounds spiritual . But what
38:36happens as a result ? Life doesn't go
38:39the way we always plan it . Isn't that
38:41right ? When life doesn't go the way we
38:44plan , what happens ? If we only base
38:47everything on ourselves or our own
38:49interests , what do we end up with ?
38:52Disappointment , hopelessness , despair .
38:54Exactly . We become like Squidward . We
38:56eventually end up just getting angry .
39:00End up with what ? End up saying , " Oh
39:02God , why is it like this ? " You might
39:05not dare to say , " God , why is it like
39:06this ? " " But you end up being bitter
39:08towards your spouse . Exactly . With your
39:11children , you end up just being angry
39:12all the time . Why ? Because you can't
39:15control things at the office . You come
39:17home , the kids can't be controlled , and
39:18you get angry . Isn't that right ? Even
39:22though it shouldn't , it doesn't always
39:24have to be that way , right ? Because we
39:29make ourselves the center . Listen to
39:34this carefully . The Gospel gives you
39:38hope . If you dare to say , " Okay , the
39:42center is not mine . The center is not
39:46me , but God . " When something happens ,
39:49are you disappointed ? Yes . Are you sad ?
39:52Yes . But you know there is hope .
39:55Because it's all not about me , but God .
40:01This is just a little personal story .
40:03Yesterday , brothers and sisters , things
40:05didn't go as I had controlled . I have a
40:08lot of quite tight schedules . And 2 or
40:123 days ago , I was a bit shocked because
40:15I had to come to Bandung . I should have
40:17been there earlier . Because usually the
40:21seminars I lead at CLCC are at 5:00 PM .
40:25But because I didn't notice , since I
40:27was used to it , I thought it was 5:00
40:28PM . It turned out when I looked in
40:31detail , meeting Brother Martin , I saw
40:34the detail was 2:00 PM , while I had a
40:36meeting that ended at 12:00 PM . Usually
40:39, I've set it up , set it up , set it up ,
40:40so I'd make it in time . That time , oh
40:42my , it was a mess . I thought , " Oh , this
40:43is a disaster . " What do I do ? I also
40:47didn't want the CLCC friends to move
40:48the time . I didn't want that either ,
40:50brothers and sisters . Oh boy , I was a
40:52mess . Wow , this is out of control .
40:54Eventually , I had a moment of minor
40:56panic , and the plans changed . What I
41:00originally wanted to do was drive to
41:01Bandung , but I ended up taking the
41:02Whoosh for the first time . Give a round
41:05of applause , please . I , I need to be
41:06congratulated because I finally took
41:08the Whoosh . Yeah , no , no , no . Just
41:10kidding , brother . Just to keep it slow .
41:12I finally took the Whoosh . I didn't
41:16bring my family , I came alone . But ,
41:19brothers and sisters , that's where I
41:20realized , oh , you're right . This is a
41:22long weekend . All the tacky people from
41:25Jakarta are coming to Bandung today . Oh
41:28my goodness . I just realized , " Wow , if
41:30I drove a car , I would be so blocked . "
41:33The MBZ toll road is already stuck like
41:35that . Finally , I said , " Thank God you
41:37made everything . You make everything
41:41beautiful in its time . Tell yourself
41:45together , beautiful in its time .
41:48That is our hope . We don't need to
41:51suggest ourselves with unnecessary
41:53jargon . We just need to come to God and
41:56say , " Okay , this is bad . This will take
42:00time . " But God is still working . So
42:05what is Jeremiah's message ? So build .
42:10Jeremiah told the people of Judah in
42:12exile , " It's not 2 years until God
42:13brings us home . Not 2 years . Not 2
42:16years . Therefore , build houses , plant
42:21gardens , live well . Seek the welfare of
42:24the city where I have sent you into
42:26exile . " Why ? Because God is still at
42:31work , so we are at work too . Amen .
42:35Amen . Brothers and sisters , I don't
42:38know what you have experienced in your
42:39life . Your business is stalled , the
42:41situation is uncertain . You are angry ,
42:44you see the dollar price , the rupiah
42:46keeps weakening . You are angry with the
42:48situation , you are angry with the
42:50circumstances , you are angry with so
42:51many things . Listen to me carefully .
42:53Today you are faced with a choice . Do
42:56you want to put your hope in God or in
42:58yourself ? If you put your hope in God ,
43:01then you realize clearly , " It's all
43:03about God . Therefore , I do my part . God
43:07, please help me . " We don't end up
43:09becoming a Squidward who is always
43:12angry and always cynical about
43:14everything , but we end up becoming
43:16someone who says , " Okay God , this isn't
43:19easy , but use me for Your glory . " Okay ,
43:22God , this isn't easy . That's a
43:24teachable heart . We can't choose what
43:27era we live in . It's my time , right . We
43:31can't choose . Right ? But Lord , teach me
43:35how to live faithfully . Teach me to
43:37live faithfully and use my life for
43:40Your mission . Let us bow our heads
43:44before God . Let us take just a moment .
43:57Let the Gospel you heard change your
44:04heart . Ah