Good morning.
It's good to be here. It's good to be here with you.
If you haven't figured out, during the hot days of the summer, our church has, just like SeaWorld, splash zones.
There are places where the fans blow.
So if you are dying of heat, get up, move around, find a place where you can be comfortable as we look at God's Word together.
I don't want you dying out there.
I know it's getting a little warm.
But it is a good day to be here in the house of the Lord together.
So let's rejoice in that.
You know, it's one of the best opening scenes in modern television history.
A man lying on the ground and an eye pops open.
Do you remember it?
Some of you are too young to have seen the first episode of the series Lost that was a huge hit for 10 years.
That eye belonged to Jack Shepard.
And as he raised himself up in the middle of a bamboo forest, ran frantically trying to find out where he was,
and emerged onto a beach where at first silence as he looked one way and then the other way.
Chaos.
The sound of an airplane engine whirring in the background, overwhelming everything else, screams and cries.
And you realize that Jack Shepard had just been in a plane accident.
The plane had gone down.
And Jack was emerging into this scene of chaos.
Bewildered.
Afraid.
Uncertain.
Thankful to be alive.
But confused.
What do I do now?
Where do I go?
How do I proceed?
Friends, we haven't been in an airplane crash.
I would imagine most of you.
I don't know.
Maybe someone has.
But I think that this is something that happens to us often in life.
We go through some change.
We go through some transition.
And suddenly we're in this new situation.
And we don't know where we are.
And we don't know where we're going.
And we wonder, how do we go forward from here?
What does that look like?
Some of you are starting school this week.
Maybe it's a new school.
Maybe it's a new town for you.
Some of you are heading back to elementary school or junior high or high school.
And as you walk in that first day, some of you have, some of you will do it tomorrow.
You may experience a similar disorientation.
And ask the same questions.
Why am I here?
What has brought me here?
How am I going to get through this?
And friends, it doesn't even need to take a life transition for that to happen.
Sometimes life just comes at you, doesn't it?
And brings something unexpected.
Bring something overwhelming.
And you find yourself in this place of bewilderment and fear and uncertainty.
And as we stand there, we ask the question, God, where are you?
God, why am I here?
God, how do I move forward from here?
What is it going to look like for me to move ahead from where I am right now?
Well, friends, that's where our passage this morning takes us.
We are in Acts 28.
That's page 937 in your pew Bible.
If you've not been here all summer, we are preaching through the end of the book of Acts.
And this is the penultimate sermon.
Greg will wrap it up next week.
But this week is the second to last one.
And our passage speaks to that kind of disorientation and confusion and speaks words of hope.
If you remember last week, Pastor Nick read chapter 27.
Paul is a prisoner being taken to Rome.
And he's on a ship that ultimately wrecks in the sea.
And as we begin this passage, Paul and all the people in the ship have not been saved from the storm.
They have not been saved from the shipwreck.
But through the storm and through the shipwreck, God has carried them.
And God has brought them to the beach like Jack Shepard.
Wondering, why are we here and where do we go from here?
So, let's read together Acts chapter 28.
We're going to read verses 1 through 16 together.
After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.
The native people showed us unusual kindness.
For they kindled a fire and welcomed us all because it had begun to rain and was cold.
When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire,
a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another,
No doubt this man is a murderer.
Though he has escaped the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.
He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead.
But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him,
they changed their minds and said he was a god.
Now, in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief men of the island named Publius,
who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery,
and Paul visited him and prayed and, putting his hands on him, healed him.
And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
They honored us greatly.
They also honored us greatly.
And when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
After three months, we set sail on a ship that had wintered in the island,
a ship of Alexandria with the twin gods as figurehead.
Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.
And from then, we made a circuit and arrived at Regium.
And after one day, a south wind sprang up.
And on the second day, we came to Puteoli.
There, we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days.
And so, we came to Rome.
And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and three taverns to meet us.
On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
Let's pray together.
Lord, we are thankful for your word.
For in it, you speak to us.
And Lord, you speak to us not only information about you or what has happened in the past.
But Lord, you speak to us words of life.
Words that are meant to encourage our souls.
To turn our gaze towards you and to see you in all your majesty and beauty.
