Richard Ellis Talks

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. If
you're looking for some encouragement, words of hope, and maybe
a laugh or two, that's exactly what Richard wants to
share with you today. We know life can get pretty
busy and complicated, so we're truly grateful you chosen to
take a break and listen to the program. Now, if
you're not able to hang out with us for the

(00:21):
entire program, you can always pick it back up at
our website, Richard Ellis Talks dot com. In fact, you
can find all of Richard's talks right there waiting just
for you Richard Ellis Talks dot com. So with today's talk,
here's Richard.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Ellis the time. Today's message is VIP. So you walk
into a room. Let's say this were to happen. You
walk into a room and Jesus is in the room.
Who is the most important person in the room, And
that applies to any room, anywhere, anytime throughout history. You

(00:59):
put Jesus in room and he immediately becomes v IP
because there is no one more important in the universe
in all of history than Jesus. Right, So, if that
is your definition of a very important person. Then you
got to look at sooner or later, who he was,

(01:20):
how he behaved, how he engaged, how he showed up.
And if that's what he did and he is our example,
then how do we look in comparison to that? Go
to Genesis chapter one. So let's ask another question. Are
you would you be considered VIP? Are you a very

(01:43):
important person? Okay? Now the people who shouldn't raise their
hands that want to raise their hands are the screwed
up ones. And I you know, you think, well, where
do these sermons come from? I hate to admit this,
but I got some of this trouble and so this
isn't going to be all fun for me today. The
only thing that makes me important and makes you important

(02:06):
is that the ultimate VIP decided to come and live
and die on across and be buried in raising and dead.
For you, that makes you important. And when you don't
understand something like that, then what we all do is
try to find some way to feel better about ourselves.
Think positively. I'm somebody you can't just you know, there's

(02:27):
a lot of preachers out there just blah blah blah
blah telling you positive, positive, positive, and it's your promise
is coming. You know you're gonna win. You're like dude.
Sometimes you lose, sometimes you get sick, some people die.
So just saying a bunch of positive stuff it's gonna help. Maybe,
but you got to have positive things based in scripture
or it's just you're just talking. So when people try

(02:50):
to pump themselves up to try to feel better about
themselves on things that aren't based in scripture or Jesus,
it's usually an insecurity of some kind. I've got a
prop myself up. I got to have things around me.
So let's do a few more questions. So are you
more important than someone else because you're educated? I'm just

(03:11):
I know those people say no. Obviously for them the
answers no. But a lot of people think I'm educated.
I'm like uber educated, master's doctorate, whatever, So I'm an
important person. Maybe you got money, maybe you got a
nice car, maybe you got a nice house, maybe you
got a really important job. But here's the danger. We

(03:32):
start walking around thinking that these things, these things that
are accessories to our life. Maybe you're beautiful and that
makes you more important. You think, well, they're gonna let
me in because I'm I look better than other people,
or I got nice clothes, or I mean whatever this
stuff is. But then you got Jesus showing up born
in a stable, raised by a carpenter. He got nothing,

(03:54):
and he's the leader, he's the boss, he's the example.
And then I get all puffed up up and bowed up,
and I think, sometimes, you know, it's not like Jesus
comes up and says something. He's on the inside, and
if you're listening, he'll go like it's in the Greek
dude from Dudas, it's not true. Please don't write me
a letter about that. It's like, dude, what are you doing.

(04:15):
Get out of the way, let me be here. And
if you let me be here, it's going to be humility.
I'm going to serve. I'm not going to be served.
I'm not going to try to be on the top.
I'm going to get down here below everybody and let
me be me in you. No, no, no, nobody will
see me. Then it's not about him seeing me, it's
about him seeing him. Genesis one twenty six. Then God said,

(04:39):
let us make man in our image, so not like
a cow, not like a goat, not like a snake.
He says, this is going to be different our image
according to our likeness. Let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,
over the cattle, over all earth, and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man
in his own image, in the image of God. He

(05:01):
created him male and female, he created them. And by
the way, that is still the truth Psalm eight four
and five. So you must have value of God made
you in his image Psalm eight four. What is man
that you are mindful of him? And the son of
Man that you visit him? For you have made him
a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned
him with glory and honor. So now on the other

