WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.859 that's my friend Jeff he's got a he's got a better memory than me and I uh man I'm enjoying 00:00:16.859 --> 00:00:25.160 seeing those days through his eyes that was 1992 1992 we were both young single guys and 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:33.079 wanting to follow the Lord wherever he lead us and God gave us wives and children and now he's a 00:00:33.079 --> 00:00:40.140 grandpa good grief uh isn't that amazing I hope y'all love Jeff uh you treat treat him well he's 00:00:40.140 --> 00:00:46.260 he's a treasure and uh I'm I'm so glad to be here to get to see him again and I'm really privileged 00:00:46.260 --> 00:00:51.539 to see all of you too thank you for letting me come I hope you like me and I hope I like you 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:56.379 and if not we're just you know we'll just go away from this day going never again we're never again 00:00:56.379 --> 00:01:05.539 but uh it really is a privilege to be here with you to to encourage your hearts uh and and also to 00:01:05.539 --> 00:01:11.900 spend time with these missionaries you realize what a what a what a what a special thing that is that 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:17.379 the Lord would uh gather them here to be with you that you might hear and be a part of their ministry 00:01:17.379 --> 00:01:25.780 and pray for them and and and and just have this moment with them so uh anyway thank you for for 00:01:25.780 --> 00:01:30.799 this opportunity and I know the other the other guests that are here for the uh conference are also 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:37.780 very thankful I thought I'd start with a scary something to tell you because it's October right 00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:42.179 so you ready to be scared let me say something that'll give you shivers up your spine you ready for 00:01:42.180 --> 00:01:51.220 this little girl's like what's he gonna say the scariest thing I could tell you is that you could 00:01:51.220 --> 00:02:00.740 waste your life and do nothing of real significance with it you could waste your entire life and and 00:02:00.740 --> 00:02:10.020 dedicate yourself to this or that and and pour your whole being into it and it be of no significance 00:02:10.020 --> 00:02:19.300 whatsoever you could waste your entire life and that should terrify us your life is a mist 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:27.620 the word of God says the word your life is a mist you know what mist is mist is h2o that's what mist is 00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:38.340 it's h2o right and uh uh you know it it's it's it's it's just a vapor hero of alexandria in the first 00:02:38.340 --> 00:02:46.420 century he saw a pot boiling with a lid on it and he saw that the the the pressure of that vapor that 00:02:46.420 --> 00:02:53.539 steam was actually moving this heavy lid on this pot there's there's something to this he actually 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:59.620 was the first to formulate a a very primitive steam turbine by kind of funneling that steam into a 00:02:59.620 --> 00:03:02.980 little thing that goes around circles it didn't it wasn't very useful and it wasn't until 00:03:02.979 --> 00:03:14.179 1698 that thomas savory uh using the work of geronimo de hyens they they formed a steam-powered 00:03:14.179 --> 00:03:22.179 pump to get floods out of mines in 1705 that same thomas savory invented the first steam engine that 00:03:22.179 --> 00:03:30.099 james watt the scott improved upon and by the 1800s the whole world was powered by steam 00:03:30.099 --> 00:03:38.740 your life is a mist if you are a saved h2o then your life at the end of your life will just 00:03:39.379 --> 00:03:44.099 be a mist and it'll be a vapor and it'll be a steam and it'll just evaporate up into the clouds and 00:03:44.099 --> 00:03:46.099 that's where you'll go after your life 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:57.379 if you are not saved h2o if you're not having accepted christ jesus as your lord and savior well 00:03:57.379 --> 00:04:03.460 you'll go down like water down to the lowest place you'll go to some stagnant pool somewhere and 00:04:03.460 --> 00:04:10.180 there you will pull for a whole eternity but those aren't the only two options we have because 00:04:11.060 --> 00:04:18.659 we could be pressurized steam we could be missed with a purpose your life is a mist but your mist could be 00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:28.500 focused your mist could be utilized for the years and days of your life in your generation and so that is 00:04:29.140 --> 00:04:36.260 our prayer today what does god want to happen here today what what is the purpose of this that god would 00:04:36.260 --> 00:04:45.460 mobilize me and you encourage these missionaries to continue and that this church would become a great 00:04:45.459 --> 00:04:56.019 mobilized mission church for him and so let's pray for that right now lord we thank you for this day 00:04:56.019 --> 00:05:04.179 and we thank you for this opportunity to be together the holy spirit is here in the midst of us god as 00:05:04.179 --> 00:05:10.579 we've gathered in the name of jesus we the holy spirit is here in the midst of us and he's delighted at the 00:05:10.579 --> 00:05:19.300 fellowship and he's eager to speak words of change and transformation and god he he wants our lives to be 00:05:20.259 --> 00:05:26.740 power packed in our generation and so god thank you for this time we pray that you encourage 00:05:26.740 --> 00:05:32.500 our missionary brothers and sisters to continue the good work to not grow weary in doing good 00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:37.219 we know that if they don't grow weary they will reap a harvest if they don't give up god encourage them 00:05:37.220 --> 00:05:44.100 and god please we pray now that you speak to this church that you are making into the church that 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:48.660 you want it to be i know lord that they're at a time of transition but i pray god with all my heart 00:05:48.660 --> 00:05:57.300 and they pray together god that you will have your way in this body and so god now speak to us we pray 00:05:58.100 --> 00:06:03.540 we thank you again for what you're going to say in the name of jesus amen 00:06:03.540 --> 00:06:13.860 second chronicles second chronicles we're going to focus on chapter 19 it's a short chapter 00:06:15.700 --> 00:06:22.580 but as i talk to you about chronicles i just want to tell you that boy this this path this part of the 00:06:22.580 --> 00:06:27.540 scriptures that doesn't get a whole lot of attention not not too many people know much about the kings that 00:06:27.540 --> 00:06:34.100 are listed here there's a lot the lord can teach us about leadership principles for the church 00:06:34.740 --> 00:06:41.140 and for god's people that are here and today we're going to focus on one of the kings in in this book 00:06:41.140 --> 00:06:47.620 in chapter 19 second chronicles uh the the king that we're going to look at he's the seventh king 00:06:47.620 --> 00:06:55.220 of the 20 kings of judah and he's one of the good kings and in fact uh those of you who grew up about 00:06:55.220 --> 00:07:01.300 the same time i did or maybe a little before me you would like this king just for his name because 00:07:01.300 --> 00:07:07.300 when you hear his name you'll think of the great theologian that we grew up with on saturday mornings 00:07:07.860 --> 00:07:14.980 yosemite sam yosemite sam who would say great jumping jehoshaphat right remember that 00:07:15.860 --> 00:07:19.380 we're gonna we're gonna talk about jehoshaphat king jehoshaphat today 00:07:19.379 --> 00:07:29.379 okay okay yosemite he'd also say great horny toads say your prayers marmot right i hate that rabbit 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:39.699 jehoshaphat was a good king who lived 60 years on earth and made a powerful impact in his generation 00:07:41.540 --> 00:07:48.579 and these principles that we will learn about and from his life will are are important i think that god 00:07:48.579 --> 00:07:54.979 wants us to hear them today and in fact i think god really gave me this message for this moment 00:07:55.539 --> 00:07:58.659 i actually looked through old sermons to try to come up with something good that you know 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:04.019 let's give them one of my best you know it wasn't what god wanted this is something i've never preached before 00:08:05.139 --> 00:08:13.620 but these principles are so important i i i give you an example of of just the the beauty of this part of the scriptures 00:08:13.620 --> 00:08:23.620 chapter 20 jehoshaphat is told that a vast