The heart of every man craves a great adventure, but life doesn't usually feel that way. Jesus speaks of narrow gates and wide roads, but the masculine journey is filled with many twists and turns.
So how do we keep from losing heart while trying to find the good way when life feels more like a losing battle than something worth dying for? Grab your gear and come on a quest with your band of brothers who will serve as the guides in what we call the masculine journey. The masculine journey starts here, now. Welcome to the Masculine Journey. We are really, really, really glad you're here.
Mix it up. That's I didn't want to be verbatim on what Sam says. It it's a good thing that Robby isn't here 'cause he would talk about how important it is when you say Three things. Oh, yeah, that's right. That's a Hebrew concept there.
But he's not here. I didn't even realize I was doing it. He's taught me well, right? He's a rabbi. It's a Robrew.
But we got a few guys out, but we got to still have a pretty good full house here. And as usual, Sam picks a topic and Bolts on us, so he's not here, but uh, I'm filling in, doing the best I can. It's been a while since I've sat in this chair, been arguing with the computer on how to play clips and. I think I've got it beat, but we'll see. We're in your hands, Andy.
We are in your hands. That is a dangerous thing. And we are very content with being in your hands.
So we have a big story for you today. Yeah.
Some would say a Larger story. Real quick, we're continuing our foundations in this. is a big part of the wild art message. The book And when I first heard about it, I kind of skipped over it 'cause there were so many other good things to talk about. But I continue to come back.
This gives me context in my spiritual walk, and I'll let Darren delve into it deeper and to kind of just set it up and what we're talking about.
Well, the larger story is old. I mean, it is what it says, right? It's there's a story bigger than us, right? Yep. Um.
We We see phrases like, out for number one. And that's fine if you are the only human on the planet. But if you're not the only human on the planet, then being out for number one is probably saying that You don't have a larger story, that you're very much living in a much smaller story. And we'll get more into that. The story of one.
Yeah, the story of one, right. And so we'll get more into that. But I've lived, I would say, the majority of my life very much in a smaller story. But my heart always knew there was a bigger one out there. There was a larger story out there.
And my heart was always enticed into being a part of something bigger than me. And I didn't know why, really, but this. Topic that we're going to talk about tonight and probably the next 17 nights, but Is going into that larger story. And in a nutshell, this is what it is: that long before man came on the scene, God was. Here, right?
And not just here, he was everywhere. And so there was the Holy Trinity. Um Enjoying life, quite frankly. And at some point, God created some angels, and at some point, God created some humans. And then all of the sudden There are things that happen in heaven.
We'll read about in Revelation 12: a war that happens in heaven. We'll also read about. Man coming to earth in Genesis 1, right? And we typically think of the Bible starting in Genesis 1, but it really begins in John 1. That's right.
Where John says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and we beheld His glory for a while. That is the real beginning. And so this larger story goes all the way back to that. And we're going to kind of. go through it in the Theme of a movie, Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4.
And so, Act 1 is basically what was going on before we got here. And Act 2 is. kind of a combination of Humanity coming on the scene and the angels rebelling in heaven almost simultaneously, at least in scripture, it seems. And then we have Act III, which is... Christmas.
when Jesus comes. To save humanity from what Satan has done in ravishing humanity. And then we have Act 4, which is what the restoration of all things. It's the thing that we all hope for, that we long for, that we're confused about as to what it's going to be. Most people call it heaven, but ideally, I mean, really, it's the restoration of all things here on earth.
Yeah.
And so that's where we're headed. And uh We will play a few clips that illustrate that and uh talk about where we've lived in our own smaller story or perhaps What got us out into the larger story. Yeah, and that's that's important that we don't forget that. You get understanding. The Bible says, get understanding and above all things, get wisdom and get understanding.
And understanding this story helps you, it changes as much as much as you read a scripture that says don't do that. This affects it to me more because it goes more foundational to motives, to understanding how we ended up here.
Well, and Jim, we were talking before we got here tonight, and Jim was talking about the fact that this particular kind of part of the gospel. And that's what this is. It's part of the gospel, right? The gospel is way bigger than any one topic that we're ever going to talk about. But that this particular section of the gospel kind of enticed you and pulled you out.
This is I mean, I became a different person when I realized it wasn't about me. And that's the bottom line. Person out there, if you believe in God, you need to learn. He used to have that plate. What about you?