Holy Spirit, I invite you this morning.
Help us to understand your word rightly.
And to respond as you would have us to this morning.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
In this odd little passage,
this odd narrative stuck at the end of this long book about God's work in building his church,
what do we see?
What is there for us this morning?
I think we see this.
We see a portrait.
It is a portrait of God's provision for his people pursuing his mission.
I want to talk about two key aspects of that this morning.
I want to talk about how God, both in building the early church in Acts and still today,
God is active.
I want to talk about what it is to understand his mission
and what it is to understand his provision for his people.
This is the big picture.
God's provision for his people pursuing his mission.
You may not have noticed it.
The most important verse, I think, in the big picture of this book of Acts is verse 14.
It is actually just the very last part of verse 14.
Right?
What does it say?
Look with me.
And so we came to Rome.
This is the most exciting thing that we have seen in eight chapters in the book of Acts.
Because Paul has been trying to get here for eight chapters.
Why?
Why is that so important for Paul?
If you go back, you realize Paul had gone to Jerusalem and there had been arrested and accused.
He had been brought before various courts.
And in defending his ministry and in proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ,
he had found himself imprisoned and on this inexorable process of heading towards Rome.
He had actually appealed.
He wanted to testify before Caesar.
He'd appealed to go to Caesar so that he could testify.
And so this is in some ways the climax of this whole great narrative from the last chapters.
Now a cynic might think the big reason why Paul wanted to go to Rome is simply so that Paul could defend himself and be vindicated
and be shown to be not a rebel against the Roman Empire.
And that this is simply a theological discussion between Jews and the new believers in Jesus.
But I don't think that's all that it was.
Paul, even though he was in chains, saw Rome as an opportunity.
An opportunity for a number of things.
If you go back in Acts 27, in the middle of the chapter,
God himself comes and says,
You're going to survive this shipwreck because you will testify before Caesar.
You will tell him about the grace of God and what he has done in Jesus Christ.
So God himself reminded Paul,
This is why you're going to Rome.
So you can testify, not about your innocence, but about the work of God in Christ.
We also see from the book of Romans that Paul had long wanted to go to Rome to bless the church,
to be with them, to encourage one another.
It's what we see in Romans 1.
And in Romans 15, we see that Paul had a greater vision too.
That Paul wanted to get to Rome to encourage the brothers there,
but he wanted to go beyond that.
He wanted to take the good news of Jesus Christ beyond to Spain.
He saw Rome as the launching point for a new mission
to reach people who had never before heard about Christ.
Friends, this was Paul's mission.
And you know what?
It was a costly one, wasn't it?
It was a costly one because he wasn't going willingly to Rome at one level, was he?
He was in chains.
He was a prisoner.
He was not a free man choosing to go where he would and when he wanted to.
But he was pulled along by those who held him captive.
And in those chains, he suffered years in prison, shipwrecks.
It's pretty remarkable.
And for Paul, as he saw this cost, he thought, well, this is worth it.
Why?
Because I get to tell others about Jesus.
I get to tell others that he is not dead, but he is risen.
And that makes all the difference in the world.
And so with that sense of vision, even though the cost on his life was high,
he was able to even walk through it in an incredibly gracious way.
As he pursued this mission, strikingly in this story, he was gathering wood.
Right?
He's not thinking, okay, I've been saved.
God said I'm going to get to Rome.
I'm just going to sit back and let people take care of me.
Right?
They shipwrecked.
They were cold.
They were wet.
It had started to rain.
And so Paul goes out and he's gathering wood.
Expending himself yet more for the sake of others.
Later on in our story, in verses 8 and 9, Paul's welcomed in.
You might have thought, oh man, Publius, this is like a day at the spa.
I finally get to relax.
I get some refreshment.
Oh, this is nice.
I need a break.
But Paul didn't see that.
Paul heard, oh, his father is sick.
Let me go pray for him and ask the Lord to heal him.
And then when he did, it wasn't just him, but the whole island, all the sick people on
the island came to visit Paul.
And during his time there, he had a ministry of healing the sick.
And so we see Paul pursuing the mission that God had put on his life to testify to the grace
of God.