army is coming against them from edom coming towards jerusalem 00:08:23.620 --> 00:08:30.420 in fact he's the army's already 25 miles from jerusalem when they hear about it some spies let 00:08:30.420 --> 00:08:36.179 them down didn't they so they're that close and they're terrified and he calls for fasting and 00:08:36.179 --> 00:08:41.620 prayer across the nation please come help come pray and children and women verse chapter 20 verse 13 says 00:08:41.620 --> 00:08:45.940 that the women and the children and the men all gathered at the temple to pray and they prayed this 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:52.980 desperate prayer and in fact verse 12 he says joseph at and leading the prayer says we do not know what 00:08:52.980 --> 00:08:58.500 to do but our eyes are on you that's a great prayer isn't it we don't know what to do but our eyes are on 00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:03.620 you and god speaks to them and says you just wait you just stand firm i'm going to deliver you you will 00:09:03.620 --> 00:09:11.220 not have to fight this army he said just march out just march out and face them i will do the fighting for you 00:09:11.220 --> 00:09:18.580 and when and when they went out uh they uh joseph at he says okay god said this let's believe him and he sent some 00:09:18.580 --> 00:09:24.980 men up to to lead in singing as they marched out all the women and the children and the men going to face this army and they 00:09:24.980 --> 00:09:33.940 sang give thanks to the lord our god and king his love endures forever that's what they sang isn't that 00:09:33.940 --> 00:09:41.060 great we sing that one well they sang it too and when they got to the the desert of jeruel i guess 00:09:41.060 --> 00:09:48.420 that's how you say it and they saw this vast army they were surprised to see that they were already dead 00:09:48.419 --> 00:09:54.500 all of them they had turned against one another as they marched towards jerusalem and they all fought 00:09:54.500 --> 00:09:59.219 with one another the ammonites fought with the boabites and the edomites and they all just they 00:09:59.219 --> 00:10:05.299 did each other in and when they got there nobody was left alive which makes me wonder how the last guy 00:10:05.299 --> 00:10:15.299 standing died he must have fallen and hit his head i don't know but this is a powerful part of scripture 00:10:15.299 --> 00:10:21.620 now we go back to chapter 19 and chapter 19 follows chapter 18 which is usually how the bible works 00:10:22.339 --> 00:10:33.059 and in chapter 18 the uh uh what jehoshaphat does is unfortunate he he has a soft spot in his 00:10:33.620 --> 00:10:42.419 heart for king ahab in the northern country the northern kingdom we know ahab the husband of jezebel this 00:10:42.419 --> 00:10:50.500 this this awful king who who elijah worked with and tried to lead and he wouldn't be led ahab was a 00:10:50.500 --> 00:10:56.740 very very evil king but jehoshaphat who actually is a godly man had a soft spot in his heart for ahab 00:10:57.539 --> 00:11:04.899 and and and we have to wonder why he did that i you know maybe he thought ahab was funny maybe he thought 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:10.419 you know ahab he's he's not he's naughty man he's a he's a knucklehead he's not a good guy but boy he's 00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:15.779 funny maybe that's what he did maybe you got a friend like that too who's just really really really 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:24.980 wicked but you like spending time with them because they're funny or maybe it's because ahab flattered him 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:33.139 because in chapter 18 when he goes to visit him he puts on a big feast to honor king jehoshaphat so 00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:44.179 maybe it was flattery something like that but while he was there uh you know ahab says to him 00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:50.659 man we've got a little problem the syrians have taken over ramoth gilead ramoth gilead is a is a 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:57.700 is is one of our cities on the eastern side of the jordan river and and the syrians they've taken it over 00:11:57.700 --> 00:12:02.259 and we need to go over there and take it back would you like to come over there maybe bring some of your 00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:06.580 army with would you like to come over there and help us just retake ramoth gilead probably an 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:10.100 afternoon's work shouldn't be a problem we'll just go over there and knock it out would you like to 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:18.019 come with and you know josephat he's like well maybe we should ask god first and micaiah the prophet 00:12:18.019 --> 00:12:25.220 comes and tells ahab that this will be the day that you die bye bye miss american bye you anyway this will be the day that you die 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:35.779 and so anyway ahab was a sleazy guy and a terrible friend and just so you know we need to kind of 00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:40.660 distance ourselves from terrible friends ahab says to him when he hears that this is going to be the 00:12:40.660 --> 00:12:45.540 day that he dies he says well you know josephat i've got a plan why don't you wear your robes you 00:12:45.540 --> 00:12:50.740 know you go out as king you wear your robes and stuff and you be the king i'm going to go in disguise as a 00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:55.700 soldier and i'll just kind of fight you know in the battle as a soldier and i'll just have just 00:12:55.700 --> 00:13:05.700 regular soldier equipment on and josephat's like okay well the battle went as as the lord said through 00:13:05.700 --> 00:13:11.299 this prophet micaiah and and things went bad things were very bad and the army scattered uh syrians were 00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:19.299 winning uh josephat himself he's running for his life oh god help me and you know they realize hey that's 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:24.179 not ahab and they leave him and they don't they don't pursue him any further but one random soldier 00:13:24.819 --> 00:13:31.779 draws an arrow and shoots it no particular direction and that arrow comes down and the 00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:38.019 literal translation in the hebrew says that it hit ahab between the joints of his armor 00:13:39.219 --> 00:13:45.859 where the where the buckle is this is where the you know where it fastens together space who knows about 00:13:45.860 --> 00:13:54.980 like this maybe and this arrow just from the sky comes down and kills ahab you see 00:13:57.539 --> 00:14:07.220 and jehoshaphat that's that's chapter 18 jehoshaphat he runs home as he should have in fact it says in 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:13.220 chapter 19 verse 1 that jehoshaphat king of judah returned safely to his palace in jerusalem if i were 00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:20.259 jehoshaphat i'd run all the way to my palace and get under my bed but he he didn't and he ran all 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:31.139 the way home now when we apply these passages to our scripture i i i i i wanted to make this as 00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:35.540 applicable as possible to all of us and i just think about the church and and so i gave it this 00:14:35.540 --> 00:14:40.820 title for our message today god's call to be a part of a greatly significant church that's a terrible 00:14:40.820 --> 00:14:45.860 terrible title i'm really bad at titles i think god doesn't he leaves the titles up to me and i'll 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:49.940 that's what i can come up with a really bad title so i encourage you as you're sitting there to come 00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:55.300 up with a better title for the sermon so when next time i preach it you know because there's better 00:14:55.300 --> 00:15:02.740 ways to describe this power for living life with meaning the purpose-driven life come up with something 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:08.740 for me and give it to me after the service a good title for this sermon but the the the point of this is that 00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:15.620 god wants to make your life matter and he wants to make our churches empowered 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:31.460 when jehoshaphat returns to jerusalem he meets the prophet jehu the seer 00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:41.539 