WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.100
 If you have your Bibles, I want to ask you this morning to turn with me to Matthew's Gospel.

00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:09.939
 Matthew 1-17.

00:00:09.939 --> 00:00:13.000
 I know what some of you are thinking right now.

00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:14.540
 I know.

00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:19.179
 I called my mom this week and I told her what I was preaching on and she said, oh no.

00:00:20.980 --> 00:00:27.719
 This is the part of the passage or part of the Bible that we typically skip over when we are reading through, isn't it?

00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:30.960
 We are not interested in genealogy very much.

00:00:31.419 --> 00:00:36.079
 We don't understand it that much and we don't know the people that are in this genealogy.

00:00:36.299 --> 00:00:41.420
 So it is easier to just fly on by and get on to the good stuff and the meat.

00:00:41.879 --> 00:00:49.359
 Well, I want to tell you today, I want to rest, calm your nerves a little bit and tell you I am not going to read through the genealogy.

00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:56.120
 Now, in the first service I had a big amen from somebody when I said I wasn't going to be reading through the genealogy.

00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:03.979
 I am not going to stumble over these names and try to read through the genealogy knowing that you are probably not interested to begin with.

00:01:04.379 --> 00:01:08.319
 However, there is a purpose and a reason this is included in Scripture.

00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.739
 And I think it is important that we read all of the Scripture.

00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:20.539
 And I think that there are things in this genealogy that we can glean from, we can learn from, we can take it and apply it to our lives.

00:01:20.540 --> 00:01:25.280
 And I don't know who here today needs to hear this message, maybe all of us.

00:01:25.900 --> 00:01:31.420
 But there are some here today who need to really hear what I'm going to share.

00:01:31.740 --> 00:01:38.980
 Because I knew, even all night last night as I was trying to sleep, it kept getting in my mind going,

00:01:39.600 --> 00:01:40.960
 Is this really the right sermon?

00:01:41.860 --> 00:01:44.840
 Is genealogy really what I'm supposed to bring?

00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:46.540
 I get one shot a year sometimes.

00:01:46.540 --> 00:01:54.520
 Is this really, and God kept bringing me back to this was the message that he wanted me to speak.

00:01:54.600 --> 00:01:59.740
 So I know there are individuals here today, if not all of us, who need to hear this.

00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:02.960
 The other day I was watching Dateline.

00:02:03.740 --> 00:02:06.760
 This is mine and Michelle's regular routine.

00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.039
 It comes on on Friday nights.

00:02:09.659 --> 00:02:18.400
 And normally, many weeks, I'm online teaching pastors in Peru on Friday nights.

00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:20.960
 Most of you already know this.

00:02:21.300 --> 00:02:27.560
 But we teach Friday morning and Friday night, two hours at a time.

00:02:27.860 --> 00:02:29.960
 Same material but different groups.

00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:39.780
 And we have close to 100 that log on on Zoom and have been in our courses since the fall, or really August, of 2020.

00:02:40.620 --> 00:02:44.580
 We're seeing God do some really remarkable and wonderful things.

00:02:44.700 --> 00:02:46.500
 And we've invited you at any time.

00:02:47.260 --> 00:02:49.939
 Anytime you want to log on and just see it, let me know.

00:02:50.020 --> 00:02:53.520
 We'll give you the Zoom link and you can just get on and watch.

00:02:53.819 --> 00:02:54.659
 It is amazing.

00:02:54.659 --> 00:03:01.599
 We don't start on Friday nights until 9 o'clock at night because these pastors and church leaders have worked all day.

00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:02.900
 They're tired.

00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:04.359
 They're worn out.

00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:06.359
 But they're gaining so much.

00:03:06.460 --> 00:03:07.699
 And it's not me as a teacher.

00:03:07.859 --> 00:03:13.800
 It's the material that it's impacting their ministries and changing their churches.

00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:18.180
 But we record Dateline on Friday night.

00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:19.859
 Michelle and I have a regular routine.

00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.780
 We get up on Saturday mornings and we watch Dateline.

00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:28.000
 And a couple of weeks ago, we saw one that was extremely interesting.

00:03:28.780 --> 00:03:33.259
 There was a murder that had taken place, usually Dateline's based on that.

00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:36.580
 And they had DNA at the crime scene.

00:03:37.139 --> 00:03:41.879
 And so they put that in the FBI database, which is CODIS.

00:03:42.439 --> 00:03:45.060
 But there were no matches for that DNA.

00:03:45.259 --> 00:03:48.240
 Now, if there had been a match, it would have been solved and whammo, bammo.

00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:49.259
 It's history.

00:03:49.259 --> 00:03:56.299
 DNA is, I don't even know, one in a trillion, zillion people that it'll match.

00:03:56.739 --> 00:04:06.579
 So the detectives, they continued to try to solve this crime for years but never could get an exact match on the DNA.

00:04:07.180 --> 00:04:16.459
 They went around to all the family, all the friends, all the people in the circles of people that knew them, kept taking DNA tests and never could get a hit.

00:04:16.459 --> 00:04:19.180
 So years went by.

00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:23.579
 And finally, science changed and developed.

00:04:23.739 --> 00:04:24.439
 And get this.

00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:26.079
 If y'all watch Dateline, you know.

00:04:26.659 --> 00:04:28.839
 But if you don't, you may not know this.

00:04:29.479 --> 00:04:37.439
 They can take DNA and develop a picture of the individual that it belongs to today.

00:04:37.979 --> 00:04:42.339
 Now, even detectives thought, no, that's not going to work.

00:04:42.599 --> 00:04:43.699
 It's not going to help us.

00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:44.359
 But you know what?

00:04:44.419 --> 00:04:45.859
 They had no choice.

00:04:45.860 --> 00:04:48.600
 They were at their ropes in.

00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:50.480
 They had nowhere else to turn.

00:04:50.620 --> 00:04:52.100
 And years had gone by.

