Episode 1
A Holy Reset Summary
Here's a summary and discussion of my sermon "The Lord's Favor: A Holy Reset." Check out Johnny and Suzie breaking it down!
Transcript
Welcome back to the Deep Dive.
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:We're, uh, pushing forward with
our look at the sources on this
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:whole season of the Lord's Favor.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:And this whole thing, it's really
grounded in those Jubilee principles.
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:You know, that old biblical cycle
of like debt release, getting
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:things back, fresh starts.
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:Suzie: Right.
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:And we've seen how Jesus is presented as
fulfilling that, uh, that ultimate promise
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:proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor.
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:Johnny: Exactly.
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:And we've been talking about
this idea of a big life reset,
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:rest, release, restoration.
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:Suzie: We covered the sort of
vertical reset with God and
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:the horizontal with people,
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:Johnny: right?
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:But today we're getting into what
the material calls the Holy Reset.
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:Suzie: This one's different.
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:It really asks you to unpack
a fundamental tension.
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:Johnny: Okay?
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:So what's the mission for
you, our listener today?
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:It's really about
understanding this difference.
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:The sources highlight.
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:Pursuing happiness versus
well pursuing holiness.
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:Suzie: And that's a big one.
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:It kind of throws a lot of western
cultural thinking off balance, doesn't it?
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:Johnny: Totally.
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:And it's interesting how the
source material connects this
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:like huge spiritual idea.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:Johnny: Right.
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:Into a very specific American setting.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:It mentions this message
originally came up around
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:Constitution Day, September 17th.
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:Johnny: Hmm,
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:Suzie: and it's kind of kicking
off the run up to:
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:250th anniversary of America.
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:Johnny: So it links a spiritual
reset to a national identity moment.
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:Suzie: And the anchor point
obviously is the Declaration of
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:Independence, you know, life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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:Johnny: Okay, but let's pause on
that phrase, pursuit of happiness.
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:What does that usually bring
to mind for people today?
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:The sources suggest things like
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:Suzie: money, success,
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:Johnny: possessions.
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:Definitely comfort, security, you
know, feeling good, having enough stuff
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:Suzie: right.
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:And the source material sort of implicitly
pushes back on that modern take.
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:Historically, that idea, UD Ammonia was
maybe closer to like pursuing virtue.
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:Flourishing,
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:Johnny: living a good, solid
life based on character, maybe
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:Suzie: something like that.
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:So yeah, maybe the gap between that
older idea of happiness's virtue
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:and holiness isn't quite as vast,
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:Johnny: but the gap between
today's consumer version of
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:happiness, just feeling good
and comfortable, and holiness.
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:Yeah, that feels huge.
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:Suzie: That's the contrast.
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:The source really zeros in on the
need for this holy reset comes.
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:Exactly because that modern focus
on me being happy and comfortable
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:has pulled us off track from
what Jesus actually calls us to.
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:Johnny: And this is where
things take a sharp turn, right?
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:Yeah.
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:Away from the cultural script, right?
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:Jesus says, chase something else entirely.
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:Suzie: Right?
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:Not happiness.
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:The call is to pursue holiness.
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:Johnny: Okay.
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:That's the core of the holy reset.
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:Suzie: Holiness.
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:Johnny: Yeah.
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:And holiness.
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:I mean, it sounds big, maybe
even a bit intimidating
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:Suzie: for sure,
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:Johnny: but the source
argues we have to define it.
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:Especially when the word holy shows up.
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:What?
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:Over 900 times in the Bible?
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:Yeah.
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:Old in New Testament.
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:Suzie: Wow.
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:If God uses a word that much,
you figure it's pretty central.
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:Johnny: It's definitely
not optional, you know?
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:So we need a working definition.
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:Suzie: So stripping away the
maybe heavy religious feel for
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:a second, what's the core idea
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:Johnny: at its heart?
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:Holiness means to be set apart.
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:Set apart,
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:Suzie: yeah.
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:Distinct set apart for God and
for God's specific purposes.
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:Think sacred, righteous,
uh, belonging to God.
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:Johnny: Okay, so less about just
being morally perfect and more
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:about designation, like this
is reserved for a special use.
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:Suzie: Exactly.
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:Like, uh, the source uses analogies.
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:Holy water isn't magic water, it's
water set apart for a sacred act.
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:Or, you know, maybe separating
out the green Skittles because you
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:want only green ones for something
specific, they're set apart.
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:Got it.
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:Johnny: That helps make it more
concrete and this whole idea of
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:being set apart of redirection.
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:Suzie: Mm-hmm.
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:Johnny: The sources link this straight
to Jesus's most famous sermon.
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:Suzie: The Sermon on the mount.
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:Yeah.
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:The material actually calls
it Jesus's reset sermon.
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:Johnny: A reset sermon.
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:Why?
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:How does it reset things?
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:Because lots of people just see it as
like a list of rules or nice ideas.