I don't I never put anything in my car that would allow me to be identified. Oh, I got you. That's another small story. Yeah, so I mean it Let's. You're going to play the Matrix clip first.
Yeah, I am.
So I'll set this clip up that basically. If you've seen the Matrix movie, you you kind of recognize this clip. You've probably seen the clip, even if you've not seen the movie or heard it. And it's basically where Neo Is confronted with the idea of, okay, I've got a decision to make. Either I Open my eyes, or allow my eyes to be opened in essence, which is what we do.
We allow God to open our eyes to a larger story. Or. I can I can keep my eyes closed and I can keep living in my tiny story. I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole. You could save that.
Do you believe in fate, Neil? No. Why not? Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life. I know exactly what you mean.
Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What do you know you can't explain? But you feel it. You felt it your entire life.
That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there. like a splinter in your mind, Driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?
The Matrix? The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. What truth?
that you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage. Born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison. For your mind.
Unfortunately, no one can be. told what the matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this there is no turning back.
You take the blue pill. The story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill. You stay in Wonderland.
And I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.
So Jim. When you decided to take The pill that opened your eyes. I mean, have you longed to go back? Um sort of like in the movie. I would go back for a really nice steak, but And sometimes I do, yes.
either or it's a both end in all of our lives. And we struggle with that and a lot of other things. One of the things that came to mind in that clip, to me, that is the gospel story. We are living in the matrix. And if you don't know Jesus, you don't know.
that uh you're actually a spiritual person. I don't know if others, I'm sure lots of people have heard this. When I'm talking to somebody about Jesus, a lot of times non-believers will say, well, I'm very spiritual. And in my mind, that's sort of like saying I'm very human. We're all very spiritual.
It's just if we don't. Follow God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit's leadership, we're going to stay in the smaller story. We may serve others, we may be wonderful people, but without having the context of why. we love, then love doesn't mean anything. Yep.
Yeah, I Jesus says That That he translates us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. And so there is this idea of: hey, you were in this matrix of darkness, right? And that's where the first enticement comes. God comes, He convicts us. The Holy Spirit convicts us through His Word, through other people, through our own prayer life or whatever.
And He convicts us of the fact that, hey, I need a Savior. I'm a pretty sinful guy, and I need a Savior. and so coming to Christ, Is not necessarily a larger story idea. It can still be a very much a smaller story idea that I'm coming to Jesus because I need Jesus. I'm not real worried about Andy when I come to Jesus, you know?
Yep. And it's only after you come to Jesus and only after you find out what kingdom life is that you begin to open your eyes to there's something much bigger than us on the stage. Yeah, as part of that transformation, yeah. Yeah.
No doubt. I mean, I you know, there was a lot of my life The first part was: I received Jesus as a kid, and I was glad to be out of hell. That was pretty much it, but didn't live for him or serve him and didn't know what it was like to live a spiritual life. Then I you know, then a Older, I got more spiritual and focused on that, but then still didn't have a lot of wisdom in walking things out. I think.
The way um things go the way we progress is we're consistently choosing the red pill or the blue pill to am I going to go the right way? Am I going to choose him? Am I going to live in the larger story? Don't fly, Pill. There you go.
The white flag of surrendering to Jesus. Yeah, that's it. Um yeah, because uh Satan is always going to provide you with opportunities to back out. Right. He's going to always provide you with opportunities to come back into that matrix rather than the one that God has called you to.
No doubt. We're going to continue this talk. As we go along, we're going to get in into it deeper. Realize that we're not going to just blow through this. We're going to take our time to get through it.
But anyway, coming up, you're hearing more about the larger story. If you come to the boot camp in Royston, Georgia, November 20th through 23rd, we'd love to have you. What we have at our boot camp is something that makes you stronger and gives you the strength to go on your regular walk with God. It's something that will make you be bigger than you were when you got there. I listened to Morgan Snyder's book, Driving to Work last year, and that was a very Profound experience.
So, this kind of culminated into it. I'd have been invited to it several times and just it never worked out. And God really had it set up that I came last time.
So, coming into this one, I knew this one went deeper, and I really wanted it. It's a break for me to get outside of things I've got going on, and I just needed a break from it and needed to reconnect. It's been absolutely bad, this process. The covenant of silence, silent prayer, those are some of my favorite parts. This is real connection with the Lord.