the son of hanani and jehu the seer goes to him and says to him what are you doing let's 00:15:41.539 --> 00:15:45.700 let's read these verses when jehoshaphat king of judah returned safely to his palace in jerusalem 00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:50.419 jehu the seer the son of hanani went out to meet him and said to the king should you help the wicked 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:56.019 and love those who hate the lord meaning ahab because of this the wrath of the lord is on you 00:15:57.299 --> 00:16:01.940 there is however some good in you for you've rid the land of the asherah poles and have set 00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:13.060 your heart on seeking god j who says to him what are you doing what are you doing your life has a 00:16:13.060 --> 00:16:19.300 purpose your life has meaning your life is supposed to be important you god gave you a very specific 00:16:19.300 --> 00:16:26.260 ministry one that only you have done and you've gotten distracted and so our first point that we 00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:31.379 really need to see here in this passage is that if you want to live a life that matters if you want 00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:38.259 to have a church that's greatly significant you need to be intentional with god's mission 00:16:39.220 --> 00:16:45.139 be intentional with god's mission going up and spending time with ahab and going into this battle 00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:50.580 was not god's mission for jehoshaphat's life it was a distraction it was it was not where he was supposed 00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:59.139 to be and i i i i think this is important for us today because the last couple of years have been a 00:16:59.139 --> 00:17:07.779 distraction for us it's gotten us off track we we we we were busy about the lord's business and then all 00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:15.700 of a sudden we got shut down and the devil celebrates that we have now gone into sleep mode and a lot of 00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:24.420 people have they they're not here anymore have you noticed what's happening we've gotten distracted 00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:32.180 by things that aren't god's mission i want you to look at jehoshaphat's mission look at chapter 17 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:40.580 he's this is unique in chapter 17 verse 7 it says in the third year of his reign he sent his officials 00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:48.819 ben hail uh obadiah zachariah nathaniel makaiah to teach the towns teach in the towns of judah he sent 00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:54.019 the levites the the the high muckety muck priests there in their robes he said we're not hanging out 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:58.179 here in jerusalem you know being all proud of ourselves and and sitting around in comfortable 00:17:58.179 --> 00:18:03.379 chairs and and just having deep thoughts together and drinking tea we're going out we're going to go 00:18:03.379 --> 00:18:07.859 out into the villages we're going to go out into the towns and we're going to return the people we're 00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:12.099 going to take the word of god out to the people and teach them again because they've got they've 00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:17.939 gotten lost they've they've drifted over over the generations they have lost their knowledge of the 00:18:17.939 --> 00:18:23.779 word of god we've got to bring them back to god and jehoshaphat made that his mission god gave this 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:29.699 mission to jehoshaphat and so to go out and go to war with ahab that's a distraction that is not what we're 00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:38.900 supposed to do and there's distractions that have taken over our minds and hearts even in the church 00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:50.100 and even on the mission field you know our our battle is not politics amen to that our battle is not 00:18:50.099 --> 00:18:59.539 these things you know what i mean when i when i first came uh this morning i i was driving over 00:18:59.539 --> 00:19:03.939 and i was like how do i how do i say hi to these folks and i was going to put this on to begin my 00:19:03.939 --> 00:19:11.539 sermon you know that was going to be like and then i was going to go oh no just kidding just kidding you 00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:17.299 know but i was i was afraid that some people don't have a sense of humor and so i i thought i better stay 00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:28.500 away from that but these things are not worth fighting for or about it's a distraction we've 00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:35.059 gotten distracted what is our mission our mission is to bring people back to god and to bring people to 00:19:35.059 --> 00:19:44.180 god jehu the seer says to jehoshaphat what are you doing what are you doing and in fact he says that 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:52.740 the wrath of god is on you because of this god is disciplining us because we have lost our vision 00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:59.940 and our purpose and our commitment to the mission let me tell you something about being a great church 00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:06.900 if you want to be a great church you need to think about and and get in your heart second chronicles 16 9 00:20:06.900 --> 00:20:13.940 which is a word that was spoken to jehoshaphat's father asa it says this the eyes of the lord range 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:21.780 throughout the entire earth to uh to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him let me 00:20:21.780 --> 00:20:27.060 say it again the eyes of the lord range throughout the entire earth to strengthen those whose hearts 00:20:27.059 --> 00:20:34.659 are fully committed to him and so god's eyes are looking at us today 00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:46.500 and he's wondering if first baptist pickens might be a church whose hearts are fully committed to him 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:48.659 that he might strengthen this church 00:20:48.660 --> 00:21:01.220 and use this church and the promise is that if our hearts are fully committed to him he will wow 00:21:02.740 --> 00:21:11.380 how powerful is that and so he's looking to see if we're intentional with his mission if we're 00:21:11.380 --> 00:21:21.300 getting away from our our distractions and getting on to his mission jehu said what are you doing what are you doing 00:21:26.260 --> 00:21:34.500 i was in jakarta jakarta now has 30 million people the the metropolitan area has 30 million people 00:21:34.500 --> 00:21:37.859 that's 37 000 plus people per square mile 00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:49.539 and we arrived there on the mission field brand new and and we got the the the one quarter the 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:51.940 southern the southwestern quarter of the city and said go get them 00:21:54.099 --> 00:22:00.500 go get them there's only 28 million when we were there so not as big a job as it is today 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:07.460 and we went to a church and we we said to these folks would you guys like to help us we we uh we 00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:14.500 want to we want to reach out to the the lost people that live here and can we work with you guys is there is 00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:18.980 there a community that you guys would like to reach that we can help you work with and they said yeah 00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:23.380 yeah there's these people who uh collect trash they're called pamulung and they they walk around 00:22:23.380 --> 00:22:27.539 there they collect trash they're they're the trash collecting people nobody cares about them nobody loves 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:32.659 them and they live in the trash that they that they gather so they build these homes out of trash 00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:38.019 and we like to go minister to those people so we went down there and we met them and they said we'd 00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:41.619 like to learn how to read people take advantage of us because we can't read why we can do that we'll 00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:52.659 