00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:55.000
 So they got approval to spend the money.

00:04:55.080 --> 00:05:00.759
 I think it was like $5,000 or something that their budget really didn't have to put into this.

00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:02.720
 But they wanted to solve this crime.

00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.360
 So they paid the money.

00:05:04.740 --> 00:05:06.680
 They sent the DNA off to the lab.

00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:13.840
 And a few weeks later, they get a picture of an individual that they believed that that DNA belonged to.

00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:16.199
 And at first, they went back to family.

00:05:16.199 --> 00:05:18.179
 And they were like, do you know this individual?

00:05:18.179 --> 00:05:20.359
 And they were like, we don't know that person.

00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:24.920
 And so they talked to more people and their circle of friends.

00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:28.280
 And everybody kept saying, we don't know that individual.

00:05:28.280 --> 00:05:30.500
 So, of course, the detectives were discouraged.

00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:33.300
 And they were thinking, well, that was a waste of time.

00:05:33.379 --> 00:05:37.460
 Until finally, a young man said, I know who that is.

00:05:38.219 --> 00:05:38.819
 I know.

00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:41.599
 And he gave the detectives the name of the individual.

00:05:41.599 --> 00:05:50.319
 And they began going to that individual and investigating him, even to the point where they got his DNA sample.

00:05:50.459 --> 00:05:51.120
 And guess what?

00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:54.319
 It was a perfect match.

00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:59.019
 And they took the DNA that was at the crime scene and his DNA match.

00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:00.279
 And you all know what that means.

00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:01.679
 It's a closed case.

00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.599
 And they solved that cold case murder from years ago.

00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:11.140
 Now, most Americans today, we're not very interested in genealogy, are we?

00:06:11.980 --> 00:06:15.740
 If we are, usually it's only out of curiosity.

00:06:15.960 --> 00:06:18.000
 We kind of want to know where we came from.

00:06:18.320 --> 00:06:19.700
 We want to know a little bit.

00:06:19.780 --> 00:06:23.600
 But we really aren't like, say, England that has royal bloodlines.

00:06:24.200 --> 00:06:28.300
 And they want to really trace their bloodline and prove who they are or where they came from.

00:06:28.340 --> 00:06:31.220
 That doesn't really interest us too much.

00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.600
 But we do so more out of curiosity.

00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:42.920
 In the late 90s, I had a 12-month time span where I had five family members to die on my father's side.

00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:47.340
 It was both of his parents, his brother, and an aunt and an uncle.

00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:52.080
 Well, that spiraled my dad into getting interested into genealogy.

00:06:52.079 --> 00:07:05.079
 And he traced the Rafferty family line on his side of the family all the way back into the 1700s when the first of the Rafferty's came from Ireland through Virginia to the United States.

00:07:05.719 --> 00:07:09.399
 But again, usually we're not very interested in genealogy.

00:07:09.719 --> 00:07:13.979
 We just, if we do so, we're doing it out of just curiosity.

00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:23.480
 However, today we're learning more and more about genealogy and the benefits of knowing our family line and how that affects our health.

00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:28.100
 If there's a trait of cancer that runs through our family line, we want to know that.

00:07:28.379 --> 00:07:31.500
 So that maybe we can do things that prevent it ahead of time.

00:07:31.620 --> 00:07:40.980
 Or, like I said just a minute ago, the DNA can help law enforcement solve a lot of crimes that would have been unsolvable years ago.

00:07:40.980 --> 00:07:44.460
 But again, usually we're more likely just curious.

00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:55.420
 When we see those Ancestry.com commercials on the television or other commercials for other organizations doing DNA tests, we've probably been tempted.

00:07:55.580 --> 00:07:56.680
 Yeah, I want to just see.

00:07:57.060 --> 00:08:02.500
 I've always been told I'm Scotch-Irish, but what else is mixed in there?

00:08:02.900 --> 00:08:04.960
 You know, where else do I come from?

00:08:04.980 --> 00:08:07.100
 And we just do so out of curiosity.

00:08:07.580 --> 00:08:10.020
 But for the Jews, it was different, wasn't it?

00:08:10.980 --> 00:08:12.280
 Why was it different?

00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:21.180
 Well, the Jews, they knew the prophecy in Isaiah that said the Messiah would come through the family line of David.

00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:28.439
 And so they knew very clearly that if someone showed up on the scene and said, I'm the Messiah,

00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:33.159
 if they could not trace that individual back through the family line of David,

00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:38.180
 then they dismissed that person's claim of being the Messiah.

00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:42.939
 Listen to Isaiah chapter 11, verses 1 through 5.

00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:50.359
 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

00:08:50.779 --> 00:08:55.839
 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:01.500
 the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:04.480
 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:12.299
 He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide disputes by what his ears hear.

00:09:12.659 --> 00:09:18.779
 But with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

00:09:18.840 --> 00:09:24.679
 And he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:30.839
 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

00:09:31.839 --> 00:09:41.019
 Any respectable Jew knew that prophecy, and they knew that the Messiah, this was a reference to the Messiah,

00:09:41.359 --> 00:09:44.519
 and that he would come through the family line of David.

00:09:44.519 --> 00:09:49.980
 And therefore they kept meticulous records and focused on the genealogy,

00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:56.240
 so that they would be able to approve or dismiss people's claims of being the Messiah.

00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:02.899
 This is why in Matthew's gospel account he begins with the genealogy.

00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:04.679
 We skip over it and move on.

00:10:05.079 --> 00:10:08.620
 But he was writing to the Jews, first and foremost.

00:10:08.620 --> 00:10:13.980
 He wanted them to understand who Jesus Christ was and that he was the Messiah.

00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:24.740
 In order for the Jews to accept that though, you had to establish first and foremost that he was from the family line of David.

