WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:01.660 Well, good morning, church. 00:00:02.660 --> 00:00:04.280 You enjoy the service so far? 00:00:05.379 --> 00:00:10.980 Why don't we give a hand to Jared and Lindsey for coming out and lead us in worship today? 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:16.359 That's not all they've done here. 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:22.300 They also taught the youth in Sunday school this morning, and we are working through with 00:00:22.300 --> 00:00:23.679 our search committee right now. 00:00:24.219 --> 00:00:28.260 They're kind of the one candidate we're looking at right now, so we're not asking for a vote 00:00:28.260 --> 00:00:32.280 or anything today, but we just wanted them to be able to come out and experience our 00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:37.060 church and us get to experience them, and so we've just been enjoying them this morning. 00:00:37.480 --> 00:00:43.560 And they're fairly local from Iowa Park, so that's nice to have somebody who kind of understands 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:44.900 this corner of Texas up here. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:51.100 Well, we are continuing on with our series called New Life, A Fresh Beginning with Jesus. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:58.140 And just by a way of recap, our series text, and actually our text for today has been 2nd 00:00:58.140 --> 00:00:59.899 Corinthians 5, 17. 00:01:00.480 --> 00:01:02.799 If y'all wouldn't mind, let's read it together off the screen. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:03.299 Ready? 00:01:03.500 --> 00:01:03.799 Begin. 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:09.000 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:01:09.659 --> 00:01:14.780 The old has passed away, and see, the new has come. 00:01:15.180 --> 00:01:21.799 Man, what an awesome, awesome thing that we get to begin each day new and fresh with Jesus. 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:22.000 Jesus. 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:30.340 Now, by way of recap, we started this series off by understanding that God is doing a new 00:01:30.340 --> 00:01:31.019 thing. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:34.780 If you need any more evidence of that, you look at the baptisms that are continuing to 00:01:34.780 --> 00:01:36.000 happen in our church. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:41.179 You look at new faces that are showing up and stories of life change that are happening across 00:01:41.179 --> 00:01:42.379 our church and in our community. 00:01:42.379 --> 00:01:44.920 And you see that God is doing something new. 00:01:45.259 --> 00:01:50.060 And man, for God to be able to take a church that's been around since 1876 and do something 00:01:50.060 --> 00:01:51.579 new, that's pretty awesome. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:53.939 That says something great about our God, right? 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:56.140 Most churches don't make it that long. 00:01:56.439 --> 00:02:01.280 And our church not only has made it that long, but God has seen fit to continue to do a new 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:02.579 thing in our church. 00:02:02.659 --> 00:02:05.480 And we believe he's got us around for a long time to come. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:06.800 And that's the plan. 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:09.000 So God is doing a new thing. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:09.920 Do we see it? 00:02:10.060 --> 00:02:13.800 And then we said we need to stop trying and start what? 00:02:14.480 --> 00:02:14.920 Training. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:17.219 Stop trying and start training. 00:02:17.219 --> 00:02:21.840 Some of you, if you follow me on Facebook, I don't know if I'd recommend it, but I would 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:26.639 say you have seen that, you know, I'm trying to get out there and train for a 5K. 00:02:26.860 --> 00:02:31.139 And as you can tell, I'm a lifelong runner and I've run many 5Ks in my life. 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:33.680 Working on it, all right? 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:34.680 I'm training. 00:02:34.900 --> 00:02:35.340 I'm training. 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:37.400 I've been trying my whole life and not getting anywhere. 00:02:37.539 --> 00:02:38.879 So now I am training. 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:42.759 God's training me to become who he wants me to be. 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:48.399 And I dare say that God is training our church to be who he wants us to be now. 00:02:49.299 --> 00:02:52.840 He's had us be different things throughout our long history. 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:57.479 But now in 2024 and beyond, what does God want our church to be? 00:02:57.899 --> 00:02:59.879 He's training us now. 00:03:00.399 --> 00:03:01.659 So we depend on him. 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:03.979 And then we got into the identity and behavior. 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:08.139 And we said we do what we do because of what we think of us. 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:09.019 Let's read it together. 00:03:09.020 --> 00:03:09.420 Can we? 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:14.000 You do what you do because of what you think of you. 00:03:14.140 --> 00:03:15.280 And that is so true. 00:03:15.740 --> 00:03:18.939 What we think of ourselves determines how we behave. 00:03:19.379 --> 00:03:22.600 What would someone like me do in a situation like this? 00:03:22.640 --> 00:03:24.939 We compute this really fast in our minds. 00:03:25.040 --> 00:03:27.960 And then we act according to what we think of ourselves. 00:03:27.960 --> 00:03:30.860 But in reality, we got to have a mind shift there. 00:03:30.860 --> 00:03:39.780 We need to think according to how God thinks of us, how God views us, and then act according to that. 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:42.760 So identity determines behavior. 00:03:42.900 --> 00:03:47.160 Then we got into this little three-part sub-series on running the race. 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:53.359 And we said, first of all, from Hebrews 12 and Philippians 3, we need to lay aside our weights. 00:03:53.699 --> 00:04:02.519 And, you know, that was a memorable Sunday in the life of our church because I lost the foot race to one of our teenage boys sitting right down here. 00:04:02.579 --> 00:04:06.019 Anyway, raced down the front to the front of the auditorium. 00:04:06.139 --> 00:04:07.639 He just smoked me. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:09.599 I mean, blew me away. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:17.639 And so then I gave myself a nice advantage and loaded him up with all kinds of ankle weights and a weight vest and carrying all these weights. 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:19.699 And I barely beat him. 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:21.540 So that was a lot of fun. 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:24.240 But we learned that weights do slow us down, don't they? 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:24.759 Of course. 00:04:25.339 --> 00:04:30.199 So there might be something in our life that needs, that is slowing us down, holding us back. 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:31.540 So we ask the two questions. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:33.500 What are you holding on to? 00:04:34.579 --> 00:04:37.740 The Bible says lay aside every one of those weights. 00:04:37.740 --> 00:04:40.319 And then secondly, what is holding on to you? 00:04:40.780 --> 00:04:44.720 There's something from your past, something deep inside that's got its grip on you. 00:04:45.259 --> 00:04:46.340 And you've got to let it go. 00:04:46.620 --> 00:04:48.120 Forget what lies behind. 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:52.740 And then we moved on to the next part of those passages and said, let us run. 00:04:53.379 --> 00:04:54.280 Let us run. 00:04:55.060 --> 00:04:56.660 Number one, start moving. 00:04:57.220 --> 00:05:00.759 Might be something in your life that you've been putting off. 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.160 And God wants you to begin. 00:05:03.540 --> 00:05:04.340 Start moving. 00:05:04.340 --> 00:05:07.699 Reaching forward to what lies ahead is what the scripture says. 00:05:07.960 --> 00:05:09.600 And then it says, keep going. 