Father in heaven,
we're all trying to make sense of everything going on in our city.
And we need you.
God, we're not going to look to ourselves to figure this out.
We're not going to lean on our own understanding.
But we are going to acknowledge you in all of our ways
that you will make straight our paths.
And Lord Jesus, our risen shepherd, lead us on.
Father, would you now pour out your spirit upon us
in order to spotlight Jesus
to rally this church around our risen head
in that we would be a body in motion moving forward together.
Father, we believe that you have raised us up for such a time as this.
Not to shrink back, but to press in
for the glory of Jesus among all the peoples living in the city of Kenosha.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh upon us.
Melt us, mold us, fill us, use us.
And it's in the name of Jesus we all pray.
Amen.
In order for us to move forward together as a church,
today we must choose Jesus.
Today I choose Jesus,
and today you must choose Jesus
so that we move forward in the midst of crisis
for the glory of his name.
I think it's safe to say
that the last five and a half months
has literally been one crisis after another.
We've been living in an unrelenting,
accumulating crises.
And many of us are just weary,
tired, confused, overwhelmed.
It started in March with COVID-19,
and at the end of March,
George Floyd died under the knee of a white police officer.
And then all throughout the last several months,
there has been this saber-rattling of politics
from the left and from the right,
sending out messages.
It can be very confusing, disheartening.
Divisive.
In August, many of us who are sending children
to the Kenosha Unified School District schools,
we watched the board flip-flop
on some important decisions.
It just added to the confusion
and accumulation of crises.
And of course, all of that has been overshadowed
by what happened a week ago today.
Many of you have seen the video.
A black man, Jacob Blake,
being shot in the back seven times
by a white Kenosha police officer.
The investigation's underway.
There's information coming out.
We want as much information to come out.
We're praying for that.
But it was like the lighting of a match in a cinder block,
cinder box.
Because over the last week,
we've witnessed peaceful protests.
We've witnessed violent riots.
We've witnessed businesses boarding up their windows
all throughout downtown,
all throughout uptown,
all throughout 75th Street,
and reaching out onto Green Bay Road and beyond.
There's been this giant boarding up of protection.
Yesterday on my way in,
I counted this,
I would drive in at 7 a.m. every morning
over the last four or five days
to see where our building was,
if it was.
And Friday on my way in,
I counted at least 11 businesses
that had been gutted by fire,
burned to the ground.
We've seen riots.
We've heard rumors of riots.
There's been the loss of life.
There's been the loss of livelihoods.
But there's been the loss of personal property.
I don't know about you,
but Jenny and I,
every night,
we'd turn on Facebook
and watch CJTV
to see what was going to happen next.
The national media descended on our hometown
and we watched Kenosha burn.
Unrelenting.
This past Tuesday,
I backed my pickup truck
to a back door of the church,
and this is when the curfew was still at 8 p.m.
It was at 7.53 p.m.
I was loading into the back of my pickup truck
electronics,
computers,
other valuable items,
important documents.
I was putting in the back of the truck
and I was watching
and sensing
tension rising
on Sheridan and 60th.
And as I was closing
the back gate of my truck,
this thought came into my mind,
is this going to be the last time
I see our building intact?
Will I come back tomorrow morning
and just see a smoldering pile of rubble?
And then this thought came into my mind.
It's all in the Lord's hands.
Today I choose Jesus
and so must you.
In order for us to move forward as a church
in these trying times,
we must choose Jesus.
And the question I want to ask
and answer for you this morning
is why?
Why must we trust Jesus
to move forward?
And there are two reasons why.
First is his person
and the second
is his work.
His person
and his work.
And my,
what I believe,
spirit-led goal
this morning
is to
bathe your minds
with the glory
of Jesus.
My prayer
is that the Holy Spirit
will spotlight,
he will glorify me,
spotlight Jesus
in our hearts
this morning.
and you will find
fresh strength
to move forward
in our circumstances.
May God do a work
to help you choose Jesus
with me today
in order to move forward.
So in that in mind,
I'm going to pray for us
and would you pray?
Would you ask God
to light up Jesus
in your heart?
