[0:00] You know that we do not, all we do is recognize God's call. We can't call anybody, can't ordain anybody really. We do a ceremony, it's kind of like baptism.
[0:12] Baptism is an outward expression of an inward reality. And that's what an ordination is. We know who called Jeff, we know who Jeff is serving, and we know what God's doing in his life.
[0:22] So you come, Jeff, take a minute or two and share a word of testimony with us. About five and a half years ago, April 3rd, 2015, I moved down here to Georgia.
[0:34] And that was a Thursday night, and you can probably guess that Thursday night there was an ordination, because we have a lot of them here, right? And I think it was actually Kyle's ordination. And, yeah, shout out there. Since being here, I've been to a lot of ordinations.
[0:47] And Brother Gardner always has us come in that aren't ordained, and he tells us the reason is so that we can dream of one day that we would be one of those ordained people. And it's a great honor that, Vision Baptist Church, you would see fit to ordain our family, to ordain me to take the gospel to India.
[1:05] We wouldn't be here without a lot of people, especially my parents. My dad and mom, they're here. My dad's pastoring in New York. He raised me to love God. And, really, ministry was the number one thing.
[1:16] And if you want to do anything else, that just was, you know, secondary. And for that, God used that in my life to call me to the ministry. And so I appreciate that. My grandparents are also here. And we're excited about what God's done.
[1:29] Thank you for those, Pastor Gardner, Robert, everyone here who's invested in me, my wife, and helping us get to this point. Thank you so much. We love you guys and are proud to be ordained and sent out of this church to start other churches.
[1:41] If you'll pray for Jeff and McKenzie, say amen. I was going to let Brother Brown go give you a break, but if you're ready, are you still cold?
[1:52] Oh, my goodness. I can't feel my legs. You know, today, as a church, we recognize what God has done in and through Jeff Brown.
[2:11] That's what an ordination is all about. We have carefully watched you. We've seen you try to exercise your gifts. We have seen you work through trials.
[2:23] We've talked about beliefs and doctrines. And I really believe God's going to use you great, Jeff. I really do. I know you're goofy, but you're awesome goofy. And tonight I would like to talk to preachers and maybe everyone else in here.
[2:40] You can think about this, too. As you turn with me, I ask you to turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 2, the book of 1 Thessalonians. And tonight I'd like to just show from the Scripture the manner of life concerning Paul's ministry.
[2:57] You know, if there was a minister that we should all model, I mean, obviously we should model Jesus. Every born-again believer should model Jesus.
[3:09] But as we think about this full-time ministry, you think, you know, what type of life should I look like? And I think a great example that we see here is in the life of the Apostle Paul. He gives us a good picture of what ministry should look like.
[3:22] And in 1 Thessalonians 2, and I'm going to read a couple verses here, he says this in verse number 1. He says, For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain.
[3:39] But even after we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated, as you know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
[3:54] For exhortation was not of deceit, nor in cleanliness, nor in guile. And this is kind of like the crux of the message I got today, Jeff and everyone else here.
[4:06] But as we were allowed of God to put us into trust with the gospel, Do you realize what we've been given?
[4:23] Do you realize how wonderful this message is? Do you realize there's like no other message throughout all history, no other message that has a power to change a person's life, no other message that can change cultures and change families and change entire nations, and God entrusted us with that.
[4:50] Even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. He tries our hearts. He's talking about preachers and people that's been entrusted in this.
[5:01] For neither at any time we use we flattering words, as you know, nor as a cloak of covetousness. God is witness. God's my witness.
[5:13] Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you. Nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostle of Christ.
[5:26] Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for this church. God. As I think about where you've called me from, and I think about what you've given me, I think about what you've given this church.
[5:46] Lord, help us to be more like this man that you use greatly, like the apostle Paul. Help us to understand what we've been entrusted with.
[5:57] Help us not to take it in vain. Help this church not to take it in vain, but Lord, help us to export it to the corners of the earth, Lord.