00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:13.220 Run with endurance the race that is set before you. 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:18.480 And then thirdly, just a few Sundays ago, we said, look at Jesus. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:20.340 Finally, look at Jesus. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:21.500 Lay aside the weights. 00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:23.100 Let us run the race. 00:05:23.420 --> 00:05:26.519 And all the time we are looking at Jesus. 00:05:27.500 --> 00:05:29.139 So we need to get our eyes up, don't we? 00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:30.240 Eyes up. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.680 Looking at the one who ran this race before us. 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:37.180 The one who enables us every day to run this race. 00:05:37.400 --> 00:05:41.939 And then we press toward the prize of the upward call of God. 00:05:42.019 --> 00:05:50.240 He's calling us, drawing us eternally upward toward him as he trains us into who he wants us to be. 00:05:50.379 --> 00:05:51.480 Now, you're caught up. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:51.939 Okay? 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:53.279 You're caught up. 00:05:54.459 --> 00:05:58.500 I'm going to give you a quiz on all that in just a minute. 00:05:58.620 --> 00:05:59.680 So I hope you wrote it all down. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:00.399 Just kidding. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:05.339 Today, we're going to talk about secret agents. 00:06:08.299 --> 00:06:11.439 You never know what you're in for when you come to church on a given Sunday. 00:06:11.579 --> 00:06:11.859 All right? 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:17.239 Can y'all tell me the name of these gentlemen? 00:06:17.719 --> 00:06:19.899 Notice I didn't say names. 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:21.019 I said name. 00:06:21.299 --> 00:06:23.179 What is the name of these guys? 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:24.739 Bond. 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:25.859 James Bond. 00:06:26.060 --> 00:06:27.179 And you've got to say it that way. 00:06:27.339 --> 00:06:27.679 All right? 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:30.100 The name's Bond. 00:06:30.300 --> 00:06:30.879 James Bond. 00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:32.400 I'm not going to try to do the British accent. 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:33.519 That's not going to work out well. 00:06:35.180 --> 00:06:44.199 Yes, all these guys portrayed on the screen an iconic secret agent, the British spy James Bond, right? 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:48.100 Maybe that's who comes to mind when you think of a secret agent. 00:06:48.280 --> 00:06:49.620 Maybe it's somebody else. 00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:57.480 But today, we're going to talk about secret agents, specifically agents of change. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.560 Now, I always wanted to be a spy when I was growing up. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:06.180 And that never worked out for me, which is exactly what a spy would tell you. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:10.240 I always wanted to be the CIA, man. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:14.620 That was my, as soon as I figured out what it was, that was my goal. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:15.460 I want to be a spy. 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:16.460 I want to be a secret agent. 00:07:16.459 --> 00:07:22.699 And then finally, when I figured out what the reality of that life is and not just the glamour of it, I didn't want to do that anymore. 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:27.139 So God called me to ministry, and I'm so grateful that he did. 00:07:27.299 --> 00:07:30.879 But today, I'm going to challenge all of us to be agents. 00:07:31.599 --> 00:07:34.079 We need to be agents of change. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:39.899 Every person, every man, woman, and child in this room and anybody in between. 00:07:41.459 --> 00:07:43.620 That child and man and woman stage. 00:07:43.939 --> 00:07:44.959 So y'all down there. 00:07:45.899 --> 00:07:48.579 We need to be agents of change, every one of us. 00:07:48.599 --> 00:07:49.379 What do we mean by that? 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:50.879 Well, let's think about change. 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:52.799 Is change a dirty word? 00:07:54.699 --> 00:07:55.860 Can be, right? 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:57.379 Nobody likes change. 00:07:57.379 --> 00:07:59.540 But let me tell you this. 00:08:00.019 --> 00:08:01.399 Change is inevitable. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:04.159 Change is constant. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:07.360 Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said this. 00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:08.980 Change is inevitable. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:10.219 Change is constant. 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:12.139 Change always happens. 00:08:12.459 --> 00:08:18.100 Do y'all understand that you and I embrace change every day of our life? 00:08:19.259 --> 00:08:21.199 In the simplest of ways. 00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:26.659 Because most of you are wearing something different today than you did last Sunday. 00:08:27.379 --> 00:08:31.439 And I hope you're wearing something different today than you did yesterday. 00:08:31.579 --> 00:08:32.600 Especially those camp boys. 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:37.360 But listen. 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:39.980 We change every day, don't we? 00:08:40.059 --> 00:08:42.679 We don't eat the same meal every day. 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:44.419 We like variety. 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:49.360 We like to spice things up with different options. 00:08:50.580 --> 00:08:54.539 But there are certain things that it's hard for us to accept change. 00:08:54.539 --> 00:09:00.360 There are certain areas where we're like, man, don't touch that. 00:09:01.199 --> 00:09:02.500 I'll change my outfit. 00:09:02.679 --> 00:09:05.240 I'll change my clothes. 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:07.959 Ladies, maybe you rearrange the furniture in your house. 00:09:08.259 --> 00:09:09.379 Maybe it's just my wife. 00:09:09.439 --> 00:09:11.799 But I feel like you do that sometimes. 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:14.899 We've redecorated I don't know how many times since we got married. 00:09:14.939 --> 00:09:15.579 And that's all right. 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:17.139 Keeps it new. 00:09:17.539 --> 00:09:18.000 I like it. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.320 Change is inevitable. 00:09:20.580 --> 00:09:21.820 Change is constant. 00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:25.860 But I heard this quote recently. 00:09:26.139 --> 00:09:27.840 And it grabbed my attention. 00:09:28.980 --> 00:09:34.340 What people resist is not change per se, but loss. 00:09:34.340 --> 00:09:42.899 Because like we've already understood, change is something we all experience every day. 00:09:43.560 --> 00:09:49.620 What we're scared of in these areas where we try to avoid change, we're scared of losing something. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:59.019 We're scared of losing a memory, an experience, something that we fondly remember or are comfortable with. 00:09:59.019 --> 00:10:12.960 Take a little bit of a dark turn here, but why is it sometimes that victims of abuse never leave their abuser or don't for a long time? 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:26.759 Because they're afraid of losing maybe a provider, maybe someone who protects them from someone else, even though they do it in a terrible way. 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:37.319 There's all kinds of reasons why we hold on to something that is maybe not even healthy for us. 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:39.939 Maybe not even good for us. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:42.259 But we're scared of the unknown. 