Let's pray together.
Father,
would you shine
the spotlight,
Holy Spirit
enlivened
spotlight
of your word
on Jesus now
and give us strength.
Amen.
For us to move forward,
we need to choose Jesus
and the first reason
why is his person.
Now,
a while ago,
I was sent
a sermon
by an old black preacher
and he pointed
his listeners
to Jesus
all throughout
the scriptures.
It was
a beautiful sermon.
It was
a compelling sermon
and taking my cue
from him,
I'm going to remind you
of the glory
of Jesus Christ
in the Old Testament
and in the New
and the way
to take this in
is to receive it.
In the Old Testament,
Genesis chapter 1,
in the beginning,
God created
and John 1,
Colossians 1,
Hebrews 1,
the creator
is none other
than Jesus
who created
all things
which he means
he created
all of us.
Do you remember
that wonderful
children's song?
Jesus loves
the little children,
all the children
of the world,
red and yellow,
black and white,
they,
his image bearers,
are precious
in his sight.
Jesus loves
the little children
and the big children
of the world.
Jesus is the creator
of Genesis 1
and then in Deuteronomy
in the giving
of the law
what we recall
is that when Jesus came
he was the new
and greater Moses.
He not only
fulfilled the law
in perfect obedience
in the way
he lived his life,
he explained
the fulfillment
of the law
in his great
kingdom manifesto
the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5, 6 and 7.
And Joshua,
it is Jesus
the second person
of the Trinity
in a pre-incarnate
appearance
in which he
shows himself
to Joshua
and says
Joshua,
take off your sandals
you are standing
on holy ground.
and then he leads
God's people
into the promised land.
Our Lord Jesus
is leading us
to the heavenly
promised land.
He is with us
and he is holy.
Judges.
Do you remember
the last verse
of Judges?
In those days
there was no king
in Israel.
Everyone did what
was right
in his own eyes.
We are surrounded
by people
who are doing
what's right
in their own eyes.
Trying to make sense
of everything
in their own way.
But we have a king
who is on his throne
explaining to us,
directing us,
King Jesus
into him.
We choose today
to bow our knee
and say lead on
King Jesus.
1 and 2 Samuel,
1 and 2 Kings,
1 and 2 Chronicles,
books recounting
the repeated
limitations and failures
of the kings
of Israel
and Judah.
In 2 Samuel 7
there is this prophecy
saying that there
will be a son
of David
who will always
never vacate
the throne of David.
And who is that?
David's greater son,
Jesus.
Of the increase
of his government
there will be no end.
Esther,
our God,
the Lord Jesus
has raised up
his church
for such a time
as this
to bear witness
to the power
and glory of God
to a people
who are hopeless
and broken,
confused.
The Psalms,
the Lord Jesus
is our ever-present
help in time
of trouble.
Psalm 16,
8,
because the Lord Jesus
is at our right hand,
we will not be shaken.
Proverbs,
it is our reverence
for Jesus
as our creator,
ruler,
savior,
and judge
that governs
all of our lives
and we craft
a life of wisdom.
Even now,
in the midst
of trying circumstances,
in Isaiah,
Jesus is God
with us,
Emmanuel.
Jesus is the light
shining in the darkness.
Jesus is the righteous
branch.
Jesus is the suffering
servant upon God
poured out
his chastisement
to bring us peace
and remember,
it is our God,
Jesus,
that gives strength
to the weary
and causes us
to mount up
with wings like eagles
to run
and not grow weary.
Lamentations,
in the midst
of smoldering rubble,
we call this
to mind
that the Lord,
Jesus,
is our portion.
Therefore,
we will hope
in him.
Daniel,
it's Jesus
who's the fourth
person
in the midst
of Nebuchadnezzar's
fiery furnace.
He is with his people
in the fires
of affliction
and he is with us
in the midst
of this affliction
leading us on.
Jonah,
this disgruntled
prophet,
proclaimed repentance
to Nineveh
and they repented.
We proclaim Jesus
and people
will repent.
We read throughout
the minor prophets
of the fierce
and terrible day
of the Lord
that is coming
and it's Jesus
who will come
and make all things
right.
