Embracing Community: The Illusion of Autonomy

Autonomy, autonomy. There's something I think in most of us that wants to be self-governing, right? I mean, after all, to some extent it's the American dream, or at least the way the American dream has been presented to most of us. I think for most of us men it's pretty much our definition of success, right? I mean, to do what I wanna do, when I wanna do it, and to have enough money to pay for it? I mean, it's an alluring goal to be sure. [00:39:58]

The truth is the quest for autonomy, the quest for autonomy is dangerous. It's dangerous because it is an appetite that you can't fully or finally satisfy. It's a thirst that can't be quenched. And when you feed an appetite, what happens? It doesn't shrink. It grows. The more you get, the more you want. And nobody believes this, but it's true. Autonomy is power, right? That's why we want it. [05:46:11]

Power is generally intoxicating. And intoxicated people don't make good decisions. They don't listen. In fact, before long, they're surrounded by people who don't have anything helpful to say, nobody with the courage to say, "No." Nobody with the courage to say, "I think you need to rethink that." Nobody with the courage to say, "I think you need to take a different approach." [06:19:36]

When Israel's second king, we're all familiar with Israel's second king, David, King David, when King David was around 50 years old, he made a decision that would become his most famous decision as a king. Actually, I should say it this way. He made a decision that would become his most infamous decision as king. Of course, he didn't know it at the time, because when we make those decisions, we never know it at the time, right? [07:26:46]

David had been king for about 20 years. He had multiple wives, as was the custom for kings. He had concubines, as was the custom for kings. He had enormous wealth and enormous power. Early on in his life, as you know, he had developed a reputation as a warrior. I mean, he is a man's man. He'd secured his legacy, he'd already secured his legacy. He was the king who secured the borders and established peace in Israel. [07:52:97]

David got in trouble, this is so important, "David got in trouble when he isolated himself from the community of men to whom he was most accessible." The king's men. And in his attempt to control outcomes, maintain his autonomy, he paid in the area, listen, he paid in the area where no one, no one, no one can control outcomes. He paid in the area of his family. [18:08:89]

Gentlemen, autonomy is a myth. It's a trap. It is an unworthy goal. You may or may not be familiar with the name Albert Speer, Albert Speer. Albert Speer was Adolf Hitler's architect. Most people don't know this, but Adolf Hitler had a dream to create a Berlin that rivaled the beauty and the elegance of Paris. The interesting thing was when he had this dream he'd never even been to Paris. [18:39:38]

You were not created for autonomy. You were not created for autonomy. It is a myth, it's a trap, it's an unworthy goal. It will leave you isolated and vulnerable. You may not lose your crown. You may not lose your crowning achievement. You may not lose the tangible rewards of success. But you may lose your soul. You may lose your legacy. You may lose your family. [22:48:51]

You were not created for autonomy. You were created for community. And if you're a Jesus follower, if you're a Jesus follower, you're part of a body. And when a body part goes rogue, what do we do? We diagnose that as a disease and we either cure it or we remove it. Autonomy is an appetite that cannot be fully and finally satisfied. It is a thirst that cannot be quenched. [22:56:67]

If God sees fit to make you a king, if God sees fit to make you a king in the realm of industry, the marketplace, academia, arts, athletics, so be it. But when that day comes, keep those who knew you before and know you best close. They are not impressed. But they are oh so important. And in the springtime, when the kings go to war, suit up and go with them. [23:20:03]

You were not made for autonomy. You were created for community. And if you embrace that, you will survive and you will thrive and you will have a story worth telling, a story your friends, your children, your wife, and perhaps your grandchildren will be proud to tell. [23:44:56]

We write the story of our lives one decision at a time. And certainly some decisions are more important than others, but every decision becomes a permanent part of the story of our lives. And like Uriah, and Jesus talked about this as well, like Uriah, we will be unable to save our lives at some point. But we can preserve our legacy and we can ensure that our story is a story worth telling. [13:17:51]