00:10:43.899 --> 00:10:45.840 We've gotten used to this. 00:10:46.019 --> 00:10:47.240 We're comfortable with this. 00:10:47.939 --> 00:10:53.279 So don't take this away from me because what if the alternative isn't as good? 00:10:53.279 --> 00:11:01.839 So what people resist is not always change itself, but it's losing something. 00:11:02.899 --> 00:11:12.639 Let's look back at 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and let's back up in the chapter now before we get down to our text, our series text, verse 17. 00:11:12.959 --> 00:11:15.959 Let's look at 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 1. 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:24.060 If you wouldn't mind just joining me and standing out of honor of God's word, the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:28.720 The Bible says we want to give honor to God's word as we read it together. 00:11:29.280 --> 00:11:31.660 You follow along in your Bible as I read. 00:11:31.780 --> 00:11:33.879 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 1. 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:46.299 For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:50.759 Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling. 00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:54.460 Since when we have taken it off, we will not be found naked. 00:11:54.460 --> 00:12:02.580 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we don't want to be unclothed but clothed, 00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:06.820 so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:16.720 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the spirit as a down payment. 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:18.080 Verse 6. 00:12:18.340 --> 00:12:26.540 So while we are always confident and we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. 00:12:26.660 --> 00:12:27.200 Watch this. 00:12:27.420 --> 00:12:32.040 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:12:32.580 --> 00:12:38.120 Now, let's jump down to verse 11. 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:50.980 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people. 00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:59.800 For sake of time, we can't read and explain this entire chapter this morning, so I want to highlight these select verses. 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:03.320 We finished verse 7. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:06.060 We walk by faith, not by sight. 00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:07.580 We finished verse 11. 00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:09.519 We try to persuade people. 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:12.980 Let's skip down the rest of verse 11, past 12 and 13. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:14.240 Let's jump into 14. 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:14.539 Ready? 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:15.820 Verse 14. 00:13:15.820 --> 00:13:19.700 For the love of Christ compels us. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:26.260 Since we have reached this conclusion, that if one died for all, then all died. 00:13:26.259 --> 00:13:37.080 And if he died for all, those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised. 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:44.220 From now on then, we don't know anyone from a worldly perspective. 00:13:44.900 --> 00:13:51.000 Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way. 00:13:51.379 --> 00:13:55.300 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:59.220 The old has passed away, and see, the new has come. 00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:08.779 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 00:14:10.060 --> 00:14:17.120 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:21.100 And he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:25.000 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:30.100 Since God is making his appeal through us, we plead on Christ's behalf. 00:14:30.539 --> 00:14:32.220 Be reconciled to God. 00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:37.360 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:42.299 So that in him, we might become the righteousness of God. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.120 That is the gospel. 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:46.580 That's what saves us. 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:49.440 That's what gives us hope and new life. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:51.740 Let's thank God for his word together. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:53.080 God, we love you. 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:55.860 We thank you for providing us this place to gather and meet. 00:14:56.280 --> 00:14:58.600 We thank you for the people that make up this church. 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.480 Thank you for Henrietta. 00:15:00.560 --> 00:15:04.520 We thank you for Clay County, for this area, this community that you've given to us. 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:08.100 God, I pray that you would move mightily in our church. 00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:12.500 That you would show us that you are the God of change. 00:15:13.580 --> 00:15:17.660 And that if we walk closely with you, you're going to change us. 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.720 You're going to transform us. 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:22.899 Help us to follow you. 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:25.180 Speak to us from your word this morning in Jesus' name. 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:25.519 Amen. 00:15:25.660 --> 00:15:26.240 You may be seated. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.899 Thank you for standing. 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:34.940 Number one in your bulletins this morning, God's mission changes us from the inside out. 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:42.960 Verses one through seven describe how God's mission changes us from the inside out. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:50.639 Now, oftentimes, you and I will be more concerned about changing from the outside in. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:51.300 Right? 00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:56.320 If we want to change something, we think about the exterior. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:59.480 I want to get healthier. 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:01.440 I want to drop some weight. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:03.460 So I'm starting to train. 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.060 Right? 00:16:04.180 --> 00:16:08.280 I'm trying to reshape my body so it looks different. 00:16:09.640 --> 00:16:14.960 But oftentimes, we are the sickest. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:19.500 We are the most in need of change on the inside. 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:22.019 And that's God's mission. 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:26.980 God says bodily exercise profits a little. 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:29.600 There is profit to it. 00:16:30.299 --> 00:16:31.500 It's a small amount. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.940 But God is mostly concerned with the interior. 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:38.659 He's mostly concerned with the inside. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.879 Changing our hearts. 00:16:41.700 --> 00:16:44.000 Transforming us from the inside out. 00:16:44.539 --> 00:16:45.639 We're not trying. 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.620 We're training. 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:47.080 Right? 00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:52.120 So God's mission changes us over time from the inside out. 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:54.240 So, verses one through seven. 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:55.480 We're not going to read it all again. 00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:59.120 But when you look back at this, it paints this picture. 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:03.060 If you want to go home and read back through this whole chapter and read the verses we didn't 00:17:03.060 --> 00:17:03.900 have time for today. 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:11.240 But kind of take it all in context and get this big picture of our future after death. 