He will vindicate
his name
and his people.
Of course,
there's Habakkuk,
though the fig tree
may not blossom
nor fruit be
on the vines.
We will rejoice
in the Lord.
We will take joy
in the God
of our salvation
for the Lord
is our strength
because we are united
to Jesus the vine.
We will be strong
in him,
not with our own strength,
with his strength.
Today,
I choose Jesus
because of what
the Old Testament
points to
in Jesus.
and then there's
the New Testament.
Matthew,
he's the king
that has come
and established
his saving reign
on earth
through his blood
and he calls
all his citizens
through the Sermon
on the Mount,
his kingdom manifesto,
he calls them
to live out,
love your neighbor
and love your God.
Remember Mark 4
on a boat
in the Sea of Galilee?
It's crazy.
Everybody's afraid.
Jesus is asleep.
His disciples wake him up.
He stands up
and says,
Peace.
And the sea is calmed
and his disciples say,
Who then is this
that even the wind
and sea obey him?
He is our God.
He brings calm
to chaos.
On the road
to Emmaus,
the risen Jesus
says to two
of his disciples,
beginning with Moses
and all the prophets,
he explains to them
in all the scriptures
the things
concerning himself.
It's all about Jesus.
In John,
Jesus says,
I'm the bread of life.
I'm the light
of the world.
I am the door
of the sheep.
I am the good shepherd.
I am the resurrection
and the life.
I am the way,
the truth,
and the life.
I am the true vine.
And then in
John 8, 58,
it's the wonder I am
before Abraham
was I am.
Because our Jesus
is the I am,
we choose him today.
In order for us
to move forward
as a church,
we choose Jesus.
In the book of Acts,
it's the resurrection
Jesus
who brings
the church
into existence
and an outpouring
of the Holy Spirit,
empowers his church,
sends them out
to the nations,
and the gospel spreads,
and the church grows,
and the church suffers,
and the church says,
we count it worthy
to suffer for Jesus.
Romans,
we're not ashamed
of the gospel
of Jesus Christ
because it's God's power
to save all
who believe
red,
yellow,
black,
and white.
They are precious
image bearers
in his sight.
1 and 2 Corinthians,
the cross of Christ
is foolishness to some
and is an offense
to others,
but those who are
being saved,
it is the power
of God.
Brothers and sisters,
could it be
that right now
in the city of Kenosha,
there are people,
whether they realize
it or not,
that they will be saved
upon hearing the gospel.
In the book of Philippians,
chapter 2,
we read about Jesus
who humbled himself
and became nothing.
He humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death,
even death
on a scandalous cross,
and then listen to this.
Therefore God has
highly exalted him
and bestowed on him
the name that is
above every name,
so that at the name
of Jesus,
every knee should bow
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ
is Lord
to the glory of God
the Father.
That's why we choose
Jesus today.
And that's why Paul said,
for me to live is Christ
and to die is gain.
Colossians,
Jesus is the Lord
of creation,
he's Lord of the church,
and he says,
Paul says,
him we proclaim.
He's the Lord of the church,
he's the Lord of the church,
warning everyone
and teaching everyone
with all wisdom
for we may present,
that we may present
everyone,
red, yellow, black,
and white,
mature in Christ.
And then Paul says,
for this I toil,
struggling with all
his Holy Spirit energy
that he so powerfully
works in me.
The book of Philemon.
It shows us that the gospel
puts everyone on the same level
as sinners needing salvation
in Christ alone.
Jesus is the great equalizer
of all people,
of his people.
There's no partiality
in the family of God.
Hebrews points us to Jesus.
Set your eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter
of our faith,
who for the joy set before him
endured the cross,
scorning its shame,
and is now seated
at the right hand of God.
James 2, 1.
My brothers,
show no partiality
as you hold the faith
in our Lord Jesus,
the Lord of glory.
He's the Lord of glory.
Then let me just skip ahead
to the book of Revelation.
In Revelation 5,
we read about myriads,
myriads,
thousands upon thousands
of angels
surrounding Jesus.
