1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,040 Hey everybody, this is Pastor John Ewart from Inglewood 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,920 Baptist Church in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Thank you so much for tuning in to our podcast. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,320 You're going to hear from God today as we share from his word 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,120 about important issues facing your life that can guide you 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:21,280 according to the Bible. Hey, man. 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,440 Well, good morning, Inglewood. Happy sort of 4th of July. 8 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,720 I hope you survived your neighborhood illegal fireworks, 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:37,480 bombardment competitions, the most unenforced laws in the 10 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:41,760 state of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,480 Appreciate those facts as many of you hopped the border and Bob 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,080 bought those bombshells. So I hope you had a good time. 13 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,240 We appreciate you being here. I am excited about Vacation 14 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:54,840 Bible School. I really do hope you'll pick up 15 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:59,320 a, a, a set or two or sixteen of those cards and pass those out. 16 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,320 And we got a several thousand of them available today, about 3000 17 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,960 more on Wednesday night. Again, as Pastor Charles said, 18 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,480 if you can't physically go out and hang door hangers, don't 19 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:10,960 worry about it. We got stuff for you to do right 20 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:14,640 here inside as well as if the weather's bad, we're doing this 21 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:15,920 rain or shine. So come on in. 22 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,240 Be good to see you. We were in Ukraine. 23 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,840 Teresa and I were in Crane a few years ago and and one of our, 24 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,080 one of our missionaries there took Teresa out to an ice cream 25 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,200 parlor. Now, maybe this is common for 26 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,160 you and maybe they serve these at the, at the local Dairy Queen 27 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,000 now. And I just don't know it, but 28 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,040 they bought what's called a bubble waffle. 29 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,160 Now, I don't know if you've heard of these or not. 30 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,840 I think they actually started in Hong Kong. 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,480 But but what it is is think of a ginormous waffle cone, right? 32 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,200 And they packed, they packed a bunch of ice cream in there, you 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,120 know, probably a three scooper at least. 34 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,320 And you and you got syrup and stuff Portal. 35 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:54,680 You know, that's not that unusual. 36 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,480 Fancy waffle cones, right? And then the cone itself is 37 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,280 covered in chocolate nuts again. I see that, right. 38 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:01,920 That's not that that's not that big a deal. 39 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:03,760 You see that at different tourist spots. 40 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,080 Lots of ice cream, caramel and chocolate, just kind of drill, 41 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,840 you know, just kind of dripping off the ice cream the the cone 42 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,640 itself covered in chocolate. But that's not the trick to this 43 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:14,600 thing. You know how you got the little 44 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,160 squares in a waffle? They have this machine that 45 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:23,120 injects caramel and chocolate syrup inside the squares so that 46 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,400 the the cone itself bubbles out, right? 47 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,880 And so you have this this almost honeycomb looking thing. 48 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,680 So not only are you working through the ice cream and the 49 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,920 chocolate syrup and the whipped cream and the nuts and the 50 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:38,600 cherry and the cone, but then when you bite in the cone, it 51 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:39,920 just kind of squirts out all over the place. 52 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,560 I mean, this is just a fantastic invention for a diabetic. 53 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,680 Now, what was fascinating, Teresa took a picture of this 3 54 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,280 1/2 LB ice cream cone she was trying to hold in her hand and 55 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,400 she ate a little bit of it. Didn't even hardly get to the 56 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:54,440 cone itself. Hardly. 57 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,200 Whereas the missionary hate the whole thing. 58 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:57,720 I couldn't imagine. I just couldn't imagine that 59 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,200 thing. But just think about this 60 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,880 thing's just dripping. You know, you got goodness and 61 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,880 sweetness just dripping down your hands and all over your 62 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,640 face. Kind of makes you want to go to 63 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:10,760 lunch, doesn't it? You know, life can be like that, 64 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:15,400 can it? So sweet, overflowing, the 65 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,760 goodness just dripping over the side. 66 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,040 Maybe your 4th of July, camp out, cook out, whatever it was, 67 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:25,400 was like that. But friends, sometimes, 68 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:32,560 sometimes life is not like that. Sometimes it feels not so sweet, 69 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:38,520 less tasty, less satisfying, but certainly still dripping with 70 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,640 messiness. Anybody with me? 71 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,200 You hear me? All right, any, anybody here 72 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,960 experience the overflow of mess and not necessarily the sweet 73 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,320 kind or do you know somebody? You know, somebody needs a 74 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:54,320 little hope today? Know somebody needs a little 75 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,120 encouragement? Know somebody who needs a little 76 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:01,760 comfort, something to fill life with overflowing, gripping 77 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,200 grace. You know, in today's confused 78 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:11,000 culture that seeks to cancel anything or everyone or anyone 79 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,040 frankly, who does not agree with their own invented self defined 80 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:19,160 truth, we need to in this culture today, we need to 81 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,519 remember God's grace can't be cancelled. 82 00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:26,360 His love can't be cancelled. Nothing separates from Him from 83 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,240 us, and us from Him. His sovereignty cannot be 84 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,600 cancelled. His Word cannot be cancelled. 