[6:07] Help us to be serious about the message that we've been given. And help us to be diligent stewards of it. I love you, and I thank you so much.
[6:18] In Jesus' name, amen. Tonight, Jeff, I want you to understand what you have been entrusted with. Paul states in verse number 4, but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel.
[6:38] He was put in trust with the gospel. And today we say you have been entrusted with the gospel of God. And with that, there should come some motivations. With that entrustment, it should come that we should be bold preachers.
[6:55] We should be bold preachers. The apostle Paul says in verse number 2 in this passage, he says, But even after we had suffered before, and we were shamefully entreated, as you know it, Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God.
[7:12] When you realize what message you have, when you realize what power you've been given, it should give us a sense of boldness. The apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 1 verse 16, he says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
[7:29] And there's a reason why. How is that, Paul? He says this, For it is the power of God unto salvation. It's the only way mankind can be saved.
[7:39] It's the only way lives can be changed. So therefore, when you stand up behind this pulpit preacher, you preach with boldness. You don't come up timid.
[7:50] You come up with the power of God. That's what Paul said whenever he came to Corinth. He didn't want to come in wisdom of man's words, but he wanted to come in the power of the Spirit, because this message changes lives.
[8:01] This message is God's message. This message was authored by him, and it's finished by him. This is the gospel that changes people's lives. And you've been entrusted with it.
[8:12] So preach boldly. Preach boldly. The apostle Paul, after he saw the resurrected Christ, he boldly preached from town to town, from spot to spot.
[8:24] It didn't stop him whenever they stoned him. He boldly preached where no man would went. He was bold about this. Can I tell you, it's always been about the God's preachers, that they had some type of, pardon the term, some type of swag whenever they come up to the pulpit.
[8:39] Because they realized something. It's not their message that they've been entrusted with. It's God's message. And so when you go up to preach, and you go to India, you don't go up there thinking, I don't know if he's going to work.
[8:54] I don't know if he's going to do anything. You go up there with boldness, and you boldly proclaim, there's a God in heaven that loves you so much that he came down to this earth, and he suffered for 30 years, and he died on a cross because he loved you, and he gave you, he gives you a chance for eternal life.
[9:11] You boldly proclaim that message. Be bold about it, because you realize what you've been entrusted with. Second thing that Paul says is this. What should motivate us?
[9:22] What's this realization of this message? The realizing that God entrusted us. What should it motivate us to do? It should motivate us to be bold preachers. It should motivate us to preach, no matter the circumstances.
[9:37] You're going to go to India, and they said it's a hard place. It's different than Cincinnati. There is no skyline chili.
[9:49] Praise God. I want to go there. But can I tell you, there have been men before you that have had worse circumstances.
[10:02] They've dealt with far, far bigger problems than we dealt with. Their problems wasn't, they couldn't get to the sleep number bed. Paul says in verse number two, of first Thessalonians chapter two, but even after that, we had suffered before.
[10:23] And when I came to that place and I was shamefully entreated, you guys know it, it was at Philippi, that I came to you guys there at Thessalonica and I preached the gospel with much contention.
[10:37] You see, Paul had to endure a whole bunch of problems and a whole bunch of troubles just to get to preach. He was imprisoned. He was shipwrecked. He was mocked.
[10:47] He was hated. He was beaten. He was left for dead. And on top of that, he had all the needs of the churches. But yet he continued. Because he realized he was entrusted with the gospel.
[11:02] And nothing was going to stop him. But can I tell you, every other preacher before him, every other prophet before him had to face that. Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, can you imagine being in Jeremiah's stead in his ministry?
[11:16] No one's going to listen to you. Everyone's going to be against you. But he continued on to preach. Can I tell you, Jeff, when you realize what message you have, it's not only going to give you a boldness behind the pulpit, but it's going to give you that motivation and that push to continue on even when circumstances are hard.
[11:40] it doesn't matter what happens. Don't think about your life. Take no thought of your own life. Don't think because life is going wrong, you get to stop.