It is why he's on the ship.
It is why he acts the way he does towards those in this story.
I wonder, friends, what about you?
What is the mission you're on this morning?
I'm here to tell you that God has a mission for you if you will take it up.
In Acts 17, verses 26 and 27, Paul, preaching to the Athenians, quotes this remarkable statement.
He says, I'm going to paraphrase here.
He says, God has determined the places that you live and the times that you live.
God knows that you are here in New Haven today.
It's not an accident.
God has determined these things for you and he's determined them for a purpose.
A purpose that you might seek God and that you might find him for he's not far from you.
I don't know if you may be here this morning and thinking, I don't actually know why I'm in church.
I'm not usually here.
I'm exploring this.
Or maybe you're thinking, I've been going to church for a long time and I'm about ready to pull the plug.
God has you here this morning.
God has you here in New Haven so that you might seek him and you might find him.
But friends, this is just the beginning of God's great call in your life.
In 1 Peter chapter 2, Paul, I'm sorry, the apostle Peter reminds the believers that he's writing to,
ironically, probably in Rome, probably suffering great trials, he reminds them,
God has made you his special people, a chosen race, a royal people, a people belonging to him.
God has called all believers in Christ into his family, but not just so that they might be saved from the storm,
but so that they might also then, as he goes on, he says,
in order that you may declare the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into the kingdom of his beloved son.
This is the calling for all who claim the name of Christ,
that we should boast about our Savior,
that we would say, there is no one like him.
There is none other in the world who has been what he is for me.
This comes in joy, in worship.
It comes in testimony of this is how he's changed our lives.
It comes in the proclamation to a dying world that is losing hope,
that there is a Savior,
and he is the best thing that you will ever find.
And so, friends, he calls you
to take up this mission.
He calls you to embrace this.
Some of you are going to be in New Haven for a couple of years.
Some of you will be in New Haven for the rest of your lives.
Some of you are newly arrived.
Some of you have lived your whole life here.
The question is not actually where you are.
The question is, whose mission are you on?
God has a mission for you to know him
and to make him known.
It's easy.
It's easy for us to slide into having a very self-centered mission
for our lives.
I'm just here to get my degree and get out of here.
I don't even like the Northeast.
And it hasn't even snowed yet.
Some of you are thinking,
I know, I know, but I just got to raise my family,
earn my money,
get my ducks in order.
Eventually, I can do that, but not now.
I'm too busy.
I got too much other things to do with my life.
Friends, God says, no, this is not your mission.
He has called you here to be great students.
He has caused you here to raise your families.
Whatever your life situation here,
God has called you here.
And he wants you to honor him
in how you do those things diligently and well
and with an eye to the glory of God.
But friends, if we pursue those things
and we lose the mission of knowing God
and making him known,
we have lost our way.
Some of you may be this morning disillusioned
and weary.
You've been in the church for a long time
and you think,
I've walked that road.
I'm tired of it.
It's too hard.
We will see in just a minute
that God's provision for you is sufficient
to refresh your weary soul
and to see that though it is hard
and the cost is great,
there is no mission that is more worthwhile.
There is no higher calling
than to live for Christ and his kingdom.
Some of you may know the story
of a man named William Borden.
He was an heir to the great Borden Dairy fortune.
He came to New Haven in 1905
as a freshman at Yale.
He had every human advantage it seemed.
He was an outstanding student
becoming the president of Phi Beta Kappa.
He was an outstanding athlete
known as a rower and a sailor and a wrestler.
When he came to New Haven,
when he began his years at Yale,
he purposed that he was going to be here
for the sake of Christ and his kingdom.
He purposed to begin to pray for all of his classmates.
His sophomore year,
he gathered a few of his classmates together
and they created a systematic approach
to engaging every student in his class
so that they would know the good news of Jesus Christ.
But he didn't live with the myopic view
of just the ivory tower that he was in.
For he also lived in New Haven
when it was a great port city.
And he saw the wreckage
of the transient life of seafarers,
of sailors.
And so he started,
he walked off of campus,
down the street,
and began a ministry,
began reaching out
to men whose lives were being destroyed
by alcohol
and transience.
Transience.
