1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:03,200 Crossing family. It is so good to be with you 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:04,700 today. I hope you guys had a great 3 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:06,100 weekend. If you had a horrible week, you 4 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:10,200 couldn't have picked a better place to be on a Sunday morning. 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,400 I want to welcome those of you joining at all of our different 6 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,400 campuses. Those of you joining online, and 7 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,900 inside, and those of you who are hanging out with us for the 8 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:21,000 first time, or maybe the first time in a long time. 9 00:00:21,300 --> 00:00:23,200 And if you fall into one of those two categories, first 10 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,800 time, or first time in a long time, I want to encourage you to 11 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,900 take advantage of the QR code. On the seat in front of you, 12 00:00:29,300 --> 00:00:30,800 it'll give you an opportunity to learn a little bit. 13 00:00:30,900 --> 00:00:33,800 Bit more about our church connect and take some next steps 14 00:00:34,500 --> 00:00:38,000 last weekend. I talked about as a church, we 15 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,900 are going to be doing a lot of things, kind of under the banner 16 00:00:40,900 --> 00:00:45,400 of, in your corner that we want to let our communities know and 17 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,500 the people who call The Crossing home know that we are in their 18 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:52,000 Corner. Well, we have an in your corner 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,500 event happening on Super Bowl weekend year after year. 20 00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:59,700 We try to go the extra mile to make sure that our Super Bowl 21 00:00:59,700 --> 00:01:02,400 weekend experience. Great time for you to invite 22 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,000 friends and family to come and hang out with you at church. 23 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,000 In fact, historically, Super Bowl weekend is our third 24 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,800 highest attended weekend out of the entire year. 25 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,900 It goes Jesus. When we celebrate Jesus. 26 00:01:14,900 --> 00:01:17,500 Resurrection lot of most people show up. 27 00:01:17,500 --> 00:01:19,800 We celebrate his birth next group. 28 00:01:19,900 --> 00:01:22,400 But then football like, yeah, well we'll be there too. 29 00:01:22,900 --> 00:01:25,100 Okay. It's like the third spiritual 30 00:01:25,100 --> 00:01:27,600 holiday. Well, this Super Bowl weekend 31 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,300 will be no different. We're going to be bringing NG in 32 00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:35,400 Steve Weatherford, he played for the University of Illinois. 33 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:36,700 For those of you are Illinois, fans. 34 00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:39,700 I saw you when you're walking in to those of you and then he went 35 00:01:39,700 --> 00:01:42,600 on to have an NFL career with the Saints, the Chiefs, the 36 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,900 Jaguars, the Jets and the Giants. 37 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:47,900 In fact, when he was playing with the Giants, he won a Super 38 00:01:47,900 --> 00:01:51,000 Bowl over the Patriots. So if you hate New England, be a 39 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,900 great guy for you to show up and hang out with him. 40 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:55,700 Okay. We were going to bring in a 41 00:01:55,700 --> 00:01:58,400 Chiefs player this year, but more than likely they'll be 42 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,700 playing in the Super Bowl. So it'll be a little Harder to 43 00:02:01,700 --> 00:02:04,600 get them to come in. Let's Chiefs fans here on First 44 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,100 Service than there was on Thursday, good to know, anyhow. 45 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:11,400 Steve Weatherford is a freak athlete and he was called the 46 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:16,600 strongest player pound-for-pound and he is radically been 47 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:18,900 transformed by the love of Jesus Christ. 48 00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:23,300 And is sharing his testimony and is helping men grow and their 49 00:02:23,300 --> 00:02:26,200 relationship with the Lord and we're excited to have him here. 50 00:02:26,300 --> 00:02:30,800 He'll be live with us on Thursday and on both services on 51 00:02:30,900 --> 00:02:33,300 Sunday. While he's here. 52 00:02:33,300 --> 00:02:35,800 We're going to. Yeah, it's a great while he's 53 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:36,700 here. We're going to do something 54 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:39,100 special Jill, pay attention to this. 55 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,600 We are going to be hosting a frigid 5K, which means we are 56 00:02:43,608 --> 00:02:47,000 going to get out in the cold. And we were going to go five 57 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,100 k's, however, many cases that is we're going all five of them. 58 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,800 Okay now listen here's why we're doing this. 59 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:00,100 Okay the proceeds from the 5K are going to support to 60 00:03:00,100 --> 00:03:05,300 not-for-profits that Specialize in rescuing and rehabilitating 61 00:03:05,300 --> 00:03:11,000 those who have been trapped in sex trafficking last year. 100 62 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,200 million people watched the Super Bowl globally. 63 00:03:15,900 --> 00:03:19,500 And right now in America today with all of our advancements, 64 00:03:19,500 --> 00:03:22,800 with all the things that we have going, right, there are 40 65 00:03:22,900 --> 00:03:25,200 million people trapped in modern-day slavery. 66 00:03:27,700 --> 00:03:29,500 And we want to be in their Corner. 67 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,100 We want to support these innocent boys and girls in their 68 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:36,700 fight for freedom. And so I'm asking you guys to be 69 00:03:36,700 --> 00:03:40,800 a part of The Frigid 5K, you're going to get cold unless you 70 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,300 know, Mother Nature changes her mood and it will be 70 degrees 71 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,400 and then it'll just be a you know 5K you're going. 