[11:55] Preach no matter your circumstances. You've been given a ministry from God. See it through no matter what.
[12:05] the third and final motivation, and I see this in the scriptures, Paul says this, why should I preach? Because I realize what I've been entrusted with.
[12:16] But when you realize what you've been entrusted with, it should motivate you to preach without ulterior motives. look what he says.
[12:26] In verse number four, Paul preaches and he says these words, but as we were allowed of God to be put into trust with the gospel, even so we speak.
[12:41] Even so we speak. Not as pleasing men, but pleasing God with trist our hearts. For neither at any time we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is our witness.
[12:59] There was no uncleanness, there was no guile, he said his exhortation was not of deceit. He had no ulterior motive, he had no guile, he didn't come to get their money is what he was saying.
[13:11] They had nothing that he wanted. There was one thing that he wanted and that was I want to please the one that entrusted me with this message. And today we recognize that.
[13:23] And every preacher here should remember that. We don't preach because we get a love offering. We don't preach because we get paid to preach. We don't preach for any other reason other than God put me in trust with a special message.
[13:39] Therefore, I will pay to play. I will pay to play. I will do whatever is necessary. He preached for the audience of one.
[13:51] When he was preaching, he wasn't preaching so people would like, oh, that's a really good message. You did a really good job. Who cares what you think? He said, I did it for God because he's the one that gave me the job.
[14:03] He's the one that entrusted me with this message. I didn't do it for money. I didn't do it for gifts. It wasn't for others to go around and pat him on the back. He sought no man's glory.
[14:15] He said, God is my witness. God is my witness. I don't do this for you guys. God is my witness. Yet he did though. He said this. Why would Paul do all this?
[14:28] Why would he preach? Why would he endure so much? Why would he do all this? Well, he understood the gravity of the truth that was given. He understood this verse in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 4.
[14:42] But as we were allowed of God to be put into trust with the gospel, when you realize that truth, it changes everything about you.
[14:57] Tonight, we honor you, Jeff Brown. I am super proud of you. I'm super proud of your wife. I'm super proud of your family. I'm super proud of what God's done in your life and the character that you have.
[15:11] now, it's time to prove that you realize that you have been entrusted from the almighty God with this wonderful message.
[15:30] Don't let your circumstances stop you. Preach boldly. Don't let alternative motives pop up. There's too many of those guys out there.
[15:43] We need real preachers now more than any. Heavenly Father, I thank you for Jeff. I thank you for this wonderful couple. I thank you for allowing me to preach. Lord, help me to be a good steward of this message that you've given me.
[15:59] I love you so much. I ask that you would do something great in Jeff's life, Lord, and his ministry. Use them greatly. I love that family. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen. Go ahead and stay with me again.
[16:10] We'll see you again. Amen. Jesus, all for Jesus, all I am and have and ever hope to be.
[16:33] Jesus, all for Jesus, all I am and have and ever hope to be.
[16:50] All of my ambitions. all of my ambitions, all of my ambitions, hopes and plans, I surrender these into your hands.
[17:10] all of my ambitions, I surrender these into your hands.
[17:28] For it's only in your will that I am and have your will that I am free. For it's only in your will that I am free.
[17:46] Jesus, all for Jesus, all I am and have and ever hope to be.
[18:01] all for me. All right. Thank you. You can have a seat. Our next preacher is going to be Jeff's dad. Brother Brown, you can start making your way up. I'll tell you and Mrs. Brown that we at Vision know that it takes good parents to raise a kid like Jeff and we thank you for all you did to raise a young man that loves Jesus.
[18:21] God bless you. If I can just figure how to clip this to my belt. There we go. Just say a few things before I get into the text.
[18:32] The first is, no amount of words will express what I'm about to say how much I'm thankful for this church. For the love this church has just poured on my son, his wife, and their kids.
[18:49] There are several things that I'm thankful for when I pray. And I'm thankful for this church. I know Jeffrey wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the love, the kindness, the accountability, and I'm sure the many mulligans you've had to give him over the five or six years he's been here.