00:10:24.819 --> 00:10:29.360
 Now in addition to proving that Jesus did indeed come from the family line of David,

00:10:29.699 --> 00:10:32.379
 and therefore he was qualified to be the Messiah,

00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:37.799
 the list of genealogy also reveals some other extraordinary truths.

00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:44.159
 And so today my focus of this message is not to prove to you that Jesus was the Son of God

00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:45.779
 and came through the family line of David.

00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:50.099
 But I think we can take this genealogy that's in Matthew chapter 1,

00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:55.599
 and we can pull out some very important truths that are found in these scriptures.

00:10:56.139 --> 00:11:00.419
 We can pull out some interesting facts about individuals' lives,

00:11:00.419 --> 00:11:02.740
 and how they lived,

00:11:02.740 --> 00:11:05.059
 and what God did through them.

00:11:05.199 --> 00:11:07.659
 And I think we can take that to uplift us,

00:11:07.939 --> 00:11:09.819
 encourage us, strengthen us,

00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:14.139
 and help us to apply those to our lives as we try to serve God

00:11:14.139 --> 00:11:16.860
 and walk with him closer each and every day.

00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:18.919
 When you look at this genealogy,

00:11:19.860 --> 00:11:24.459
 you see that there's 46 individuals in Matthew's account.

00:11:24.460 --> 00:11:28.220
 And it was a time span of 2,000 years.

00:11:28.300 --> 00:11:29.220
 Now think about that.

00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:31.320
 How old is the United States?

00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:34.519
 Roughly about 250 years.

00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.780
 Now we're talking 2,000 years of this genealogy.

00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:41.980
 And all these ancestors of Jesus,

00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:45.160
 they all lived very different lives

00:11:45.160 --> 00:11:48.120
 and very different lifestyles.

00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:50.700
 Some of them were heroes of the faith,

00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:54.019
 like Abraham, Isaac, and David,

00:11:54.460 --> 00:11:56.900
 some came from outside Israel

00:11:56.900 --> 00:11:59.860
 and had very questionable reputations,

00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:02.700
 like Rahab and Tamar.

00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:04.840
 Many were very ordinary,

00:12:05.900 --> 00:12:08.240
 and we know almost nothing about them,

00:12:08.280 --> 00:12:09.600
 or very little.

00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:12.259
 And a few of them, like Manasseh,

00:12:12.620 --> 00:12:17.040
 was actually a very wicked and very evil man.

00:12:17.040 --> 00:12:18.420
 And we wonder,

00:12:19.019 --> 00:12:23.040
 how could God include a man like Manasseh?

00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:29.099
 How could he include him in the genealogy of Jesus Christ?

00:12:29.199 --> 00:12:34.860
 Listen in 2 Kings 21, verses 1 through 3.

00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:38.539
 Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to reign.

00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:42.560
 And he reigned 55 years in Jerusalem.

00:12:43.060 --> 00:12:45.019
 His mother's name was Hephzibah,

00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:48.800
 and he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord,

00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:53.060
 according to the despicable practices of the nations

00:12:53.060 --> 00:12:57.379
 whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

00:12:57.379 --> 00:13:01.879
 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah, his father,

00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:02.759
 had destroyed,

00:13:02.980 --> 00:13:05.720
 and he erected altars for Baal

00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:07.360
 and made an Asherah,

00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:10.419
 as Ahab, king of Israel, had done

00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:12.939
 and worshipped all the hosts of heaven

00:13:12.939 --> 00:13:15.000
 and served them.

00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:17.779
 If you really go back and begin

00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:21.580
 to explore the life of Manasseh,

00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:24.159
 which we get accounts here in 2 Kings,

00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:25.799
 but also 2 Chronicles,

00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.379
 you know, an outline of his life

00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:31.479
 and the sinfulness of this man would sicken you

00:13:31.479 --> 00:13:36.240
 because not only did he defile the temple of God,

00:13:36.419 --> 00:13:37.240
 Solomon's temple,

00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:38.819
 by bringing in altars

00:13:38.819 --> 00:13:42.120
 and making sacrifices to pagan gods,

00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:45.699
 he even sacrificed his own son

00:13:45.699 --> 00:13:48.399
 to these pagan gods.

00:13:48.939 --> 00:13:50.719
 And so when you look at the genealogy,

00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.479
 and there you see his name, Manasseh,

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:58.759
 you wonder how could God put a man like that

00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:03.480
 in the family line of the coming Messiah,

00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:05.039
 Jesus Christ?

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:09.519
 How could God forgive him of the things he's done?

00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:11.620
 But not only that,

00:14:11.680 --> 00:14:13.800
 how could he put him in that family line?

00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:15.379
 If you read in 2 Chronicles

00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:17.480
 and you see more about Manasseh,

00:14:17.560 --> 00:14:19.980
 you'll see that God brought justice to Manasseh.

00:14:19.980 --> 00:14:23.259
 He punished him and had him exiled to Babylon

00:14:23.259 --> 00:14:25.159
 because of his sinfulness

00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:28.960
 and because he led Israel to worship false gods

00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:32.180
 and to commit such sins.

00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:35.899
 But when Manasseh had heartfelt repentance,

00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:38.879
 he turned away from his sin

00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.759
 and asked God to forgive him.

00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:43.560
 God also forgave him,

00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.759
 brought him back from Babylon,

00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:47.600
 restored him in Judah

00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:51.019
 and restored him to his position as king

00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:53.179
 over the southern kingdom.

00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:55.840
 God is a remarkable and almighty God,

00:14:55.939 --> 00:14:58.779
 especially when we repent of our sin

00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:00.679
 and turn back to him

00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.159
 and ask forgiveness of that sin.

00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:04.960
 But we look at it as like,

00:15:05.100 --> 00:15:07.340
 why would God want a man like that?

00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:09.759
 Why would God want Manasseh

00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:14.080
 to be in the family line of the Messiah?