72 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,200 But Clayton I'm not a I'm not a runner. 73 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,300 What do I do? You can walk with me and eat hot 74 00:03:53,300 --> 00:03:56,900 dogs. I mean, we will he will We will 75 00:03:56,900 --> 00:04:00,200 survive. Okay, here's what I want you to 76 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:01,600 do it. It's gonna be a great thing for 77 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,200 you to invite friends and family to do to hang out. 78 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,800 Make a memory on Super Bowl weekend. 79 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,600 It's going to support an incredibly wonderful cause I've 80 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,200 already signed my whole family up. 81 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,500 My boys are like, is is are we going to win the race? 82 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:18,300 And I said not with our genes but but it'll be your first 83 00:04:18,300 --> 00:04:19,200 racial. Complete. 84 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,700 Okay. Well anyhow, I want to encourage 85 00:04:21,700 --> 00:04:24,200 you to show up be a part of. It have a blast. 86 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,300 We're going to be hosting it here in. 87 00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:28,900 See, and I'm hoping people from all of our different locations 88 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:31,900 will show up and just make a great day out of it. 89 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:33,200 And then the third thing I want you to do. 90 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:37,200 So first one invite a friend to, to join us on the race to be 91 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:38,800 careful. I would point and our count 92 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,400 three, I want you to think about hosting a Super Bowl party and 93 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:43,700 inviting. Some people who don't know, 94 00:04:43,700 --> 00:04:47,700 Jesus, okay, or maybe go to a Super Bowl party. 95 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:51,000 That has some people that don't know, Jesus and ask God to open 96 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,100 up doors. What I don't want you to do is 97 00:04:53,100 --> 00:04:56,800 just go to sit at your house and watch the Super Bowl by a safe 98 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,400 self and not have an opportunity to interact with people and show 99 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,000 them that Christians can be fun and cool sound like a plan. 100 00:05:03,300 --> 00:05:06,700 Okay, let me pray for us and we'll Jump Right In heavenly. 101 00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:10,400 Father, I'm just asking that you would set a fire in our hearts. 102 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:15,600 That cannot be put out. Stir our affections towards you. 103 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:19,800 Fire us up for your mission. To reach people who don't know, 104 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,200 you gotta pray right now, you would be with churches, all 105 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,400 across the globe that are gathering that are lifting. 106 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,400 I your name and the name of Jesus. 107 00:05:30,100 --> 00:05:33,200 God, I want you to be with the pastors that are proclaiming, 108 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,200 that you are the way the truth, and the life. 109 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,200 Be with their staffs be with the marriages, be with their kids. 110 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,900 Be with all the difference makers and small group leaders 111 00:05:42,300 --> 00:05:46,200 and givers who are helping to make that mission a reality and 112 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:51,000 God help us to be a church. That not only lifts you up not 113 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,100 just carries out your mission but goes about your mission in a 114 00:05:54,100 --> 00:05:55,400 way that honors you. Yeah. 115 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,000 We want to be a church that That when you look down from heaven, 116 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,600 you smile and we know that we're not going to get it right all 117 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:04,100 the time. But God would you continually 118 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:06,400 just a mold us and shape us in your name? 119 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,300 I pray. Amen. 120 00:06:08,900 --> 00:06:13,500 We are in a sermon series called there has to be a place and 121 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,900 there's a lot of things that every Community needs, but I 122 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:19,700 think the most important thing that every Community needs is a 123 00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:23,800 place that lifts High the name of Jesus and is committed to his 124 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,200 mission. And we've been talking about 125 00:06:26,500 --> 00:06:29,400 Kinds of things, you know, about sharing unapologetically the 126 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,000 power and the beauty of the cross of Jesus, there has to be 127 00:06:33,008 --> 00:06:35,500 a place that shouts from the rooftops and Whispers across the 128 00:06:35,508 --> 00:06:38,600 kitchen tables, that there is hope for today, and there is 129 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,600 help for tomorrow, and we talked about there has to be a place 130 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,400 that takes that makes Jesus last words our first priority. 131 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,800 You guys, you guys know this. Your Bible people, Matthew 28. 132 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,900 These are Jesus is last words here on planet Earth. 133 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,400 Then Jesus came to them and said all authority in heaven and on 134 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,800 Earth has been given Me therefore go and make disciples 135 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,700 of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and 136 00:07:01,700 --> 00:07:04,800 of the son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey 137 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,100 everything. I have commanded you and surely. 