WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.000 Amen. 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:12.839 We're going to do a practical exercise before we actually go to our study in the Scriptures 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:12.839 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.300 and hold it in your hand. 00:00:31.620 --> 00:00:32.640 Okay, just hold it. 00:00:34.219 --> 00:00:40.500 What I want you to do is take just a minute and look at one of the initiatives that we 00:00:40.500 --> 00:00:47.539 have for this year, and I'm going to read it out loud, and then I'm going to ask you 00:00:47.539 --> 00:00:49.780 how you are doing at this. 00:00:49.859 --> 00:00:55.179 Now, I'm not going to call on you, and I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand, but 00:00:55.179 --> 00:00:56.679 just kind of have you think with me. 00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:03.259 The initiative that we have for this year is God's Word, model and encourage the personal 00:01:03.259 --> 00:01:08.379 discipline of linking Scripture to behavior and decisions. 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:18.780 Encourage the personal discipline of linking Scripture to behavior and decisions. 00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:26.159 And I'm going to explain how you can do that in simple, simple terms. 00:01:26.620 --> 00:01:30.540 One of the things that I would encourage you to do, I want to very strongly encourage you 00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:37.760 to do this, is that when we get together and we sing and we look at the words of songs that 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:40.740 we're singing, here's what I appeal to you to do. 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:41.960 Are you tracking so far? 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:48.659 I want you to cross-reference the passage or cross-reference a passage from Scripture with 00:01:48.659 --> 00:01:50.379 what the song says. 00:01:52.479 --> 00:01:53.519 Does it make sense? 00:01:54.979 --> 00:01:59.039 I was doing it on the bottom of my little order of service. 00:02:00.479 --> 00:02:06.539 And I do it mentally as we are working our way through various songs because I take great, 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:07.919 there's pleasure in that. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:08.939 Do you realize that? 00:02:08.939 --> 00:02:16.560 Let me give you just a very inane, kind of marginally worthless illustration of it. 00:02:18.539 --> 00:02:21.180 The other day, my wife and I were channel surfing. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:22.500 Do you know what channel surfing is like? 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:25.800 I think channel surfing is something that men do better than women. 00:02:27.259 --> 00:02:28.259 You know, it's click, click, click. 00:02:28.340 --> 00:02:32.500 Women are click, click, click. 00:02:32.740 --> 00:02:36.199 We take things and we get a lot more done because we're in smaller bites. 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:41.399 And we were channel surfing and saw a Taylor Swift concert. 00:02:42.519 --> 00:02:46.259 Not one of the people that I would, you know, think I would really want to go see at any 00:02:46.259 --> 00:02:47.000 particular time. 00:02:47.079 --> 00:02:53.459 But the thing that I was really struck by is that as soon as her band would begin playing 00:02:53.459 --> 00:03:00.579 the next song and she would launch into it, guess what all the little groupies were doing 00:03:00.579 --> 00:03:01.060 down front? 00:03:01.060 --> 00:03:04.039 They were singing their hearts out. 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:05.800 They knew all the words. 00:03:07.140 --> 00:03:13.860 In fact, as the band would start up, they would get right into it without being invited. 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:16.439 Off they'd go. 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:22.420 And now we're not into doing Taylor Swift concerts here, but here's what I want you to do. 00:03:22.419 --> 00:03:32.179 When we begin singing together, I want to see the heart of the believer light up with seeing 00:03:32.179 --> 00:03:37.679 practical connection with what we're singing about in particular passages of Scripture. 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:40.799 Now, let's try this. 00:03:41.459 --> 00:03:42.819 A very Baptist thing to do. 00:03:43.619 --> 00:03:45.079 But I want us to say amen. 00:03:46.419 --> 00:03:48.500 Just, you know, do you know what amen means? 00:03:48.500 --> 00:03:52.099 This is true or so be it. 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:52.340 Yeah. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:58.280 So, now we are very reserved as a people and we're kind of marginally moving away from being 00:03:58.280 --> 00:03:59.300 overly reserved. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:02.400 And you don't have to say amen to be blessed by God. 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:03.400 I want you to understand that. 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:09.740 But our goal is to begin attaching Scripture to what we're thinking and doing and the simplest, 00:04:10.020 --> 00:04:13.120 probably the little easy baby steps is to do it here when we're together. 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:14.000 Would you agree with that? 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:14.699 Make sense? 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:16.980 Nods are almost like an amen. 00:04:16.980 --> 00:04:19.020 Now, we're going to work at that. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:21.460 We're going to work at that. 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:25.720 And all God's people said, that was fantastic. 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:26.840 Okay. 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:38.720 Now, I get cold chills when I open this book. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:38.780 Look. 00:04:42.620 --> 00:04:45.340 Because God has given to us His Word. 00:04:46.540 --> 00:04:54.020 Do you realize that the Word of God is one of the explicit, distinct illustrations of how 00:04:54.020 --> 00:04:54.880 He loves us? 00:04:54.940 --> 00:04:55.880 Have you ever thought about it that way? 00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:58.880 The Scriptures tell us that. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:03.379 And by the way, since all of you that are here this morning are going to be here tonight, 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:05.379 you're going to hear me preach about that a little bit more. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.839 I want you to look around because everybody that's here this morning will be here tonight. 00:05:09.180 --> 00:05:13.560 It's going to be another lesson from the Scriptures that is going to be a blessing and encouragement 00:05:13.560 --> 00:05:13.980 to you. 00:05:13.980 --> 00:05:15.480 So, come. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.819 We're going to look at the value of the Word of God. 00:05:18.960 --> 00:05:25.540 And we're going to touch on one aspect of it in that the Word is an illustration or a proof 00:05:25.540 --> 00:05:29.379 of the particular love of God for us. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:37.480 And so, as we open the Word this morning and we think together of things that we believe God 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:43.280 wants us to work to do as a family of believers here, let me kind of frame the starting point 00:05:43.280 --> 00:05:47.319 by having you look at Philippians chapter 3, verse 13 and 14. 00:05:50.600 --> 00:06:01.240 I know a number of you on various occasions in your life have actually run in a 5K or run 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:07.300 cross-country or things like that where you had to go at it a little harder and a little 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:09.860 longer than just the 100-yard jaunt, right? 00:06:10.500 --> 00:06:16.840 And when you target an objective like that, one of the things that helps you is to have 00:06:16.840 --> 00:06:21.900 a clear picture of where you're going and break it down so that you know how you're doing. 00:06:23.340 --> 00:06:26.400 I want you to look at Philippians chapter 3, verse 13. 00:06:26.580 --> 00:06:27.840 Here's the apostle saying this, 00:06:27.840 --> 00:06:35.480 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do, forgetting what 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:40.600 lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. 00:06:40.740 --> 00:06:42.660 Question, what lies in front? 00:06:43.900 --> 00:06:46.060 What is Paul really thinking about? 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.020 He is thinking about eternity. 