85 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,960 His perfect plan and purpose for us cannot be cancelled, altered, 86 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,440 postponed, or rescheduled by anyone except by us if we're not 87 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,000 obedient. And so today's passage is 88 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,440 special for us because God's not just sitting in heaven surprised 89 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,920 by what is happening in our insane world, or He's not 90 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:55,000 surprised by the mess of your life or someone you know, maybe 91 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,800 it's not you. Maybe it's a friend, maybe it's 92 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,200 a family member who's having some struggles. 93 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,200 So let's find hope in him today and let's come join the King's 94 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,680 mission. Today's message is a testimony 95 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,080 to his complete sovereignty. It's a message of hope. 96 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,240 It's a message of comfort. It's a message of faith. 97 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,800 It's a message of healing. And I encourage you to listen 98 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,360 closely to this one because we're going to testify of his 99 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,880 perfect timing. We're going to testify of the 100 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,520 incredible majesty of a loving God who cares for his people. 101 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,880 In fact, testimonies of change, testimonies of restoration, 102 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,080 testimonies of new life in the passage this morning because 103 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,760 it's time to arise. And I like the sound of that. 104 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,600 So here's where we're picking up in Acts. 105 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,440 We've been walking through Acts, if you're our guest. 106 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,400 We've been working through the 1st 13 chapters of the book of 107 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,480 Acts, looking at the first church, and we're going to look 108 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,560 at another one toward the end. We're almost there. 109 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,120 Saul's back in Tarsus now, so the story shifts back to Peter 110 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,560 for just a bit. And So what we see is he's 111 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,600 ministering in the greater Judean area. 112 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,560 You got to remember Acts 18 is being fulfilled. 113 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,480 You got to go to Samaria. You got to go to Judea. 114 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,640 Peter's helping do that in the coastal cities of Judea. 115 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,000 And we pick up in Acts Chapter 9, verse 32. 116 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:16,080 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down 117 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,240 also to the Saints who lived at Liddam, where he found there he 118 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,680 found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who 119 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,760 was paralyzed. The first thing we're going to 120 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,720 see in this passage, and we're going to go through two 121 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:28,880 different stories that are connected this morning. 122 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,520 The first thing we're going to see is just the restoration of a 123 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,120 life. What we see is he's visiting 124 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,880 believers in this place called little. 125 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,120 We don't know how Christianity began there. 126 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,680 It's one of the interesting parts about the gospel because 127 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,200 after the day of Pentecost, you got to remember that some of 128 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:46,680 those people didn't stay in Jerusalem. 129 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,240 Some of those people went home and we don't know, maybe they 130 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,240 took Christianity back with them, or maybe maybe Phillip 131 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,320 passed that way on his way to Caesarea, or or maybe 132 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,400 persecution had already driven believers to this place, but but 133 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,880 he found a man there. Peter finds Anita's bedridden, 134 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,000 paralyzed and then notice it says for eight years. 135 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,600 And the Bible points out this kind of detail and it really 136 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,800 helps us to be aware of how and how real his need was. 137 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,880 These are real people who really lived and experienced the 138 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,600 difficult realities of life. These are these are people who 139 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,400 really experienced pain and problem and that this man had 140 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,040 not been bread ridden his whole life. 141 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:32,160 He was a grown man, but something had happened. 142 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,720 Something tragic, something life altering, something that got him 143 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:42,040 stuck, paralyzed. Well, maybe that's maybe that's 144 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,000 you this morning. Or maybe it's somebody you know, 145 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,720 maybe somebody that you know. Something's happened. 146 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,040 Something tragic, something life altering, something you can't 147 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,200 overcome on your own, Something that makes you feel trapped, 148 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,960 something that makes you unable to cope, something that makes 149 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:03,520 you feel stuck. And Aneus needed help. 150 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,320 He needed hope. And maybe you do too. 151 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,440 Or maybe you know someone who does. 152 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:14,640 This morning, look at verse 34. And Peter said to him, Aneus, 153 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,560 Jesus Christ heals you. Rise and make your bed. 154 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,720 And immediately he rose. Now there's the answer, Jesus 155 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:24,840 Christ heals you. There's the answer. 156 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,400 There's the true cells, the true source of real help, the true 157 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:33,000 source of real hope. Peter had already learned he 158 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,480 could never consider trying to do this by his own strength. 159 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,919 He could never consider taking credit for this, or doing it by 160 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:41,600 his own name or in his own power. 161 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:46,000 See, Peter knew this because Peter had been stuck himself. 