He started the Yale Hope Mission.
And years later,
when he died,
as a young missionary in Egypt,
there were testimonies
that came from both
the rich and powerful
and the down and out,
declaring how this man
had lived his life
to know Christ
and to make him known
in every circumstance in life.
Some of you are students.
Go read Borden of Yale.
Go down to the bookstall.
Get it.
If you can't afford it,
just steal it.
No, really.
You can have it for free.
Go read about his life
and consider why are you here.
If you're a student
at one of the other universities,
go read it.
It's still applicable.
And you know what?
If you're not a student,
think about this.
It may not be
your classmates
and your campus.
It may be your workplace
and your cubicle workers.
It may be the other moms
and the play date.
It may be the friends
you hang out with
on Friday nights.
Whatever your circumstances are,
it may be the other ones
It will be your neighbors
for sure.
Who do you live near?
Wherever you are,
this is what God
has called you for.
Friends,
will you take up this mission?
Will you figure out
what your Rome is?
Having seen then clearly
what the mission of God is
for Paul
and then for us,
probably some of you
are thinking,
how do I get there?
What do I do?
How do I?
I can't do that.
That's completely overwhelming.
Well, friends,
this is the good news
of this passage.
Because Paul
was not only called
on a mission by God
as we are,
but Paul saw God
provide for him
every step of the way
and provided in surprising
and a great variety of ways
that some may be more common
or less common
but it's striking
how broad and rich
God's provision is
for his people.
These stories
that we read this morning
have a number of them.
Let's look at a few of them quickly.
The first one is that
we see God displaying
a supernatural power
on behalf of Paul
and his ministry.
Right?
This incredible scene
with the viper.
Right?
Paul's,
it's such an odd story,
isn't it?
I mean, really.
You're just reading along
and suddenly Paul's
collecting wood
and there's this viper
and, you know,
you read the commentaries
and they're like,
well, there aren't any
vipers on Malta today
so this must not be true.
Well, you know what?
2,000 years,
it's a small island
with lots of people.
They probably killed them all.
It's not that hard.
But the fact is,
it seemed,
as you read the narrative
of verses 4 through 6,
the natives saw the viper
and they knew
Paul had been bitten
and he's going to die.
Right?
So they knew
there were poisonous snakes
on the island
and they knew exactly
how bad it was.
And Luke doesn't even bother
to explain it very much.
He didn't say,
and God shone a light
upon Paul
and there was a great
display of light
and angels.
None of that.
He just says,
and Paul shook the snake
into the fire
and it burned up.
And they all waited
for him to die
and he didn't.
And the testimony
to these natives,
the word here,
natives,
it's so easy for that
to have a pejorative sense.
It originally just meant
people who weren't
Greek speaking.
So that's all it means.
The Maltese had their own
culture and language
and it was not like
a barbaric
or backwards society.
But they did have
their own beliefs
and superstitions.
And they believed,
oh,
the viper came out.
Clearly our God
is bringing justice
on this unrighteous man.
And God uses
even that misunderstanding
about the nature
of the spiritual world
and turns it on its head.
And suddenly Paul
is justified before them
and his ministry
is exalted.
Now he still has to clarify
just like he did
in some other seasons
in Acts.
Look,
I'm not a God
but I serve the true
and the living God
who has delivered me
today just as he's
delivered me
from so many other things
so that I might tell you
about Christ.
And then
he gets this
great hospitality,
walks into this man's house
and his father-in-law
is sick
and he probably had
something called
Maltese fever
which was a unique
disease that was
caused from the
milk of goats
on that island
that was discovered
in the 20th century
and therefore eradicated
but before then
this bug got in
and it killed people.
Fever and dysentery
were sort of descriptors
of this thing
that still existed
for a long time
after that.
And Paul walks in
and he prays
and he's healed.
And strikingly
if you're a student
of the big arc
of the Luke-Acts narrative
that Luke has written
for us to know
in Luke 4
Jesus walks into
Peter's house
and heals
Peter's mother-in-law.
Here Paul walks in
and heals
another man's
father.
But they're strikingly
different
because Jesus
comes in
and he says
I'm going to do this
so that you will know
who I am.