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:Suzie: Well, it resets things
in three key ways for people
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:who are part of God's kingdom.
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:First values the beatitudes.
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:Totally flip our ideas of who
is actually well off or blessed,
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:Johnny: right?
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:It's the poor in spirit, the meek.
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:Suzie: Hmm.
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:Not
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:Johnny: the ones we usually think of.
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:Suzie: Exactly.
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:Second, it resets lifestyle.
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:It makes it clear that following
God isn't just about looking
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:religious on the outside.
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:It's about what's happening
inside in the heart.
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:Johnny: Okay.
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:Values, lifestyle.
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:What's a third
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:Suzie: focus?
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:Jesus basically says, stop letting
them worry about the basics.
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:Food, drank clothes, even tomorrow.
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:Run your life.
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:Johnny: Don't be anxious.
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:Suzie: Right?
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:And that leads right into the
verse that sums it all up.
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:Matthew 6.33.
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:This is really the core instruction,
the call to pursue holiness.
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:Johnny: Okay, what does it say again?
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:Suzie: But above all, pursue his
kingdom and righteousness, and all these
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:things will be given to you as well.
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:Johnny: Above all.
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:Pursue his kingdom and righteousness.
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:That's the priority.
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:Not comfort, not security first.
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:Suzie: That's the reset.
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:So why, why this massive
shift in priority?
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:The source gives basically
three big reasons.
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:Johnny: Okay?
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:Reason one,
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:Suzie: God himself is holy.
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:Johnny: Right?
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:You get those glimpses like in Isaiah, a
revelation of the throne room in heaven,
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:Suzie: and what are the angels, the
heavenly beings constantly crying out
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:Johnny: Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord Almighty.
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:Suzie: Exactly.
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:It's not just something
God does, it's who he is.
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:It's his fundamental
nature, his character.
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:It shapes everything he thinks.
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:Does desires.
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:Johnny: So pursuing holiness means
aligning with reality with the way
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:things actually are at the deepest level.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:You could say that it's aligning with
the character of the creator, and
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:reason two is where it gets really wild.
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:Johnny: Okay?
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:Suzie: God makes us holy.
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:Johnny: Wait, he makes us holy.
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:How does that work?
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:Suzie: It's pretty radical theology.
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:The idea is for anyone who follows
Jesus, God actively changes your status.
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:It happens through Jesus.
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:Through the Holy Spirit, the
source pointed to one Corinthians
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:six point 11 using terms like
washed, sanctified, justified.
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:Johnny: Okay.
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:Those big theological words.
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:Let's unpack those quickly.
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:Sure.
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:Suzie: Uh, justified basically
means declared not guilty.
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:Your legal standing before
God changes, you're forgiven.
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:Johnny: Okay.
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:Suzie: Sanctified means
you're being set apart.
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:Made holy.
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:It's both a completed act
and an ongoing process.
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:Johnny: So God gives us this new
status, this new identity, like holy
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:is part of our spiritual DNA now.
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:Suzie: Yeah, that's the idea.
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:You're changed from just
creation to child of God, sharing
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:in, in crisis, own holiness.
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:Johnny: But okay, if God declares
this holy, if that's our new identity,
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:why does it still feel so hard?
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:Why do we still struggle?
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:Doesn't that just make people complacent?
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:Suzie: Uh, yeah.
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:That's the tension and it
leads straight to reason three.
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:God makes us holy in our standing,
but we are called to live holy.
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:Johnny: Ah, okay.
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:So the status is a gift, but
the living it out requires.
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:Effort.
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:Choice.
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:Suzie: Exactly.
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:We're empowered by the Holy Spirit,
but we have to choose to walk it out.
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:It's working with God based on who
He's already made us living out
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:the new identity, not the old one.
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:Johnny: Okay, that makes sense.
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:Status, then the call to live up to it.
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:And the sources really draw a sharp
line between these two pursuits, right?
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:Happiness versus holiness.
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:What are the outcomes?
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:It paints a really clear picture.
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:If your main drive, your ultimate
goal is the pursuit of happiness.
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:The source says it's
fundamentally self-centered,
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:Johnny: focused on me.
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:Suzie: Right, and that leads down a
path of like selfish ambition, envy,
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:anger when you don't get what you want.
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:Bitterness even towards God or other
people who get in the way of your comfort.
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:Johnny: Because if my happiness is
the most important thing, anything
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:blocking it becomes a problem.
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:An obstacle.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:It can even lead to sin.
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:You might start disregarding
others to get your own way.
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:To secure your own comfort.
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:Johnny: Okay, that's the happiness track.
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:What about the other one?
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:Suzie: The pursuit of holiness
being God-centered leads
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:somewhere totally different.
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:The results look like peace, real comfort,
not just circumstantial, compassion,
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:forgiveness, perspective, resilience.
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:Johnny: Things that are deeper than
just feeling good in the moment.
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:Suzie: Exactly.