162 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:51,320 Peter had been trapped before. He needed to be restored by 163 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,120 Jesus too. At one point in his life, 164 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,600 remember, he had denied he even knew Jesus three times when he 165 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,880 was paralysed with fear. So he knew what it was. 166 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,640 He he pretended he was not a follower of Christ when things 167 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,200 got tough, when it when it wasn't convenient, when he 168 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,000 thought he had a better way out. So he knew what it was to be 169 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:16,280 stuck. But Jesus freed him and look 170 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,120 around. If you look around this room, I 171 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,680 don't care what you're in the middle of. 172 00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:22,920 I don't care how messy it is in your life. 173 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,040 I don't care what's dripping down your face or your wrist 174 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,000 this morning. I'm telling you, if you look 175 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,960 around this room, you need to realize we've all been stuck at 176 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,680 one time in our lives or another. 177 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,440 All of us were stuck before we met Jesus. 178 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,400 And so if you're here this morning and you need hope and 179 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,480 you need help and you feel stuck, you're in great company 180 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:48,680 because we've all been there and we're cheering for you and we're 181 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:51,440 here to encourage one another. I promise. 182 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,720 We've all been broken. And now we seek to give Jesus 183 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:59,120 the credit for our restoration because Jesus is the name that 184 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,040 people must hear and believe, and we must be eager to make 185 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:04,920 certain he receives all the praise, the credit and the 186 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,280 glory. So the time we're experiencing 187 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,920 together here is not is not about the name of Inglewood. 188 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,120 It's certainly not about me, and it's not even about you. 189 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,480 It's about him. And this world must hear of the 190 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,560 only one who can heal, the only one who can restore, the only 191 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:24,480 one that can give true hope. And Peter says, rise and make 192 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,880 your bed. In other words, you don't need 193 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,400 to stay there anymore. You don't need to stay stuck. 194 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,560 You don't need to stay trapped. You can have a new freedom. 195 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:37,600 This is a weekend where we celebrate freedom and you can 196 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,920 have new freedom. You don't have to stay in the 197 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,560 same old place where you've been these past days, these past 198 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:47,800 weeks, these past months, these past years, anymore. 199 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:52,960 Maybe that place is emotional. Maybe that place is relational. 200 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,880 Maybe that place is spiritual. And maybe you felt like you just 201 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:59,680 can't get out of this on your own. 202 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:02,080 You just can't move on from this by yourself. 203 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,440 Listen to the name of Jesus immediately He rose. 204 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,480 Don't miss it. Don't miss the power of the 205 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,080 Creator God. Don't miss the one who has power 206 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:13,440 over everything. The restoration. 207 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:15,840 Aeneas must have felt that the strength. 208 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:17,640 He must have felt the overflowing. 209 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,400 He must have felt the freedom. He must have felt the ability to 210 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,640 stand and rise again. Now imagine his excitement, 211 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,080 imagine his emotion, imagine his thankfulness. 212 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:31,720 But friends, that very same sovereign God of all power is 213 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:39,200 right here, right now, and he wants to be known by you, all of 214 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,400 us. He wants to help you to arise to 215 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:47,720 a new life, a new outlook, a New Hope, a new purpose. 216 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,360 But look at verse 35. There's an amazing word in this 217 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:58,600 verse and it says and all and all the residents of Lyda and 218 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:04,720 Sharon saw him, the healed man. They saw the healed man and turn 219 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,320 to the Lord. They saw a healed man, but they 220 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,480 turned to Jesus. Now that that's a powerful 221 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,360 testimony. So that's a powerful testimony. 222 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:19,280 When people see you, when people see us, when people know us, how 223 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,360 are they going to turn? Are they going to turn to 224 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,680 Christ? Are they going to recognize 225 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:26,320 there's something different going on over there at 226 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,280 Inglewood, Something different in that man's life, something 227 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,560 different in my neighbour's life, Something special going on 228 00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:34,640 in that marriage, Something restored, something healed, 229 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,680 something overflowing. The Shains, the the plains, the 230 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:43,760 Shains of Plarin, the as the plains of Sharon were huge. 231 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:51,040 They went on for miles. Interesting how news spreads 232 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,080 rapidly when lives are really changed. 233 00:12:54,760 --> 00:13:01,200 You didn't hear that. When lives are truly changed, I 234 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,600 promise you, it'll be standing room only. 235 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,320 People are going to want to come see what's going on when lives 236 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,600 are truly changed. They'll pack out a Chapel on a 237 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:16,400 college campus at Asbury when revival breaks out. 238 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,560 And so we need to see what what we need to do in service to him 239 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,560 to watch that happen here. Listen. 240 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:29,760 News spread rapidly, all the residents, entire communities 241 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,320 can be impacted. And you know, it's also amazing 242 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:36,280 to me and it's always been true that bad news travels fast. 243 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,520 Our culture feeds on it. Our culture, our social media 244 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:45,960 world now feeds on bad news like a shark frenzy, gossip, 245 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,600 self-serving rumours, truth spinning rush through our 246 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,040 culture and often even through the church because it's their 247 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,840 nature. It's their nature to be known, 248 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,880 those false things. It's by their very nature they 249 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,320 want to be known. They seek to be known. 