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:57.780 He is looking forward to the day when he will see or he would see the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:06:57.779 --> 00:07:03.679 And the ambition and the affection, the interest of his heart is affected by that vision, that 00:07:03.679 --> 00:07:04.119 goal. 00:07:05.379 --> 00:07:05.979 He says, 00:07:06.539 --> 00:07:13.199 Forgetting those things that are behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:19.479 on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:28.060 As we start into this year, I want you to think of the model that the apostle sets in this passage 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:34.340 of being very intentional in the effort and the ambition that we as a believer have to 00:07:34.340 --> 00:07:38.720 accomplish things that are noteworthy and praiseworthy to the glory of Christ. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:46.880 A number of years ago, our fellowship actually recognized that it would be fitting and it would 00:07:46.880 --> 00:07:52.160 be biblical for us to take some time on an annual basis and set some explicit and specific goals, 00:07:52.540 --> 00:07:57.440 things that we were going to work at as a fellowship and targets that we want to shoot for. 00:07:58.060 --> 00:08:03.300 In conjunction with this, one of the things that happened back, I think it was back in 2008 00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:09.960 that we first got into this, but back at that time, the pastoral staff and deacons worked to set some 00:08:09.960 --> 00:08:10.780 specific goals. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:16.620 And then in conjunction with that, one of the things that took place and does take place is that in 00:08:16.620 --> 00:08:17.540 June, there's a review. 00:08:17.699 --> 00:08:18.699 How are we doing? 00:08:18.780 --> 00:08:21.300 It's a little bit like, what's the word? 00:08:21.400 --> 00:08:22.040 Lap times. 00:08:22.199 --> 00:08:23.000 You know, how are you doing? 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:24.240 Are you hitting the targets? 00:08:24.340 --> 00:08:25.220 Are you making progress? 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:28.840 Are there things that we need to work at again and work at a little harder? 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:35.500 And so we've, over a number of years, set these strategic initiatives, worked at them. 00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:39.860 And so it's kind of interesting to be able to look now about five, six years into this and say, 00:08:39.959 --> 00:08:45.759 look at some of the things that God has done in our fellowship because of our intentional pursuit 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:49.779 of goals that we find in the Scripture and help us grow in grace. 00:08:50.659 --> 00:08:56.659 I recognize as I look back over some of the things that God has done for us that today we are far more 00:08:56.659 --> 00:09:01.299 engaged in ministry to those who are around us than we once were. 00:09:02.500 --> 00:09:06.740 I notice that we are more intentional in nurturing family life. 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:09.240 We're targeted on that. 00:09:09.299 --> 00:09:15.039 So what are we doing to help our families grow in their relationship with one another, the devotional 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:17.839 life, their walk and ministry to one another? 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:22.720 We're also more intentional in encouraging attention to spiritual life. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:24.019 And it continues to be a goal. 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:30.980 But I think we can look and say there's much more attention to what is happening in our fellowship's 00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:33.139 personal walk than there used to be. 00:09:33.820 --> 00:09:36.960 We also place a high value on lasting relationships. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:43.200 And we move from kind of Sunday morning, Sunday night to where there is a part of our church day 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:49.220 and a church week that is targeted and is set specifically for the matter of encouraging us 00:09:49.220 --> 00:09:51.100 in our relationships with one another. 00:09:51.100 --> 00:09:57.080 Father, we've expanded our commitment to missions and to pray for those who suffer for the Lord 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:58.120 Jesus around the world. 00:09:58.259 --> 00:10:03.360 And even this morning as you were coming in and noticing the scrolling things on the screen 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:09.139 behind me, one of the things that passed was information on a pastor that is suffering 00:10:09.139 --> 00:10:10.560 again for the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:10:10.659 --> 00:10:13.800 And the purpose of that is to encourage you to remember to pray for that man. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:16.460 Don't just kind of, yeah, yeah, but pray. 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:18.160 Do something about it actively. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:25.379 And some of the things that we now are beginning to take for granted in our daily life as a church 00:10:25.379 --> 00:10:27.659 were once only prayerful ambitions. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.319 They were things that, well, I would like to see our fellowship work at that, but there 00:10:32.319 --> 00:10:35.679 was no plan, no intention to move beyond just an ambition. 00:10:35.860 --> 00:10:41.919 And we've seen God use our strategic initiatives to move us forward in a particular track. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:48.799 Now, earlier I referenced a great list of personal things that God has helped us do or corporate 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:50.500 things that God has helped us do. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:56.139 And as I look over the things that God's done, I can't help but recognize many of those things 00:10:56.139 --> 00:11:02.120 actually came out of strategic initiatives that we set as a fellowship and then have pursued. 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:10.279 And so it has been kind of a habit that early in the year, one of the things we do is we look at 00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:13.320 what we are and then we look at things we want to do. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:16.000 Now, I recognize that it's pretty familiar with you. 00:11:16.060 --> 00:11:18.759 You see it on the screen when you come in in the morning. 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:24.820 But I want to say it to you again that we as a fellowship recognize we're a family of believers 00:11:24.820 --> 00:11:29.320 committed to reaching the world for Christ and edifying one another. 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:30.220 What are we doing here? 00:11:30.220 --> 00:11:31.820 We're a body of believers. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:37.259 More explicitly, more specifically, we're a family of believers committed to reaching 00:11:37.259 --> 00:11:39.920 the world for Christ and edifying one another. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:41.220 So let's stop just for a minute. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:42.600 This is not a song. 00:11:42.660 --> 00:11:43.620 I'm not going to sing it. 00:11:44.560 --> 00:11:49.980 But when you hear me say something like that, what should be going through your mind? 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:58.580 And the answer is passages of Scripture, where in the Bible does it give us any idea that 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:03.000 we have a right to think about ourselves as a family, as a church? 00:12:04.700 --> 00:12:07.759 Don't answer the question because I'm sure it's obvious to all of you, right? 00:12:08.540 --> 00:12:13.780 And where in the Bible does it give us any idea that we have an interest or we should have an interest 00:12:13.780 --> 00:12:15.560 in seeing people come to Christ? 00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:20.419 How close to our heart should that ambition be? 00:12:20.819 --> 00:12:24.839 And by the way, as a sidebar, if it is close to our heart, everybody smile at me. 00:12:24.899 --> 00:12:25.199 It is. 00:12:25.239 --> 00:12:25.579 It is. 00:12:25.619 --> 00:12:25.819 Right? 00:12:27.079 --> 00:12:27.519 Hello? 00:12:28.299 --> 00:12:29.419 Is it close to your heart? 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:35.099 When was the last time you prayed about God giving you, personally, an opportunity for evangelism? 