138 00:07:07,300 --> 00:07:10,400 I Am With You Always to the very end of the age. 139 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,600 Now some of you you might be new to following Jesus and you're 140 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,800 going well, what is a disciple? And what does it mean to 141 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:19,600 disciple? Somebody, if we use the 142 00:07:19,608 --> 00:07:24,100 spiritual Continuum here - fives people who, you know, hate God 143 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,700 and plus 5S, you know, people who look just like Him, 144 00:07:27,300 --> 00:07:31,500 discipleship is literally just moving people to the right. 145 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,100 You're discipling somebody. When you help them be go from a 146 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:37,900 -5 doing - for and your discipling. 147 00:07:37,900 --> 00:07:40,300 Somebody when you help someone go from a + 40 + 5. 148 00:07:40,500 --> 00:07:42,900 Now, let me say this just because I don't want any of you 149 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:48,000 guys to get weird. Jesus loves everybody on this 150 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:53,400 graph. Everybody the same. 151 00:07:54,100 --> 00:08:00,200 Whoa, what hear me? If you're like a +5 Christian, 152 00:08:01,100 --> 00:08:06,100 he doesn't love you anymore. Than if you hate him. 153 00:08:08,300 --> 00:08:12,400 God sent his son, Jesus to die on the cross for all of 154 00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:15,600 humankind, regardless of where they are on the spiritual 155 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,200 Spectrum, this is important because I don't want you to go 156 00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:20,500 boy. I'm really going to start 157 00:08:20,500 --> 00:08:26,100 treating that person. Well, once they become Because 158 00:08:26,100 --> 00:08:28,400 if we're going to be a church, that looks like Jesus, we have 159 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:33,000 to act like Jesus and Jesus loves everybody on this 160 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,299 Continuum. This is also good for you 161 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:38,299 because you're not going to, you don't want to move from left to 162 00:08:38,299 --> 00:08:41,900 right. So that way, God will love you 163 00:08:41,900 --> 00:08:45,300 more. But puts a weight on you that 164 00:08:45,300 --> 00:08:50,300 you can't sustain. Here is why we move from left to 165 00:08:50,300 --> 00:08:55,400 right because we love him more, not to get him to love us more. 166 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,300 Okay, let's go. I just want to make sure we get 167 00:08:57,300 --> 00:09:00,200 that. So here's the other thing, there 168 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,000 has to be a church that believes our that still believes that 169 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,500 Jesus changes people that, this isn't something that happened a 170 00:09:06,508 --> 00:09:09,300 long time ago in a far away place, but that God's spirit can 171 00:09:09,300 --> 00:09:12,900 still move in our hearts and in our lives and bring about 172 00:09:12,900 --> 00:09:16,300 significant life-altering change what. 173 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:19,000 That means is no matter how messed-up know, How screwed up, 174 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,600 no matter how bad your past, or how weird, your present, there 175 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,800 is no sin, that God can't forgive. 176 00:09:25,808 --> 00:09:29,400 There is no sin. That Jesus is blood does not 177 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,700 cover, which means that there is no such thing as a sinner that 178 00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:37,700 God can't save and I am praying in our church and hopefully you 179 00:09:37,708 --> 00:09:40,600 guys are praying this. That we would have the spirit of 180 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,400 ananias that we would be a church. 181 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:47,500 Full of people who would go to the very people that everybody 182 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:49,700 else is written. Turn off that. 183 00:09:49,700 --> 00:09:51,900 We would be the ones who would go to the people that everybody 184 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:54,700 else thinks. There's just no way that we 185 00:09:54,700 --> 00:09:56,200 would just have that kind of spirit. 186 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,300 Why are we doing this? Well that's easy because we want 187 00:09:59,300 --> 00:10:01,800 to make this region, the hard just hardest place on planet 188 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,700 Earth to get to help from and that's why we're doing all of 189 00:10:04,700 --> 00:10:08,400 these in your corner. Initiatives is because we want 190 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:12,500 to be in people's Corner as they're trying to navigate their 191 00:10:12,500 --> 00:10:16,600 faith and live in their communities, which means we want 192 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:18,000 to be in the corner of our communities. 193 00:10:18,100 --> 00:10:20,900 As they deal with limited resources and limited 194 00:10:20,900 --> 00:10:25,000 volunteers, we want to be in the corner of foster care, families 195 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,100 and adoptive families. As they take radical Steps of 196 00:10:28,100 --> 00:10:30,600 Faith. We want to be in your corner as 197 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:31,600 you. Try to make sure that there are 198 00:10:31,608 --> 00:10:34,800 no kids cold in our region. We want to be in your corner as 199 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,000 you try to reach your friends and your family for Jesus. 200 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:42,500 We cannot fight your battles for you, but we can be in your 201 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:45,100 corner while you fight them. Here's what I mean. 202 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,300 Let's just say you had marriage problems. 203 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:56,100 I I can't be your husband. Just can't I'm already taken. 204 00:10:56,500 --> 00:11:01,100 Okay, I can't and listen, she she lost the receipt. 