But when Paul walks in
he says
I'm going to do this
and I'm going to pray
to God
so that you know
what kind of God
I serve.
And there's this
striking distinction
between those two things.
And in the middle
of what do we see?
We see Paul
we see God
overturning
the natural order
of things.
Poison usually kills.
Maltese fever
usually dies.
And yet
the God
who Paul serves
is a God
who brings life.
And the message
that he brings
is one of eternal life.
And so
these supernatural
things happen
so that Paul's
message
is vindicated
and so that people
will listen
to him.
Friends
do we look
for God
to work
in supernatural
ways today?
I think
it's so easy
for us
to deny
that he does
this
or to think
well he doesn't
do it on my
timetable
so I'm just
not going to
believe in that
because I don't
want to be
disappointed.
friends
God
has
and God
is doing
works like
this today
to validate
the ongoing
spread of the
mission
the message
of Jesus
Christ
and him
crucified.
God
continues
to do
these things
today
in our
world.
But friends
I also
want us
to make
sure that
we don't
look
for
supernatural
things
only in
these
most
overt
and obvious
ways.
as I
have
thought
about
this
friends
is not
forgiving
someone
who has
deeply
hurt
you
or
resisting
a
temptation
to
fill
the
hungry
hole
in your
heart
with
some
worldly
promise
of
fulfillment
or
simply
acting
kindly
to
someone
where
you
will
gain
no
benefit
from
it.
Are
these
not
also
supernatural?
Are
these
not
also
things
that
do
not
happen
outside
of
the
work
of
God
in
our
lives?
So
friends
let us
not
sit
and
wait
for
God
to
part
the
Red
Sea
when
he
actually
simply
wants
to
make
us
patient
instead.
Both
of
them
are
supernatural
in
God's
work
in
our
lives.
And
we
need
to
embrace
a
broad
view
of
how
God
works
to
help
us.
He
comes
alongside
of
us
and
enables
us
to
do
this.
So
we
see
God's
supernatural
work
helping
Paul
and
helping
us
in
our
mission.
The
second
thing
we
see
is
the
kindness
of
strangers.
I
love
verse
two.
The
native
people
showed
us
unusual
kindness.
The
original
actually
reads
showed
us
no
small
kindness
which is
a beautiful
way of
saying
we were
overwhelmed.
It was
abundant
in the
kindness.
And
remember
where we
started.
These
guys have
just been
shipwrecked
on an
unknown
island.
They
might have
expected
bears
and wolves
or unhappy
natives
armed with
spears
and swords
who want
to imprison
them,
who want
to attack
them,
who feel
threatened
by them.
They
might
have
expected
all
sorts
of
things.
But
they're
with
Paul
and
Paul's
with
God
and
God
is
watching
over
them.
And
so
they
have
this
incredible
provision
from
the
natives
on
the
island
and
the
head
man,
the
most
important
person
takes
them
in
and
welcomes
them
and
treats
them
richly.
And
you
see
even
at
the
end
of
that
part
of
the
story
in
verse
10.
When
we
went
to
put
out
to
sale,
they
gave
us
everything
we
needed.
And
friends,
these
aren't
people
who
have
believed
in
Jesus.
These
are
not,
this
is
not
the
church
coming
alongside.
These
are
people
who
still
believe
in
the
God
of
justice,
who
still
willingly
and
embrace
jumping
onto a
ship
with
the
twin gods
of
Castor
and
Pollux
on the
front,
believing
that
having
those
gods
on the
front
will
save
them
from
shipwreck.
The
people that
God used
to help
Paul and
to encourage
him
are not
the people
you might
have
expected.
And
yet,
God is
there.
God
has
provided
for
Paul
to
get
him
back
on
his
journey,
to
get
back
on
the
boat
through
the
kindness
of
strangers.
They
have
all
they
need
for
the
ship,
for
the
sail
ahead.
I
remember
after
my
freshman
year in
college,
I went
on a
missions
trip
to
India.
Some
friends,
some
friends'
parents
were leading
the
trip.