00:15:15.419 --> 00:15:17.860
 But what we learn from this list of people

00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:20.200
 who come from different walks of life

00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:23.539
 and who lived very different lives spiritually

00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:27.720
 is that we cannot limit or stop God's work

00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:31.139
 and his will from advancing and being accomplished.

00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:33.379
 We can't stop it.

00:15:33.500 --> 00:15:35.639
 God's will will be done.

00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:38.779
 God works through all types of people,

00:15:38.980 --> 00:15:42.360
 some extraordinary and some very common.

00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:44.000
 I learned that when I went to seminary.

00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:48.000
 I was in Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:49.980
 The first year I was there was 1992

00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:55.000
 and it didn't take me long to realize

00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.740
 there's some really weird people here.

00:15:59.779 --> 00:16:03.500
 I was there when they were cleaning house

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:05.100
 of the seminaries

00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:07.799
 and they were cleaning up Southern Seminary.

00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:09.740
 You had a social work program there

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:10.779
 that attracted,

00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:13.259
 it was the only Southern Baptist seminary

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.639
 that had a social work program

00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:17.379
 and it attracted a lot of,

00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:21.039
 did I say that out loud a minute ago?

00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:23.620
 It attracted a lot of different people.

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:25.279
 But you know what God told me?

00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:27.679
 God told me,

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:30.559
 I call all kinds of people,

00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:33.379
 you call strange,

00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:33.980
 indifferent.

00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:34.899
 He said,

00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:35.700
 but I call,

00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:37.620
 I call them to ministry

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:40.000
 to reach all kinds of people.

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:43.139
 Jeff's not going to reach all people.

00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:45.559
 Jeff's not going to connect

00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:46.860
 with all kinds of people.

00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:48.600
 But that guy over there might.

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:49.860
 That guy over there,

00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:51.279
 that lady over there might.

00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:52.500
 You know,

00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.740
 so God calls all kinds of people

00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:56.620
 to reach all kinds of people.

00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:00.399
 And just as God chose all kinds of people

00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:02.960
 to be a part of Jesus' ancestral tree,

00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:05.039
 he uses all kinds of people today.

00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:07.600
 And he will continue to use

00:17:07.600 --> 00:17:09.440
 all types of people in the future

00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:11.460
 to accomplish his will.

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.880
 And this is what I want you to hear.

00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:15.079
 If you don't hear anything else,

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.299
 this is what I want you to hear

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:18.660
 and what I want you to take away

00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:20.360
 from this message.

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:22.579
 What I want you to take away

00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:25.900
 from the genealogy of Matthew.

00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:28.440
 God wants to use you.

00:17:30.320 --> 00:17:33.080
 God has a place for you,

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:34.500
 not only in his family,

00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:36.580
 not only in his kingdom,

00:17:36.580 --> 00:17:39.280
 but God wants to use you

00:17:39.280 --> 00:17:41.180
 in the work that he is doing

00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:42.680
 upon this earth

00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:45.200
 until the day either we leave

00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.420
 or until he comes again.

00:17:48.420 --> 00:17:50.880
 God does not save us

00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:53.420
 for us to sit on the sidelines

00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:55.200
 and wait for him to return.

00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:57.380
 God calls us

00:17:57.380 --> 00:17:59.860
 to be a part of his family,

00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:02.240
 to receive the forgiveness of our sins,

00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:04.900
 but then to join him

00:18:04.900 --> 00:18:07.180
 in the work that he's doing.

00:18:07.300 --> 00:18:08.660
 God doesn't need us.

00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.560
 He can accomplish

00:18:10.560 --> 00:18:12.779
 anything he wants to accomplish

00:18:12.779 --> 00:18:15.600
 and never use a single person.

00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.119
 But he wants to include us.

00:18:19.439 --> 00:18:21.419
 He wants to allow us

00:18:21.419 --> 00:18:23.599
 to have the privilege

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:27.019
 of offering him our lives

00:18:27.019 --> 00:18:28.859
 and him taking us

00:18:28.859 --> 00:18:30.259
 and using us

00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:32.299
 to do great and magnificent

00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:34.279
 and mighty things in us.

00:18:34.339 --> 00:18:35.659
 And you might be sitting here today

00:18:35.659 --> 00:18:36.259
 and thinking,

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.980
 I don't have anything to offer.

00:18:39.619 --> 00:18:41.439
 I don't know what I would do.

00:18:43.379 --> 00:18:44.879
 I'm not good enough.

00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:48.240
 I'm not experienced enough.

00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:49.639
 I'm not trained enough.

00:18:50.259 --> 00:18:51.480
 I don't have anything.

00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:54.179
 Well, when I was 16 years of age,

00:18:54.899 --> 00:18:56.839
 I began feeling God

00:18:56.839 --> 00:18:58.179
 calling me into ministry.

00:18:59.939 --> 00:19:01.119
 Now in Kentucky,

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.199
 where I grew up,

00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:05.519
 churches called their pastor

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.659
 Brother So-and-So.

00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:08.299
 And I kept going,

00:19:08.399 --> 00:19:10.719
 God, Brother Rafferty

00:19:10.719 --> 00:19:11.959
 just doesn't sound right.

00:19:12.339 --> 00:19:13.299
 So I can't do it.

00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:13.579
 Sorry.

00:19:13.579 --> 00:19:16.659
 And it scared me to death.

00:19:16.859 --> 00:19:17.980
 People with my church

00:19:17.980 --> 00:19:19.079
 would walk up to me

00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:19.500
 out of the blue

00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:19.639
 and go,

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:20.379
 you're going to be a preacher,

00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:20.779
 aren't you?

00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:21.460
 And I'd be like,

00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:22.799
 nope, not me.

00:19:23.659 --> 00:19:24.599
 Not going to do it.

00:19:24.619 --> 00:19:25.679
 You're wrong about that.

00:19:26.179 --> 00:19:26.720
 And you know,

00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:27.759
 I fought God

00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:29.179
 for probably two years.