250 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,240 They seek to be spread. Spread because the father of 251 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,880 lies, Satan himself, who's going to fry forever in eternal lack 252 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,560 of fire. And you know, I like saying that 253 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:13,400 out loud because he can hear me. He likes to make sure they 254 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,480 spread. So let's spread the good news. 255 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:21,240 No, let's spread the great news. Let's spread the different news. 256 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,240 Let's do something different. Let's not be cynical, negative 257 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:25,960 people. Let's talk about how Jesus 258 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:30,080 Christ saves, He restores, He frees, He forgives, and he can 259 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:35,640 bring an overflowing sense of sweet grace into our very, very 260 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,040 messy lives. See. 261 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,920 So let's arise and spread that news to all the residents of 262 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,360 Rocky Mountain in the area, news of transformation and salvation. 263 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,760 But you got to understand it was vital for this news from Lita 264 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,320 and Sharon to spread so that the next story can take place. 265 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,840 Look at verse 36. Now there was in Joppa a 266 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:05,440 disciple named Tabitha, which translated means Dorcas. 267 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,600 She was full of good works and acts of charity in those days. 268 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,480 She became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they 269 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,040 laid her in an upper room. We saw a restoration. 270 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:17,880 Now let's look at the recognition of a life, just for 271 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,640 a few minutes. It's special because there's 272 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,440 something unique in the New Testament right here. 273 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,320 She was a disciple. This is the only time in the New 274 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:32,120 Testament that the feminine version of that word is used. 275 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,680 And so it's really interesting, the word for disciple, a version 276 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,040 of matthatase or matthatross. Actually. 277 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:42,480 See, we here is Matthatria where we see this is one time where 278 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:47,160 this special lady received this kind of commendation. 279 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,680 In Greek, her name's Dorcas. In Aramaic, her name is Tabitha. 280 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,840 It means gazelle. And so we see that this blessed 281 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,840 servant, this believer is described as a loving and caring 282 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,040 person who's full of good works and charity. 283 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,360 And the point of that is her life was known by her community. 284 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,400 People knew her. People knew what she was about. 285 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,880 They they knew her life of love and service. 286 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,640 Makes me kind of want to look in the mirror and say, how is my 287 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,680 life known? How is my service known? 288 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,240 Is your discipleship mature enough to lead you to the 289 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,400 service of others in Christ's name? 290 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,200 It's an important question. Have you, in fact, this morning 291 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,520 two different people came up and said, we want to do this because 292 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,320 I'm, I'm asking you, have you officially joined the church so 293 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,000 that you can serve in ministry here? 294 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,400 See, we're going to be recruiting volunteers to serve 295 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,040 in some of our family ministry areas very soon. 296 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,240 And we need you to take your turn because we're growing. 297 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,520 And I promise you, as fall hits, we're going to grow a lot more 298 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:57,360 and we're going to need help. And So what has, what has his 299 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:01,040 calling in your life meant? What has calling yourself a 300 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:09,280 disciple actually LED you to do? See, I want to say thank you. 301 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:14,880 I really do, because last Sunday we had more people in Connect 302 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,359 groups than you all have had, maybe except for a couple of 303 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:25,400 exceptions since COVID, you understand, at least in the last 304 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,200 year. I mean, no, seriously, no, no. 305 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,760 And I, and listen, the reason I'm sharing that with you, I'm 306 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:32,600 not trying to set some attendance record. 307 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,600 I'm not looking for a trophy. What I'm, what excites me about 308 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:40,240 that is that just means a higher percentage of you are in Bible 309 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,600 studying communities that are soon going to become ministering 310 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:46,800 communities that are also prayer communities and discipleship 311 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:48,240 communities. Because a whole lot of things 312 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:50,640 getting ready to happen to connect groups around here. 313 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,040 And I need you. I've been telling you I need you 314 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:55,520 there. So I just want to say thank you 315 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,560 because I know I get it. I know I've been asking you to 316 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,680 buy a ticket and get on board the train without you 317 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:02,680 necessarily understanding where the train was going. 