(05:24):
end of this very important person spectrum are people who
feel like zero no self esteem, feel like they have
no value. You're worthless, You've never accomplished anything. The devil
just pummels you, beat you down. And that's not biblically
appropriate either, because if this is how God defines you,
you can't define yourself another way. Matthew ten Matthew ten

(05:49):
Gnana Verse twenty nine. Are not two sparrows sold for
a copper coin? Nothing and not one of them falls
to the ground apart from your father's will. So God
knows when every bird drops. Almost hit two squirrels this morning.
They were slow. It wasn't my fault. And not one
of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will.

(06:10):
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Do not fear therefore, why for you are of more
value than many sparrows? When are you gonna figure out
if God loves sparrows? Of course he cares about you.
Matthew twenty And by the way, this crosses all kind
of lines. I think sometimes women feel. You know, I'm

(06:33):
not a man. I was born a woman, and women
don't have the advantages. And that's my problem. I was
born Hispanic, and I'm discriminated against because I'm brown. I
was born black. Stop complaining about how God made you
live in the vessel he gave you, and let's go
stop making excuses for why God can't use you. It's
crazy stuff. Oh I don't have the same opportunities. Who

(06:56):
is gonna stop a child of the king? Is that
who you are? Then? Stop going into rooms acting like
that you're nobody right, all this nonsense, But oh, white
people have this and that. Okay, maybe so, but I'm
not limited by that. I can't reach some black people
because I'm white. Now what am I supposed to do?
They won't come. He's white. I'm going to listen to

(07:16):
some white preacher. He can't even hoop. You haven't heard me?
Try yet? And get Patrick up here cordon for me.
I can go. And the Lord said, I say, The
Lord said, can I get a witness? I heard a
judge say that in the court room one time. Can

(07:37):
I get a witness? And he didn't know what that meant. Yeah,
So enough already of the excuses. Enough. If he lives
in you hits him Matthew twenty, Verse twenty. This argument. Then,
the mother of Zebede's sons came to him with her
sons kneeling down and asking something from him. So she's like, hey,
can my boys sit next to you when you're on
your throne in heaven? Like? I appreciate her boldness, right,

(08:01):
I don't even know if that's what they wanted. Mom.
Stop already, we're grown men, you know. Leave us alone.
Go down to verse twenty. They went through all that
then verse twenty five. But Jesus called them to himself
because the other ten are upset about this thing that's
going on. Jesus called them to himself and said, you
know that the rulers of the gentiles lord it over them,

(08:23):
and those who are the great exercise authority over them.
So greatness gives you the ability to exercise authority over people. Now,
please say a little prayer before I read this to you.
Yet it shall not be so among you. Now listen
to what he says. But whoever desires to become great

(08:43):
among you? You say, I want to be great in
this world, here's the answer. Let him be your servant.
I don't want to be anybody servant. Then you'll never
be great. According to Jesus, if you're not willing to serve,
you will never experience godly greatness. That's what it says.
And whoever desires to be first among you, let him

(09:06):
be your servant. First amon you let him be your slave.
It gets worse. You want to be great, servant, you
want to be first. You gotta be a slave, just
as the son of man. So what is he comparing
it to. I'm telling you how to do it the
way I am doing it, just as the son of man.
Did not come to be served, but to serve, and

(09:29):
to give his life a ransom for many. You want
to be great, you want to be first serve slave,
that's the answer. And you say, I don't want to
be anybody's servant. I don't want to be a slave.
I want people serving me. I want people being my slaves.
Then you'll be nobody. It is so hard to spend
this around, and you can't do it without Jesus. But

(09:50):
when he moves in, he shows you what this is
Matthew twenty three twelve. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted. If you
lift yourself up, he will put you down. You allow
yourself to be humbled, he'll lift you up. Well. Why

(10:13):
is that? Because if you've humbled yourself, you are more
able to handle being exalted, because you realize it's not
about you. John thirteen three. If you've got any excuses left,
this will shatter them all. Last supper before Jesus dies
John thirteen three. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given
all things into his hands, and that he had come