00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:30.939
 I was a senior in high school,

00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:32.119
 18 years of age,

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.639
 and I finally broke.

00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:35.579
 And I said,

00:19:35.659 --> 00:19:36.000
 God,

00:19:36.159 --> 00:19:37.919
 I don't know what you're doing.

00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:40.900
 I don't know why you want me.

00:19:41.320 --> 00:19:43.660
 I have nothing to offer you.

00:19:45.060 --> 00:19:45.700
 You know,

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.640
 I'm not qualified.

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.060
 I'm not capable.

00:19:49.600 --> 00:19:51.519
 I'm not sure I even want to do that.

00:19:52.820 --> 00:19:54.160
 But I tell you what,

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:58.140
 I'll give you my life,

00:19:58.740 --> 00:20:00.120
 and you take me,

00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.779
 and you do with me

00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:02.900
 whatever you will.

00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:05.320
 And if it ends in failure,

00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:05.960
 it's your fault.

00:20:06.900 --> 00:20:07.519
 You know,

00:20:07.580 --> 00:20:08.600
 I still to this day

00:20:08.600 --> 00:20:09.700
 don't feel qualified.

00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:12.259
 I still don't feel capable.

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:13.220
 I still wonder

00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:14.840
 why God chose me.

00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:16.000
 You know,

00:20:16.019 --> 00:20:16.560
 I look around,

00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.440
 I've got a brother,

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:19.019
 I've got a sister,

00:20:19.180 --> 00:20:20.040
 I've got others

00:20:20.040 --> 00:20:21.380
 in my family,

00:20:21.620 --> 00:20:22.820
 and I wonder

00:20:22.820 --> 00:20:24.540
 why God chose me

00:20:24.540 --> 00:20:25.759
 out of them.

00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:26.780
 I'm the youngest,

00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:28.200
 you know,

00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:30.900
 and I just wonder,

00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.340
 but I said,

00:20:31.340 --> 00:20:31.740
 God,

00:20:31.860 --> 00:20:32.800
 you take me

00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:35.039
 and you do with me

00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:36.259
 whatever you will.

00:20:37.460 --> 00:20:38.559
 And that's the way

00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.399
 I've served

00:20:39.399 --> 00:20:41.940
 since that day

00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:44.079
 is that I gave God

00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:44.720
 my life

00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:45.059
 and said,

00:20:45.159 --> 00:20:46.000
 you take me.

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:46.399
 Now,

00:20:46.419 --> 00:20:47.379
 you might be sitting here

00:20:47.379 --> 00:20:48.059
 today too,

00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:49.680
 and you might be thinking,

00:20:49.819 --> 00:20:50.460
 I don't have anything

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:50.980
 to offer.

00:20:51.980 --> 00:20:53.119
 I'm too old.

00:20:53.639 --> 00:20:54.899
 I'm too young.

00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:57.419
 I'm not experienced enough.

00:20:57.799 --> 00:20:58.980
 I don't have anything

00:20:58.980 --> 00:20:59.919
 to offer God,

00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:00.839
 but I'll promise you

00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:01.399
 one thing.

00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:02.980
 If you'll come

00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:04.060
 to the altar,

00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:05.780
 to the feet of Jesus

00:21:05.780 --> 00:21:06.300
 and say,

00:21:06.380 --> 00:21:06.740
 God,

00:21:07.740 --> 00:21:09.340
 here I am.

00:21:10.600 --> 00:21:11.460
 I don't know

00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:12.360
 what you want.

00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:12.940
 I don't know

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:14.200
 why you want me,

00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:16.519
 but I'll give you

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.360
 my life,

00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.960
 and I'll serve you

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:19.580
 faithfully

00:21:19.580 --> 00:21:20.960
 and obediently

00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:21.960
 through the best

00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:23.200
 of my ability,

00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:24.120
 through the power

00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:25.280
 of God's Holy Spirit

00:21:25.280 --> 00:21:26.340
 that works

00:21:26.340 --> 00:21:27.620
 in me.

00:21:27.619 --> 00:21:29.479
 God doesn't need us,

00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:31.039
 but he wants

00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:32.359
 to include us

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.599
 and use us.

00:21:33.679 --> 00:21:34.639
 And you look around.

00:21:34.899 --> 00:21:35.619
 We don't have to even

00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:36.500
 go outside the walls

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.059
 of this church

00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:37.779
 to look around

00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:38.859
 and see some mighty

00:21:38.859 --> 00:21:40.719
 and magnificent things

00:21:40.719 --> 00:21:41.779
 that God has been

00:21:41.779 --> 00:21:42.659
 doing here

00:21:42.659 --> 00:21:43.779
 in this church.

00:21:43.899 --> 00:21:44.639
 People's lives

00:21:44.639 --> 00:21:45.779
 have been changed.

00:21:47.239 --> 00:21:48.639
 We see more people

00:21:48.639 --> 00:21:49.939
 coming every week,

00:21:50.179 --> 00:21:52.299
 and we see God

00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:53.299
 doing some magnificent

00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:53.659
 things.

00:21:53.660 --> 00:21:54.560
 here I am a

00:21:54.560 --> 00:21:57.140
 country bumpkin boy

00:21:57.140 --> 00:21:58.880
 from Whitesville,

00:21:59.100 --> 00:21:59.720
 Kentucky,

00:22:00.300 --> 00:22:02.380
 and God's using me

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:04.060
 to get on the internet

00:22:04.060 --> 00:22:06.440
 and train pastors

00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:07.279
 in Peru.

00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:10.279
 I never dreamed

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:11.880
 that that would be

00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:12.880
 something God

00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.380
 would do in my life.

00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:15.800
 You may not be dreaming

00:22:15.800 --> 00:22:17.900
 about what God

00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:18.880
 could do with you.

00:22:19.560 --> 00:22:20.740
 Have you got natural

00:22:20.740 --> 00:22:21.720
 talents of singing?