318 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:08,040 And I appreciate you trusting me enough to do that. 319 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,200 I've been hearing how we we're, we got a lot of people in our 320 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:11,880 connect group together, got a lot of people in our connect 321 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:13,640 group. And man, that's fantastic news 322 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,600 to me. So if you're not in one of 323 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:24,880 those. Listen, I've been telling you 324 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,480 and telling you and telling you. We've written definitions of the 325 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,120 essentials of biblical discipleship together as 326 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:33,960 leaders, and I'm going to preach them to you very soon. 327 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,760 We're almost done with Acts and we're going to be moving into a 328 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:39,000 different series, and I'm going to be teaching you and we're 329 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,280 going to be implementing so much of this in our small group 330 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:46,640 ministry. But for now, this week, how are 331 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:50,160 you serving in sacrificial service right now to meet the 332 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,040 needs of others? Because people are calling you, 333 00:18:53,040 --> 00:19:04,080 asking you to serve. How will your life, how will 334 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,840 your disciples think of Dorcas? How are you going to be 335 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:08,840 remembered? How are you going to be honoured 336 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,000 like this in the Pacific? You know, Teresa and I were 337 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,440 raised in Native American culture, cultural background, 338 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,600 where we were from. But in the Pacific Northwest, 339 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,160 there are Native American tribes that have totem poles. 340 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:21,600 And you've probably thought of totem poles. 341 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,320 You see them in movies and different things and very often 342 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,960 they get misunderstood. Now, not every tribe is does 343 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,160 what I'm about to say. Some tribes, they are idolatry, 344 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:32,320 but most of the time those are not gods. 345 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,760 Those are not idols. What what totems in the Pacific 346 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,640 Northwest represent? These are teaching tools for the 347 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,320 elders. They actually represent 348 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,600 characteristics of the people. So the elders would gather the 349 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,520 children of the village around the totem pole and they would 350 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,560 teach them about their us as a people. 351 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,960 So there might be an image of a fox. 352 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,200 Our people are wise. There might be an eagle, Our 353 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,320 people are swift and fly with the wind, there might be a bear. 354 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:00,920 Our people are strong and endure. 355 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,160 For some of you there, there might have been a picture of a 356 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,480 bull, you know, and you take that wherever you want to go. 357 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,080 But anyway, there might be in that, but but they they 358 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:12,200 represent the characteristics of the people kind of like European 359 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,080 family Crest sort of, but more literal. 360 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,760 And I often I've actually in men's conferences, I'll use 361 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,320 that. We'll talk about what, what 362 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,720 would your life or how would your life be represented? 363 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,480 What, what would be the carving, what would be the imagery that 364 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,640 would express, this is who I am and this is how I'm known. 365 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:38,040 See, this faithful servant was known by her community and loved 366 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,840 by her community. And she grows ill and she dies. 367 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:45,320 Now we don't know how, but in a moment we're going to know why. 368 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:50,440 Look at verse 38. Since Little was near Joppa, 369 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,080 This is why these two stories are importantly connected. 370 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,200 The disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to 371 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,040 him, urging him. Please come to us without delay. 372 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,320 So Peter rose and went with them, and when he arrived, they 373 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,600 took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him 374 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,840 weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made 375 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,400 while she was with them. Now, it's interesting because 376 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,800 earlier we read that rather than anointing the body for burial, 377 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,800 they just washed the body and put it upstairs. 378 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,600 Now we don't know for sure, but perhaps this was actually out of 379 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:31,440 faith because they knew that Peter was only three hours away 380 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:36,160 and they knew what God was doing through Peter and they believed 381 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,480 that if we sinned for Peter, God could do something miraculous 382 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,160 here. In fact, this story reminds me 383 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,800 of the raising of Lazarus in John Chapter 11 where we see 384 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,080 Jesus, you know, he dies and Jesus is in another place and 385 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,800 they sin for the Master knowing that he could heal, that he 386 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:58,200 could restore. So Peter arrives, found the body 387 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,840 surrounded by the mourners and, and they're showing how they 388 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,960 benefited from her ministry. They're showing testimonies, 389 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,520 physical testimonies of her service and love to them. 390 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:13,640 What a testimony. It reminds me so much of when I 391 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,040 worked for what's now called the International Mission Board. 392 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,240 When I worked when I lived in the Philippines. 393 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,160 And one of the things we used to do is every month we would go to 394 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,280 a leper colony. Now, sometimes I talk fast and I 395 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:28,080 know sometimes I talk fast. And sometimes when I say the 396 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,400 word leprechaun, I used to have kids who'd come up to me after I 397 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:32,680 talk about this and I say you work with leprechauns. 398 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:41,440 I'm like, no, no, no leper colony and, and, and this was a 399 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,120 very biblical place. In other words, this is leprosy, 400 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:46,680 just like you would imagine leprosy in the Bible. 401 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,200 There's a lot of things that can be called leprosy, but these 402 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,040 were horrific situations. People disfigured, people dying. 403 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,840 It's very serious. Their lifespan was not, was not 404 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,600 long. And this, this leprosarium was 405 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,880 being, was being run by charity and we would go out and minister 406 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:03,000 and share the gospel and just love on people sing hymns 407 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,320 together and share the gospel and preach. 