We
arrived
in
Delhi
at
11
o'clock
at
night
expecting
to
connect
from
Delhi
to
fly
to
Bombay
where
we
were
then
going
to
be
met
by
people
we
had
never
seen
before
who
were
going
to
take
us
to
the
place
that
we
were
actually
going
to
settle
in
for
five
weeks
and
do
some
ministry
in
the
name
of
Jesus.
We
got
to
Delhi
and
the
plane
was
cancelled.
And
if
you've
ever
been
in
a
circumstance
like
this
it's
not
just
it
was
cancelled
and
there's
this
nice
person
who
speaks
perfect
English
who's
saying
and
we
would
like
to
take
care
of
you
and
help
you
rebook
your
flights
in
the
most
convenient
and
easy
way
so
that
you
can
get
to
your
destination
as
quickly
as
possible.
No
it
is
bewildering
and
confusing
and
you
think
how
in
the
world
do
I
get
from
where
I
am
now
to
where
I
need
to
be
in
a
timely
manner
and
we
had
no
idea
we
didn't
understand
the
systems
it
was
1130
at
night
all
the
offices
were
closed
down
I
mean
we
slept
in
the
airport
that
night
which
was
a
lot
of
fun
but
you
know
what
happened
along
the
way
George
happened
that's
all
I
could
tell you
his
name
is
George
and
God
looked
at
us
he
walked
up
to
the
leaders
of
our
group
and
said
maybe
I
can
help
you
he
got
us
in
the
right
lines
he
got
us
he
did
the
negotiation
which
included
new
fees
and
things
like
that
he
got
us
our
plane
tickets
and
helped
us
get
on
the
plane
to
the
destination
the
next
morning
we
called
him
George
the
angel
there
was
no
reason
he
needed
to
take
care
of
us
except
the
kindness
of
strangers
by
which
God
helped
us
get
to
where
we
were
going
to
do
the
work
that
he
had
called
us
to
do
friends
when
you're
stuck
do
you
ask
God
to
help
when
you
hit
those
points
where
you
think
I
don't
know
what
to
do
you
start
looking
for
God
to
intervene
because
he
does
and
he
will
let
us
not
fall
into
our
self
reliance
I'm
going
to
fix
this
American
mode
but
let
us
live
instead
by
faith
believing
that
the
God
who
has
called
us
on
this
mission
will
also
provide
for
us
all
that
we
need
in
every
circumstance
to
do
what
he
has
called
us
to
do
and
then
finally
friends
when
you
look
at
verses
11
through
16
you
think
why
is
this
here
it's
just
like
a
little
travelog
and
then
we
went
to
here
and
then
we
went
to
here
and
finally
we
got
to
Rome
this
whole
section
could
have
just
said
and
then
we
sailed
to
Rome
and
then
we
be
done
right
but
what
is
it
in
this
last
section
that
we
see
the
encouragement
of
brothers
isn't
it
striking
not
only
the
kindness
of
strangers
who
don't
know
this
God
but
the
encouragement
of
brothers
they
came
from
Rome
they
traveled
out
of
the
city
into
the
province
of
Rome
which
is
why
you
see
it
in
verses
14
and
16
they
entered
into
the
province
and
then
they
were
headed
towards
Rome
and
these
brothers
came
out
and
do
you
see
Paul
do
you
see
what
he
says
verse
14
15
on
seeing
them
Paul
thanked
God
and
took
courage
he
knew
that
this
was
another
provision
from
the
Lord
these
brothers
have
come
to
encourage
us
as
we
finish
this
journey
and
he
was
strengthened
he
was
encouraged
by
it
friends
I
wonder
if
you
viewed
coming
to
church
this
morning
like
that
I
get
to
worship
with
brothers
and
sisters
what
an
incredible
gift
from
the
Lord
I
am
weary
I
am
tired
this
has
been
a
long
journey
I
need
my
brothers
and
sisters
to
remind
me
and
to
encourage
me
and
to
help
me
on
the
way
for
those
of
you
who
are
starting
your
year
at
the
university
I
implore
you
make
this
your
commitment
do
not
forsake
the
fellowship
of
believers
there
is
no
assignment
done
there
is
no