(10:35):
from God and was going to God, rose from supper
laid aside his garment. So he takes off his clothes,
took a towel, girds himself, wraps himself up with a towel,
And after that he poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them

(10:55):
with the towel with which he was girded. So people
say to me, well, I would like to have some
position in the church. I say, wrap yourself up in
a towel, get a basin, fill with water, and wash
some feet. Oh, no, you understand I'm looking for a position.
That is the position. No, I was thinking of something higher.
That's where we all start, because that's what Jesus did
John thirteen fourteen. If then your lord and teacher have

(11:19):
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example that you should
do as I have done to you. Stop coming up
with other stuff. Just do what he did. Do what
he said. We want to be something else, servant slave.
That's where he says. That's the stuff. And what do
churches do? We flip this thing. Sometimes churches get the

(11:42):
worst people to lead. They're arrogant, they're rich, they're smart,
they're whatever. Nothing wrong with having money, but they're not servants.
You have to be a servant, a slave. You got
to be willing to serve other people, not want to
be served, be recognized. It just makes you crazy. My

(12:02):
job as an elder, as a pastor is not to
be served by you. My job is to serve you,
make sure you're okay. You can check on me, but
my job is make sure you're okay. That's what shepherds
do to sheep. Now, I love being a shepherd and
I love you, all right, So we're trying to model
something here. So take care of people. Take care of people.

(12:25):
Stop sitting around waiting for somebody to come fix you.
Get him on board, let him live, and he will
live in and through you. And you can't imagine how
you change the world if you'll just stop trying to
get it to come your way. You seek first the
Kingdom of God, his righteousness. All this stuff is added.
God takes care of me as I go. I lack nothing.
I'm embarrassed if you came to my house. I can't

(12:48):
figure out how this happened. Actually, but it's been really
cold recently, and I got out my overcoats I bet,
I have seven wool long overcoats, and I thought, how
did this happ happened to me? It's my wife's fault.
I finally realized how it happened because, in trying to
love her and spend quality time with her, she loves

(13:10):
going to thrift store. So I go to a thrift
store and I walk down the AISLEMD there also coats
on the rack, and there's a twelve hundred dollars coat
for twelve bucks. And I get sucked in and I
buy another coat. I can't possibly wear all these coats,
you're all thinking, So what you're gonna do? I got
to figure out a way to get rid of them.

(13:33):
And he said, well that should be easy. Just give
them away. Yeah, tell me about that. You tell me
all about that. Let's go to your house. See it's
not so easy. All of a sudden, well, we don't
like it now. And part of the reason I bought
him for twelve bucks and twenty bucks is I knew
if I got out somewhere in that coat and I

(13:53):
saw someone cold, I hadn't spent twelve hundred bucks on it.
I could just give it to somebody and be okay.
So why do I still have the oats when it's cold?
We're crazy people, and I'm gonna be real honest with
you what goes through my mind. I'm in that coat.
I see somebody cold, and I think, if I give
this twelve hundred dollars coat to that guy, he's going
to get it dirty and want to appreciate the coat.

(14:14):
Have I lost my mind? Right? So I better keep
it so that I can take care of it and
collect more coats. Now I hate being that honest, but
hopefully it will uncork you because I ain't the only
crazy person in here, right, So if you need a coat,

(14:34):
I got some coats. I got all kinds of sizes
because I kind of fluctiate, you know, I kind of fluciate.
I'll get you one, though, Oh my gosh, life is
so nuts. What's the last one? I read? John thirteen

(14:55):
Romans eight sixteen. Romans eight sixteen. The Spirit himself bears
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
And if children, so I know, because the Holy Spirit
lives in me, then I am his child. His spirit
bears what is my spirit? I'm his child? Now you think,

(15:16):
oh my, that's amazing. It doesn't stop there. And if children,
then heirs. When my wife and I die are things
Our stuff will be left to who's the salvation army?
So now we won't. They're like, what, what? Where does
your stuff go to your heirs? So why is it

(15:38):
so important to be in God's will? Because when somebody dies,
you get his stuff, and he done died, so everything
that is his. Because I am an heir, is mine,
heirs of God, join heirs with Christ. If indeed we
suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

(16:00):
So I have access because I'm a joint heir of
Christ to the kingdom everything in it. So you think, well,
I'm poor. How could you possibly be poor when you're
an heir to the kingdom? You say, well, I don't
have a lot of stuff. You don't understand what poor is.
In the real poor people are the people without Jesus.