00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:35.899 One. 00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:42.460 Second, how many people other than close family members are you praying about explicitly, specifically, 00:12:42.820 --> 00:12:45.879 asking Christ to see them come to grace? 00:12:46.800 --> 00:12:52.200 Is it reasonable if that is something that is in the Bible that our prayer life should model that? 00:12:52.220 --> 00:12:52.920 And what's the answer? 00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:54.740 It should. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:55.659 It should. 00:12:56.420 --> 00:12:57.540 We're family believers. 00:12:57.940 --> 00:12:59.639 We're people that God has drawn together. 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:05.000 And we are committed to reaching the world, and we are committed to edifying one another. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:12.259 It's reasonable to ask where these goals and objectives come from, and the answer, as I've 00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:17.360 already illustrated to you, really rises out of Scripture, and we need to be conversant. 00:13:17.439 --> 00:13:21.620 We need to know where those Scriptures are and how they relate to us as believers. 00:13:22.699 --> 00:13:29.059 And it's reasonable to ask ourselves, okay, so what is it in the broader picture that God 00:13:29.059 --> 00:13:34.079 is doing in our lives corporately and in your life individually? 00:13:34.859 --> 00:13:37.939 Now, I want to explain what the Scriptures makes clear about that. 00:13:38.739 --> 00:13:44.759 For one, it is in the heart of God the Father to honor His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, with 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:47.299 children that He has chosen for His own. 00:13:47.619 --> 00:13:53.279 And once He has chosen and given those children to Christ, guess what goes on subsequent to that? 00:13:54.099 --> 00:13:57.659 What is God doing in the life of all who are believers? 00:13:57.659 --> 00:13:58.419 What is He doing? 00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:06.979 He is in the process of conforming you into the image of His Son. 00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:09.979 Romans chapter 8, verse 28 says what? 00:14:10.719 --> 00:14:17.139 All things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose. 00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:23.399 And then that string follows through to make it explicitly clear that God is in the business 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:29.720 of working in your life to do those things that are necessary for His glory and His good. 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:33.480 A couple days ago, I was driving. 00:14:33.800 --> 00:14:38.460 I forget where it was, but as I was driving along the side of the road, there was this large, 00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:41.019 large, large sign, big, big sign. 00:14:41.180 --> 00:14:46.040 And it said, $50 million Powerball, Saturday, Sunday. 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:52.540 Now, I'm probably more gullible and vulnerable than you are, but I remember, Pastor Knoyer did 00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:58.919 this, I remember looking at that sign and thinking, whoa, what would I do with $50 million? 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:04.059 Anybody else besides me ever been tempted by those signs? 00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:08.259 Oh, you're such a righteous group today, and I appreciate that. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:13.360 I'm driving along, and I'm thinking, what would I do with $50 million? 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:16.379 And then here's the second thought that I had. 00:15:17.580 --> 00:15:26.800 I thought, you know, if my father thought I needed $50 million, and if my father thought 00:15:26.800 --> 00:15:31.279 I wouldn't hurt myself with $50 million, he would give it to me. 00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:35.100 Now, is that accurate theologically? 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.039 What's the answer? 00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:38.139 You bet. 00:15:39.060 --> 00:15:42.680 See, the Scriptures tell me that I have everything I need. 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:48.000 And he has provided all that I need for life and godliness. 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:56.379 Not only that, but he is working out the details of how I am doing economically with this explicit 00:15:56.379 --> 00:16:01.220 goal in mind of helping me grow to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:16:01.300 --> 00:16:01.759 Isn't that right? 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:03.279 That's what he's doing. 00:16:04.419 --> 00:16:09.539 And so, what we want to do as believers, as we think together of what we're going to do in 00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:14.939 this coming year, we want to have a passion to see that issue of growth played out in real 00:16:14.939 --> 00:16:15.360 time. 00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:20.179 You know, it's interesting when you stop and think not only that the Scriptures tell us 00:16:20.179 --> 00:16:25.939 what God is doing, but we find in the Scripture different illustrations of apostolic leadership 00:16:25.939 --> 00:16:28.860 that was interested in seeing growth in people's lives. 00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:31.079 Let me reference a couple of them for you. 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:32.560 Go over in Galatians chapter 4. 00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:38.500 If you're in Philippians, you can just turn back a tiny bit to Galatians chapter 4 and 00:16:38.500 --> 00:16:39.280 verse 19. 00:16:39.400 --> 00:16:40.680 Here's what the apostle says. 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:48.960 My little children, for who I'm again in the anguish of childbirth till Christ is formed 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:49.360 in you. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.080 I have to confess that I like the way it reads in the King James. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:57.620 It says, I labor in travail till Christ be formed in you. 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:06.799 The apostle's saying, listen, I am going through the pangs of childbirth, poetically speaking. 00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:16.099 He says, I'm going through that level of challenge with this explicit goal in mind that you who I 00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:18.960 love would grow to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:25.159 And so, as we think about strategic initiatives and we think about what are the things we want 00:17:25.159 --> 00:17:31.059 to work at this year, the undeniable goal is this, is that the outcome of our goals is 00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:35.599 that God's people grow to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.379 We find the same affection over in Colossians. 00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:43.179 Paul, writing to a different church, expresses a very similar motive. 00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:48.719 And if you look at Colossians chapter 1, verse 28 and 29, here's what he says. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:54.860 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everything with all wisdom that we may present 00:17:54.860 --> 00:17:56.759 everyone mature in Christ. 00:17:58.100 --> 00:18:05.120 A pastor's goal, the deacon's goal, a father's goal, a mother's goal is that those who are 00:18:05.120 --> 00:18:12.259 part of their family and who they minister to would, as a result of the ministry of the 00:18:12.259 --> 00:18:17.559 Word of God would grow in maturity to look more like the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:24.579 And I cannot read the passage without sensing the apostle's level of commitment and earnestness 00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:27.539 that the people that he cared for would grow to be like Christ. 00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:30.379 I want to tell you that desire is not enough. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:31.460 Do you realize that? 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:37.259 How many of you have had great ambitions to do certain things in this last year, 2012, 00:18:37.639 --> 00:18:39.399 and you look back and it's not done? 00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:46.960 I remember looking out the window a couple days ago and realizing that I had had a noble ambition 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:50.599 to paint the exterior trim on the west side of the house. 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:53.059 Does anybody know why the west side is so important? 