we'll do we'll do a uh a literary liter liter liter literacy project and we did training with this 00:22:52.659 --> 00:22:56.500 church we okay let's train let's train we spent a year we i'm sorry we spent about a month and a 00:22:56.500 --> 00:23:00.579 half training here's how we want to do it this is what we're going to do here's you know let's make 00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:05.700 sure we can all share the gospel this is and we're going to teach people how to read yay and it was 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:10.099 time to launch and we passed around the sign-up sheet so we're going to go out on saturday afternoons and 00:23:10.099 --> 00:23:12.900 we're going to meet with these folks in small groups and we're going to we're going to have little 00:23:12.900 --> 00:23:15.539 lessons and we're going to get to know these folks and do ministry with them 00:23:15.539 --> 00:23:23.940 we passed that sign-up sheet around the circle and it came back with no names 00:23:26.339 --> 00:23:29.460 so i passed it around again i thought maybe you didn't understand me the first time 00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:38.659 no names i'm sorry mister you know but uh you know we're not comfortable that we enjoyed the 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:47.140 training though and the meals we shared together and we need to get to about the lord's business 00:23:48.340 --> 00:23:51.460 stop being distracted and we do it here too we're too busy 00:23:54.500 --> 00:24:00.740 the devil just rejoices doesn't he when we have programs and plans and committee meetings that don't 00:24:00.740 --> 00:24:05.460 result in people going out and sharing the gospel with lost people which is the purpose for us for our 00:24:05.460 --> 00:24:13.700 lives so let's get intentional with the gospel got to go fast now we got to be incarnational with this 00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:19.220 gospel going to be incarnational with the gospel if you look at verse four so joseph joseph lived in 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:25.380 jerusalem but he went out again among the people from beersheba to the hill country of ephraim 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:34.259 and turned them back to the lord the god of their ancestors who went out again it says jehoshaphat went 00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:40.740 out again okay so jehoshaphat is not this guy who thinks he's above it all and he just sends other 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:48.980 people to do his work okay i said this in the first service and i i was informed that maybe i shouldn't 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:58.420 have but he was not a senator who you can see why i said i met that guy we're friends now uh but uh 00:24:58.420 --> 00:25:07.460 he was not a senator who said we'll have this kind of health care program but we'll give you this kind 00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:13.380 of health care program he's not a king who who said you know we're going to sit around and we're going 00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:20.580 to be regal and and opulent and luxurious while you go do the work he's not not not like a pastor who says 00:25:20.580 --> 00:25:24.900 you know the work the ministry's for the membership and i'm going to sit behind my desk and 00:25:24.900 --> 00:25:36.740 feel important no no he was a king who got out among the people from 00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:47.700 beersheba to ephraim and i want to say if you want to win the hearts let me say it this way if a king 00:25:47.700 --> 00:26:00.100 wants to win the hearts of people he'll go down among them amen if a king 00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:09.940 wants to win the hearts of people he'll come down among them if a king 00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:12.440 wants to win the hearts of people 00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:14.640 he'll come down among them. 00:26:16.820 --> 00:26:17.460 Incarnation. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:20.779 The king came down among people. 00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:22.660 Did he win your heart 00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:24.220 when he came? 00:26:25.840 --> 00:26:27.100 Has the king won your heart? 00:26:28.580 --> 00:26:29.880 Incarnational ministry. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:32.160 People 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:33.519 who 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.240 are 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:38.880 living out there in the villages. 00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:40.600 Out there 00:26:40.600 --> 00:26:42.039 in the towns. 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:45.080 Their minds are blown 00:26:45.080 --> 00:26:47.480 when somebody 00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:49.580 comes from America and sits 00:26:49.580 --> 00:26:50.559 on their floor with them. 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:53.559 And shares their snack 00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:54.820 with them or drinks their tea with them. 00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:56.279 Their minds are blown. 00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:59.360 Mister, why on earth would you leave America 00:26:59.360 --> 00:27:01.400 and come over here and sit on my floor? 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.620 Why would you do this? 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:05.960 Incarnation 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:07.259 is impactful. 00:27:08.580 --> 00:27:09.680 And it's not just 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:11.060 for other people to do this. 00:27:11.420 --> 00:27:12.860 You need to do this. 00:27:13.860 --> 00:27:15.120 You need to go out 00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:15.799 into the villages. 00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:16.660 You need to go out 00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:17.259 into the towns. 00:27:17.340 --> 00:27:17.980 You need to go out 00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:18.660 into the world 00:27:18.660 --> 00:27:19.980 and be incarnational 00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:21.279 with the work of Christ 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:23.580 and blow people's minds. 00:27:25.160 --> 00:27:25.779 He came. 00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.279 Didn't he? 00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:28.660 He came. 00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:32.220 2 Corinthians 8 says, 00:27:32.320 --> 00:27:32.860 For you know 00:27:32.860 --> 00:27:33.440 that the grace 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:34.480 of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:35.660 that though he was rich 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:36.900 yet for your sake 00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:37.700 he became poor 00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:39.080 so that through his poverty 00:27:39.080 --> 00:27:41.060 you might become rich. 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:44.019 His coming won our hearts 00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:44.660 and your going 00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:45.779 will win their hearts. 00:27:45.779 --> 00:27:50.440 I would sit on the floor 00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:53.940 with sweet people 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:55.440 in the villages 00:27:55.440 --> 00:28:00.240 in the urban slums 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:02.379 and visit their families 00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:04.440 and they'd say 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:05.359 Mister, what are you doing? 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:07.779 And I would say 00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.460 you know 00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:09.220 can I share something 00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:09.920 from my heart? 