extracurricular
activity
that
is
worth
losing
the
fellowship
of
being
a
part
of
a
local
church
now
I'm
speaking
to
the
university
crowd
because
it's
the
beginning
of
school
year
but
friends
I
know
there
are
many
out
you
who
are
not
a
part
of
that
who
are
also
thinking
why
do
I
go
to
church
it's
so
hot
the
preacher
goes
on
so
long
why
am
I
here
seriously
I
just
come
in
I
go
out
is
this
really
what
I
want
friends
I
want
to
tell
you
as one
of the
primary
ways
for us
to pursue
the mission
that he's
called us
to
we
can't
do it
alone
we
truly
can't
I
can't
tell
you
how
much
being
here
was an
encouragement
to me
in the
weeks
and months
after
Brandy
went
to
be
with
the
Lord
in
January
I
needed
to
be
here
even
when
I
was
completely
overwhelmed
even
when
I
didn't
have
the
energy
to
stay
and
to
fellowship
and
to
interact
even
when
I
couldn't
sing
to
be
here
with
you
all
was
such
an
encouragement
to
me
and
I
needed
to
be
here
and
friends
I
will
say
that
part
of
the
reason
why
I
knew
I
needed
to
be
here
is
because
I
had
done
it
for
so
long
if
you
give
up
the
habit
now
when
the
storms
of
life
do
come
you
will
find
yourself
alone
and
adrift
so
now
make
it
a
commitment
make
it
a
priority
do
not
despise
this
gift
from
God
but
treasure
it
because
friends
the
God
who
has
called
us
on
this
mission
is
the
God
who
will
provide
for
us
because
this
is
the
very
nature
of
the
message
and
the
gospel
that
we
believe
God
has
called
us
on
a
mission
because
he
first
came
on
a
mission
for
us
Jesus
came
not
to
be
served
but
to
serve
and
to
give
his
life
he
came
to
give
himself
as
a
ransom
for
many
he
came
as
a
mission
not
to
do
his
own
will
but
to
do
the
will
of
his
father
who
had
sent
him
and
he
now
is
our
provision
friends
if you
think
God
has
abandoned
you
if
you
think
you
can't
do
it
go
back
to
the
very
beginning
go
back
to
the
very
heart
of
the
cross
Jesus
came
and
lived
a
perfect
life
that
we
could
not
live
so
that
he
might
offer
himself
up
as
a
perfect
sacrifice
to
take
the
penalty
for
the
sin
of
our
imperfect
lives
of
our
rebellion
of
our
casting
off
God
over
and
over
again
and
exalting
ourselves
to
the
center
of
our
lives
Jesus
is
the
perfect
provision
to
save
us
from
God's
wrath
against
our
sin
and
to
bring
us
into
a
new
life
and
a
new
relationship
with
him
and
in
Christ
all
the
other
things
in
our
lives
take
on
a
new
meaning
and
a
purpose
and
so
our
studies
and
our
relationships
and
our
children
and
our
work
and
our
play
and
our
rising
up
and
our
sleeping
all
of
these
things
become
renewed
with
a
purpose
to
bring
glory
to
God
and
they
are
endued
with
a
mission
that
in
all
of
these
things
we
have
an
opportunity
to
proclaim
the
excellencies
of
him
who
called
us
out
of
darkness
into
light
so
friends
thank
God
thank
God
for
this
great
provision
and
take
courage
let's
pray
Lord
we
praise
you
this
morning
for
you
have
provided
for
us
all
that
we
need
in
Christ
we
have
the
greatest
treasure
we
have
the
savior
that
we
didn't
even
know
that
we
needed
we
have
been
rescued
from
a
danger
that
we
so
want
to
deny
Jesus
we
praise
you
that
you
came
to
save
us
to
rescue
us
God
we
pray
I
pray
I
pray
for
us
as
a
church
that
we
would
embrace
your
call
of
mission
on
our
lives
and
Lord
as
we
begin
to
take
steps
to
live
that
out
in
the
coming
days
and
weeks
and
months
God
that
we
would
do
that
trusting
in
your
provision
knowing
that
you
are
with
us
Lord
knowing
that
the
cost
may
be
high
but
that
the
reward
is
great
we
thank
you
and we
praise
you
in
Jesus
name
amen
we
owe