00:22:22.080 --> 00:22:23.240
 Brian's got a few chairs

00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:23.900
 still up here.

00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:26.240
 He said most

00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:27.519
 of his choir members

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:28.460
 have a natural talent

00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:28.940
 to sing.

00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:32.940
 He's got a few seats

00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:34.120
 that he's wanting to,

00:22:34.579 --> 00:22:35.400
 no, I'm just kidding.

00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:37.099
 Can you,

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:39.140
 can you teach?

00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:40.519
 We got a lot of teachers

00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:41.599
 in this church.

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:43.640
 Can you use that talent

00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:44.460
 with our preschool,

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:45.460
 our children,

00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:46.019
 our youth,

00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:46.900
 even adults?

00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:49.799
 Can you smile

00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:52.339
 and shake hands?

00:22:52.339 --> 00:22:53.220
 You could serve

00:22:53.220 --> 00:22:53.799
 as greeter.

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:55.939
 Can you take up

00:22:55.939 --> 00:22:56.579
 the offerings

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:57.399
 and give me your money?

00:22:58.799 --> 00:22:59.139
 You know,

00:22:59.259 --> 00:23:00.939
 there's so many ways

00:23:00.939 --> 00:23:02.439
 to serve in this church.

00:23:02.679 --> 00:23:04.179
 We have people

00:23:04.179 --> 00:23:05.139
 that come and put

00:23:05.139 --> 00:23:06.919
 the flowers out

00:23:06.919 --> 00:23:07.639
 every week

00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:10.379
 and beautify our church.

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:11.500
 We have people

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:12.059
 that go out

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:12.919
 on mission trips.

00:23:13.619 --> 00:23:14.539
 There's something

00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:15.459
 in between.

00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.259
 If God is laying it

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:18.079
 on your heart,

00:23:18.199 --> 00:23:19.639
 don't let anything

00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:20.480
 hold you back

00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:20.800
 and say,

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.340
 I can't do that.

00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:25.580
 I won't do that.

00:23:25.800 --> 00:23:27.800
 If God's been pestering

00:23:27.800 --> 00:23:28.820
 you about something,

00:23:29.520 --> 00:23:32.240
 He wants to include you

00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:33.880
 in His work

00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:35.020
 and His ministry

00:23:35.020 --> 00:23:36.960
 and what He's doing.

00:23:37.100 --> 00:23:39.080
 And you're robbing yourself

00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:41.000
 out of the joy

00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:42.160
 and the privilege

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.200
 of joining God

00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:45.259
 and being a part

00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:46.820
 of what He's doing.

00:23:46.819 --> 00:23:48.679
 And so I would encourage you

00:23:48.679 --> 00:23:49.740
 not to hold back.

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.819
 Don't hold back.

00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:52.899
 You know,

00:23:52.939 --> 00:23:53.759
 the main purpose

00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:55.119
 that Matthew wrote here

00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:55.899
 was to show us

00:23:55.899 --> 00:23:56.980
 how we could be a part

00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:57.639
 of His kingdom

00:23:57.639 --> 00:23:58.559
 and salvation.

00:23:59.179 --> 00:23:59.960
 But also,

00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:02.000
 we learned from the genealogy

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:02.879
 that He used

00:24:02.879 --> 00:24:04.039
 all kinds of people.

00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:06.399
 Another interesting note

00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:06.939
 that I found

00:24:06.939 --> 00:24:07.799
 in my study Bible

00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:08.379
 pointed out

00:24:08.379 --> 00:24:08.879
 that there were

00:24:08.879 --> 00:24:10.019
 four women

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:12.240
 listed in this genealogy.

00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:13.980
 Now that was shocking

00:24:13.980 --> 00:24:15.439
 and rare

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.420
 that you would have

00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:17.440
 four women

00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:19.860
 in this genealogy.

00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:21.100
 And not only four women

00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:22.259
 but the women

00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:23.420
 that were included

00:24:23.420 --> 00:24:24.779
 in this genealogy

00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:26.140
 was shocking.

00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:27.680
 There would have been

00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:28.500
 very ethnic

00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:29.440
 and ethical questions

00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:31.299
 by the Jewish readers

00:24:31.299 --> 00:24:33.340
 as they read this passage.

00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.220
 All of them

00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:35.559
 were more than likely

00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:36.720
 not Israelites.

00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:39.259
 And up until that point

00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:40.039
 they felt God

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.000
 had just come

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.880
 for the Jews

00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:42.860
 and the Jews alone.

00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.279
 But now you've got

00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:44.799
 four women

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:45.919
 who were not Israelites

00:24:45.919 --> 00:24:46.799
 by birth

00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:47.960
 and they seemed

00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:49.460
 to be very scandalous

00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:50.720
 to mention

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.740
 in an ancestral tree

00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:54.500
 of the coming Messiah.

00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.899
 Tamar acted

00:24:56.899 --> 00:24:57.460
 like a prostitute

00:24:58.079 --> 00:24:59.019
 to scam

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:00.500
 her father-in-law Judah.

00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:02.460
 Rahab was a prostitute

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:04.119
 and a foreigner

00:25:04.119 --> 00:25:05.839
 but she helped

00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.680
 deliver the city

00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:07.419
 of Jericho

00:25:07.419 --> 00:25:08.359
 into the hands

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:09.200
 of the Israelites

00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:10.639
 and she showed faith

00:25:10.639 --> 00:25:11.759
 in their God.

00:25:11.879 --> 00:25:13.259
 Ruth was from Moab

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.099
 an enemy

00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:15.220
 of Israel

00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:17.379
 and yet she took care

00:25:17.379 --> 00:25:18.319
 of her mother-in-law

00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:18.879
 Naomi

00:25:18.879 --> 00:25:20.200
 and was praised

00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:21.140
 for being better

00:25:21.140 --> 00:25:22.660
 than seven sons.