205 00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:05,100 So she can't return me. Okay, so I can't, I can't be 206 00:11:05,100 --> 00:11:09,400 your husband but I could be in your corner as you try to become 207 00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:13,400 a healthier marriage. I can't parent your kids. 208 00:11:14,300 --> 00:11:17,500 Like I can't fight that fight for you and to be honest with 209 00:11:17,500 --> 00:11:20,100 you depending on what not you show up in my house you might 210 00:11:20,100 --> 00:11:22,700 not want me. Parenting your kids right? 211 00:11:23,100 --> 00:11:26,100 But I can Be in your corner, rooting for you and cheering for 212 00:11:26,100 --> 00:11:30,500 you as you go on that Journey. So when you look out into your 213 00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:32,900 community and when you look into the people that you care and 214 00:11:32,900 --> 00:11:36,100 that you love what I want us as a church to go is, how can I be 215 00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:41,300 in their corner? And as a staff, I feel like we 216 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:45,300 have a deep obligation to do a little bit better here. 217 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,600 Over time in an effort to increase, efficiency in, to 218 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:55,900 maximize Excellence, at are different locations at times. 219 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:01,400 We may have lost sight of what God expects of us as church 220 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,500 leaders. And I want to kind of take you 221 00:12:05,500 --> 00:12:10,800 on that Journey for a second. Ephesians 4:11 says this, So 222 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,800 Christ himself, gave the apostles, the prophets, the 223 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,700 evangelists, the pastors, and the teachers. 224 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,600 So these five offices, he gave to the church. 225 00:12:22,300 --> 00:12:24,000 Why did he give them to the church? 226 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:31,000 Well, here's why to equip his people for works of service, so 227 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,700 that the body of Christ may be built up. 228 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:36,600 How long are we supposed to build this? 229 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,600 This church up until we all reach, unity in the faith and in 230 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,600 the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to 231 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,800 the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 232 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:54,300 So when are we supposed to stop this work of service when we all 233 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:58,100 reach perfect Unity? It is not when the church hits 234 00:12:58,100 --> 00:13:01,300 100 people or 10,000 people. It's not when we have two 235 00:13:01,300 --> 00:13:04,800 campuses or 20 campus, it's not when we have to staff for. 236 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,000 Droid staff the mission stops when we all reach unity in the 237 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:14,900 faith and in God's design, he gave a spiritual assignment and 238 00:13:14,900 --> 00:13:20,700 obligation to pastors to equip God's people for works of 239 00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:24,600 service. So part of my job is to be in 240 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:29,600 your corner to help you discover and to equip you to carry out 241 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,400 the mission that God has put inside you and you might be 242 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,200 going. That would be great Clayton. 243 00:13:36,700 --> 00:13:39,500 I would love to do gifts of service. 244 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:45,300 The problem is, I don't have a gift, That's what we like to do. 245 00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:47,500 We like to deflect Quicken early. 246 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:52,000 Well, I just don't have I you know me when I came out of the 247 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,500 cookie cutter thing that God was using he you know he forgot the 248 00:13:56,500 --> 00:14:01,300 baking soda and so I don't you know I don't have the gift that 249 00:14:01,300 --> 00:14:05,600 everybody else has. Okay come here, come here, God's 250 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,700 a really good God and because he's good you can deduce, some 251 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:13,600 things that God would not ask you to do something that he has 252 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,400 not. Not enabled you to do. 253 00:14:16,500 --> 00:14:20,500 Which means that God would not ask you to use a gift. 254 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:25,900 If he had in fact, made you without a gift to accomplish his 255 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:27,100 mission. Look what it says in First Peter 256 00:14:27,100 --> 00:14:30,800 chapter for each of, you should use whatever gift you have, 257 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:35,100 received to serve, others as faithful stewards of God's grace 258 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,300 in its various forms while leaving here for just a second 259 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,900 whatever gift you have received. But sometimes I think we mean is 260 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,200 my gifts, not cool. Well, I don't have one of the 261 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,600 cool gifts so I'm not gifted and I think when we get to heaven, 262 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,900 we're going to find out that the gifts that everybody else 263 00:14:52,900 --> 00:14:54,900 thought were cool. God was like, are you serious? 264 00:14:55,300 --> 00:14:58,700 You should have checked out this person and I think, the people 265 00:14:58,700 --> 00:15:01,500 who you've never heard about who have Faithfully done all kinds 266 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:04,700 of things behind the scenes that nobody's ever seen and nobody's 267 00:15:04,700 --> 00:15:07,400 ever written about never, nobody's ever showed up to clap 268 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:08,800 when they were done. Arguably. 