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:14.059 Of the ministry of reconciliation. 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:19.279 Of the past, present, and future of our standing with God. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:24.019 Then you start to see the big picture of God's mission for us. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.559 And that's life change. 00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:30.000 Transforming into his image. 00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:33.460 So, let's look at verse six. 00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:34.440 Highlight it real quick. 00:17:34.919 --> 00:17:36.039 We are always confident. 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:39.879 And we know that while we're at home in the body, we're away from the Lord. 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:40.320 Right? 00:17:40.580 --> 00:17:43.760 Now, we have God's presence with us if we are his children. 00:17:44.060 --> 00:17:49.080 I don't just want to assume that everybody in this room is a bona fide Christian and saying, 00:17:49.260 --> 00:17:50.580 yes, I put my faith in Jesus. 00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:52.100 I am a Jesus follower. 00:17:52.560 --> 00:17:53.860 I understand that I'm a sinner. 00:17:54.300 --> 00:17:58.020 I know that God died for me when Jesus hung on that cross. 00:17:58.140 --> 00:17:59.620 I understand that he rose from the dead. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:00.600 I believe he's God. 00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:04.860 I put my faith in him for the forgiveness of my sins to become his child. 00:18:04.859 --> 00:18:08.939 Now, if that's you, then you're one of us. 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.899 You're a Jesus follower. 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:17.819 And God has a mission for you to change you to become more like him. 00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:20.579 To change us to become more like him. 00:18:21.019 --> 00:18:25.599 So, while we are here in this body, walking around on this earth, 00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:30.819 we're away from the presence of our Father in heaven, even though his spirit goes with us. 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:32.939 We have God's presence everywhere we go. 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:35.519 But someday, it's all going to become real. 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:37.680 Someday, we'll see him face to face. 00:18:37.820 --> 00:18:39.299 Someday, we'll gather at home in heaven. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:43.559 It'll be a wonderful eternity together with our Lord. 00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:53.400 So, right now, verse 7 says, we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:55.620 Have you ever tried to change? 00:18:58.080 --> 00:19:02.019 Have you ever ultimately decided on a change that needed to happen? 00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:06.539 And you embarked on this journey of change? 00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:10.640 And then have these words ever left your mouth? 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:15.779 Have you ever said, man, I wish it could all just happen now? 00:19:16.019 --> 00:19:20.039 I wish we could skip ahead to the good part. 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:23.660 Because change is hard, isn't it? 00:19:23.660 --> 00:19:29.880 The journey to change, the transformation, is difficult. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:36.620 And it's no different when God's trying to change us. 00:19:37.560 --> 00:19:38.560 There's pain. 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:41.600 There's fatigue. 00:19:43.600 --> 00:19:45.380 There's distress sometimes. 00:19:45.380 --> 00:19:53.240 When God is molding us and shaping us, as that happens, it might hurt a little bit. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:59.180 But you know that the end result is going to be worth it. 00:19:59.180 --> 00:19:59.660 Right? 00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:06.400 So sometimes we say, man, I wish I could just skip all this hard part and get to the good part. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:11.360 But the journey is a journey of faith. 00:20:12.100 --> 00:20:15.320 Verse 7, we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:19.300 When you can't see it yet, faith carries you on. 00:20:21.380 --> 00:20:24.900 Maybe it's a journey of restoring a broken relationship. 00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:26.920 Maybe it's your kid. 00:20:27.060 --> 00:20:27.980 Maybe it's your grandkid. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:31.140 Maybe it's a friend or a family member or a co-worker. 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:32.220 Or whatever it is. 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:36.060 Maybe God is bringing you along a journey of faith. 00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:37.660 And it hasn't all appeared yet. 00:20:37.780 --> 00:20:40.860 It hasn't all rectified or resolved itself yet. 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:42.680 It's still broken. 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:44.000 It still hurts. 00:20:45.040 --> 00:20:48.240 But God says we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:20:48.580 --> 00:20:50.780 Let Him take you through this change. 00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:53.140 Let Him take you through this transformation. 00:20:53.820 --> 00:20:55.780 That person may need to change the most. 00:20:55.780 --> 00:20:58.380 But God might be changing you too along the way. 00:20:58.380 --> 00:21:04.020 So God's mission changes us from the inside out. 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:05.280 We're staying in 2 Corinthians. 00:21:05.620 --> 00:21:07.540 But back just one chapter. 00:21:08.040 --> 00:21:10.100 2 Corinthians 4, verses 16 through 18. 00:21:10.260 --> 00:21:12.720 You can just look across the page probably in your Bible. 00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:15.020 Therefore, we do not give up. 00:21:16.260 --> 00:21:19.720 Even though our outer person is being destroyed, 00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:24.600 the inner person is being renewed day by day. 00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:30.659 I can promise you that this last week there were times I felt like I might be being destroyed out there at camp. 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:31.259 Right? 00:21:32.459 --> 00:21:34.819 Like, man, I'm not 20 anymore. 00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:35.459 You know? 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:37.759 Much less 10 like these kids. 00:21:40.579 --> 00:21:43.939 When I'm out there running trying to train for this 5K, 00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:46.639 sometimes it feels like I'm destroying my body. 00:21:46.939 --> 00:21:49.199 Somebody was asking, hey, you guys went on vacation recently. 00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:50.579 Did you keep running on vacation? 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:53.019 Like, wow, thank you for keeping me accountable. 00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:57.539 And by that I mean not thank you, but actually thank you because I need it. 00:21:59.579 --> 00:22:00.480 Yes, I did. 00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:01.400 I started running. 00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:02.799 I kept it going. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.700 Actually, all my wife's family out there was patting me on the back. 00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:08.740 Man, I can't believe you're getting up before everybody else. 00:22:08.900 --> 00:22:10.799 And out there running, I'm like, well, it's California. 00:22:10.900 --> 00:22:11.400 The weather's nice. 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:13.279 So I might as well take advantage of it while I can 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:16.799 before I have to go back and run in Texas in the summertime. 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:17.420 Anyway. 00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:25.380 But after a few days, I thought I had a stress fracture in the bottom of my foot. 00:22:26.580 --> 00:22:28.160 I'm like, unbelievable. 