And what it's describing
is what's happening
right now.
Thousands upon thousands
of angels
falling down before him
and worshiping.
And what are they saying?
What are they singing?
Worthy is the Lamb
who was slain
to receive power
and wealth
and wisdom
and might
and honor
and glory
and blessing.
And then it says,
to him who sits
on the throne
and to the Lamb
be blessing
and honor
and glory
and might
forever
and ever.
Today,
I choose Jesus
because of
his person,
who he is,
shown in the Old Testament,
shown in the New Testament.
And that's why,
brothers and sisters,
we must choose
him today.
He's our glorious one.
He's our great head.
But I also choose
Jesus today
because of what he's done,
what he is doing
and what he will do,
his work.
Today,
I choose Jesus
because he died
on a cross for me.
And if you're
a follower of Jesus,
he died on a cross
for you.
We are not our own.
We were bought
at a price.
So now,
we choose
to glorify God
with our bodies
and with our lives,
with all that we are.
In light of what
he has done for us
on the cross,
we live for him.
He's our king.
And if you're not
a follower of Jesus,
you must decide.
Choose this day
who you will follow,
who you will live for.
You will either choose
to live for yourself
and suffer
the eternal punishment
of a just God,
or you choose
to deny yourself,
take up your cross,
and follow Jesus.
And you're not
going to find burden.
You're going to find
life,
abundant life,
and life forever
with God
in glory.
That's whom
we proclaim.
So today,
I choose,
and I invite you
to choose
Jesus,
not only just
who he is,
but in what he's done
on the cross
for us.
And then,
there's what he's doing
right now.
He's actively
at work.
We read in Matthew 16,
18,
that Jesus is presently
building his church,
and the gates of hell
will not prevail
against it.
The church is
not a building,
but a people.
Our building
can be smashed
to rubble,
but we,
as the people
of Christ the King Church,
will continue on.
And our Lord Jesus
is presently
adding people
from every tribe,
tongue,
and nation
to his church
through the blood
he spilled
on the cross.
Jesus loves
the little children,
all the children
of the world,
red and yellow,
black and white.
He is bringing
them together
to form a multicultural,
multi-ethnic movement
of men and women
who've been bought
by his blood
and choose
to follow him.
brothers and sisters,
Jesus is building
his church today
in the city
of Kenosha.
He's at work.
He's not done.
He hasn't scurried off.
He's using this
for his good,
his glory,
adding people.
I'm hearing reports
more and more
of people coming
to repentance
and believing
in Jesus.
He's building
his church
and I don't know
about you
but I want to be
about what he's doing.
Today I choose
Jesus
and so must you.
That's how we move
forward.
But there's something
else he's doing too
that I hope will bring
encouragement to you.
We read in Romans
chapter 8
and Hebrews chapter 7
and even in 1 John 2
that right now
at the right hand
of God the Father
Jesus is presently
interceding
for his people.
And what that
intercession
accomplishes
is this.
Our salvation
will be accomplished
to the uttermost.
You know what this means?
Our risen Christ
is praying
us home.
He's praying
for us.
His church
around the world
he's praying
for the American
church.
He's praying
for the church
in Kenosha.
What a great
and glorious
gathering that was.
Was that Thursday
night or Friday night?
Friday.
What a joy
singing and praying
with the church
of Kenosha
but he
is praying
for Christ
the King
church
interceding
for us.
Praying us
through
these hard
times
unto the Father.
Today I choose
Jesus because of
what he's doing
right now.
Building his church
interceding
for us.
He is for
us.
If he gave
himself for us
how much
more along
with that
will he do
all things?
but I also
choose Jesus
today
because of
what he
will do.
We read
throughout the
New Testament
and particularly
in Revelation
that Jesus
is coming
back
and we
are one
day
closer
to his
return.
When he
comes back
he is going
to decimate
all that
stand
opposed to
him and
then he
will judge
all.
Each of
us
will stand
before the
judgment seat
of Christ
and give
an account
for our
lives.
Because of
that day
I choose
Jesus
today
to live
for him
to seek
to obey
him
and all
that he
commanded
by the
power
of the
Holy
Spirit.