00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.440 I just 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.119 I've got to 00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:13.439 this is the reason 00:28:13.439 --> 00:28:14.619 that I've come 00:28:14.619 --> 00:28:15.599 I've got to share something 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:16.179 from my heart 00:28:16.179 --> 00:28:16.859 can I share it with you? 00:28:16.879 --> 00:28:17.819 Of course Mister 00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:18.179 please 00:28:18.179 --> 00:28:18.659 if you've got something 00:28:18.659 --> 00:28:19.159 on your heart 00:28:19.159 --> 00:28:19.839 if you've got a burden 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:20.819 share it. 00:28:22.479 --> 00:28:23.099 It's about 00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:24.459 my love for God 00:28:24.459 --> 00:28:26.079 and my trust 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:27.299 in Jesus 00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:27.959 his son 00:28:27.959 --> 00:28:28.959 can I share that with you? 00:28:28.979 --> 00:28:29.839 I don't want to offend you 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:31.099 but can I share it with you? 00:28:31.239 --> 00:28:32.000 Mister please 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:32.739 share it with us 00:28:32.739 --> 00:28:33.579 it's okay 00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:35.019 if you're burdened 00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:35.539 we want to hear 00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.779 please go ahead 00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:38.479 the incarnation 00:28:38.479 --> 00:28:39.179 at work. 00:28:41.479 --> 00:28:41.579 And 00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:43.059 you just tell them 00:28:43.059 --> 00:28:43.980 the story of Jesus 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:45.519 who was sent here 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:47.059 because God loves them 00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:48.339 and he died on the cross 00:28:48.339 --> 00:28:49.519 to take their sins 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:50.659 upon himself 00:28:50.659 --> 00:28:52.159 so that they don't have 00:28:52.159 --> 00:28:52.779 to be punished 00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:53.480 for their sins 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.240 eternally 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.720 and they can go to heaven 00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:56.439 when they die 00:28:56.439 --> 00:28:57.419 and he died 00:28:57.419 --> 00:28:58.279 and he was buried 00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:59.319 and on the third day 00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:00.299 he rose again 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.919 and when you say 00:29:00.919 --> 00:29:01.559 rose again 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.480 in that context 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:02.899 you know what 00:29:02.899 --> 00:29:03.759 generally happens? 00:29:04.039 --> 00:29:05.119 They gasp 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:05.480 ah! 00:29:06.939 --> 00:29:07.980 It's amazing 00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:09.859 that the resurrection 00:29:09.859 --> 00:29:10.939 has that much power 00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:12.100 that they gasp 00:29:12.100 --> 00:29:13.100 when they hear about it 00:29:13.100 --> 00:29:15.080 remember 1 Corinthians 15 00:29:15.080 --> 00:29:15.559 says 00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.840 that 00:29:16.840 --> 00:29:18.880 if he has not been raised 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:19.299 from the dead 00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:20.140 our preaching is useless 00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:21.039 and so is the faith 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:21.940 and the lost are 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:24.000 the dead are lost forever 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.120 and there is no hope 00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:27.160 that gasp is like 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:29.039 an inhale 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:30.640 of hope 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:35.240 be incarnational 00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:35.860 with the gospel 00:29:35.860 --> 00:29:36.660 and be intentional 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:37.840 with the mission 00:29:37.840 --> 00:29:39.920 and finally 00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:41.300 be indiscriminate 00:29:41.300 --> 00:29:43.200 with God's people 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:45.980 be indiscriminate 00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:47.020 with God's people 00:29:47.020 --> 00:29:49.780 verse 7 00:29:49.780 --> 00:29:51.800 the instructions 00:29:51.800 --> 00:29:52.660 that he gives them 00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.640 along with other things 00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:55.120 he's putting judges 00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:55.700 in place 00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:56.540 in the cities 00:29:56.540 --> 00:29:57.920 but he says 00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:59.080 in verse 7 00:29:59.080 --> 00:30:01.080 let the fear of the Lord 00:30:01.080 --> 00:30:01.700 be on you 00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:02.620 judge carefully 00:30:02.620 --> 00:30:04.160 for with the Lord 00:30:04.160 --> 00:30:04.820 our God 00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:06.080 there is no injustice 00:30:06.080 --> 00:30:07.380 or partiality 00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:08.500 or bribery 00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:09.720 partiality 00:30:09.720 --> 00:30:11.060 be indiscriminate 00:30:11.060 --> 00:30:11.560 that means 00:30:11.560 --> 00:30:13.759 not using any type 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:14.560 of discrimination 00:30:14.560 --> 00:30:15.920 with people 00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:17.259 when the king 00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:17.660 went out 00:30:17.660 --> 00:30:18.420 among the people 00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:20.620 he began to empathize 00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:20.880 with them 00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:22.019 he began to understand them 00:30:22.019 --> 00:30:23.080 he began to be connected 00:30:23.080 --> 00:30:23.860 to their stories 00:30:23.860 --> 00:30:25.039 and he cared about them 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:26.599 he sat with them 00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:27.480 in their humble settings 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:27.759 and he 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:28.440 okay 00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.879 so this is what it's like 00:30:29.879 --> 00:30:30.460 to be you 00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:31.460 okay I get it 00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:32.599 and it made him 00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:34.399 connected with him 00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:35.279 and so when he came back 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:36.059 and gave instructions 00:30:36.059 --> 00:30:37.619 for the ministry 00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:38.839 and for the leading 00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.420 of the people 00:30:39.420 --> 00:30:39.960 he said 00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:41.119 whatever you do 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:42.480 don't discriminate 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.639 show no prejudice 00:30:43.639 --> 00:30:44.579 between people 00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:47.559 that's important 00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:48.940 to God 00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:49.960 as his eyes 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:50.899 range throughout 00:30:50.899 --> 00:30:51.480 the earth 00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:52.480 looking for somebody 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:52.899 whose heart 00:30:52.899 --> 00:30:54.000 is fully devoted to him 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.000 that's important 