00:22:28.840 --> 00:22:32.620 Trying to make some life change here and my body's fighting back against me. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:35.300 Felt like I was being destroyed, right? 00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:39.519 But our inner person is being renewed. 00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:44.980 Every time I still got up and ran, every time during camp, 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:48.440 counselors, when we got up and faced another day 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:51.440 or tried to put out another squabble between the kids 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:54.599 or, you know, make sure they actually brushed their teeth or whatever. 00:22:54.599 --> 00:23:00.319 We're being renewed day by day. 00:23:00.719 --> 00:23:06.240 Every struggle, every hardship, every time you persevere and keep going, 00:23:06.679 --> 00:23:12.679 every time you face that broken relationship again and don't abandon it, 00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:17.679 every time you open up your mouth and speak the name of Jesus 00:23:17.679 --> 00:23:20.759 to somebody in your life who needs to hear it 00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:24.660 when it's hard and difficult and awkward and uncomfortable, 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:29.660 every time these things happen, we are being renewed day by day. 00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:31.259 God is transforming us. 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:34.259 He's changing us even though it's difficult. 00:23:35.140 --> 00:23:39.339 So, verse 17, 2 Corinthians 4. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:43.259 Our momentary light affliction is producing for us 00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:46.660 an absolutely incomparable weight, 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:49.119 eternal weight of glory. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:52.919 So, we do not focus on what is seen, 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:54.439 but on what is unseen. 00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:56.579 You know why we try and we fail? 00:23:56.739 --> 00:23:58.599 Because we focus on what is seen, 00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.979 not what is unseen. 00:24:00.239 --> 00:24:03.819 God says, I'm training you to do a mental shift 00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:06.119 to focus on what is unseen, 00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:07.859 what you can't see happening. 00:24:08.139 --> 00:24:11.059 But by faith, we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:14.359 By faith, you trust that I am working in you 00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:15.659 and I am changing you. 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:17.019 I'm transforming you. 00:24:17.019 --> 00:24:18.339 He's doing it to me, y'all. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:20.660 And I know He's doing it to many of you. 00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:23.420 He is changing us. 00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:26.759 And we focus on what is unseen. 00:24:27.379 --> 00:24:29.759 For what is seen is temporary. 00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:32.139 The pain in my foot went away. 00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:35.740 The fatigue from camp will go away. 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:40.920 The burdens we carry will eventually be laid down. 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:45.240 But what is unseen is eternal. 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:49.019 The glory that came from carrying those burdens, 00:24:50.019 --> 00:24:51.880 the glory that comes, 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:55.220 the glory of God that comes 00:24:55.220 --> 00:24:57.380 from persevering in those relationships, 00:24:57.900 --> 00:25:01.319 from going ahead and sharing the good news of Jesus, 00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:03.859 that glory is eternal. 00:25:03.859 --> 00:25:05.659 It will never go away. 00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:07.799 It is here forever. 00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:11.659 So God's mission is changing us. 00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:14.740 And it's going from the unseen to the seen, 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:17.579 from the inside out. 00:25:18.899 --> 00:25:21.619 Number two, God's mission replaces our own. 00:25:23.399 --> 00:25:25.539 God's mission replaces our own. 00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:28.019 You and I have a mission. 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:31.960 Our mission changes all the time. 00:25:33.180 --> 00:25:35.539 When I was a kid, my mission was to be a spy. 00:25:36.339 --> 00:25:37.619 At some point in time, 00:25:37.700 --> 00:25:39.299 I wanted to be an Olympic athlete, 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:42.460 a bicycle, a cyclist. 00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:44.839 I wanted to be a cyclist, an Olympic cyclist, 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:46.799 because I saw them riding those cool bikes. 00:25:46.879 --> 00:25:47.660 I thought it was awesome. 00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:50.680 Eventually, that mission changed. 00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:55.839 Our mission for ourselves changes all the time. 00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:59.059 You have a mission for yourself right now. 00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:00.480 You have an agenda. 00:26:00.679 --> 00:26:01.379 You have a dream. 00:26:01.579 --> 00:26:02.319 You have goals. 00:26:03.419 --> 00:26:05.899 God's mission replaces those. 00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:07.199 Now, the cool thing is, 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:10.639 sometimes God's mission helps you achieve goals 00:26:10.639 --> 00:26:12.699 that you never thought possible for yourself. 00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:15.399 That's not promised, 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:17.399 because your goals might not be healthy for you. 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:19.259 It might not be the best outcome. 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:21.679 But God's mission always will be. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:24.580 So God's mission replaces our own. 00:26:25.140 --> 00:26:28.160 Let's look back at verse 11 in 2 Corinthians 5, 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:29.519 back where we begin. 00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:31.740 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:34.100 we try to persuade people. 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:36.960 That's God's mission. 00:26:37.820 --> 00:26:39.740 Us persuading people. 00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:40.740 Now, when I say us, 00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:42.120 I'm talking to the Christians in the room. 00:26:42.820 --> 00:26:43.160 All right? 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:44.880 The children of God, the Jesus followers. 00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:49.220 Our mission from God is to persuade others 00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:51.400 of the goodness of God. 00:26:51.400 --> 00:26:52.519 And verse 14. 00:26:52.860 --> 00:26:54.200 Skip down again, verse 14. 00:26:54.560 --> 00:26:57.200 For the love of Christ compels us. 00:26:58.060 --> 00:27:00.259 Man, we are compelled to do this. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.440 Why? 00:27:03.100 --> 00:27:04.600 Because he died for us. 00:27:05.120 --> 00:27:07.820 If one died for all, then all died. 00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:09.300 And he did die for all. 00:27:09.620 --> 00:27:11.400 Jesus died for all men everywhere. 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:12.900 Man, if you ever heard anybody say 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:14.660 that Jesus only died for certain people, 00:27:15.060 --> 00:27:16.040 that's so not true. 00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:17.920 Jesus died for everybody. 00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:19.440 He died for the whole world. 