269 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,500 The people that have the biggest houses in heaven, okay? 270 00:15:11,700 --> 00:15:14,800 Like, I'm going to be the guy in a tent in heaven neck. 271 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,300 You know, I always used to People, I'll be in heaven by 272 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:22,300 being the hottest part, okay? That's where I'll end up, okay? 273 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:27,200 When God put you together, he was, he put He instilled a gift 274 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,500 inside of you. Here's the easiest way for me to 275 00:15:29,500 --> 00:15:34,100 describe this God, when he made you, my theology is, I 276 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:38,100 understand scripture means that he made you on purpose, which 277 00:15:38,100 --> 00:15:41,000 means you weren't an accident. Your parents might not have 278 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,400 planned you, but God did. Okay, so you were made on 279 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:51,200 purpose with A purpose for a purpose that God put you in this 280 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:55,300 time in human history to add value to his mission. 281 00:15:55,500 --> 00:15:59,700 And he put a unique unique skillset inside of you to help 282 00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:03,200 accomplish it. So, this is winter time and 283 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:09,800 during the winter season, I get a huge hankering for Christmas 284 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,700 cookies. And I've told you guys that my 285 00:16:12,700 --> 00:16:15,300 mom's sugar, cookies are the greatest sugar cookie. 286 00:16:15,500 --> 00:16:19,000 I thought multiple times about how can I show this to all of 287 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,800 you and the amount of work, it would take to give you all just 288 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,100 one bite. I just don't love you that much, 289 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:28,800 okay? And I just and, but I'm getting 290 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,900 really good at making the icing Jennifer helps me because I can 291 00:16:31,900 --> 00:16:35,500 put the icing together. But when you use the I don't, 292 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:41,600 what's the Hand mixer when you use the hand mixer, okay, you 293 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:42,900 know what? I'm good at, and what I'm not, 294 00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:46,700 okay, when you use that, she comes in to help. 295 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,700 So, that way, it doesn't end up everywhere and you put the 296 00:16:49,708 --> 00:16:52,200 Crisco in. I don't know what Crisco is, but 297 00:16:52,300 --> 00:16:55,100 it's the thing that we get out of the, I don't really know what 298 00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:57,700 it just is. It makes it taste good and then 299 00:16:57,700 --> 00:17:01,200 you put vanilla in it. And then you put a 8 cups of 300 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,300 powdered sugar for the double batch, it's really healthy. 301 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:13,200 It's vegan. And and then you put tablespoons 302 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:21,200 of water and the recipe calls for 4 2 2, 2 4 ish, and I put it 303 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,900 all in there and then we start mixing it up. 304 00:17:24,099 --> 00:17:28,600 Now, when we're mixing it up we get to this point where Jennifer 305 00:17:28,700 --> 00:17:33,700 looks to me for leadership because she she's here. 306 00:17:33,700 --> 00:17:40,300 Okay, where We we taste it because depending on the 307 00:17:40,308 --> 00:17:43,300 humidity depending on, you know, how that ever? 308 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:46,300 However, the how hot it is in the house, sometimes it depends 309 00:17:46,300 --> 00:17:49,200 on whether or not I'm putting it on one of my mom's sugar cookies 310 00:17:49,500 --> 00:17:52,400 or I'm going like old-school. Just put that sucker on some 311 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,000 graham crackers and eat. Have you ever been there? 312 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,100 I'm you guys ever just on the graham cracker, like I ain't 313 00:17:57,100 --> 00:17:59,400 baking today. Let's just put some jelly on 314 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:00,900 some bread and sweet. Okay? 315 00:18:01,500 --> 00:18:04,200 You have to be careful with that though because you can eat so 316 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:08,600 much. Icing with your when you're just 317 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:12,300 put it on graham crackers, you can get sick as a dog. 318 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:15,700 It's sometimes, sometimes I'll eat so many. 319 00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:20,700 I have to take a nap. I can't stay awake, like I'm not 320 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:23,900 doing good guys, but then, I wake up have a couple more than 321 00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:25,100 right preach. Okay. 322 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,400 So what you do is you you you take the knife and you scoop 323 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,300 just a little bit of onion a bit on the back of your hand, you 324 00:18:32,308 --> 00:18:34,500 know, why you do it on the back of your hand because you don't, 325 00:18:34,500 --> 00:18:36,500 you've never accidentally, picked your nose with the back 326 00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:39,800 of your hand, right? You can you can kind of you know 327 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:44,100 Scarface yourself some icing and when you when you're done you're 328 00:18:44,100 --> 00:18:48,800 like who it needs a little more Sometimes it needs a little bit 329 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:53,100 more water, sometimes it just needs a little bit more vanilla, 330 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:55,400 sometimes just a little bit more powdered sugar. 331 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,400 So it's just, it just needs a little more. 332 00:18:59,300 --> 00:19:02,700 Here's what I think happens, I think when God was looking out 333 00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:05,800 at the issues that we're going to be facing our world today, 334 00:19:07,100 --> 00:19:11,500 And his knowledge he goes oh man. it's going to need a little 335 00:19:11,500 --> 00:19:16,500 more, you It's gonna need a little bit more of your gift of 336 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,000 your skill. Set of your unique approach, to 337 00:19:20,100 --> 00:19:22,300 loving people and navigating God's word. 338 00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:24,200 It's going to need a little more. 339 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:29,900 You he placed a gift in sight of you and he knew what he was 340 00:19:29,900 --> 00:19:33,300 adding in advance what he knew would be needed to bring about 341 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:38,900 his glorious purpose, but there's a warning in this and 342 00:19:38,900 --> 00:19:41,800 I'm going to read this to you and I want you to understand. 