00:18:53.059 --> 00:18:57.319 Because that's where most of the weather comes. 00:18:58.259 --> 00:19:04.019 And I remember last year, this was 11, looking out the window on the west side and thinking, 00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:05.639 I'd better do that in 12. 00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:10.200 And here it was 13 and I was thinking, I'd better do that in 13. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:14.480 But then there was this little thought came along with it, if I don't do it in 13, I may 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.220 be doing something to replace windows. 00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:20.000 Much, much more expensive than slapping a little coat of paint. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:25.819 You know, you go beyond just the desire and the ambition and you have to set some specific 00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:27.859 goals and say, all right, we're going to get it done. 00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:36.359 And we as a fellowship took our overarching statement about what we are and we broke that 00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:40.279 statement down into six different areas that we were going to work together as a family 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:40.740 of believers. 00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:45.039 And they have been in front of you at various times. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:49.000 And when you take out your little goldenrod piece of paper, you can see it's broken down 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:56.339 into God's word, lost mankind, building saints, prayer, honoring God, and family. 00:19:56.960 --> 00:20:01.079 And what I'd like us to do in the remainder of the time that we take this morning is think 00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:05.579 together of the specifics of our strategic initiatives for 2013. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:09.460 Let's begin a little bit over there with God's word. 00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:15.059 And recognize the first one that we've identified there is that we want to nurture partnerships 00:20:15.059 --> 00:20:17.299 for devotions, prayer, and accountability. 00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:22.759 We want to nurture partnerships for devotions, prayer, and accountability. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:31.400 A fundamental Bible truth is that we need godly encouragement and companionship if we're 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:32.340 going to grow in grace. 00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:35.620 Let me say that again slowly so you recognize it. 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:40.959 It's a fundamental truth in the scriptures that we need godly companionship to help us 00:20:40.959 --> 00:20:43.879 grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:52.239 We're hardwired from creation as individuals who depend upon relationships and benefit from 00:20:52.239 --> 00:20:53.019 good relationships. 00:20:53.179 --> 00:20:55.199 By the way, the reverse is also true. 00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:59.719 How many of you realize that you are affected negatively by bad relationships? 00:21:00.699 --> 00:21:00.839 Huh? 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:03.019 That's the way it is. 00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:07.619 But I want you to think back with me just for a moment and don't need to go to the passage, 00:21:07.779 --> 00:21:08.779 but follow with me. 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:12.240 Back in Genesis 2, verse 18, it says this. 00:21:12.639 --> 00:21:14.420 Speaking about the species, it says, 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:17.220 It is not good that man should be alone. 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:24.039 Now, in that case, God had created all living beings, mankind included, but He'd done something 00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:24.980 unique with man. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.619 What was it? 00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:29.000 In every other case, He created them what? 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:33.039 If you know the passage, male and female, male and female. 00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:34.339 There were two elephants. 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:35.799 There were two hippopotamuses. 00:21:35.939 --> 00:21:36.839 There were two giraffes. 00:21:37.139 --> 00:21:38.819 There were two salmon. 00:21:38.979 --> 00:21:39.859 There were two halibut. 00:21:39.959 --> 00:21:41.519 You know, they're all two, two, two, two, two. 00:21:41.939 --> 00:21:42.439 You got it? 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:44.579 And man was what? 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:47.339 He was alone. 00:21:47.859 --> 00:21:50.479 Now, by the way, was that an oversight on God's part? 00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:51.039 What's the answer? 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.779 Not at all. 00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:56.819 Did He do it for His sake or for our sake? 00:21:57.859 --> 00:22:03.539 He did it so that for all of eternity, the record would indicate that God in His wisdom 00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:07.200 understood we needed the reminder that we need each other. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:10.019 Now, what's the problem with needing each other? 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:15.059 How many of you realize that relationships are A, work, B, messy? 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:17.319 Okay? 00:22:19.059 --> 00:22:21.940 And so here's God saying, listen, I want you to understand. 00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:24.980 You need other people in the equation. 00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:29.860 Furthermore, I want you to think with me and turn over to the passage. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:33.259 Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24 and 25. 00:22:35.580 --> 00:22:37.900 Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24 and 25. 00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:43.559 Here, towards the latter part of the book of Hebrews, we find the author speaking about 00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:45.820 one of the reasons why we gather together. 00:22:45.819 --> 00:22:48.000 It says, 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:57.579 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet 00:22:57.579 --> 00:23:02.980 together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:04.279 day drawing near. 00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:11.359 Now, we find here an explicit command that believers are to gather together. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:15.799 Now, there are a number of different reasons why we are to gather together. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:22.240 If you were to track back in your Bible to Acts chapter 2, verse 42, there we find that the early 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:24.819 church gathered with four particular things in view. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.139 They gathered for the apostles' doctrine. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.579 What is the apostles' doctrine? 00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:36.179 That is, when someone takes the Word of God in the apostolic era during the New Testament time, 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:38.879 it was the apostles in particular who were teaching. 00:23:39.439 --> 00:23:45.579 And when they studied the apostles' doctrine, were they studying primarily what Peter and 00:23:45.579 --> 00:23:46.839 John and others thought? 00:23:46.919 --> 00:23:47.559 What's the answer? 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.399 No. 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:50.859 They were studying the Scriptures. 00:23:50.859 --> 00:23:58.719 And so, when the early church met to study the apostles' doctrine, one of the things that they did 00:23:58.719 --> 00:24:03.779 was that they studied what the Word of God already has to say. 00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:08.879 And secondly, it says they gathered for the breaking of bread. 00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:13.539 And that refers to the Lord's table, which we will celebrate later in the month. 