00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.599 to God 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:57.299 that we be 00:30:57.299 --> 00:30:58.660 intentional 00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.940 with the mission 00:30:59.940 --> 00:31:01.299 and incarnational 00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:02.460 with the gospel 00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:04.059 and indiscriminate 00:31:04.059 --> 00:31:04.759 with the people 00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:06.539 I want to show you 00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:07.380 something in Acts 11 00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:09.539 Acts 11 00:31:09.539 --> 00:31:11.460 is a passage 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:11.839 where 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:12.940 at the beginning 00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:13.279 of it 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:14.059 Peter's in trouble 00:31:14.059 --> 00:31:15.039 Peter's getting 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:15.920 called on the carpet 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.579 in Jerusalem 00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:17.440 because he has shared 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:17.900 the gospel 00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.660 with Gentiles 00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:20.920 that wasn't supposed 00:31:20.920 --> 00:31:21.440 to happen 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.920 he didn't have 00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:23.359 approval 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:24.219 for that 00:31:24.219 --> 00:31:25.539 that he went 00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.659 to Cornelius' house 00:31:26.659 --> 00:31:27.359 and Cornelius 00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:28.879 he's preaching 00:31:28.879 --> 00:31:29.439 in the middle 00:31:29.439 --> 00:31:30.079 of his sermon 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:30.799 he's preaching 00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.799 and all of a sudden 00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:33.059 the spirit comes down 00:31:33.059 --> 00:31:34.079 and all the people 00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:34.779 started speaking 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.199 in tongues 00:31:35.199 --> 00:31:36.139 and the Holy Spirit 00:31:36.139 --> 00:31:37.059 filled all the people 00:31:37.059 --> 00:31:37.799 while in the middle 00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:38.839 of his sermon 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:40.679 if you ever want 00:31:40.679 --> 00:31:41.599 church to end 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:42.079 quicker 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:42.619 and you're ready 00:31:42.619 --> 00:31:43.019 for the sermon 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:43.699 to finish 00:31:43.699 --> 00:31:45.559 just let the Holy Spirit 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:46.179 have his way 00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:47.219 and then we'll be done 00:31:47.219 --> 00:31:50.219 but he got in trouble 00:31:50.219 --> 00:31:50.799 Peter did 00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:52.440 Peter went back 00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:52.919 to Jerusalem 00:31:52.919 --> 00:31:53.299 and he said 00:31:53.299 --> 00:31:53.700 look guys 00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:55.839 this was all God 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:57.919 God gave them 00:31:57.919 --> 00:31:58.259 a vision 00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:58.839 gave me a vision 00:31:58.839 --> 00:31:59.559 put it all together 00:31:59.559 --> 00:31:59.980 his spirit 00:31:59.980 --> 00:32:00.339 descended 00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:01.539 this was all God 00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:03.180 and so 00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:04.980 in the conclusion 00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.440 of that 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:06.460 in chapter 11 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.039 verse 18 00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:07.359 he says 00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:08.539 when they heard this 00:32:08.539 --> 00:32:09.359 they had no further 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:09.759 objections 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.419 and praised God 00:32:10.419 --> 00:32:11.220 saying so then 00:32:11.220 --> 00:32:13.159 even the Gentiles 00:32:13.159 --> 00:32:13.919 Greek word is 00:32:13.919 --> 00:32:14.579 ethne 00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:15.859 even the ethnicities 00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:16.659 and the ethne 00:32:16.659 --> 00:32:17.799 God has granted 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.319 repentance 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:19.579 that leads to life 00:32:19.579 --> 00:32:20.819 now I want you 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:21.319 to see something 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:21.839 as it applies 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.359 to the church 00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:23.539 verse 19 00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:25.460 now those 00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.099 who had been 00:32:26.099 --> 00:32:26.579 scattered 00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:27.679 by the persecution 00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:28.559 that broke out 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:29.579 when Stephen 00:32:29.579 --> 00:32:30.299 was killed 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:31.960 traveled as far 00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:32.519 as Phoenicia 00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:33.099 and Cyprus 00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:33.740 and Antioch 00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:34.639 spreading the word 00:32:34.639 --> 00:32:36.679 only among the Jews 00:32:36.679 --> 00:32:37.759 so Stephen was killed 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:38.639 and everybody scattered 00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:40.079 and everybody scattered 00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:40.740 they're still sharing 00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.179 the gospel 00:32:41.179 --> 00:32:41.759 as we do 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:42.339 but they're sharing 00:32:42.339 --> 00:32:43.700 it only with Jews 00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:53.080 I'm having too much 00:32:53.080 --> 00:32:53.779 fun with you people 00:32:53.779 --> 00:32:57.420 verse 20 00:32:57.420 --> 00:32:59.380 some of them 00:32:59.380 --> 00:32:59.880 however 00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:02.000 men from Cyprus 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:02.580 and Cyrene 00:33:02.580 --> 00:33:06.759 went to Antioch 00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:08.840 and began to speak 00:33:08.840 --> 00:33:09.759 to Greeks also 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:11.740 telling them 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.360 the good news 00:33:12.360 --> 00:33:13.200 about the Lord Jesus 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:15.240 look at the result 00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:16.100 in verse 21 00:33:16.100 --> 00:33:18.480 the Lord's hand 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:20.340 was with them 00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:22.500 and a great number 00:33:22.500 --> 00:33:23.319 of people believed 00:33:23.319 --> 00:33:23.860 and turned 00:33:23.860 --> 00:33:25.140 to the Lord 00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:27.000 the eyes of the Lord 00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:27.559 ranged throughout 00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:28.299 the entire earth 00:33:28.299 --> 00:33:29.240 looking for someone 00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:30.080 whose heart is fully 00:33:30.080 --> 00:33:30.759 