Remember
the parable
of the
talents
in Matthew
25?
Talents
are given
to three
servants.
They go
and vest it.
One squanders
it.
They return.
There is
judgment.
And for the
first two
who wisely
use their
talents
they hear
from their
master
well done
good and
faithful
servant.
That's
what I
want to
hear
on that
day.
Well done
Michael.
Well done.
I saw
it.
Saw
what you
did.
I saw
Christ
the King
Church.
Saw
you all
press
into the
moment.
Not shrink
back from
it.
And then
after he
says well
done and
good and
faithful
servant
he says
enter the
joy of
your
master.
You read
at the
end of
Revelation
of the
new heavens
and the
new earth
new
Jerusalem
a new
creation
no longer
under bondage
to decay
we will
see Jesus
face to
face.
We will
feel his
embrace.
We will
hear him
with our
own
ears.
And in
the new
heavens
there is
no more
systemic
racism.
In the
new
heavens
there are
no more
riots.
There is
no more
looting.
There is
no more
death.
There is
no more
disease.
There is
ever present
peace like
a river.
It is
where the
lion lies
down by
the lamb.
And there
is where
our Jesus
is.
He waits
us and
he is
praying us
home to
him.
Which means
we are
passing
through.
This is
not our
final home.
We are
one day
closer
though.
Because of
who Jesus
is and
because of
what his
work is,
what he has
done, what
he is doing
and what
he will
do,
today I
choose
Jesus.
It is
how we
must move
forward as
a church
in light of
all these
hard things
we are
facing.
will
you
join
me?
Christ
the
King
Church
will
you
join
me
in
choosing
Jesus
today?
But I
wouldn't
love you
well
if I
didn't
say
there's
some
things
you
need
to
un-choose.
In
order for
you to
choose
Jesus
there's
going to
be
some
things
you
must
deny
in
order
to
follow.
we
must
deny
un-choose
carelessness
of other
people.
Not
giving a
rip about
people who
are unlike
us.
We must
put that
behind us
in order
for us
to choose
Jesus
and move
forward.
So when
you choose
Jesus
here's what
happens.
The Spirit
of God
will fill
you with
the heart
of Jesus
which is
compassion
towards all
people
who are
like
sheep
without
a
shepherd
distressed
and
downcast.
It
informs
the way
we engage
people.
So I
know not
all of
us live
in the
same
place.
We live
in different
places
in relationship
to downtown
Kenosha.
I know
that.
I know
that not
all of
us
experience
kind
of an
inner
city
life.
I know
that.
But all
of us
must be
exercising
the
compassion
of
Jesus.
In
order to
do that
you need
to say
no more
to this
carelessness
of others.
Which means
compassion
for black
and brown
ethnic
minorities
who just
want to
be heard.
Who just
want to
be understood.
Who want
to have
their experiences
validated.
We have
compassion
on law
enforcement
because they're
in a very
difficult position
right now.
Very difficult.
In fact
many of us
have been
praying for
John and
Terry
Tipman
that God
would open
a door
into the
sheriff's
department
for them
to minister
to law
enforcement
husbands and
wives
in this
stressful time.
We have
compassion
on people
of different
political
persuasions
because we
all know
that there's
no political
party that
will deliver
you from
your sins.
We have
we must
say no
to a
carelessness
towards others
to say
choose Jesus
and have
compassion
on others.
Let me just
roll through a
couple other
things you need
to say no
to in order
to say yes
to Jesus.
You need to
say no
to an
inordinate
fear.
You must
unchoose
an inordinate
fear for
your personal
safety, for
your personal
health, for
your personal
future.
if you're
more concerned
about self
preservation
than Jesus
glorification
you've got
something to
say no to.
We've got to
say no to
our complacency
of our own
kingdom building
and we say
yes to Jesus
and being about
the building
of his kingdom
of leveraging
resources to
that end.
We must
say no.
we must
unchoose
this cavalier
pride
and this is
how it
shows up.