408 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,520 And what a wonderful experience it was every time we went out 409 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:09,880 there. And those people just loved us 410 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:12,560 when we came. And, and, and they, if you can 411 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,360 imagine, many of them have been shunned. 412 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:16,240 Their families had disowned them. 413 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,560 Society had cast them out and literally separated. 414 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,960 I mean, it's as if they had to scream unclean almost because of 415 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,680 the way they were separated from the rest of society. 416 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:29,600 But some of their family, some of their talented, gifted family 417 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,400 made dolls, beautiful dolls that they would sell in a gift shop 418 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:37,400 there to raise money to support the colony. 419 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:39,920 If you'll come to my home at Christmas and everybody's 420 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,800 invited to all come at once. But if you'll come to my home, 421 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,640 you'll see that I have some of these dolls that came from the 422 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:50,280 Philippines that remind me so much of the love that some 423 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,520 people, family and friends, were showing to these people who are 424 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,680 in great need. Are you a contributor? 425 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:02,280 Are you a consumer? Are you a spectator or are you a 426 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:06,360 servant? Do you give and invest or you 427 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:08,920 just receive and take? What are you getting out of the 428 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,880 church thing? Do you simply attend or do you 429 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,760 fully participate? And you know what percentage 430 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,560 this crazy man's expecting in participation, don't you? 431 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,520 What percentage isn't that crazy? 432 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:27,160 Crazy man? You got to believe Inglewood. 433 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,520 What's about to happen? It's coming, it's coming. 434 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,480 Are you serving in ministry here to bless others? 435 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:38,400 Look at verse 40. But Peter put them all outside 436 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,080 and knelt down and prayed and turned to the body. 437 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,720 He said, Tabitha arise. And she opened her eyes, and 438 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,640 when she saw Peter, she sat up and he gave her his hand and 439 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,440 raised her up. Then calling the Saints and 440 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,760 widows, he presented her alive. We've seen restoration, 441 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:57,760 recognition. Let's look very clearly at 442 00:24:57,760 --> 00:24:59,400 resurrection, the resurrection of a life. 443 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,360 Peter requested that they leave him alone. 444 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,120 Now this is very interesting and I want to make this connection. 445 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:06,040 I'll try not to get too technical with you because I 446 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,240 know it bore. It's boring sometimes, but but 447 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:12,080 there's a parallel between what Peter's doing and what Jesus had 448 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,680 showed them before. And one of the passages you 449 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:17,120 could look at is Mark 5. It's in more than one gospel, 450 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:20,680 but there's a very similar to what Jesus did when he raises 451 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:24,920 Jairus's daughter from the dead. So you'll see a parallel here 452 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,760 both in language and action. Peter has learned this, it's 453 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,560 been demonstrated to him, and now this authority is being 454 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,800 delegated to him for him to do ministry. 455 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,360 So in Mark 5, we see that Jesus kneels down and prays in 456 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:40,080 Aramaic. Peter does the same thing in 457 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,560 Mark 5. Jesus in Aramaic will say 458 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,880 Talitha Kumar, Talitha Kumi. Peter sits there and says 459 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,840 Tabatha Kumar, Tabatha Kumi. There's only one consonant 460 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,720 difference. And I guarantee you the early 461 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,720 readers would have picked up on this in original language. 462 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,400 They would have seen he's mimicking Jesus. 463 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,920 So Dorcas or Tabatha opens her eyes. 464 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,120 Can you imagine opens her eyes first thing she sees Peter and 465 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:10,960 Can you imagine the thoughts, the emotions swirling through 466 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,000 her heart and head? God still has a purpose for you 467 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,200 here Dorcas. It's not time for you to go home 468 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,880 yet. There are things for you to 469 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,640 still do here you are a testimony once more. 470 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,160 And my friends hear me. No matter what you're facing 471 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,200 right now, no matter how big the mess, no matter how dumb you've 472 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:36,240 been, how far away you've run, don't give up. 473 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:40,440 You're still here, and there are things for you to still do. 474 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:46,560 You're not home yet, and your life can still be a testimony. 475 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,960 So Peter helps her up. Peter presented her to her 476 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:54,320 friends. I can only imagine the joy, the 477 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,760 tears, the hugs, the emotion there. 478 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,040 And don't miss these lessons. Church, we, we, we must rejoice. 479 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:07,320 And next week we'll baptize again, you know, and, and we, 480 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:10,600 we, we can't get tired of that. We can't grow used to that. 481 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,320 We can't grow accustomed to people who say, I want to trust 482 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:15,040 in Jesus. I want to be baptized. 483 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:17,920 I need to join. We need to, we need to rejoice 484 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:23,080 when God saves, when God restores, when God heals. 485 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,840 One of the great values of being a church member is that shared 486 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,720 joy, that shared struggle even we experienced together. 