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:21.120 Is everyone going to turn to him? 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:21.640 No. 00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:23.060 Some will not. 00:27:23.860 --> 00:27:25.560 Some will choose to not turn to him. 00:27:25.560 --> 00:27:29.140 But Jesus died for all of us. 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:31.580 And he died for all. 00:27:31.780 --> 00:27:35.440 So that those who live should no longer live for themselves, 00:27:35.860 --> 00:27:37.160 in my mission, 00:27:37.620 --> 00:27:39.600 but for the ones who died for them 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:41.699 and was raised, 00:27:41.699 --> 00:27:43.139 from now on then, 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:46.599 we don't know anyone from a worldly perspective, 00:27:46.679 --> 00:27:49.259 even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, 00:27:49.379 --> 00:27:53.519 yet we now no longer know him in this way. 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:54.259 So, 00:27:55.259 --> 00:28:02.099 I want to explain what that last verse means. 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:06.059 Knowing Christ from a worldly perspective. 00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:11.399 If you go to an average person across Texas, 00:28:12.220 --> 00:28:13.919 there's a chance they've heard of Jesus. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:16.379 A chance they've heard of Christ, 00:28:16.619 --> 00:28:17.019 God, 00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:19.839 probably been to church at some point in their life, 00:28:19.899 --> 00:28:21.500 even if they're not faithfully attending now. 00:28:22.619 --> 00:28:24.539 May or may not have given their life to Christ, 00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:26.639 but at some point along the way, 00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:27.319 they've heard of him. 00:28:27.679 --> 00:28:28.659 They know what you're talking about, 00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:29.340 most people. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:36.060 They have probably a worldly perspective of Christ, 00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:36.920 of Jesus. 00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:39.980 Yeah, he's from the Bible, 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:40.880 he's God, 00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:42.340 et cetera, et cetera, 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:43.060 fill in the blank. 00:28:44.060 --> 00:28:45.340 The interesting thing though, 00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:50.279 is if you poll all of the people in this room right now, 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:56.680 you might find a similar worldly perspective. 00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:59.740 Far more than we would want to admit. 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:05.900 If you ask me at different points in my life, 00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:06.920 and I've been walking with Jesus 00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:08.900 since I gave my life to him at age seven. 00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:12.820 There's been ups and downs. 00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:17.019 There's been times when I strayed further and further away from him, 00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:19.080 and his will for my life. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:22.160 And in those moments, 00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.960 I can promise you, 00:29:24.080 --> 00:29:26.620 my perspective of God was a worldly perspective. 00:29:27.560 --> 00:29:29.299 Even though my dad was a pastor, 00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:32.100 I knew just about all there was to know, 00:29:32.820 --> 00:29:33.840 on paper, 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:36.380 could answer all the Bible trivia. 00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:43.080 But I still had a worldly perspective in my heart of God. 00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:47.080 Sometimes that perspective might be 00:29:47.080 --> 00:29:49.799 that God's the big judge up in the sky 00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:51.799 waiting for you to mess up so he can get you. 00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:57.259 And that's as far from who God is as you could possibly get. 00:29:59.639 --> 00:30:01.559 It also minimizes sin. 00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:06.599 Our sin doesn't call God to get us. 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:12.319 Our sin condemns us to an eternal death and suffering in hell. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:18.319 And there's nothing we can do to change that. 00:30:19.539 --> 00:30:22.279 God himself had to change it. 00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:25.859 And it cost his son's life. 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.980 Sin is a massive deal. 00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:30.899 It's a huge thing. 00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:34.119 It's not a small thing in God's eyes. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:36.539 It cost Jesus his blood. 00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:38.579 It cost Jesus his suffering. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:40.819 It cost Jesus, the son of God, 00:30:41.079 --> 00:30:42.019 his very life. 00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:46.579 So a correct view of God, 00:30:46.859 --> 00:30:48.539 not a worldly view of God, 00:30:48.879 --> 00:30:50.799 is that God loves us 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:53.180 more than we can possibly imagine. 00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:55.319 And he showed it on the cross. 00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:58.940 And then he showed his power and his deity 00:30:58.940 --> 00:31:00.539 by rising from the dead 00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:02.200 and being available to us. 00:31:02.200 --> 00:31:05.080 And says, listen, I want you. 00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:08.200 I have a plan for you. 00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:11.460 I have value for you. 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:13.799 I have a meaning for your life. 00:31:14.180 --> 00:31:17.120 My mission must now replace yours. 00:31:17.580 --> 00:31:20.080 He has given us a mission. 00:31:24.080 --> 00:31:25.500 I want to show you this quote. 00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:29.039 Not so much that the church has a mission, 00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:32.740 it's that the mission of God has a church. 00:31:34.099 --> 00:31:35.960 It's a great writer named Alan Hirsch. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:39.500 And I really enjoy the thought behind this quote. 00:31:42.220 --> 00:31:45.119 It's not so much that God looked down at our church 00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:46.759 and said, hey, here's a mission for y'all. 00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:50.859 It's that there is this mission that already exists. 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:54.440 And God established the church for it. 00:31:54.859 --> 00:31:56.500 He established the church. 00:31:56.500 --> 00:31:59.640 He gathers us together, not for a social club. 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:01.640 He gathers us together, 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:04.640 not just for a group who can hang out sometimes. 00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:06.059 Now, should we hang out? 00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:07.059 Absolutely, man. 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:09.180 We feed off each other when we hang out. 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:10.440 We sharpen each other. 00:32:10.539 --> 00:32:11.839 Iron sharpens iron, right? 00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:16.140 But God established this church 00:32:16.140 --> 00:32:19.220 to carry his mission across the world. 00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:21.180 We are the vehicle 00:32:21.180 --> 00:32:24.759 for advancing the kingdom of God on earth. 