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:18.439 And we will come and remind ourselves of the finished work of Christ and the gospel, 00:24:18.659 --> 00:24:19.519 which is in the elements. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:23.220 They gathered also for prayers, for corporate prayer. 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:26.339 Is there a time when we ought to pray together as individuals? 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:27.180 And what's the answer? 00:24:27.980 --> 00:24:30.559 I trust that you wake up in the morning and you pray. 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:36.440 I trust that the last thing you do when you go to sleep at night is that you close out the 00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:37.160 day with prayer. 00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:43.859 I trust that you pray at every juncture of every decision that you're making and that the 00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:48.240 constant flow of life, praying always with all prayer and supplication. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:54.279 The other thing that we find also is that the church gathered for fellowship. 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:57.819 That's koinonia, which is joint or mutual participation. 00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:02.299 And it has in mind the ministry of one to another. 00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:08.940 And in that ministry, there is an encouragement and an edification that God intends to take place. 00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:15.200 We want to encourage that through partnerships for devotional life, prayer life, and accountability. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:22.160 Now, we want to be intentional through this year in pointing out the value of such relationships 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:28.440 for the purpose of encouraging our devotional life and our prayer life as well as our individual 00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:28.880 walk. 00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:34.039 And our intention is, and follow this if you will, we want to encourage husbands to minister 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:40.000 and disciple and nurture their wives' spiritual well-being. 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:41.879 Everybody smile at me. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.940 Isn't that a nice thing to say? 00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:44.220 Everybody, look up, look up. 00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:49.259 Now, I'm not going to ask all the husbands in here that are doing this on a regular basis 00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:51.079 to raise their hand and wave at me. 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:55.399 Why wouldn't I do that? 00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:57.159 There are a couple reasons. 00:25:58.039 --> 00:26:01.980 Number one, because you remember what Jesus said, if you're going to pray, don't do it publicly. 00:26:02.159 --> 00:26:02.899 I'm doing it. 00:26:02.919 --> 00:26:03.480 I'm doing it. 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.359 That's not a good idea. 00:26:04.899 --> 00:26:05.960 But there's another reason. 00:26:06.299 --> 00:26:11.639 Probably there aren't as many doing it as should be. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:13.460 Right? 00:26:14.439 --> 00:26:16.019 We want to encourage that. 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:21.420 Now, by the way, can I tell husbands that if you go home from this sermon and sit your 00:26:21.420 --> 00:26:27.319 wife down on the couch and say, starting tomorrow, you'll be meeting here at 830, and I'm taking 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:31.920 over your spiritual development, you may get a little pushback. 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:43.460 One of the reasons is, is what you haven't been doing very effectively rises out of the 00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:45.139 fact that your heart's not in it. 00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:50.960 And before you decide you're going to do advanced surgery on your wife's spiritual well-being, 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:53.779 you probably ought to be doing a little bit in your own life. 00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:54.119 Understood? 00:26:55.619 --> 00:26:55.900 Okay. 00:26:56.240 --> 00:27:01.259 So, we want to encourage partnering for the sake of devotions and prayer and accountability. 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:06.379 We want to encourage husband with wife, parent with child, man with another man, woman with 00:27:06.379 --> 00:27:06.920 another woman. 00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:08.759 And I want to make this clear. 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:15.140 We do not intend to kind of put formal lists together and say arbitrarily, we have taken 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:20.119 all the A's in the congregation, and the A's are going to be meeting with the Z's. 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:23.960 You know, there's got to be some logic to what we're doing, right? 00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:26.339 So, the A's are with the Z's, the B's with blah, blah. 00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:27.099 You know how it goes? 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.359 We're not doing that. 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:33.619 One of the things I've learned the hard way is that what you decide you're going to organize 00:27:33.619 --> 00:27:35.479 in your own flesh doesn't go very far. 00:27:35.719 --> 00:27:37.019 Everybody would agree with that, right? 00:27:38.099 --> 00:27:43.139 What we want to do is pray about this, encourage it, encourage, pray, pray, encourage, nurture, 00:27:43.139 --> 00:27:51.139 and see God begin to help you as God's people intentionally work to develop relationships for 00:27:51.140 --> 00:27:54.100 your spiritual development. 00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:56.700 Now, track with me. 00:28:01.800 --> 00:28:14.280 If I know I'm going to walk across an icy patch, I'm inclined to figure out a way to keep from 00:28:14.280 --> 00:28:14.720 falling. 00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:16.460 How many of you understand what I just said? 00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:17.940 Okay? 00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:25.019 And one of the ways you keep from falling, we've got a little place where in the wisdom 00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:29.779 of whoever built our house, you know, the roof comes together, and there's this drip zone. 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:31.360 How many of you know what I'm saying? 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:33.700 It drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. 00:28:33.840 --> 00:28:39.080 Water comes off the roof and puddles right there, and it forms a perfect little ice sheet. 00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:42.320 And I throw down salt. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:44.640 The salt melts the ice, and then drip, drip, drip. 00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.440 Guess what happens? 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:50.299 It's just, and so generally when my wife is crossing over there, guess what I automatically 00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:50.680 do? 00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:54.480 And she has the wisdom to wait for me. 00:28:55.019 --> 00:29:00.059 And I will kind of be south of the ice patch and help her across that. 00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:05.860 There is a natural desire in her heart not to do one of these, I skated for a millisecond, 00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:07.820 and then I ended up on the ground type of thing. 00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:12.899 So she wants a little help, and I'm going to encourage you and nurture in the heart of 00:29:12.899 --> 00:29:13.480 God's people. 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:17.700 You go look for someone to help you and disciple, encourage you, partner. 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:23.740 I want you to recognize another thing that we are going to work at, and I've already illustrated 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:24.339 it to you. 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:29.039 But we're going to model and encourage that personal discipline of linking Scripture to 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:29.939 behavior and decisions. 