487 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:32,160 And that's one of the beautiful blessings you thought I was not 488 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:33,320 going to say it, but I'm going to say it. 489 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,760 That's one of the blessings of being in a connect group. 490 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,720 It's engaging with each other in life and service. 491 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:46,120 Don't stand alone. We can overflow with sweet grace 492 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,120 together. Now look at verse 42. 493 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:54,440 It gets even better and it became known throughout. 494 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:58,360 There's that word again. All it became known throughout 495 00:27:58,360 --> 00:28:00,600 all Joppa and many believed in the Lord. 496 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,120 Look at the response to our life that must happen. 497 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:07,360 The good news spreads rapidly. Once again, many believed in the 498 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:10,400 Lord. Don't rush past this. 499 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:16,720 Many people were saved. Entire areas were impacted. 500 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,560 Now you're beginning to hear my prayer for Rocky Mount. 501 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,880 Now you're beginning to hear my prayer for Red Oak and Nashville 502 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:27,240 and this entire area. And we have to celebrate this. 503 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:30,920 Listen, listen, this is a fact. One day we're going to meet 504 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:34,280 these brothers and sisters and we're going to hear how the 505 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:38,160 resurrected life of Dorcas was used to impact their salvation. 506 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:42,320 But my friends, here's my prayer is that we're going to have 507 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:47,040 testimonies to share with them about how God used our 508 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:51,720 salvation, our forgiveness, our repentance, and our restoration 509 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:55,560 to impact the salvation of many in the area as well. 510 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,720 Listen, God used these very difficult moments for redemption 511 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,720 and what at times and that you can't escape the human suffering 512 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,040 side of this. What at times must have made 513 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:12,520 absolutely no sense to those who are going through these life 514 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:17,360 altering stories and tragedies. It made no sense to them at the 515 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,280 time, but how they begin to realize it was part of a greater 516 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:26,560 plan and that and that pain or loss that you're going through 517 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,160 that just seems to make no sense to you right now or, or it 518 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,440 doesn't seem to serve any purpose right now. 519 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:37,720 Maybe just waiting for a God of miracles to make miraculous use 520 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,440 of them. And we may never have the 521 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,480 opportunity in this life. We may never understand the 522 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:47,360 purpose while we're here. But one day, my friends, 01 day, 523 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:56,200 all the whys will be answered. I've been to Mystic camp in 524 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,680 Texas. I don't understand that. 525 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,920 While at a children's camp in Texas, children die in a flood. 526 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:10,520 I don't understand that. Been there, I know that place. 527 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,040 And, and yet I do know that, that even in the midst of this 528 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,920 fallen creation, and someday I'm going to teach a whole lesson, 529 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:21,760 whether it's Sunday morning or Wednesday night, I'm going to do 530 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:23,800 a whole session on the problem of evil. 531 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:25,720 Why? Why does evil exist? 532 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:30,480 Why do bad things still happen? We live in this fallen creation 533 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:32,600 and, and I know things are allowed for now. 534 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:36,120 And I don't always understand it, but I do know that God knows 535 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,200 and that that a plan and a purpose is still in effect. 536 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:47,440 And I might never know. I might never know the person 537 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:53,840 being impacted who's watching me walk through something, right? 538 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:57,840 Who's watching you walk through what you're going through right 539 00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,880 now. And we may not understand that 540 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:01,440 till we all stand together before him. 541 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:05,720 But don't waste the pain. Don't waste the tragedy of your 542 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,400 life. Recognize an incredible God who 543 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,000 can use it to change others and bring Himself great glory. 544 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,720 Embrace the responsibility that the gifts of life and salvation 545 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:20,360 bring with them in His Kingdom. So what is God doing to you or 546 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,760 through you that could be used as a testimony? 547 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,320 What has God already done? What has God already done in 548 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,880 your life to redeem and restore that you might that that must be 549 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,880 shared or might be shared with others because the world needs 550 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,720 that message of hope. How can we spread hope over the 551 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:45,680 plains across this city? Inglewood, my friends, it's 552 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:49,720 time. It's time, it's time to arise. 553 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:52,400 It's it's time to confront this culture. 554 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:55,880 The cross can't be cancelled. The resurrection can't be 555 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:57,680 cancelled. His gift for us has never been 556 00:31:57,680 --> 00:31:59,600 cancelled. His calling upon our lives can't 557 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:02,440 be cancelled. Our responsibility to serve Him 558 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,000 must not be cancelled because the King's mission can't be 559 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:10,560 cancelled. And then this ends with verse 43 560 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:16,560 and it says any state in Joppa for many days with one Simon a 561 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:20,800 Tanner. Again, this is important because 562 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,160 it's going to set up the story for next week. 563 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:27,080 Another one of the Holy Spirit's next triumphs is going to take 564 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,840 place next week. And extremely unique and 565 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,360 powerful way. So he stays by the sea. 566 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:35,080 I'm sure he's continuing to preach and teach and disciple 567 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,200 and reach people. But this really does set the 568 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,160 stage for a very unique moment in history. 