(16:20):
They may have a bunch of stuff, but you don't
have Jesus. You've got nothing. And then Romans twelve one
or go down verse three, for I say, through the
grace given to me, to everyone who is among you,
Now listening closely to what this says, not to think
of himself more highly than he ought to think. So

(16:42):
the Bible nowhere says, don't think highly of yourself. How
can you not think highly of yourself when you know
God loves you and you have value. You're important because
he says you're important. Don't think more highly of the
self than you ought to, But to think soberly as
God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
So don't think poorly of yourself. I ended up in
an event the other day and Jason Aldean. Anybody know

(17:03):
who that is? So Jason's singing, and when it was over,
I got out in the hallway and there he was
coming the other direction. I jumped over and said, hey,
thanks for coming. And that was it. At the airport
the next morning, I see Jason Aldeane and I go
up to him, and my brother's with me, my wife's
with me. We start talking and I said, you know

(17:26):
what I said, and I had him up against the wall.
He couldn't go anywhere, so I said, okay, drive dead
right there. Where are you going? And he said, well, man,
you know I don't go to church, and Jason, I'm
not talking about church. He said, well, I've done some
stuff in my life and I said, Jason, I'm not

(17:48):
talking to you about that. I'm talking about whether you
have a relationship with Jesus or not. So then his
manager came over. We changed numbers, and he said, well, well,
you probably ring him off. He'll he won't want to
be your friend. I'm not trying to be his friend.
I may never see him again. I'd like to see
him in heaven and there's only one. And I told him,

(18:08):
I said, dude, I'm not here for a picture. I'm
here for you. And then he finally, you know, de
escalated a little bit and found out he had become
a Christian, but he was all caught up in what
he had done and not going to church and dealing
with his past and his life. These people are everywhere.
It's not that lost people aren't out there. Is that

(18:30):
you're not there. You're there, but you're not there. I'll
tell you one more crazy story. I ended up on
a friend's playing the other day. It's his plane. The
pilot got up and they had somehow. I'd shared that
I'd taken flying lessons in my twenties, and you know,
so the pilot got up and I got in his seat.
So that puts me in the pilot's seat and the

(18:51):
co pilot trapped, and he can't go anywhere because he's
really the only one flying the plane. So guess what
I asked him? Right, So we get to talking and
he can't go anywhere again, share the gospel, and at
one point he physically backed into the corner and he said,

(19:13):
you know, I got this personal kind of thing that
I don't talk to people about religion and politics. I said,
you're in luck. I'm not talking about religion. I'm talking
about a relationship with Jesus. And about three minutes later
he got saved. So now why do I keep telling
you of these stories? Before I got on that plane,

(19:35):
before that whole trip, before that day begin I'm like, okay, lord,
I know I'm not going on this trip just to
go on some trip. It's about people. You just make
it about the trip. You say, well, I need a break.
I'm going on vacation. Go on your vacation, but don't
tell everybody to go to Hell just because you're on vacation.
Oh sorry, can't tell you about Jesus because I'm on vacation.

(19:57):
There is no vacation from being present and letting Jesus
live in and through you. What if he allowed you
go on vacation. So some waiter gets saved and you're
so busy resting, you missed your shot. I'm gonna wear
you out with this to the day I die, right
and sooner or later. Every once in a while somebody
come back with a story, Wow, this happened. I was

(20:19):
in this situation. I told I'm like, yes, and then
we got a disciple. And once they get saved, I
could be done. But I'm not done. Philippians two. We're
running out of verses, so you're okay. Now this is
about as simply as I can put it in terms
of who he was and what we're supposed to be
about Philippians two to one. Therefore, if there is any

(20:40):
consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill
my joy by being like minded, having the same love,
being of one accord of one mind. Let nothing to
look at this. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition
or conceit, but in lifeliness and lowliness of mind, let