If you're
more interested
in being
right
than
building up
relationships
you've got
something to
repent of
to turn from
in order to
choose Jesus.
if you have
a track record
of speaking
in ways
that ruin
relationships
because you
want to be
right
you've got to
repent of
that.
There's a
time and a
place to
say oh I
got to be
faithful to
Jesus and I
got to stand
on this
truth let
the chips
of relationships
fall where
they may.
But what I'm
talking about is
something different.
it's a
pride of
insisting on
your own
way and it
can ruin
relationships.
You need to
prevent you
need to repent
of that to
choose Jesus
and humble
yourself.
the last thing
I want to
call you to
repentance of
is chaos
making.
When you
choose Jesus
you become
one of his
followers.
Blessed are
the peacemakers
for they are
sons of God.
Jesus calmed
the sea.
He brought
calm to
chaos and
for many of
us we
experienced
chaos internally
before we
became Christians
and he brought
peace like a
river internally
to us.
Brothers and
sisters don't
bring chaos to
your relationships
bring the
calm.
Bring Jesus
calm.
And that
starts with
experiencing his
peace inside
of you.
Isaiah 26
3.
He gives
perfect peace
to those who
set their
minds on
him.
To those who
trust in him.
Brothers and
sisters we're
peacemakers.
We're not
chaos makers.
We're to bring
the calm.
Not the
chaos.
Can I just
encourage you
along one
line?
Use your
dinner table
as a
peacemaking
tool.
Invite people
into your
home.
Get to know
them.
Listen to them
and understand
them.
That's how we
bring peace.
By mutual
understanding.
By listening
carefully.
to love
with your
ears.
You've got to
unchoose these
things in order
to choose
Jesus so that
we can all
move forward
submitted to
him.
We are his
body under
his headship
walking in
motion along
the path that
he has set out
for us.
We've been
living in a
state of
crisis for
about five and
a half months.
many of us
are weary.
Many of us
are sick of
it.
Many of us
want to give
up and get
out.
Other of us
want to bow
up and throw
down.
But we choose
Jesus today
who is the
greatest peacemaker
of all.
And we bring
peace.
Can we just
say it's not
going to be the
same moving
forward.
It's not
going to be
the same.
There's the
mistake that we
could think,
hey it's just
about cleaning
up the city.
Once we clean
up the city of
all of its
glass and
trash and
plywood,
then we go
back to
normal.
We don't go
back to
normal.
We can clean
it all up and
yet there will
still be things
that need to be
addressed and we
want to do that
out of the glory
of Jesus.
There will be
still smoldering
racial tension in
our city.
And out of
love for Jesus,
let's be a part
of addressing that
with the gospel.
COVID's not
done.
The investigation
of Jacob Blake's
not done.
There are a lot
of not dones.
And Jesus is
not done.
He's not done in
his work with us.
Because of his
person, because of
his work, today I
choose Jesus and
so must you.
Our goal is to be
faithful to his
call to make
disciples of all
the nations.
Starting in
Kenosha.
Now I want to
give you some
instructions of how
we're going to move
forward here.
We're going to sing
glorious Christ in a
minute.
But before we do,
can I just
encourage you just
to take a minute
to ask God to
search you, to
see if there's
anything you need
to un-choose in
order to choose
Jesus today to
move forward with
him as our head.
Would you take a
minute and do work?
Spirit of the
living God, would
you now do a
work in convicting
us of what we
must repent of so
that we can choose
Jesus moving
forward?
Take a minute.
risen Christ, today
we repent of our
sins.
We confess, Lord
Jesus, of areas in
of our lives, whether
it's carelessness or
fear or some kind of
building of our own
kingdom or pride or
chaos making.
God, we confess them
to you, Lord Jesus, and
trust that once again
you've washed us
white as clean.
Because if we confess
our sins, you're
faithful and just to
forgive us of our
sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
Lord Jesus, we as your
people choose you
today.
And if you give us
tomorrow, we and joy
will choose you again
tomorrow.
Now, God, I do pray
that as a continuing
work of your spirit, you
would encourage us
with one another.
That you would build us
up as a church as we
hear one another.
And we pray this in
Jesus' name.
Amen.