committed to him 00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:31.279 that he may 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:33.120 strengthen them 00:33:33.120 --> 00:33:35.279 in response 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:36.100 to these folks 00:33:36.100 --> 00:33:37.519 breaking out 00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:38.180 of the barrier 00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:39.519 of just us 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:42.080 going cross-culturally 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:43.939 now to other people 00:33:43.939 --> 00:33:45.699 incarnationally 00:33:45.699 --> 00:33:46.419 with the gospel 00:33:46.419 --> 00:33:48.519 God said 00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:49.819 that's what I like 00:33:49.819 --> 00:33:51.460 they're doing it 00:33:51.460 --> 00:33:52.399 they're doing my work 00:33:52.399 --> 00:33:53.119 my way 00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:55.139 and he rolled up 00:33:55.139 --> 00:33:55.799 his sleeve 00:33:55.799 --> 00:33:57.319 and he put his hand 00:33:57.319 --> 00:33:59.139 on that church 00:33:59.139 --> 00:34:04.939 remember in Ephesians 2 00:34:04.939 --> 00:34:06.779 that the work of Jesus 00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:08.239 destroyed the barrier 00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:09.259 the dividing wall 00:34:09.259 --> 00:34:10.559 of hostility 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:12.299 between the ethnicities 00:34:12.299 --> 00:34:14.359 and it was his purpose 00:34:14.359 --> 00:34:15.619 to create in himself 00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:18.019 one new humanity 00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:20.159 Colossians 3 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.459 9 00:34:20.459 --> 00:34:21.399 there's a verse like this 00:34:21.399 --> 00:34:21.899 in Galatians 00:34:21.899 --> 00:34:22.599 I'll read you the one 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:23.439 from Colossians 3 00:34:23.439 --> 00:34:24.059 9 says 00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:25.019 you've taken off 00:34:25.019 --> 00:34:25.659 the old self 00:34:25.659 --> 00:34:26.500 with its practices 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:28.000 and put on a new self 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:28.819 which is being renewed 00:34:28.819 --> 00:34:30.019 in knowledge 00:34:30.019 --> 00:34:30.759 in the image 00:34:30.759 --> 00:34:31.619 of its creator 00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:33.039 here 00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:34.239 here 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:34.779 here 00:34:34.779 --> 00:34:35.739 in the church 00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:37.239 there's no Gentile 00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:37.839 or Jew 00:34:37.839 --> 00:34:38.759 or circumcised 00:34:38.759 --> 00:34:39.659 or uncircumcised 00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:40.699 barbarian 00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:41.199 Scythian 00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:41.659 slave 00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.219 or free 00:34:42.219 --> 00:34:43.000 but Christ 00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:44.259 is in all 00:34:44.259 --> 00:34:45.359 and is all 00:34:45.359 --> 00:34:46.719 man 00:34:46.719 --> 00:34:47.399 okay 00:34:47.399 --> 00:34:48.319 I want you to think 00:34:48.319 --> 00:34:50.019 about being in Galatia 00:34:50.019 --> 00:34:50.759 or Colossae 00:34:50.759 --> 00:34:51.599 or Ephesus 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:52.579 or Corinth 00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.199 or Berea 00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:53.899 or Philippi 00:34:53.899 --> 00:34:55.079 in those days 00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.259 and you're seeing 00:34:56.259 --> 00:34:57.299 people gathering 00:34:57.299 --> 00:34:58.479 together to worship 00:34:58.479 --> 00:35:00.679 a God 00:35:00.679 --> 00:35:01.659 that you don't know 00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:03.940 and women 00:35:03.940 --> 00:35:05.839 are coming 00:35:05.839 --> 00:35:08.319 and so are men 00:35:08.319 --> 00:35:09.179 together 00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:10.559 in the same room 00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:11.199 worshipping 00:35:11.199 --> 00:35:12.079 God 00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:12.519 whoa 00:35:12.519 --> 00:35:12.819 whoa 00:35:12.819 --> 00:35:13.099 whoa 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.440 whoa 00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:15.059 slaves 00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:17.299 slaves are coming 00:35:17.299 --> 00:35:19.859 and masters 00:35:19.859 --> 00:35:20.420 are coming 00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:22.899 together 00:35:22.899 --> 00:35:24.519 as equals 00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:26.099 to worship 00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:26.579 God 00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:27.079 together 00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:30.659 you're sitting there 00:35:30.659 --> 00:35:31.819 and you're watching 00:35:31.819 --> 00:35:32.379 this happen 00:35:32.379 --> 00:35:33.059 as a pagan 00:35:33.059 --> 00:35:33.920 Greek 00:35:33.920 --> 00:35:34.379 and you're like 00:35:34.379 --> 00:35:35.420 what is happening 00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:36.719 in this place 00:35:36.719 --> 00:35:38.139 what are those people 00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:39.339 this is unprecedented 00:35:39.339 --> 00:35:40.399 that this kind of 00:35:40.399 --> 00:35:41.239 gathering takes place 00:35:41.239 --> 00:35:42.500 this is the church 00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:43.539 of Jesus 00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:45.019 this is a new humanity 00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:46.579 where all the barriers 00:35:46.579 --> 00:35:46.759 are 00:35:46.759 --> 00:35:48.599 destroyed 00:35:48.599 --> 00:35:50.699 indiscriminate 00:35:50.699 --> 00:35:51.960 with God's people 00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:53.500 whoo 00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:54.539 man 00:35:54.539 --> 00:35:56.339 you see how 00:35:56.339 --> 00:35:57.000 the power 00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:57.619 of all that 00:35:57.619 --> 00:35:58.480 they'll know 00:35:58.480 --> 00:35:59.519 you are my 00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:00.760 disciples 00:36:00.760 --> 00:36:01.599 by your love 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.280 for one another 00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:03.740 you see how 00:36:03.740 --> 00:36:05.699 that manifold 00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:08.300 miracle 00:36:08.300 --> 00:36:09.199 that manifold 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:11.880 what's the word 00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:12.300 in Ephesus 00:36:12.300 --> 00:36:13.539 the manifold 00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.699 uh 00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:15.219 uh 00:36:15.219 --> 00:36:27.579 i got off track 00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:32.099 the manifold 00:36:32.099 --> 00:36:33.179 wisdom of God 00:36:33.179 --> 00:36:34.440 it was 00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:35.400 a 00:36:35.400 --> 00:36:36.320 mystery 00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:38.539 the mystery 00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:39.579 what is this 00:36:39.579 --> 00:36:41.259 what is this 00:36:41.259 --> 00:36:42.279 wow 00:36:42.280 --> 00:36:45.060 mind-blowing to the people of the day. 00:36:46.240 --> 00:36:48.980 Not only were slaves and women and men 00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:51.220 and landowners and everything else, 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:54.080 but here came barbarians and Scythians. 00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:55.560 Barbarians! 00:36:56.620 --> 00:36:59.320 Big, hairy, European, red-headed people 00:36:59.320 --> 00:37:01.860 coming down, stinking. 00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:04.720 Barbarians are gathering now 00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:07.100 and Scythians are the bad barbarians. 