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:It leads to actual transformation
becoming more like Jesus.
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:It's about character change
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:Johnny: and the source had that really
insightful, maybe even challenging
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:point about marriage and family.
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:Suzie: Oh yeah.
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:That God designs things like marriage,
maybe even rising kids, not primarily
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:to make us happy, but to make us holy.
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:Johnny: Oof.
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:That hits home for a lot of people, I bet,
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:Suzie: right?
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:Because those close relationships,
they act like mirrors, don't they?
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:They show us our selfishness, our pride.
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:Places we need to grow.
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:Johnny: Yeah, they definitely
expose the rough edges.
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:Suzie: So that friction, that
difficulty isn't necessarily
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:a sign, something's wrong.
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:The source suggests it's part of
the design, an opportunity for God
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:to refine us, to make us holier.
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:Johnny: That's a massive
perspective shift.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:Johnny: Okay.
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:So if holiness is the.
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:The main pursuit.
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:How do we actually do that?
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:How does it become practical?
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:Suzie: Well, we go back to
that key verse, Matthew 6.33.
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:Remember the first part above all,
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:Johnny: priority one?
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:Suzie: Exactly.
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:It's not just one option among
many good things to chase.
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:It's the top of the list, the main thing,
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:Johnny: and the second word.
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:Pursue.
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:Suzie: Yeah, that's crucial.
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:Pursue means action.
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:It's intentional.
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:You don't just accidentally achieve
holiness anymore than you accidentally
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:get a PhD or run a marathon.
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:Johnny: You have to work at it.
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:The source gave some
examples of pursuit, right?
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:Like pursuing a relationship.
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:You call, you text, you make
time, you learn about them.
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:Maybe you even made
playlists back in the day.
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:Uhhuh.
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:Yeah.
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:Maybe a mix tape or cd.
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:Or pursuing a career school.
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:Internships, practice volunteering,
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:Johnny: right?
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:It takes deliberate effort.
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:Planning, sacrifice.
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:Applying that same intentionality
to holiness means things like
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:Suzie: actually studying scripture, making
conscious choices about say what media
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:you consume, how you spend your time
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:Johnny: choosing the right thing,
even when it's inconvenient,
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:fighting those spiritual battles,
and importantly, getting back up
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:when you mess up because you will.
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:Suzie: So it's an active,
ongoing commitment.
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:What's the payoff?
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:If it's not necessarily
happiness, what do we gain?
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:Johnny: This is key.
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:The source says the pursuit
of holiness leads to joy.
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:Suzie: Joy, not just happiness.
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:What's the difference?
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:Johnny: Happiness is often
tied to circumstances, right?
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:It's fleeting.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:Johnny: Good news comes.
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:You're happy.
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:Bad news comes.
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:Happiness goes.
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:Joy in this context is deeper.
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:It's a state of being rooted in God that
can exist even with struggles or bad news.
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:Suzie: So you could get a discouraging
call from the doctor, but still
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:have an underlying joy because
your foundation is different.
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:That's the idea.
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:It's a present reality and an
eternal one that supersedes
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:the temporary ups and downs.
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:It's more resilient
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:Johnny: and the ultimate anchor
for knowing we can be holy.
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:The source links it to communion.
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:Suzie: Yeah, communion serves
as that regular reminder.
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:We remember that we are made
holy, not by our own efforts,
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:but through Jesus's sacrifice.
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:Hebrews 10 point 10 says It
made holy through the sacrifice.
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:Once for all.
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:Johnny: Wow.
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:Okay.
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:That brings it all together.
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:Yeah.
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:That's the holy reset.
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:Jesus shifts.
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:Our focus tells us what's really worth
chasing and holiness takes priority.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:Johnny: So for you listening, if you
wanna put this into practice, the
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:source has suggested a couple of simple
concrete steps for this next week.
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:Suzie: First one, make it a prayer focus.
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:For the next, say seven or eight days.
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:Just pray daily.
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:God reset my pursuit to holiness.
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:Ask for his help with this shift.
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:Johnny: Okay.
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:Daily prayer.
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:And second,
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:Suzie: pick one specific area.
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:Just that one thing in your life
this week, maybe a relationship,
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:how you handle your money, how you
use your free time and intentionally
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:choose holiness over just what feels
easy or comfortable in that area.
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:Johnny: One specific intentional choice.
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:Suzie: Yeah.
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:And maybe a final thought to leave
you with something to chew on.
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:Okay.
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:Think about the things in your
life right now that feel like
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:major roadblocks to your happiness.
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:You know, difficult situations,
maybe even difficult people.
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:Johnny: We all have them,
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:Suzie: right?
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:What if you started to see those
not primarily as obstacles to your
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:comfort, but potentially as God's
current tools, his pathways, to make
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:you holier, to build resilience or
compassion or deeper trust in him?
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:What specific challenge you're
facing could actually be God's
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:way of refining you right now?