[19:12] But I am thankful. The second is, through the ordination process, I've learned some things about my son. Many of those things I already knew. He loves this church.
[19:25] He loves the Lord. He loves his wife. And he loves Skyline Chili. And I have to be honest, I'm not an emotional guy, but when Skyline Chili was mentioned, I nearly broke down and cried.
[19:42] I thought, you know, I did a good job raising my son. a proud dad. A proud dad. All kidding aside, I love sports.
[19:55] And I love college sports and pro sports. And I can't imagine, really, what a parent must feel when their son or daughter receives a full scholarship to play for some big-time school.
[20:06] But whatever it is they feel doesn't come close to what I'm feeling right now. This is better than a scholarship to Ohio State.
[20:20] He's being ordained to the gospel ministry. And there's nothing that compares to that. I'm thankful that he's proved himself to this church.
[20:31] And I'm thankful that this church deemed him worthy to go to India to preach the gospel. So with that being said, please turn your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 1.
[20:42] And we'll just read one verse this evening. 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse number 12. And just one thought this evening with three brief points. 1 Timothy chapter 1. Verse number 12.
[20:58] Paul wrote to Timothy, pastor in this church at Ephesus, and he says, I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Let's pray.
[21:09] Our Father, in the name of Jesus, we do bow before your throne, realizing that all the celebration and honor that's being bestowed upon my son, really, as Paul would say, belongs to you.
[21:25] For without you, none of this would be possible. And so I pray that you'll be magnified and glorified through this entire process, we pray in Jesus' name.
[21:41] Amen. In our text this evening, the Apostle Paul says to Timothy, he says that it's God who enabled me to do ministry. And I just want to take that one thought for a moment and bring out three brief points.
[21:56] The first is this. I had the privilege to coach my son in basketball for four years. Three of those years were really long years.
[22:07] His freshman, sophomore, junior years, the only phrase that kept coming out of my son's mouth was, I can't. Footwork, I can't.
[22:20] Position, I can't. Shoot this way, I can't. Consequently, those three years he underperformed. And he drugged the team down with him, maybe.
[22:33] But something happened between his junior and senior year in high school that I can't change to an I can, I will, and I am. He flourished.
[22:45] The problem was he struggled with tapping into that intestinal fortitude that God's given each of us that allows us to do things that we think we can't do.
[23:00] Jeffrey, not just to you, but to anyone in ministry, there are a lot of voices out there that says, you can't. Satan, you can't.
[23:11] Friends, family members, neighbors, even well-meaning church members will say, you can't. And if that wasn't enough, that natural voice that you've been born with that Paul wished would just be forever eradicated from his existence will say, you can't.
[23:29] But I want to encourage you, it's God who enabled you into ministry. It's the Holy Spirit that God's giving you. And he's there waiting for you to just submit to his voice and not all the other voices so that he can enable you to do some impossible things in ministry.
[23:50] God can. Just think of the stories in the Bible. They're more than just stories. A few weeks back I preached a funeral and sometimes you get the idea that preachers just mention the name of Jesus because it's this feel-good name at funerals.
[24:08] He's real. He's powerful. And it's already been said he changes lives and cultures and countries and families. So don't ever think you can't if God has called you.
[24:25] He has enabled you. Just submit and surrender. The second is this. Most of you know my son.
[24:36] He has a personality that's unlike many others. And he has charisma. I think. Any negative things he gets from his mom and positive things he gets from me.
[24:54] I've been saved for over 40 years. I've been pastoring just maybe nine or so years and before that youth pastoring for maybe 10 or 15 years.
[25:05] and I've noticed something especially in our ranks. It is easy for a pastor or a missionary or even a youth leader to forget who enabled them and they began to rely on their personality or their charisma to get them from point A to point B.