569 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:42,000 You got to come back to hear that one because his story's 570 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,280 still working out and it's still working out today. 571 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:51,120 It's working out through us. So are you stuck? 572 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:59,400 You feel trapped. Maybe you're lost in some 573 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:03,720 problem. Maybe. 574 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:08,480 Maybe you're lost in some sin, some habit from which you cannot 575 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:12,920 free yourself, Maybe some addiction or hidden sin that 576 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:17,240 that is so exhausting because you're working so hard to try to 577 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:23,400 keep it a secret and you just keep spiraling in fear and 578 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,440 anxiety. Or, or maybe you're, you're 579 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:30,120 facing real health or life issues that are confusing and 580 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:35,080 scary. Listen, you want to be someone 581 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,440 other than you are right now. Some of you, you want to be 582 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:40,320 someone other than you are right now. 583 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,280 And you know you must become that someone, but you don't know 584 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:48,040 how on your own. Had someone come up to me after 585 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:49,800 the service and said I'm not, I need to join. 586 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:51,720 I don't, I need to join the church, but I don't know how. 587 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,720 I just appreciated the honesty. We're going, we're going to help 588 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:59,680 you understand. You know, God wants you to serve 589 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:05,360 him in a new way, but fear, some fear, some anxieties locking you 590 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:10,239 out. I've mentioned my grandfather 591 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,840 multiple times. He was a major figure in my 592 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:16,600 life. One day he set me down on the 593 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:23,639 front porch and he said, Johnny Life, it's like a man in a canoe 594 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,800 in the middle of a river, he said. 595 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,520 You're either have to paddle upstream or you're going to 596 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:36,400 float downstream. But it's very difficult to stay 597 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:41,040 in the same place when you're a man in a canoe in the middle of 598 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:45,760 a river, in the middle of this thing called life. 599 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,639 Perhaps your life's even filled with white water and Rapids 600 00:34:49,639 --> 00:34:52,360 right now. Maybe that's what's going on. 601 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,160 It's time to do something. It's time to respond. 602 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:01,120 And so I say to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, arise. 603 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:05,440 Come to Him with all your mess. Come to Him right now. 604 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:09,720 He has grace that can overflow and it'll just drip down in your 605 00:35:09,720 --> 00:35:11,960 life all over you. But you must trust. 606 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:19,120 You must faith, you must obey, you must respond, and He can 607 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:27,680 help you to be free. And after all, this is a weekend 608 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:34,280 where we celebrate freedom. Father, thank you for the 609 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:42,240 freedom that only you can bring. Father, I'm so grateful that you 610 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:46,720 don't give up on us. Because Father, you know what a 611 00:35:46,720 --> 00:35:52,400 mess my life was. And Father, even in the midst of 612 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,560 dripping in messiness, you restored. 613 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:02,320 So, Father, there may be someone sitting here today or listening 614 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:07,880 online, and they recognize that they do not know you personally. 615 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:13,000 They've never been saved. And Father, I pray right now 616 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:19,440 that your Holy Spirit would just move that in their heart they 617 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,120 would know that you're real and that Jesus died on the cross for 618 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:25,480 them and rose again. And he is absolutely the only 619 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,760 one who can save them, and He's absolutely the only way they can 620 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:37,200 be saved. Others here may feel trapped, 621 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:46,000 trapped in sin, trapped in unhealthy patterns in their 622 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:51,640 life, feel trapped by bad choices, addictions, whatever it 623 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:57,480 is. I just pray, Father, this 624 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:03,600 morning that you would bring them freedom, that you would 625 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,760 help them to know that it's not too late, that it's not too far, 626 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,960 but they can come to you. Others recognize that they need 627 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:14,560 to do something. They need to do something 628 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,240 different. Maybe they need to join, maybe 629 00:37:16,240 --> 00:37:18,560 they need to be baptized. Maybe they need to serve. 630 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:26,560 Maybe you're calling them to missions or ministry and we need 631 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,720 to obey. So Father, as we sing, in just a 632 00:37:29,720 --> 00:37:31,160 moment, I pray that people would come. 633 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:33,720 Pastors will be here. They can come and talk to one of 634 00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:34,640 us. We'll pray with them. 635 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,360 We'll be glad to help them. Or Father, maybe they just want 636 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,400 to come and pray at these steps, like an altar, like people did 637 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:46,280 in the first service. So whatever we need to do, it's 638 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:49,160 time to do it. It's time to arise and do it 639 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,400 right now. Because we come to you in the 640 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:56,520 only name that we can. We come to you in the name of 641 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,600 Jesus, Amen. Stand with me if you would. 642 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:03,800 We're going to sing together. I invite you to come. 643 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:05,960 Come and talk with me. Come and talk to another pastor. 644 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:08,800 Just come and pray. Whatever you need to do, you 645 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:11,320 come right now as we worship Him. 646 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:19,320 Thank you so much for listening today, and I also hope that 647 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:21,840 you'll go to ourwebsite@englewoodbaptist.com 648 00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:24,880 as well as our app and find many other resources that will bless 649 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,080 you and your families. Thank you once again.