00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:33.320 So I want to tell you that you're going to hear about that more and more. 00:29:33.380 --> 00:29:35.160 You're going to hear about it on a regular basis. 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:39.460 I trust I don't beat the drum to the point that you get a little tired of it. 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:41.519 But it's going to be there. 00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:43.840 I think a drum has a good place. 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:48.840 When we were singing that song, I think, I am horrible when it comes to music. 00:29:49.120 --> 00:29:51.539 Very thankful other people are not quite as horrible. 00:29:52.120 --> 00:29:57.259 I was up here, and John, you were leading, and you rested too long for me. 00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:59.079 And so I launched right into the song. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:29:59.359 I don't know. 00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:00.180 Do you remember that? 00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:01.920 They're over here snickering at me. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.619 It's a good thing the rest of you can't hear it. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:11.299 But I think in that song, 10,000 Reasons, that drum beat, Justin, you can hit that harder 00:30:11.299 --> 00:30:12.059 for my sake. 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:16.720 I mean, I want boom, boom, boom, boom. 00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.660 You need that. 00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:18.400 Would you agree with that? 00:30:19.420 --> 00:30:20.960 Get your blood moving. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:21.879 Yeah. 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:24.359 I need to have my blood moving. 00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:26.660 You know, I like that. 00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:32.519 So every now and then, I'm not going to grab the drums and do that, but my goal is to 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:35.339 encourage you to make the connection. 00:30:38.059 --> 00:30:40.200 What saith the Scriptures? 00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:45.500 I appreciate ministry with Pastor Saul. 00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:48.440 He is a godly blessing to me, a companion in the gospel. 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:52.000 And for some strange reason, God made us really different. 00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:53.940 I mean, you know, we are really different. 00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:59.480 He doesn't like to hunt. 00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:04.580 He doesn't like guns. 00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:11.899 And God, in His wisdom, has given him a son that now is interested in guns. 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:12.720 I understand that. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:17.039 And he even has a grandson that says, and when I turn 16, I'm going to have a gun under my 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:17.319 bed. 00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:24.639 And so, Pastor Saul and I, given all the chatter out there on Facebook and other things about 00:31:24.639 --> 00:31:30.099 guns and self-defense and blah, blah, blah, we were having a little bit of pastoral discussion 00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:35.839 about, and I follow this, because in all the conversations I've seen on Facebook, I really 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:39.259 am missing scriptural context. 00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:42.099 How many of you understood what I just said, scriptural context? 00:31:43.179 --> 00:31:50.539 I'm not hearing people say, oh, yeah, well, I understand what does the Bible say, right? 00:31:50.539 --> 00:31:55.920 I don't hear people asking that question on either side. 00:31:58.319 --> 00:32:01.740 I appreciate Pastor Saul saying, well, you know, I'm trying to frame this scripturally, 00:32:01.899 --> 00:32:06.980 and here's a passage that has some application, but here's a rebuttal to it in thinking the 00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:07.839 thing through biblically. 00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:14.420 I want to encourage God's people to develop the discipline of asking yourself, so what does 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:16.440 the Bible say about this matter? 00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:23.019 Here, most of us can recite 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, right? 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:30.220 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, da-da-da-da-da, and is profitable. 00:32:30.340 --> 00:32:31.299 That's the way it finishes out. 00:32:32.080 --> 00:32:33.539 That the man of God can be what? 00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:37.799 Completely furnished for all good works. 00:32:37.980 --> 00:32:39.640 You have everything you need. 00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:46.140 How many of you have ever started into a project on repairing something on your car and 00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:48.700 discovered that you didn't have the tools for it? 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.180 You ever done that? 00:32:51.300 --> 00:32:53.600 Or you've started into a home remodeling thing. 00:32:54.100 --> 00:32:55.680 Plumbing is the thing I always think about. 00:32:56.220 --> 00:33:03.480 And, you know, you're under the sink, and you find out that somebody borrowed that little 00:33:03.480 --> 00:33:10.120 faucet wrench that was designed to reach up there into the dark abyss and loosen the valve 00:33:10.120 --> 00:33:11.320 just the proper way. 00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:12.300 You follow what I'm saying? 00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:17.960 The Scriptures tell us that God has given us everything we need. 00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:25.480 And one of the things that I want to become kind of hardwired into our fellowship is Isaiah 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.639 chapter 8, verse 20. 00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:29.960 I want you to turn back in your Bible for a moment to that passage. 00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:32.419 But Isaiah chapter 8, verse 20. 00:33:32.420 --> 00:33:40.779 This ought to be one of those passages that you have written on your hand and in your refrigerator 00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:44.480 and probably in the car and a couple other places. 00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:50.400 It should be something that is there on the frontal part of your brain. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:55.380 Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3, I hope is also there. 00:33:55.380 --> 00:33:59.240 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has what? 00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:04.140 Blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. 00:34:04.540 --> 00:34:07.560 This is another one that I want put up there in the front with you. 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:10.039 It says there in Isaiah chapter 8, verse 20, 00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:14.579 To the teaching and to the testimony, if they will not speak according to this word, 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:16.920 it is because they have no dawn. 00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:18.420 They have no light in them. 00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:31.119 Sadly, our generation today is far more like the generation that Jeremiah wrote about 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:33.720 than Isaiah was referencing. 00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:36.099 Turn over in your Bible, if you will. 00:34:36.200 --> 00:34:41.000 You're in Isaiah, so go forward just a little bit into Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 13. 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:52.199 Verse 13, for my people have committed two evils. 00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:57.440 They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters. 00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:08.760 In the ancient world, you didn't live very far from water. 00:35:08.820 --> 00:35:10.139 Does anybody know why that was? 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:15.380 How many of you grew up carrying water if you wanted to have water? 