343 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,900 This is not me saying this, this is Jesus telling a story now, 344 00:19:45,900 --> 00:19:49,100 the story isn't true. He's just making up a story to 345 00:19:49,100 --> 00:19:52,400 illustrate a point because it sounds really harsh and that's 346 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:57,600 because it is of what happens when we don't take what God has 347 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,900 given us and use it to accomplish his mission. 348 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,600 So here's the story. He says, a business owner, was 349 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,200 getting ready to go on a trip and he brought his three best 350 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,700 employees in and One employee gave five bags of gold and 351 00:20:10,708 --> 00:20:13,800 you're kind of like I wish I had that cool of an employer who 352 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,900 would give me five bags of gold. And then he went to another guy 353 00:20:16,900 --> 00:20:19,400 to give him two bags of gold and then he went to his third 354 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,500 employee and gave him one bag of gold. 355 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,100 And he said, listen, I want you to take this and I want you to 356 00:20:24,100 --> 00:20:28,200 use it to work on the business and when I come back, we'll 357 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:32,000 settle up. And so then he left And when he 358 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,100 got back from the long trip he went to the guy who he gave 52 359 00:20:37,100 --> 00:20:42,300 and he said hey man where we have and the guys like well 360 00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:45,500 here's the five bags of gold that you gave me and I did some 361 00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:49,100 cool stuff with it and I got you up five bags more and then he 362 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:52,600 went to the guy who we gave two bags of gold to and that guys, 363 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,400 like will check this out boss. I got, here's the two bags you 364 00:20:55,408 --> 00:20:58,200 gave me and, oh, two more. Some of you going. 365 00:20:58,700 --> 00:21:01,300 We need to find these guys because I've I've gone to my 366 00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:04,700 financial advisor and I've given him a thousand bucks and I've 367 00:21:04,700 --> 00:21:07,900 never gotten back another thousand, it just keeps 368 00:21:07,900 --> 00:21:11,300 dwindling away. Then then you get to the guy who 369 00:21:11,300 --> 00:21:15,500 only had One bag. Look what happens in Matthew 370 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:20,400 chapter 24 or 25 verse 24, then the man who had received one bag 371 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,000 of gold came Master. He said, I knew that you are a 372 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,700 hard man harvesting where you have not sown and Gathering 373 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:28,400 where you had not scattered seed. 374 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,300 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. 375 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,500 See here is, what belongs to you his master replied? 376 00:21:36,500 --> 00:21:42,000 You Wicked, lazy servant. So, you knew that I harvest 377 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:43,200 where I have not sown and Gathering. 378 00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:44,900 Sir where I had not scattered seed. 379 00:21:45,700 --> 00:21:48,100 Well then you should have put my money on deposit with the 380 00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:52,000 bankers so that when I returned I would have received it back 381 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,700 with interest. So take the bag of gold from him 382 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:58,700 and give it to the one who has 10 bags. 383 00:21:59,500 --> 00:22:02,700 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an 384 00:22:02,708 --> 00:22:06,000 abundance, whoever does not have, even what they have will 385 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:12,900 be taken from them, and throw that worthless servant outside 386 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,800 in. Into the darkness where there 387 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,800 will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 388 00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:22,800 Come here to some of your like, roof. 389 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,100 This is tough. Yeah, it's incredibly tough. 390 00:22:26,100 --> 00:22:30,300 I need you to hear me say this. Jesus takes it. 391 00:22:30,300 --> 00:22:35,100 Personally, when we don't take the gift that he knows, he has 392 00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:39,600 placed inside of us and use it to accomplish his mission. 393 00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:44,300 It sounds harsh. But in light of what we believe 394 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:48,400 about Jesus, the realities of Heaven and Hell and the limited 395 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,400 time that you and I have here on Earth, how could we ever bury 396 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:57,000 what what God has placed in us to bless and reach the world? 397 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:02,400 Each of us have something to offer every single one of you, I 398 00:23:02,408 --> 00:23:04,300 want to put two ideas in your head. 399 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:09,100 One you could serve in our community, we should be the best 400 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:12,300 at mowing widows Lawns, and shoveling their drives in 401 00:23:12,300 --> 00:23:14,200 Winter. We should be the best at going 402 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,700 into schools and coming alongside teachers and being in 403 00:23:16,700 --> 00:23:18,900 their Corner. We should be at the best at 404 00:23:18,900 --> 00:23:22,300 coaching kids sporting teams and ascribing value to the kids that 405 00:23:22,300 --> 00:23:25,800 have been entrusted to our care. We should be committed, and we 406 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:29,100 should be dependable and as As a church, we want to come 407 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:33,100 alongside of you and partner with your gift and your passion 408 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,300 and the needs that exist in our community. 