00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:23.879
 And David

00:25:23.879 --> 00:25:25.579
 committed adultery

00:25:25.579 --> 00:25:26.599
 with Bathsheba

00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:28.420
 and yet Bathsheba

00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:29.039
 became

00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:29.960
 the mother

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.799
 of Solomon

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:32.599
 the wisest king

00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:33.319
 of Israel

00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:34.259
 in all times.

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.299
 This is a very

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:36.539
 interesting family line

00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:37.460
 that God chose

00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:38.559
 to bring his son

00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:39.799
 into the world

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:40.200
 through.

00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:42.379
 Matthew's genealogy

00:25:42.379 --> 00:25:43.259
 is very interesting

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:44.339
 because it shows us

00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:44.899
 the good

00:25:44.899 --> 00:25:46.119
 it shows us

00:25:46.119 --> 00:25:46.659
 the bad

00:25:46.659 --> 00:25:47.480
 and it shows us

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.440
 the very ugly

00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:50.000
 and it doesn't leave

00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.619
 out anyone

00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:51.700
 who might have been

00:25:51.700 --> 00:25:52.379
 questionable

00:25:52.379 --> 00:25:54.399
 in that day and time

00:25:54.399 --> 00:25:54.859
 and the point

00:25:54.859 --> 00:25:55.919
 Matthew's trying to make

00:25:55.919 --> 00:25:56.619
 is that God

00:25:56.619 --> 00:25:57.680
 sent his son

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.399
 into the world

00:25:58.399 --> 00:25:59.339
 to be the savior

00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:00.720
 for all people

00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:01.940
 Jews

00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:03.779
 Gentiles

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.759
 men

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:06.019
 and women

00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:06.720
 and no matter

00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.759
 who people are

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.940
 or where

00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.220
 they come from

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:11.160
 God's plan

00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:12.180
 of salvation

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:13.519
 is offered

00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:14.319
 to all people

00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:15.680
 and if he includes us

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.299
 in salvation

00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:19.079
 he wants us

00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:20.160
 to take the gifts

00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:20.980
 and the talents

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:22.920
 and the experiences

00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:25.839
 of our lives

00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:27.640
 and get plugged in

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:28.599
 to what he's doing

00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:29.359
 on this earth

00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:30.740
 as Henry Blackaby

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:32.400
 who wrote the study

00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:33.799
 experiencing God

00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:35.339
 more than 30 years ago

00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:36.519
 he said

00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:37.139
 look to see

00:26:37.139 --> 00:26:38.299
 where God is working

00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:39.639
 and join him

00:26:39.639 --> 00:26:41.319
 where is God

00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:42.099
 working around

00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:42.899
 your life

00:26:42.899 --> 00:26:44.480
 you know

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.259
 it might not be

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:46.299
 getting plugged in

00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:47.159
 to something

00:26:47.159 --> 00:26:47.899
 here at church

00:26:47.899 --> 00:26:48.419
 it might be

00:26:48.419 --> 00:26:49.200
 your family

00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:53.000
 it might be

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.779
 you need to

00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:55.000
 lead Bible studies

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:57.119
 with your family

00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:57.819
 members

00:26:57.819 --> 00:26:59.460
 or your children

00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:00.559
 or your grandchildren

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:02.119
 there may be

00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:02.919
 other things

00:27:02.919 --> 00:27:03.500
 you may be

00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.039
 need to be

00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:04.519
 a witness

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:05.359
 to a neighbor

00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:07.140
 or a co-worker

00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:09.700
 or visit people

00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:10.640
 in a nursing home

00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:11.140
 and give them

00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:12.299
 hope and encouragement

00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:14.400
 there are so many ways

00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:16.019
 that God can use you

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:17.299
 and he's laid

00:27:17.299 --> 00:27:18.779
 something on your heart

00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:20.400
 he doesn't call us

00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:21.759
 to serve out of drudgery

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.980
 he doesn't want us

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:23.619
 to have to dig

00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:24.380
 our heels in

00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:25.359
 and he'll pull us

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.640
 he's laid something

00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:27.339
 on your heart

00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:28.579
 that you love to do

00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:32.559
 you love to do something

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:34.679
 and God can probably

00:27:34.679 --> 00:27:35.599
 take that

00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:37.439
 and use that

00:27:37.439 --> 00:27:38.899
 to bring glory

00:27:38.899 --> 00:27:40.059
 and honor to him

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:41.099
 so what is that

00:27:41.099 --> 00:27:42.139
 what is that

00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:43.139
 nagging thing

00:27:43.139 --> 00:27:44.039
 that God keeps

00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:45.019
 tapping on your

00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:46.599
 mind and your heart

00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:47.720
 that he wants you