00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:19.059 I can see that. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:24.360 In the ancient world, you did not have indoor plumbing, let alone outdoor plumbing. 00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:25.760 And guess what? 00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:28.639 Water was the absolute part of life. 00:35:29.739 --> 00:35:31.260 And it says here, 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:34.019 You have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters. 00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:41.539 The consequence of forsaking the fountain of living waters is that you live a dry and miserable life. 00:35:41.539 --> 00:35:46.539 On top of that, here's what God's people had done. 00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:47.480 It says, 00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:52.779 And you have hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. 00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:56.739 I look at what is going on in many people's lives, 00:35:56.880 --> 00:36:05.739 and they put far more value on the thinking of this world and psychological babble than they do the Scriptures. 00:36:05.739 --> 00:36:10.119 And it's woven into their thought process. 00:36:10.319 --> 00:36:12.679 It's woven into the way they respond to heartache. 00:36:12.839 --> 00:36:15.459 It's woven into the way they deal with the challenges of life. 00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:18.139 Well, let's see what Dr. Phil thinks. 00:36:22.460 --> 00:36:30.980 Beloved, I want to model and encourage the personal discipline of linking Scripture to our decisions and our behavior. 00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:35.440 Let me come to another thing that we want to focus on together, and that is lost mankind. 00:36:36.199 --> 00:36:41.260 And frankly, we want to take the time to review and revise our discipleship materials this year. 00:36:41.260 --> 00:36:45.280 It's been our joy to see a number of individuals come to Christ in this last year, 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:50.660 and in the course of what God's been doing, some people have come publicly, others have come privately. 00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:55.420 But following a person's profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:36:55.800 --> 00:37:01.000 a normal thing that should take place is that there should be a discipleship process that goes on. 00:37:01.680 --> 00:37:06.860 An older believer encouraging the new believer in growing in the grace and knowledge of our Christ, our Savior. 00:37:08.020 --> 00:37:10.420 And that takes time. 00:37:11.260 --> 00:37:14.980 And we recognized earlier, as we were seeing what God was doing, 00:37:15.080 --> 00:37:19.740 that we need to come back and review the discipleship materials we had, 00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:24.840 because most of what we were using had their roots back in Evangelism Explosion, 00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:26.660 in the program that we were ministering there. 00:37:26.820 --> 00:37:32.140 And we realized that a lot of that material, we no longer fit practically in what we're doing as a fellowship. 00:37:32.139 --> 00:37:40.239 And so we want to go back and take some time to look at that and study how can we do a better job with personal discipleship 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:42.719 with those who come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:50.699 We also recognize that one of the things that is very special about this year is this is year where we have a missions conference. 00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:57.299 In our youth ministry, our young people kind of have a rotating cycle of missions. 00:37:58.559 --> 00:37:59.639 How many of you knew that? 00:38:00.519 --> 00:38:01.919 One year it's overseas. 00:38:02.139 --> 00:38:06.919 The next year it's, well, this year they're going to shepherds. 00:38:06.920 --> 00:38:10.159 Can I say something in relationship to our missions team? 00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:11.480 Everybody listening? 00:38:13.220 --> 00:38:20.460 The consistent comment we have received from every single place we've ever taken a missions team is this. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:28.340 Your young people are well prepared to serve in the environment that they have been placed in. 00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:29.920 How did that come about? 00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:39.180 You ask any one of our young people that's gone on a missions team and they will tell you that the preparation was, 00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:41.360 can I use the word, challenging. 00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.980 Is that right? 00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:47.300 Every time the preparation has been challenging. 00:38:47.300 --> 00:38:54.659 And the reason is we think sending young people or sending anybody on a missions trip is not just a paid vacation to the Bahamas. 00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:57.039 We think it's ministry. 00:38:57.039 --> 00:39:04.519 And preface, preparation for ministry should be adequate training and study. 00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:09.460 So there's a cycle for missions with our young people. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:16.420 There's a cycle for the adults that is one year a Bible or a missions conference, 00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:20.079 one year a missions trip, 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:28.400 and one year ministry in the community and around about us to continue to look for ways we can serve people that need the Lord Jesus. 00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:31.019 This is missions conference year. 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:38.059 And I'm really excited to be able to tell you this morning that we are looking forward to having Waleed Bittar minister to us. 00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:43.819 He is a missionary up in Canada that has a great deal of ministry. 00:39:43.820 --> 00:39:45.400 He's Jordanian, I think it is. 00:39:45.519 --> 00:39:47.660 And he works over in the Middle East with Muslims. 00:39:47.820 --> 00:39:49.940 And so he has a tremendous ministry. 00:39:50.059 --> 00:39:50.620 He'll be here. 00:39:51.220 --> 00:39:55.500 In addition, we have Tom Grafe, who is working in Romania with ABWE. 00:39:55.780 --> 00:40:00.240 And then we have Doug Boivere, who is part of the Triem, and he ministers in Africa. 00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:07.039 And these three are just outstanding, world-class missionaries that are going to be here during our missions conference. 00:40:07.039 --> 00:40:15.019 And I tell you, ahead of time, missions conference is going to be a time that focuses, focuses, focuses on what God is doing around the world. 00:40:16.539 --> 00:40:18.840 Let's look third at the issue of building saints. 00:40:19.300 --> 00:40:23.460 What do we shoot to do this year to help us grow in grace? 00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:28.420 And I mark down there that we are going to teach a series on godly living. 00:40:28.559 --> 00:40:31.259 We're going to teach the issue of godly living. 00:40:31.320 --> 00:40:35.099 Let me tell you that I think we kind of live on the doorstep of Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:37.739 How many of you realize that? 00:40:38.860 --> 00:40:42.739 We live in a world that is saturated with wickedness. 00:40:45.980 --> 00:40:47.339 How do we respond to that? 00:40:49.799 --> 00:40:58.819 Well, I want you to understand that given the challenge, we want to set a foundation for godly living in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:05.200 And then carry that foundation forward into living a life that's set apart from the heart out. 00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:16.580 When you hear the term holiness or you hear the term godliness, if you have any background, if you're my age or a little lighter than my age, right, 00:41:16.720 --> 00:41:19.200 you tend to think about a set of do's and don'ts. 00:41:19.220 --> 00:41:20.220 How many of you realize that? 00:41:20.219 --> 00:41:24.839 Godly living, holy living is all about, you know, what? 00:41:26.639 --> 00:41:30.459 The nasty nine, the filthy five, I've talked about that before, and things we don't do. 00:41:30.500 --> 00:41:31.659 We don't do this, we don't do that. 00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:36.319 I understand that there's a place for all that, but the starting point is this, is what? 00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:45.240 Our love for the Lord Jesus Christ and holiness and godliness rise out of our heart and our affections for Christ. 