409 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,100 But unless you raise your hand and go, hey, I'm ready to make a 410 00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:41,400 difference. How can we ever help you start 411 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,100 making a difference by connecting with people who could 412 00:23:44,100 --> 00:23:47,200 use some help or opportunities that exist in our various 413 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,200 communities? The other way you could do it is 414 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,500 you can do it inside the church. It would blow you away. 415 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,000 How many people it takes to pull off a service each weekend at 416 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,100 all of our different locations. If you like kids, you could 417 00:23:59,100 --> 00:24:02,100 serve in the kids area. If you like technology, join us. 418 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:04,100 If you want to learn, it will teach it to you. 419 00:24:04,300 --> 00:24:06,200 If you like music, join the team. 420 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:10,300 If you talk to our staff and show up early and greet people 421 00:24:10,300 --> 00:24:13,900 at the doors, hear me. Everybody has Smile muscles. 422 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:17,700 Try it. Okay, this is my smile. 423 00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:21,000 I we've talked about this like God did a lot of things good but 424 00:24:21,100 --> 00:24:24,900 figuring out how to when I this is how I really smile. 425 00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:27,600 Most of the time, I do like the surprise, like someone just 426 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:32,200 pinched me look like, okay, all the way back to like homecoming. 427 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,500 Pictures you like, you know, you got your corsage her. 428 00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:43,500 That's my picture, okay? Every single person, you know, 429 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,800 deserves to be treated with kindness and love and compassion 430 00:24:48,100 --> 00:24:51,200 it costs, you nothing to be a person who's waiting at a door. 431 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:55,500 When someone shows up with a big smile on your face and say, Hi, 432 00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:58,600 how are you doing? You don't have to be way while. 433 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,400 I don't know if that's my gift. Yeah. 434 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,900 But you're human. What if you have small muscles 435 00:25:03,900 --> 00:25:07,000 use those until you figure out what your super special secret 436 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,200 sauce? Gift is just use the easy one, 437 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,400 every single person deserves to be treated with kindness and 438 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,200 dignity. You could join our parking lot 439 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,500 team. This might be the most important 440 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:21,900 role in our entire church research shows that people 441 00:25:21,900 --> 00:25:24,300 subconsciously make a decision about whether or not, they will 442 00:25:24,300 --> 00:25:27,500 come back to your church within seven minutes of them setting 443 00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:32,700 foot on the parking lot. Let's before the sermon which 444 00:25:32,700 --> 00:25:33,800 some of you are. Like, that's a good thing 445 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,800 actually. It's before the worship, it's 446 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,300 before the announcements at the end. 447 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:43,000 Chances are they've made up most of their mind about this church 448 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,000 before they ever actually get into the auditorium. 449 00:25:48,700 --> 00:25:51,900 Can we make? I need to make this clear though 450 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,200 because some of you might be going okay I'll be a part of 451 00:25:54,208 --> 00:25:57,800 this when you serve you are not doing me a favor. 452 00:25:58,900 --> 00:26:00,700 And you are not doing our staff of favor. 453 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,000 We might say thank you and we might even say we really 454 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:07,300 appreciate you but I need you to know this. 455 00:26:07,700 --> 00:26:12,700 You are not doing us a favor because you are not serving us. 456 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:17,100 We are not God. We are co-laborers alongside of 457 00:26:17,100 --> 00:26:22,000 you in the mission of Christ. We are doing what we do unto him 458 00:26:22,300 --> 00:26:26,500 not unto me, or your campus, Pastor or the staff member at 459 00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:29,300 your location. So, when we say, thank, I don't 460 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:31,000 want you to feel like we owe you. 461 00:26:32,500 --> 00:26:35,300 Because I can't get you to heaven. 462 00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:38,900 And this isn't my mission. I didn't make this up. 463 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:43,200 This is a Divine calling that all of us are co-laborers in 464 00:26:43,700 --> 00:26:47,000 which means we need to be in the corner of every person at every 465 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,800 single one of our locations. When they take the step of Faith 466 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,900 to invite a friend who they've been praying for or a child that 467 00:26:52,900 --> 00:26:55,900 they've been hoping would one day return, we need to be in 468 00:26:55,900 --> 00:26:58,600 their Corner, make a promise to our fellow brothers and sisters 469 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,000 in Christ who are trying to bring their friends and family 470 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,000 into a relationship with Jesus Christ. 471 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,200 Which means we need to be in their Corner when they show up 472 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,100 in the parking lot. And when they show up at the 473 00:27:07,108 --> 00:27:09,800 door, we need to be in their corner and the line for coffee. 