00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:27.799 Not all his children have been brought into the fold yet. 00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:30.460 Not all the saints have come home. 00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:33.720 And so God says, I have this mission. 00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:35.359 It's all part of the plan 00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:37.799 that was established before the foundation of the world, 00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:39.839 before any of you or I existed. 00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:42.059 God had this plan in place. 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:43.299 He had this mission. 00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:45.740 And he says, now I have my church 00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:47.940 to go out and propagate it. 00:32:48.059 --> 00:32:49.940 Now I have my church to go out 00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:51.500 and spread the good news. 00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:54.680 And so that's where your circle of the world comes into play. 00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:56.579 That's where the people in your life 00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:59.460 become incredibly important, 00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:01.779 become this divine purpose. 00:33:02.859 --> 00:33:04.200 You say, my life? 00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:05.460 My life seems so dull. 00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:06.779 My life seems so boring. 00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:08.319 My life seems so small. 00:33:08.539 --> 00:33:08.920 No, no, no. 00:33:09.140 --> 00:33:11.740 It's your part of God's mission 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:13.799 for this entire world. 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:17.019 And if you don't accomplish your mission, 00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:18.859 that part struggles. 00:33:18.859 --> 00:33:21.359 Somebody else has to come along. 00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:25.759 Because God uses people. 00:33:26.899 --> 00:33:28.219 God uses us. 00:33:28.839 --> 00:33:32.139 So the mission of God has a church. 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:34.639 And that's where you and I come in. 00:33:35.059 --> 00:33:38.279 God's mission must replace our own. 00:33:39.219 --> 00:33:40.939 And then that brings us right into number three. 00:33:42.219 --> 00:33:43.519 Final point this morning. 00:33:43.699 --> 00:33:47.219 God's mission is continual change. 00:33:47.220 --> 00:33:49.779 I knew we were going to get back 00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:51.200 to the change part eventually, all right? 00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:54.660 God's mission is continual change. 00:33:54.759 --> 00:33:55.480 What do we mean by that? 00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:56.400 Look at verse 17. 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:00.539 We're changing how we view Christ, 00:34:00.740 --> 00:34:02.400 not from a worldly perspective, 00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:07.220 from an intimate, personal knowledge 00:34:07.740 --> 00:34:09.579 that is ever-increasing, 00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:13.500 an affection that's ever-growing stronger 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:16.900 because we know God's not shaking his fist at us. 00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:18.719 He's not pointing his finger at us. 00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:20.820 He knows the worst about us. 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.340 And he loves us anyway. 00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:24.840 And so our perspective has changed. 00:34:25.780 --> 00:34:27.739 And as we walk with him, 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:30.440 we experience continual change. 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:31.139 Verse 17. 00:34:31.239 --> 00:34:31.619 Here we go. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:33.260 If anyone is in Christ, 00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.679 he's a new creation. 00:34:35.420 --> 00:34:39.599 Change began when Jesus saved your soul. 00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:44.659 Change began when you placed your faith in God. 00:34:46.059 --> 00:34:48.039 Now the old has passed away 00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:49.360 and the new is here. 00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.739 The new has come. 00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.199 So verse 18. 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:54.219 Everything is from God. 00:34:55.699 --> 00:34:58.039 He has reconciled us to himself through Christ. 00:34:58.319 --> 00:35:01.079 He's given us the ministry of reconciliation. 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:02.159 Remember that? 00:35:02.299 --> 00:35:03.460 Ministry of reconciliation. 00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:05.920 In Christ, verse 19, 00:35:05.920 --> 00:35:07.920 God was reconciling the world to himself, 00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:10.180 not counting their trespasses against us, 00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:10.960 against them, 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:12.599 and he has committed the, 00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:13.159 here we go, 00:35:13.420 --> 00:35:16.599 message of reconciliation to us. 00:35:17.059 --> 00:35:17.880 What are we talking about? 00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:19.720 Ministry of reconciliation 00:35:19.720 --> 00:35:21.980 and message of reconciliation. 00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:25.920 Do you realize that reconciliation is change? 00:35:27.780 --> 00:35:29.980 What does it mean to reconcile something? 00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:31.920 Anybody still use a checkbook? 00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:35.360 You ever reconcile your checkbook? 00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:39.099 I think it happened during my lifetime 00:35:39.099 --> 00:35:41.579 where we like went away from the checkbook 00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:43.579 because I grew up with that 00:35:43.579 --> 00:35:45.420 and then at some point along the way 00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:47.400 most people stopped using checkbooks. 00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:48.820 If you still use checkbooks, 00:35:48.920 --> 00:35:49.539 that's all right. 00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:51.579 People just know you're old. 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:54.840 So part of it's one of those things, man. 00:35:54.880 --> 00:35:55.340 I don't know. 00:35:56.680 --> 00:35:58.340 Is there anybody here under the age of 30 00:35:58.340 --> 00:35:59.519 who uses a checkbook? 00:36:00.740 --> 00:36:01.659 Look at you go. 00:36:01.780 --> 00:36:02.940 Caden, come on, man. 00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:03.420 I love it. 00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.740 It's an old soul right there. 00:36:05.920 --> 00:36:06.659 It's awesome. 00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:09.380 When we reconcile something, 00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:11.220 we're making it match, right? 00:36:11.380 --> 00:36:14.519 We're taking something that's not reconciled. 00:36:14.579 --> 00:36:15.860 It doesn't match up. 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:16.260 Whoa. 00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:18.559 Doesn't match up. 00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.340 Doesn't work together. 00:36:21.380 --> 00:36:24.079 There's two entities that are not resolved. 00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:26.019 Well, that was us and God, right? 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:27.000 Us and our sin. 00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:28.440 God and his perfection. 00:36:28.820 --> 00:36:30.200 We could not mesh. 00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:31.519 Didn't work. 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:36.320 So Jesus reconciled us by his blood. 