[25:27] Never forget Jeffrey. I really struggle with you calling him Jeff. I have to be honest. Whenever you say Jeff I'm thinking you're talking to me right? He's Jeffrey Jeffrey Jeffrey Jeffrey but it does say that he's grown into his own man so I'm thankful for that.
[25:46] But Jeffrey never think that your charisma and your personality will get the job done. At best it's just an asset that God uses but it's not the source that God uses.
[25:58] It's the Holy Spirit that God uses. Be thankful God's given you a personality and charisma. But there have been many men in the Bible that have allowed their personality and charisma to ruin their lives.
[26:13] Samson would be one. For a period even David Solomon even James and John these peaceful people loving apostles once wished that God would just throw down fire and destroy the Samaritan village because they rejected Jesus Christ.
[26:34] Be submitted. Be thankful for what God's given you but never forget that's not the source of the success of ministry that God's going to give you.
[26:46] And then third if God enables us and he does then this means we have to be submitted and committed and surrendered to Bible reading and prayer.
[27:02] Timothy had the best of all men to disciple him. Right? The Apostle Paul. For years he sat under Paul's ministry and now he's launching out and pastoring this church at Ephesus and even in this spirit of pastoring the Apostle Paul says to Timothy study to show yourself approved unto God.
[27:25] All scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable for doctrine reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. He says this to Timothy for Timothy's benefit.
[27:36] you need to be a prayer warrior. Prayer is the hardest thing for me.
[27:47] I don't have to be disciplined to read my Bible. I have to be disciplined to pray and there are many reasons for this. One is because I'm not super open.
[28:00] I'm not open with my inner feelings. Right? Woo! But God not just wants us he demands us to be transparent with him.
[28:13] It's something that I have to be disciplined I have to work on I have a huge prayer list that I'm devoted to praying for every day and sometimes it becomes monotonous and sometimes God just breathes in this thing.
[28:29] But it's a habit that I have to do. prayer Bible reading study study study study study because it's those two things that will be valuable in God enabling you.
[28:47] you can't teach a fifth grader an algebraic expression because they don't know. You'll never be able to use God's word as a masterful algebraic expression bringing it down to a language that Indians can understand if you don't know the God if you don't know God's word enough.
[29:12] It's a mystery to them not a mystery to you. You need to convey that to them and God's word and God's power are the key.
[29:26] You can't be sufficient Jeffrey. You can't rest on the laurels of the past. I'll just close with this. In June of 1987 just a few days after I graduated from high school I was shipped to Fort McKellen Alabama for basic training.
[29:44] The drill instructor gets on the bus and he welcomed all of us to Fort McKellen Alabama. I thought not a bad gig after all. That was the last time he said something nice to us until the day we graduated.
[30:02] In the ministry you're being welcomed. But if you thought Satan attacked you before today it's only going to intensify.
[30:12] this isn't to scare you. Because greater is he that's in you than he that's in the world. I don't say this to scare you. I say this to remind you how much you need God.
[30:25] Because he's the one who enables you. Thank you Pastor Gardner. Thank you Vision Baptist Church for everything that you've done. you would take your Bibles and turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 I want to talk to Jeffrey I want to talk to Jeffrey and I want to talk to all of us.
[30:54] I'll be honest with you preparing for this one was a little more difficult because I want to sometimes things may not be sometimes at vision there might be too many preachers and too many missionaries and sometimes it can bother us and hurt us.
[31:11] And so I want to preach to you Jeffrey on the eyes on Jesus please. And I want to take you to Hebrews 12 1 give you three weights or three sins that easily beset most of us and ask you to have victory over them.
[31:30] The Bible says in Hebrews 12 1 wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that's set before us.
[31:47] The three words you can write down right there and just take it home. I think they're the weights comparing competing and complaining. Comparing complete competing and complaining.