You can hear him speak, you can get direction, guidance, anything you're missing is there. Always learn something new. It's fun experiencing it with other men. It's fun standing for them and what they're going through. We're all different and unique, but we're all going through the same struggles.
And when you hear somebody else went through it too, it kind of gives you an encouragement that, hey, you can make it through this. And God's got you, and He's going to hold you up through it and He's going to carry you to the next level. Register today at masculinejourney.org. In the desert. Calling me out in the dead of night.
Fighting my battles for you, my A rescue story. Lifted me up from the air. Yes, it's I'm carrying my soul from From death to life, bringing me from glory to glory. You are my rescue story. Welcome back to Masculine Journey.
Coming in a little hot here. Hold on a second. I gotta turn myself down. Um Anyway, that was Zach Williams, and I got to see him recently at the Faith Fest in Wilkesboro. Great artist and great story.
I heard about his rescue story. And I was thinking when um Pick this for the bump. You know, the rescue story, our rescue story is really when our story, our smaller story, intersects. Intersects the larger story. That's when we get rescued, is whenever we allow God to come in.
But a lot of times we do stay in that smaller story. Even as Christians, we don't choose to go forward, or we don't, we're not aware sometimes. God could have you know, limited The salvation message to the book of John, and we would have enough for salvation. But he gave us this whole big Bible, and he told us the whole story. And we don't incorporate that story into our lives a lot of times.
We don't even take it into Um Consideration when we're, you know, when you look at what happened in the fall, what when Adam chose the wrong thing and that he became a poser and that he was really wounded by his decisions, that factors into our stories, and we and to take The whole story and incorporate it. This gives us so much more understanding of what we're dealing with. Yeah, I mean For me. Like Jim, this part of the message kind of opened my eyes more than others. And it was a huge enticement to dig in here because.
I thought Everything was my fault. Yeah.
I mean, when I heard this story, I had blown up a lot of things. Those things were by fault. I mean, I think we're all saying that about ourselves. I mean, I know. I've burned a lot of bridges and wrecked a lot of cars or relationships or all of those different things.
And so when I first heard this. And I heard John kind of describe That there's someone else on the stage. It's not just me. and God, or even me, God, and Andy, who's always making my life worse, you know, or whatever. And but that's that's the way we think is if something is bad, Whether it's me that's bad or whether it's happening to me that's bad.
If something is bad, it's either my fault or it's God's fault, and most of us are way too spiritual. To blame God. Yeah, right. Right. And so we're going to blame ourselves, or we're going to blame our wife or our husband or someone, our parents, all of those people.
The devil made me do it. The devil made me do it. Yes. Man, that's what I'm saying. Flip Wilson, right?
Yeah, Flip Wilson comes to town. And so. That understanding that there is someone else on the stage and his name is. Satan, Satan, Lucifer. father of lies, the deceiver, the thief, all of these different things, right?
accuser. Think about all the names that Satan gets. He has an identity. He has a strong identity, and the vast majority. of his action to day Is tripping, not just tripping you up like sticking a rope out.
Aha ha, Andy tripped. But he's there. Setting snares. Setting snares, trying to destroy you, trying to. Kill you trying to steal whatever you've got in the form of joy or anything else in the form of resources to help the kingdom.
Yep. But he doesn't care about any of us. Not really. We're tools to hurt God because God loves us. And the best way you can hurt.
Someone. I mean, the best way to hurt me is not pick on me. You know, go for it, and I'm okay with that. And speaking of the lie, you attack my wife or daughter, you're in trouble. My sons can take care of themselves.
They're bigger than I.
Well, I don't know. According to Adam, they can't. None of us think we I mean, we we still have to depend on our our Savior, but Um The lie, the biggest lie that Satan wants to tell us is, is that he's really not there. Exactly. Yeah.
That does, that, this, uh, disarms us focusing on him and realizing who's really doing these interruptions and and and Blinding the people we're with, or whatever. Western Christianity is by far the worst in that regard, right? Satan has worked in Western Christianity to convince us that he's not there, that he's not really here. It's just us, it's just our friend that can't get life together. And if you suggest otherwise, you're crazy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, you know, you're just, you see a demon hiding under every rock, Andy, and we all know that about you. You know, that sort of thing. But if you go to other places in the world, they know full well Satan exists. They know full well that the demonic is ever before them. And so Satan attacks them in different ways.