00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:48.279
 to do

00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:50.740
 don't hold back

00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:51.859
 look at this

00:27:51.859 --> 00:27:52.779
 genealogy

00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:53.699
 and see that God

00:27:53.699 --> 00:27:54.599
 used all kinds

00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.000
 of people

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:55.939
 and if he used

00:27:55.939 --> 00:27:57.339
 people like Manasseh

00:27:57.339 --> 00:27:59.699
 he can use you

00:27:59.699 --> 00:28:00.559
 so today I'm going

00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:01.159
 to close

00:28:01.159 --> 00:28:01.939
 with a couple

00:28:01.939 --> 00:28:02.539
 of questions

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:04.899
 first of all

00:28:04.899 --> 00:28:07.259
 have you accepted

00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:08.639
 that free gift

00:28:08.639 --> 00:28:10.459
 from Jesus Christ

00:28:10.459 --> 00:28:11.399
 of forgiveness

00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:12.500
 of your sin

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:15.019
 and to receive him

00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:15.639
 as your Lord

00:28:15.639 --> 00:28:16.179
 and Savior

00:28:16.179 --> 00:28:17.819
 we celebrated

00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:18.819
 that last week

00:28:18.819 --> 00:28:19.839
 with Easter

00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:21.079
 of celebrating

00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:22.359
 the resurrection

00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:23.000
 of Jesus

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.679
 and through the

00:28:23.679 --> 00:28:24.319
 death burial

00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:24.899
 and resurrection

00:28:24.899 --> 00:28:25.779
 of Christ

00:28:25.779 --> 00:28:26.839
 we know that

00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:27.439
 we can come

00:28:27.439 --> 00:28:28.139
 to know Jesus

00:28:28.139 --> 00:28:29.019
 Christ as our

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:29.779
 Lord and Savior

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:30.759
 and that he'll

00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:31.559
 forgive us

00:28:31.559 --> 00:28:32.240
 of whatever your

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:32.919
 past is

00:28:32.919 --> 00:28:33.559
 it doesn't matter

00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:34.700
 you look at

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.299
 Manasseh

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:36.480
 God forgave him

00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:37.539
 and restored him

00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:38.779
 God can forgive

00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.179
 you

00:28:39.179 --> 00:28:40.319
 God can cleanse

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:40.559
 you

00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:41.599
 God can purify

00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:42.099
 you

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:42.879
 and he can

00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:44.000
 bring you

00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:44.720
 into his

00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.439
 family

00:28:45.439 --> 00:28:47.619
 if you've not

00:28:47.619 --> 00:28:48.539
 received that

00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.659
 why not

00:28:49.659 --> 00:28:51.819
 what is holding

00:28:51.819 --> 00:28:52.559
 you back

00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:53.659
 the other

00:28:53.659 --> 00:28:54.259
 question I

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.179
 want to ask

00:28:55.179 --> 00:28:55.819
 you today

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.859
 for those

00:28:56.859 --> 00:28:57.139
 of you

00:28:57.139 --> 00:28:57.819
 who are

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.700
 children of

00:28:58.700 --> 00:28:59.039
 God

00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:00.379
 who've already

00:29:00.379 --> 00:29:01.220
 received Jesus

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:01.919
 as your Lord

00:29:01.919 --> 00:29:02.440
 and Savior

00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:03.579
 have you come

00:29:03.579 --> 00:29:04.220
 before God

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:04.559
 and said

00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:05.259
 take me

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.679
 and use me

00:29:06.679 --> 00:29:08.519
 and do with me

00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:09.659
 whatever you will

00:29:09.659 --> 00:29:12.059
 take me Lord

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:13.460
 use me

00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:15.220
 to serve you

00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:16.980
 to be a witness

00:29:16.980 --> 00:29:18.140
 and to bring

00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:19.240
 glory and honor

00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:19.940
 to the name

00:29:19.940 --> 00:29:20.599
 of Jesus

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:21.360
 Christ

00:29:21.360 --> 00:29:23.039
 if you've not

00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:23.519
 done that

00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.059
 what's holding

00:29:24.059 --> 00:29:24.559
 you back

00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:26.380
 what's keeping

00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:26.940
 you

00:29:26.940 --> 00:29:28.140
 from saying

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:29.180
 God take me

00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:30.120
 and bring glory

00:29:30.120 --> 00:29:31.000
 to your name

00:29:31.000 --> 00:29:31.559
 I don't have

00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:32.380
 anything to offer

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:33.799
 I'm not qualified

00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:34.779
 I'm not capable

00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:36.180
 but I give

00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:37.220
 you my

00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:38.140
 life

00:29:38.140 --> 00:29:38.839
 in just a moment

00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:39.460
 we'll have a

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:40.680
 time of invitation

00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:42.660
 and if God's saying

00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:43.539
 anything to your heart

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:43.980
 this morning

00:29:43.980 --> 00:29:44.599
 maybe you need to

00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:45.339
 receive him as your

00:29:45.339 --> 00:29:45.900
 Lord and Savior

00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:47.220
 or maybe you want

00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:48.880
 to say

00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:49.820
 God take me

00:29:49.820 --> 00:29:50.280
 use me

00:29:50.280 --> 00:29:51.000
 or maybe you need

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:51.560
 to just pray

00:29:51.560 --> 00:29:52.240
 about something

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:53.259
 I'll be at the front

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:54.660
 for us to do that

00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:55.380
 let's go to the Lord

00:29:55.380 --> 00:29:55.840
 in prayer

00:29:55.840 --> 00:29:58.460
 Lord I thank you

00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.240
 for this day

00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:01.000
 what a wonderful day

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.840
 to be here

00:30:01.840 --> 00:30:03.019
 in the house of God

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:04.320
 to worship you

00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:05.259
 to praise you

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.920
 to study your word

00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:07.600
 and see

00:30:07.600 --> 00:30:08.800
 how you're in the

00:30:08.800 --> 00:30:10.180
 life changing business

00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:11.880
 and you take

00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:12.800
 individuals like

00:30:12.800 --> 00:30:13.420
 Manasseh

00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:14.820
 you take

00:30:14.819 --> 00:30:16.059
 individuals

00:30:16.059 --> 00:30:16.839
 that we would

00:30:16.839 --> 00:30:17.599
 never think

00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:18.700
 could be used

00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:20.179
 but you use them

00:30:20.179 --> 00:30:20.859
 to bring glory

00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:21.639
 and honor to you

00:30:21.639 --> 00:30:22.299
 and so I pray

00:30:22.299 --> 00:30:23.039
 that you're working

00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:24.079
 in each of our hearts

00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:24.799
 and helping us

00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.399
 to see

00:30:25.399 --> 00:30:26.539
 how you want

00:30:26.539 --> 00:30:27.480
 to use us too

00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.619
 and we thank you

00:30:28.619 --> 00:30:29.000
 for that

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:29.679
 we praise you

00:30:29.679 --> 00:30:30.579
 in Jesus name

00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:31.059
 Amen

00:30:31.059 --> 00:30:31.299
 Amen