[32:02] In verse 2 very famous verse looking unto Jesus putting your eyes on Jesus looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
[32:28] I want all of us to hear this tonight and if you're lay people members of vision and you're not in the full time go out of the church ministry I think this really is something that the Lord's given me to share with you and all of us and with Jeff 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 12 comparing is not wise eyes on Jesus not others for we dare not make ourselves let me let me go back to Hebrews 12 and just say this to you and everybody else if you got your Bible open in Hebrews chapter 12 you have a race that's set before you you didn't choose your race he did he didn't make me to be you and he didn't make you to be me and he didn't make you to be Eric he made you to be Jeff Brown Jeffrey Brown McKenzie I hope you call him Jeffrey all the time just to remind him he's his daddy's boy amen there's a race set before you and if you're not careful you start comparing and here's 2nd
[33:36] Corinthians 10 12 it says we dare not make ourselves the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise and you and I already know that everybody knows that but sometimes if you're a lay person you could easily say I guess everybody thinks I'm not a good Christian because I'm not a missionary that's comparing and if your church if you're raising your support and your support's not coming in as quickly as it ought to come in your opinion you look around the room and you compare yourselves and you measure yourself by others the temptation is to decide how you are doing by looking at others we brag on or feel bad about our ministry based on others the measure is not how I stack up next to others but it's the Lord and trusting God we are to work the process and leave the product to the Lord so I challenge you not to compare challenge you not to compare because I don't know if the language will come for you as easy as it does the others
[34:44] I don't know if you'll see as many people saved and I know you've gone around the country telling everybody how great you are and what all good stuff you're going to do and you might get over there and then your comparison is going to destroy you I remind you 1 Corinthians 3 7 says the guy that plants and the guys that water are nothing but it's God that gives the increase number two competition is wrong eyes on Jesus as your judge not on yourself not on others judging each other or yourself is wrong we judge ourselves Paul didn't I'm guilty of this I'm guilty of everything I'm going to preach tonight it's probably why the Lord dealt with me about it Mexican guy that taught me Spanish said you know every time you guys preach there's more fingers pointing back at you and the rest of us and believe me I feel that quite often but in 1 Corinthians 4 3 the apostle Paul said but with me it's a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of a man's judgment
[35:46] I don't even judge myself I don't even judge myself for I know nothing by myself he that judges me is the Lord therefore judge nothing before the time when God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsel of the heart then every man every man that's amazing to me then every man shall have his praise of God look at that then shall every man have praise of God mind you Jeffrey you do not win God's love you don't earn it there's nothing you can do to make him love you more there's nothing you can do to make him love you less and I would like to say I say this often but sometimes people don't seem to hear it but you ought to have the blast every day I'll just be wonderful for every one of us wherever you are servant wherever you are he came to give an abundant life so if you stop comparing and stop competing we could probably enjoy life a little bit more in Corinth they're trying to pick who's the best there's competition and one of my favorite verses that I've heard so abused in churches but in 1 Corinthians 4 1
[37:05] Paul said I just want y'all to think of us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God let a man so account of us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God I just wish you picture the white towel laid across his arm as he stands off to the side while the important people are there Paul said I don't y'all are trying to figure out who's the best preacher and who's the man and who you can brag on who's somebody he said I just wish you think of me as the guy with a towel on my arm I'm just a butler I'm just a steward I'm just a servant I'm just a slave over here in the corner competition ought to be out Romans 14 4 Paul said this who art thou that judges another man's servant you know you're not even your servant you realize that right you're not your servant you're not my servant you're not the church's servant you serve God to his own master to Jesus he stands or falls that's who you serve and the last you need to be convinced in your relationship eyes on
[38:15] Jesus and his love for you I want to share something that just the Lord has worked me over with so beautiful first first John chapter 4 and verse 14 we have seen and do testify that the father sent the son to be the savior of the world what a sweet father dirty stinking wicked world and he sends the son to be the savior verse 15 and if you'll confess that Jesus is the son of God if you believe you trust him God dwells in you and you and God I want you to go to verse 16 with me and I want to drive this home to you Mr.