00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:38.059 When he shed his blood on the cross, 00:36:38.219 --> 00:36:41.300 that was the payment for your sin and for mine. 00:36:41.780 --> 00:36:45.519 So now he's given us the same ministry, 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:47.460 the ministry of reconciliation. 00:36:47.460 --> 00:36:50.300 So we're supposed to be reconcilers. 00:36:51.199 --> 00:36:53.159 You and I are reconcilers. 00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:55.380 You've probably never called yourself that before. 00:36:56.240 --> 00:36:58.199 You've probably never called anybody else that before. 00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:00.699 We're supposed to be peacemakers. 00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:02.199 We're supposed to be reconcilers. 00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:04.740 We have the ministry of reconciliation, 00:37:05.139 --> 00:37:08.420 and we all have the same message of reconciliation. 00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:10.820 It's the same message of reconciliation 00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:13.039 that saved my soul and yours. 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:17.579 So God's mission is that we are ministers of reconciliation 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:20.519 carrying the message of reconciliation. 00:37:21.200 --> 00:37:24.500 Now go back two chapters, 2 Corinthians 3, 16 through 18, 00:37:24.599 --> 00:37:25.599 or you can just look at the screen. 00:37:25.700 --> 00:37:26.099 That's fine. 00:37:26.920 --> 00:37:28.420 Whenever someone turns to the Lord, 00:37:28.700 --> 00:37:30.380 the veil is taken away. 00:37:30.659 --> 00:37:32.220 For the Lord is the Spirit. 00:37:32.599 --> 00:37:34.260 And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, 00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:36.119 there is freedom, 00:37:37.380 --> 00:37:38.079 reconciliation, 00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:40.720 it all comes together. 00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:44.480 Verse 18. 00:37:45.579 --> 00:37:46.599 So all of us 00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:49.139 who have had that veil removed 00:37:49.139 --> 00:37:50.860 can see. 00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:54.420 But it's not just about us. 00:37:54.820 --> 00:37:57.139 It's not just about us being able to see. 00:37:57.420 --> 00:37:58.400 What else does it say? 00:37:59.159 --> 00:38:00.200 Look at the screen, would you? 00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:02.099 All of us who have had that veil removed 00:38:02.099 --> 00:38:03.639 can see and what? 00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:06.099 Reflect. 00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:09.199 For the benefit of others. 00:38:09.400 --> 00:38:10.940 So they can see too. 00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:13.880 Because someone reflected it for us. 00:38:14.839 --> 00:38:17.119 And now we get to be reflectors. 00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:21.460 So we're reconcilers and we're reflectors, aren't we? 00:38:22.259 --> 00:38:25.079 Then we can reflect the glory of the Lord. 00:38:25.079 --> 00:38:27.319 And the Lord who is the Spirit 00:38:27.319 --> 00:38:31.039 makes us more and more 00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:33.779 as He trains us, 00:38:33.980 --> 00:38:35.779 as we're walking on this journey, 00:38:36.099 --> 00:38:38.599 more and more like Him 00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:39.420 as we are, 00:38:39.500 --> 00:38:40.480 here's that dirty word, 00:38:40.599 --> 00:38:40.779 ready? 00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:41.519 Let's say it together. 00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:45.860 Changed into His glorious image. 00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:49.480 God is a God of change. 00:38:50.539 --> 00:38:52.539 And I thank God 00:38:52.539 --> 00:38:56.220 because I can't change on my own. 00:39:01.500 --> 00:39:03.660 God changes me. 00:39:04.660 --> 00:39:06.599 God changes you. 00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:08.720 God wants to change you more. 00:39:09.160 --> 00:39:10.740 He wants to change our church. 00:39:12.160 --> 00:39:13.280 Man, change is scary. 00:39:13.720 --> 00:39:14.640 What's it going to be? 00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:16.140 Well, if we're walking with Jesus, 00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:17.519 it's going to be great. 00:39:18.500 --> 00:39:20.780 His change is going to be so much better 00:39:20.780 --> 00:39:23.400 than if we stayed the same 00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:26.120 or if we figured out our own change. 00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:28.900 It's the last thought and we're done. 00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:31.720 We've been talking about this verse 00:39:31.720 --> 00:39:33.099 and we're going to keep talking about it. 00:39:33.639 --> 00:39:34.420 If you're tired of it, 00:39:34.440 --> 00:39:34.820 I'm sorry. 00:39:34.920 --> 00:39:35.539 It's God's Word. 00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:36.079 Here we go. 00:39:36.380 --> 00:39:37.260 Romans 12, 2. 00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:39.200 Don't copy the behavior 00:39:39.200 --> 00:39:40.500 and customs of this world, 00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:42.360 but let God transform you 00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:43.740 into a new person 00:39:43.740 --> 00:39:47.820 by changing the way we think. 00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:50.619 Then we'll learn to know God's will for us 00:39:50.619 --> 00:39:51.940 and it's good and it's pleasing 00:39:51.940 --> 00:39:52.800 and it's perfect. 00:39:53.680 --> 00:39:56.139 Let God change your thinking. 00:39:56.139 --> 00:39:59.339 Let God change your thinking. 00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:03.659 Let God change the way you are a husband. 00:40:03.859 --> 00:40:05.500 Let God change the way you're a spouse. 00:40:06.500 --> 00:40:08.440 Let God change the way you run a business. 00:40:09.279 --> 00:40:11.299 Let God change the way you treat your employees. 00:40:11.559 --> 00:40:13.219 Let God change the way you treat your boss 00:40:13.219 --> 00:40:14.359 or talk about him or her. 00:40:15.039 --> 00:40:17.159 Let God change the way you treat your children. 00:40:18.059 --> 00:40:22.059 Let God change the way you act in the dark. 00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:23.500 You act when no one's watching. 00:40:23.500 --> 00:40:30.699 let God change the way you think about him let God change the way you think about this church 00:40:30.699 --> 00:40:38.280 we had a new worship guy get up here didn't we different right change 00:40:38.280 --> 00:40:43.920 we've had new people getting baptized we've had new people coming into the church 00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:50.980 that's all change let God change the way we think about that here's the takeaway today God 00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:59.219 change me to fit what you want to do in my life in our church and in this world change me 00:40:59.219 --> 00:41:06.179 to fit what you want to do in my life in this church and in this world would you bow your heads 00:41:06.179 --> 00:41:11.539 with me please God I pray that you would change us please change us God 00:41:11.539 --> 00:41:18.260 we don't want to change for change's sake we want to change because that's what you want to do with us 00:41:18.260 --> 00:41:24.620 you want to transform us we want to be changed into your image God show us what that looks like 00:41:24.620 --> 00:41:32.260 in Henrietta Texas in 2024 show us what that looks like in Clay County in 2024 show us what that looks 00:41:32.260 --> 00:41:41.220 like as parents as siblings sons and daughters friends neighbors employees co-workers 00:41:41.219 --> 00:41:50.179 show us what that looks like in our world to be changed by you we'll give you all the glory for it 00:41:50.179 --> 00:41:55.919 God you're going to bring us into a future that is so much better than whatever we could have gotten to 00:41:55.919 --> 00:42:05.219 on our own in Jesus name we pray amen church would you keep your seats keep your seats and just enter into a moment of prayer 00:42:05.219 --> 00:42:19.139 our ACeven 00:42:20.179 --> 00:42:23.139 we'll bring you on 00:42:25.259 --> 00:42:26.219 say