00:41:45.980 --> 00:41:48.200 We do care about the purity of this congregation. 00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:51.280 We do care about the testimony. 00:41:51.559 --> 00:41:56.940 I found myself the other day getting caught up a little bit in fretting about the culture that we live in. 00:41:58.120 --> 00:42:03.780 And I was praying about it, and I recognized that the problem with meat, which is spoiling, and that's what's happening in our country. 00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:05.600 Would you agree with that? 00:42:05.599 --> 00:42:09.839 But it's not the meat's fault for spoiling. 00:42:12.339 --> 00:42:14.900 It's the salt's fault for not being salty. 00:42:16.139 --> 00:42:21.460 And we're going to focus this year a little bit on the issue of godliness, and we're going to teach some lessons in relationship to that. 00:42:21.799 --> 00:42:23.579 Let me skip ahead, if I may, to prayer. 00:42:24.339 --> 00:42:31.659 We are committed this year to have some prayer services that are going to be dedicated to an entire hour of prayer, 00:42:31.659 --> 00:42:36.819 where instead of having a half an hour Bible lesson and having a half an hour time where we break up into smaller groups, 00:42:37.219 --> 00:42:40.899 we're going to have a time that we spend the entire time praying together, 00:42:40.900 --> 00:42:47.059 and there will be advanced planning that will put together matters that we want to pray for as a body, 00:42:47.460 --> 00:42:53.940 and the hour will be organized in such a fashion that the whole hour is committed to a time of prayer. 00:42:53.940 --> 00:42:58.659 Finally, on honoring God, I want you to look at one of the things that we're going to attend to. 00:42:58.720 --> 00:43:04.659 We are going to be involved in a pastoral search, and we are going to be involved in long-range strategic planning. 00:43:04.659 --> 00:43:13.119 We will begin the process of a pastoral search, actually, to fill the vacancy left by resignation, 00:43:13.579 --> 00:43:21.980 and we want that process to be marked by prayer, by careful deliberation, and input as well as timely reports on the progress that we're making on the effort. 00:43:22.319 --> 00:43:26.679 I want you to know that this Saturday, when the pastors and deacons meet together, 00:43:26.899 --> 00:43:31.139 that will be the starting point of beginning the process of the pastoral search, 00:43:31.139 --> 00:43:39.579 and we will keep you as a congregation closely advised of the progress we're making and where we're going with those things. 00:43:41.019 --> 00:43:47.980 Ask those who are part of our youth leadership team to be involved also in giving us their input and information coming together. 00:43:48.119 --> 00:43:51.940 We're going to spend time processing that, praying over that, 00:43:52.159 --> 00:43:57.599 and out of that will come a pastoral profile and a job description recommendation, 00:43:57.599 --> 00:44:01.259 which is part of our way of doing things. 00:44:01.360 --> 00:44:02.940 We'll come to you as a congregation and say, 00:44:03.199 --> 00:44:04.360 here's our proposal. 00:44:04.860 --> 00:44:09.480 You are the ones who are going to decide on what are we looking for. 00:44:10.579 --> 00:44:14.139 See, one of the things that I think is always beneficial for us to remember is that, 00:44:14.539 --> 00:44:19.559 as a general rule, when we do things at Maranatha, we have a tendency of doing things, guess how? 00:44:19.559 --> 00:44:27.679 According to the Constitution that you as a people have given as the document for governing the way we handle things. 00:44:27.799 --> 00:44:31.199 And so, just to understand, we're going to begin the process of a pastoral search. 00:44:31.639 --> 00:44:39.179 We also recognize that long-range strategic planning calls us to think forward with anticipation, 00:44:40.039 --> 00:44:45.019 and we intend for our board to work aggressively on this more in this coming year. 00:44:45.019 --> 00:44:52.199 We recognize that it's wise for us to think about what is the future going to look like for us as a family of believers, 00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:56.759 and how do we prepare for what God may have in front of us? 00:44:56.820 --> 00:45:01.980 We've got to think about that, and that is going to be an intentional responsibility of the leadership 00:45:01.980 --> 00:45:07.119 as they work on this behind the scenes and keep you advised of the process that you're engaged in. 00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:13.860 Let me come to the closing one, and then we are going to have John come and lead us in a song before we have an invitation. 00:45:15.019 --> 00:45:16.039 Let's talk about family. 00:45:17.380 --> 00:45:24.699 One of the things that we want to grow in as a family of believers is growing in our care for the disadvantaged 00:45:24.699 --> 00:45:30.559 through such things as Operation Christmas Child, Baby Bottles with PDC, which is coming up, 00:45:31.019 --> 00:45:34.440 and a number of other similar projects that we've been involved in. 00:45:34.440 --> 00:45:41.199 An encouraging thing that I think we've all seen God do is, through our small group ministry in particular, 00:45:41.679 --> 00:45:44.519 small groups have been very quick to respond when they see a need. 00:45:45.019 --> 00:45:45.820 Very quick. 00:45:46.320 --> 00:45:52.940 And we want to encourage that and facilitate that by having each little small group kind of share, 00:45:53.039 --> 00:45:57.019 well, this is what worked for us so that there's a regular flow of ideas. 00:45:57.400 --> 00:45:58.739 Here's what happens sometimes. 00:45:59.239 --> 00:46:02.800 Somebody gets a good idea, and they kind of birth it, and it goes off great, 00:46:02.940 --> 00:46:06.599 but nobody else learns about how well it was, how well it went. 00:46:06.599 --> 00:46:15.699 And we benefit from hearing what others are doing because it encourages us to love and to good works, 00:46:15.699 --> 00:46:17.079 going back to the Hebrews passage. 00:46:17.819 --> 00:46:23.460 And so one of the things that we want to see take place in this coming year is greater attention 00:46:23.460 --> 00:46:28.380 to things that we are doing to meet the needs of people around us right in our community 00:46:28.380 --> 00:46:33.099 that have needs that we kind of, if we're not paying attention, they drop off the radar screen, 00:46:33.099 --> 00:46:34.199 and we don't respond to them. 00:46:35.000 --> 00:46:41.179 And so we, as we look into this year, we recognize what Paul said in Philippians, 00:46:41.400 --> 00:46:42.839 I press towards the mark. 00:46:42.980 --> 00:46:47.079 I have some goals for what I want God to do in my life this year. 00:46:47.079 --> 00:46:53.599 But it doesn't help us get there if we don't set specific targets and work at it. 00:46:54.519 --> 00:46:59.719 Do you have to accept every one of these goals and work at them individually in order to be blessed? 00:46:59.799 --> 00:47:00.420 What's the answer? 00:47:00.539 --> 00:47:01.480 No, no, no, no, no. 00:47:02.900 --> 00:47:04.279 But you have to set some. 00:47:05.360 --> 00:47:10.039 I remember several years ago when we talked about reading through the Scriptures on a regular basis. 00:47:11.119 --> 00:47:14.500 Some people set the goal of reading through the New Testament in the year, 00:47:14.980 --> 00:47:16.199 and they got that done. 00:47:17.079 --> 00:47:20.059 Others set the goal of reading through the entire Bible in the year, 00:47:20.340 --> 00:47:21.599 and some people got that one done. 00:47:22.239 --> 00:47:25.500 Some people set the goal of reading through the Scriptures four times in the year. 00:47:26.279 --> 00:47:27.139 They got that done. 00:47:28.400 --> 00:47:34.759 And the fact that they set the goal helped them on a regular basis make progress towards that, 00:47:34.759 --> 00:47:40.259 and the blessing of doing that has been spiritual progress in their lives. 00:47:41.659 --> 00:47:44.239 So let me encourage you as we close this morning. 00:47:44.239 --> 00:47:50.359 Beloved, in order to press towards the goal of the high calling of Christ, 00:47:51.000 --> 00:47:56.779 you need to set some specific targets and be part of that process in your life, 00:47:56.959 --> 00:47:58.359 and I call you to do that. 00:47:58.360 --> 00:48:01.900 John, would you come and lead us as we close? 00:48:01.900 --> 00:48:01.900 00:48:10.620 --> 00:48:15.840 I'm going to sing the first song, and then I will come up for an invitation at the second song 00:48:15.840 --> 00:48:16.680 so you know what we're doing. 00:48:17.340 --> 00:48:18.559 Stand and sing with us, please. 00:48:18.559 --> 00:48:34.820 Give me one pure and holy passion. 00:48:37.820 --> 00:48:42.219 Give me one magnificent obsession. 00:48:42.219 --> 00:48:52.539 Jesus, give me one glorious ambition for my life, 00:48:52.539 --> 00:48:58.259 to know and follow hard after you. 00:49:00.259 --> 00:49:05.980 To know and follow hard after you. 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420 00:49:06.420 --> 00:49:06.420