00:37:07.099 --> 00:37:12.319 It's amazing what the church of Christ is 00:37:12.319 --> 00:37:14.539 when we let it go, set it free. 00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:15.420 Amen? 00:37:17.799 --> 00:37:19.559 The scariest thing in the world 00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:24.279 is that we might live our lives on earth 00:37:24.279 --> 00:37:27.839 and do nothing of significance with. 00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:33.400 That we might be vapor that evaporates into the clouds 00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:35.860 and have nothing to show for what we did. 00:37:37.099 --> 00:37:39.360 Just living a life of distraction. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.739 And Jehu the seer says, 00:37:41.799 --> 00:37:42.319 what are you doing? 00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:43.799 What are you doing? 00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:50.239 Or, more tragic still would be 00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:54.639 to be water that flows down into a stagnant pool 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:56.440 and there will be suffering, 00:37:57.480 --> 00:37:58.259 gnashing of teeth. 00:37:58.260 --> 00:38:02.820 But you could live a life empowered. 00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:04.260 That's a good title. 00:38:05.860 --> 00:38:07.540 You could live a life empowered, 00:38:08.740 --> 00:38:09.760 focused. 00:38:11.420 --> 00:38:15.080 And God's call is to be intentional with the mission, 00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:16.600 incarnational with the gospel, 00:38:16.780 --> 00:38:18.960 and indiscriminate with the people. 00:38:19.420 --> 00:38:19.720 Amen? 00:38:19.720 --> 00:38:19.840 Amen? 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:23.019 It's decision time now. 00:38:23.960 --> 00:38:25.640 What do you usually do in decision time? 00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:26.800 You look at each other 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:29.460 and look at the poor preacher standing up there 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:30.260 like he has no friends? 00:38:31.960 --> 00:38:33.360 I do that every week. 00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:40.480 We do this missions thing once a year. 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:43.019 Once a year we do this. 00:38:43.720 --> 00:38:44.720 It's a special day. 00:38:45.500 --> 00:38:46.440 It's a special day. 00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:49.440 We have these missionaries with you and among you 00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:51.300 and you can think about the mission of your church 00:38:51.300 --> 00:38:52.940 and you think about your mission involvement, 00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:54.320 your own personal mission involvement, 00:38:54.700 --> 00:38:55.640 what you're doing, 00:38:55.740 --> 00:38:56.559 what your church is doing. 00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:59.900 And so in our decision time today, 00:39:00.639 --> 00:39:02.039 I want to ask you 00:39:02.039 --> 00:39:04.000 if you might actually come to the altar and pray. 00:39:05.099 --> 00:39:06.400 Pray for your own heart. 00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:07.739 That it would soften. 00:39:07.960 --> 00:39:09.380 That your own eyes would be, 00:39:10.539 --> 00:39:11.340 become aware 00:39:11.340 --> 00:39:15.779 that 155,000 people die every day without Jesus. 00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:18.299 And that you would actually care about that. 00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:22.860 That we might get shaken up a little bit 00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:24.619 and disturbed 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:28.219 and ask you if you would, 00:39:28.339 --> 00:39:29.659 if you know the Lord, 00:39:29.779 --> 00:39:30.960 if you'd come and you'd pray. 00:39:31.239 --> 00:39:33.000 Ask these missionaries to come and pray 00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:34.199 and I want you to pray for them. 00:39:35.500 --> 00:39:36.179 Pray for them. 00:39:37.619 --> 00:39:38.099 And you know, 00:39:39.059 --> 00:39:40.460 when I was a teenager, 00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:42.319 on a Sunday night, 00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:43.679 we had an inner city missionary 00:39:43.679 --> 00:39:46.539 from Louisville come and speak at my church 00:39:46.539 --> 00:39:47.759 and hardly anybody was there 00:39:47.759 --> 00:39:50.079 but that night God spoke to my heart 00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:51.339 and I went alone. 00:39:51.420 --> 00:39:53.059 I was the only one at the altar that night 00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:54.219 and I prayed at the altar 00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:54.559 and I said, 00:39:54.619 --> 00:39:54.980 God, 00:39:55.539 --> 00:39:57.519 I want my life to matter. 00:39:59.939 --> 00:40:01.899 And I gave my life to the Lord 00:40:01.899 --> 00:40:03.339 for his purposes that night. 00:40:03.399 --> 00:40:04.219 I didn't know what that meant. 00:40:05.799 --> 00:40:06.119 But you know, 00:40:06.179 --> 00:40:06.819 God is calling 00:40:06.819 --> 00:40:09.219 from among us here today 00:40:09.219 --> 00:40:11.759 that we live lives that matter. 00:40:13.699 --> 00:40:15.239 So I'm actually going to ask you 00:40:15.239 --> 00:40:16.439 to come to the altar 00:40:16.439 --> 00:40:17.399 and pray today. 00:40:17.400 --> 00:40:19.940 Think you can do it? 00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:21.200 Are you thinking about it? 00:40:21.240 --> 00:40:21.500 You're thinking, 00:40:21.619 --> 00:40:22.380 nah, I'm not doing that. 00:40:22.519 --> 00:40:23.500 I want you to reconsider. 00:40:25.360 --> 00:40:27.500 And if you are here today 00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:30.019 and you're water, 00:40:31.500 --> 00:40:32.200 you're going down. 00:40:32.199 --> 00:40:34.980 You don't have to. 00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:37.819 If you've not given your life 00:40:37.819 --> 00:40:40.159 and your love to Jesus Christ, 00:40:40.919 --> 00:40:42.699 you need to know that he loves you 00:40:42.699 --> 00:40:43.799 and that he's died for you 00:40:43.799 --> 00:40:46.079 and that he took your sin upon himself. 00:40:46.139 --> 00:40:47.899 If you'll give those sins to him 00:40:47.899 --> 00:40:49.500 and receive life from him, 00:40:49.759 --> 00:40:50.460 he was buried 00:40:50.460 --> 00:40:51.599 and on the third day, 00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:52.739 he rose again. 00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:54.480 He rose again. 00:40:55.280 --> 00:40:55.940 And in that moment, 00:40:56.019 --> 00:40:56.880 he conquered death. 00:40:58.500 --> 00:41:01.199 I passed the Hillcrest Cemetery 00:41:01.199 --> 00:41:02.519 on the way into town this morning. 00:41:02.980 --> 00:41:04.059 That's an impressive cemetery. 00:41:05.940 --> 00:41:07.519 I don't know how long it will take 00:41:07.519 --> 00:41:08.820 from the time the angel shouts 00:41:08.820 --> 00:41:09.500 and the horn blows. 00:41:09.579 --> 00:41:10.740 I don't know how long it will take 00:41:10.740 --> 00:41:12.579 for all the dead in Christ 00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:13.280 to rise first 00:41:13.280 --> 00:41:14.559 before we join them in the air. 00:41:14.599 --> 00:41:16.159 I don't know how long that will take. 00:41:17.219 --> 00:41:18.340 But if it takes a minute, 00:41:19.019 --> 00:41:20.079 when you hear the horn 00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:21.440 and hear the shout, 00:41:21.860 --> 00:41:22.500 get in your car 00:41:22.500 --> 00:41:23.380 and drive up there 00:41:23.380 --> 00:41:24.320 and watch the show. 00:41:24.480 --> 00:41:28.360 Because they're going to burst 00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:29.480 out of the ground 00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.480 in that place. 00:41:32.240 --> 00:41:33.400 And dear friend, 00:41:33.659 --> 00:41:34.960 don't you miss it. 00:41:36.599 --> 00:41:38.139 Don't you miss 00:41:38.139 --> 00:41:39.960 being in heaven 00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:42.539 with all those 00:41:42.539 --> 00:41:44.119 who have accepted Christ 00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:45.139 as their Lord and Savior. 00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:47.960 Dr. Ralph is going to...