[38:57] Brown when you get over to India we have known and believed the love God has to us we need to stop right here mark that word known and then we need to go study the Bible because we probably don't know how much he loved us but in this passage of scripture and I'm not going to take time to go down in 1st John chapter 4 you know why we love him because he first loved us you know why we love him because he came to us but we couldn't go to him you know why we love him because he's so good God is love we have no that but it's one thing I know it I've known it all my life I just hadn't believed it I believe it but I don't believe it you know I believe it up up here I just don't always believe it down here I wonder times look at what it says and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us known then believed now we should just focus on this that God has to us that's God doing it that's God loving you and in
[39:58] India when the Indians don't love you and the missionaries don't love you and the pastor visions forgotten you and no one cares about you God loves you God has a love for you God is love he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him this is my verse I was just in Wrigley Baptist Church where I got saved I was sitting there in Sunday school and the guy read verses and I just happened to notice this verse and I can't get away from it almost no Christian expects to have boldness in the day of judgment we feel like if we go see the father we're going to slink in sneak in stay down low because he's after us but look what the verse says the verse says here in his love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment boldness in the day of judgment
[40:59] I was thinking little granddaughter Abby she got boldness in my office she comes in swimming in love she just knows she's loved never is a question with her she gets a little bit older gets older as her mama she might doubt love but when you're little you just go ahead and accept it man everybody loves me I think Abby's world is I'm the center everybody loves me not the wrong kind of center I'm talking about the center she's in the middle of everybody's love boldness and you know why you get to be bold you need to underline this in your Bible as he is so are we in this world look at that he loved us so much he took a dirty filthy rotten stinking sinner like me and you and put us in Jesus and when the father looks at Jeff Brown he doesn't see Jeff Brown as Jesus is so are you and I just think maybe this is just you can go meditate on this this has been eating my lunch for days that's how sweet he is as we are in this world not the one we gonna get to as we are in this world so in
[42:12] India or when you all step out to speak on Sunday and you wonder if anybody loves you he does he does you don't have to go to him wondering and scared if he'll love you back he loves you first he loves you and that love is so sweet it throws out the fear that we have in verse 18 that maybe he doesn't love us there's no fear in love mature love grown up love understanding love when you understand what it is it cast out fear and it's so funny you know the kids that come to the office on a regular basis Evelyn Cooper sometimes they open my door and they got two or three kids behind them and they go oh come on he don't care let's go in there and get our candy they got boldness in the pastor's office no fear no fear don't even ask some of the parents are really working get them to ask but it's a sweet thing they're not scared you don't have to be afraid you're going to India and our father loves you and if you're afraid and worried about when not he loves you you just hadn't understood love yet you've not been made perfect in love you've not matured in love so Jeff
[43:42] I think there are three weights that weigh us preachers down and I think probably regular people too but I a long time ago figured out I don't belong in the regular category we compare ourselves amongst ourselves and we're not wise we compete with each other to make sure God loves us and everybody thinks we're something and we complain because we wonder if God loves us if any kid ever had a problem understanding that God loves him it's probably me but boy that verse is working on me boldness in a day of judgment Paul was kind of bold when he talked about his judgment he said yeah I'm about to die he said but there's a crown laid up for me in heaven and for all y'all that love his appearing like I do y'all get one too he didn't go man I'm a little bit nervous about getting to heaven he went I'm going to go up and give him a crown see y'all later I'm out of here bold because he understood how he's loved he loved us when we were nothing he loved us when we were in a he loved us when we did sin he loved us before we sin he loved us after our sin he just loves us what a
[44:50] God father in heaven I pray your blessings on Jeff and his ministry and all you're going to do in his life I pray for Mackenzie I pray for the kids God I just pray that you would do a great work and bring great honor to your name and I'll give you praise for all you do in Jesus name amen I want to ask those that have been ordained that want to come up and lay hands on and pray over our brother Jeff Jeff if you'll come and take a seat here if you would and then y'all can line up on that side on the baptistry side over there just don't fall in and we will pray over Jeff and ask God to bless him as he heads out into the ministry he's already been doing for many years go ahead guys