Right? He doesn't have to use the hidden Satan scheme. It's more direct on. It's more direct on. And so.
We've got a couple more clips that we want to play with regard to that, but which one are you going to go to next? Robin Hood. I think that would be. be a good one to Yeah, so this clip is is the Trailer for Robin Hood, and ultimately it's someone telling Robin. That there's history that he needs to know.
And that's what we're saying tonight. You need to know a history that starts before Genesis 1. There's history, and you'll hear the guy say it's about your history. And then they're talking about identity. You know, Robin, are you ready to become who you are?
And they talk about his father, who was a good man, who had an understanding and vision about the future. And we have that exact same scenario in our life. But oftentimes, like Robin, we're confused about where we're at on the battlefield and what our purpose is. And we have an enemy, too, constantly speaking. You'll hear him in there.
I think I have much to tell you about history, about your history. Your father was a visionary. What did he see? That kings have a need of their subjects. A dangerous idea.
Rise and rise again. Until lambs become lions. My father died for this. What does it mean? He means never give up.
That's something that we need to do. an archer's role. The laws of this land enslave people to its king. A king who'd offers nothing in return. Robin Longstride, also known as Robin of the Hood.
For the crimes of incitement to cause unrest. I declare him to be an outlaw! Those who shelter him alive shall be taken on sight. Nail, please. Robin, my father was a great man.
You are your father's son. As many men as you need. Are you ready to be who you are? Yes. What we ask for is liberty.
Liberty by law. Rise and rise again until lambs become lions.
So in that clip you hear the comment, are you ready to become who you are?
Well uh who who are we? Who who were we created to be? And Oftentimes, our story starts, especially in Western Christianity, our story starts with, well, you're a worm, you're a hopeless sinner, you're all of these different things, which is very, very true at times and has been true for every single one of us.
However, our story started long before that. Our story started with nobility. He didn't create Adam broken. He didn't create Adam anything other than having dominion and rule and dignity of causation and nobility and all of those things. And in the image of God.
Yes. Created in God's image, not in the image of a broken man.
So Harold, when was the first time Okay, yeah. How old were you when you began to understand that there was Spiritual warfare, that there were things going on that maybe we weren't talking about, you know, in church very often. That would be somewhere in my adulthood, which is Pretty lengthy. Wow. We've made suggested that idea for a long time, and he just finally confessed.
Oh, yeah. Um Yeah, I'm I'm not sure that that concept was really promulgated very much in in my upbringing. until late in life. It wasn't in mine.
Okay. I heard about the devil. I heard about Satan, I heard about angels, I heard about God, and I heard about redemption, and heard about heaven, all of those things. But we didn't talk too much about this idea that Satan is active in the world. In fact, I, as a young preacher, I'll just be honest, I'm repenting here.
But as a young preacher, I would say things like: I'm not worried about Satan. You know, I've got Jesus in me, Satan can't have me. And that's true. But Satan can sure mess with me. and he can mess with the people around me.
Um and he does. The the whole idea that You know, I saw Satan as having his head. stomped on, right? At the cross when Jesus. Dies on the cross and is resurrected.
Satan is done, and he knows he's done. but he's not dead yet. He's not completely harmless yet. There is still stuff going on. And part of this larger story is calling us into the purpose that God created us for.
And What we would say is that God created you for the purpose, in essence. of putting Satan in his place. God talks about parading his saints in front of Satan and that it's driving Satan crazy in the end. But there will be a great procession. it's called, of saints who are going before Satan.
And Satan is going to know in that moment, as he does right now, quite frankly. He's going to know I saw God in a different way. I was closer. I was right there. I saw the creation.
I saw all these different things. And I chose to rebel because of my selfishness, because of my. arrogance, all of those things, pride. And Yet these lowly humans A guy as lowly as Darren Kuhn. Actually, pull it off.
By trusting Jesus. I think Max Lucato addresses it beautifully in a book that he has called It's Not About Me. Because I think that's one of the best ways that Satan drags us to where we shouldn't be. is by convincing us that it I am the center of the universe. Everything revolves around me.
No doubt. So come to the boot camp Royston, Georgia, November 20th through 23rd. You'll hear about the larger story, among other things. But this battle we're in. We're choosing to live in the larger story.
Let's do that.