(21:02):
each esteem others as better than himself. So let me
just put a princess in here. So the only reasons
I love being downtown is we got shelters close by,
and we have a number of people who come here
from the shelters. And you know what I love about
us all being in here together is it doesn't matter
where you spent the night. The ground is level at
the foot of the cross. So you say, well, but

(21:26):
those are homeless people. They live in a shelter, and
I don't good for you. I bet they'd rather not
be homeless too. But that doesn't make you better than anybody.
And so when people come in here and realize they
have value, everybody has the same value, regardless of what
you drove here in or where you're going to go home,
or where you're going to go to lunch. Nobody's better

(21:47):
than anybody else. And this says the thing more highly
of others than yourself. And people who already feel like
they're behind, they come in and go, well, I won't
be welcome, and then they are welcome. And then their
churches sometimes they go to and walk in and go,
I'm not welcome, and they're right, they are not welcome,
and they know it. God help us if that ever
happens us esteem each other better than himself. Let each

(22:12):
of you look out not only for his own interests,
but also for the interest of others. Don't just think
about your life here so help somebody else. Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
So this is how Kei thought. This is how you think. Who,
being in the form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of
no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and

(22:35):
coming in the likeness of men, and being found in
appearance as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient
to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Speaker 1 (22:44):
Richard will be back in a moment to wrap up
today's talk, but first I want to share a couple
of thoughts with you.

Speaker 2 (22:49):
Let's be honest.

Speaker 1 (22:50):
Real life isn't about living some highlight reel for others
to see. Most people have deep hurts, questions and struggles. Well,
we get it, and we want to help help you
in any way we can. So let's keep this conversation going.
You can give us a call anytime at eight five
five six Richard, or connect with us at our website.
Richard ellis Talks dot com. You can even put in

(23:12):
your prayer request right there.

Speaker 2 (23:13):
On the prayer wall.

Speaker 1 (23:14):
Call us at eight five five six Richard or online
at Richard Ellis talks dot com. And now let's get
back to Richard with a final word on today's show.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
So, if you're trying to figure out how to live
your life, I'm not a fan of what would Jesus do?
I don't care about that. I need a bracelet that says,
let Jesus be Jesus. If you're a Christian, he's moved in.
If he lives in you, let him live through you. You
don't have to ask him what he would do. Just
let him do it. Get out of the way. If
he tells, you'd ask someone if you drop dead, where
would you go ask him? If you are a VIP

(23:48):
because you think so or others say you are, then
you aren't. When you discover that you are a VIP
because God says you are, then you are. And then
you can handle it when you're a very important person
to him and you understand what that means. That is
a humbling experience, not an arrogant experience. And then you

(24:08):
can go boldly like Hebrews four talks about going boldly
before the Throne of Grace. He said, how could you
do that? That sounds like you think you're somebody. I'm
just his child, that's all. There's an old picture of
I think it's jfk at the resolute desk in the
White House and his son. Anybody ever seen this picture.

(24:29):
There's a little door in the bottom of the resolute desk,
and that door is open, and his little boy is
down under that desk. The President of the United States
is sitting at the desk and a little boy is
playing under the desk. That's the kind of access I have.
He said, Well, you can't let some little kid in

(24:50):
the oval office unless it's his son. And I am
a very important person because a very important person moved
inside me, and he is my only hope and can
be yours.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
Thanks for tuning in today to Richard Ellis talks. With
the busy schedule everyone has these days, it means the
world to us that you would take this time to listen.
Let us know how it has touched your heart by
calling us at eight five five six Richard. You can
also connect with us at our website. Richard ellistalks dot com.
One last thing. Richard Ellis Talks is a daily program

(25:25):
but also has daily costs, and being a listener supported
program means we rely on the financial partnership of our listeners,
which means you maybe you've given to this ministry before
or have waited for the right time. Well, we believe
that these talks with Richard are making a difference in
your life, So this is how you can make a
difference to ours. You can contribute by giving us a
call at eight five fives six Richard or at our

(25:46):
website Richard ellistalks dot com. Thank you for your very
generous gifts. It truly means so much to us. God
bless and thanks for listening to Richard Ellis Talks. Yeah.