474 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:14,400 Can we just make this a new rule to Crossing that when you bring 475 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,000 someone to church, you just get to go cut all the way in front 476 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,100 of the coffee line and get whatever you want. 477 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,900 Some, are we okay? Making that move some of your 478 00:27:21,900 --> 00:27:23,600 like oh I'm going to start bringing my friends now because 479 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,700 I'm tired of the line which you know, whatever, whatever 480 00:27:26,700 --> 00:27:29,500 motivates you, but we should be the people are like, oh my 481 00:27:29,508 --> 00:27:30,700 goodness. Someone's here for the first 482 00:27:30,700 --> 00:27:31,800 time. Yeah, get all the way up in 483 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:34,500 front because next week you'll be at the back of the line. 484 00:27:34,500 --> 00:27:36,400 But this week, right? Get all the way up. 485 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:38,100 But the front. Okay. 486 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:40,900 And some of you are going to, I know some of you, your legalist, 487 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:42,900 you're going to start getting your phone out and like I don't 488 00:27:42,900 --> 00:27:45,400 think they're bringing people, I don't they've been up here. 489 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,700 Three weeks in a row. I've been looking at our 490 00:27:47,700 --> 00:27:50,100 numbers, our church hasn't grown by 3. 491 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,000 Okay. Well, you can keep coming to, we 492 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,900 need to be in their corner with a smile at the check-in, 493 00:27:56,900 --> 00:27:58,600 computers. And when we give them a tour of 494 00:27:58,608 --> 00:28:00,400 the kids areas, we need to be in their Corner. 495 00:28:00,700 --> 00:28:02,700 When to give them, make sure that they have a clean place. 496 00:28:02,700 --> 00:28:04,500 That smells good when they walk in. 497 00:28:04,700 --> 00:28:06,500 We need to be in their Corner when they walk into the the 498 00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:08,900 auditorium and how the lights are programmed, the sound is 499 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:11,000 mixed. The music is playing in the 500 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:15,400 songs, lifted to heaven. We need to make a promise to the 501 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,600 people who call The Crossing home. 502 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,000 That when you bring your loved one will be ready. 503 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,700 When you bring your loved one, you can trust us. 504 00:28:26,300 --> 00:28:29,600 And I believe that if we make those kind of promises to God 505 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,200 and to one another that God will trust us with greater Ministry, 506 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,700 Effectiveness there has to be a place that uses their gifts for 507 00:28:36,700 --> 00:28:40,200 the glory of God and the mission of reaching the lost. 508 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:44,000 And I know there's some of you right now you're going but 509 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:48,200 Clayton like I'm not really good with my gift. 510 00:28:49,300 --> 00:28:52,200 Okay, here's the easiest way to describe this. 511 00:28:52,700 --> 00:28:54,200 Have you ever noticed this parents? 512 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,700 That there's, there's phrases you say that you can't believe 513 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:04,300 or coming out of your mouth. Like there was a conversation in 514 00:29:04,300 --> 00:29:08,700 my house about whether or not we were going to get hoverboards. 515 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:16,300 Seven year old Clayton, can't comprehend a world in which 516 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:21,100 there are hoverboards that people right around on and we 517 00:29:21,100 --> 00:29:22,600 bought the hover boards for our kids. 518 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:23,400 How many of you guys have bought? 519 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:27,000 The hoverboard thing that breaks you out for your kid and you see 520 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,700 them get on it and in like two minutes your kids are just on 521 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:37,900 the hoverboard. Right? 522 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:48,700 And then you like column from the other room and they say You 523 00:29:48,700 --> 00:29:51,700 come in, you're getting ready there eating breakfast. 524 00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:02,000 And then they do this one which is they coming real fast? 525 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:14,000 Your kids go to bed? And yeah, the hoverboard still 526 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:25,900 out. So you go into the kitchen where 527 00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:33,300 the countertops of meat, so you have someplace to right here me. 528 00:30:33,900 --> 00:30:35,800 Okay. This doesn't have a good ending 529 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:43,300 because I broke the one I got on because it had a weight limit. 530 00:30:43,300 --> 00:30:46,400 Okay. Here's what I'm getting at. 531 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,500 There's this part of you that see somebody else step into 532 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:56,800 their gifting and they just sore like it's just second nature. 533 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,700 And for some of us, it may require some work. 534 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:07,600 It may require some after-hours effort to develop it and harness 535 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:12,300 it. All I'm saying is it's worth it, 536 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,100 instead of looking at other people and how much you perceive 537 00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:20,000 their gift to be great and how easy it appears when they're 538 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,300 carrying it and you're looking at your gift and going, it's not 539 00:31:22,300 --> 00:31:26,300 as good and I'm not as it. I think what honors God is, when 540 00:31:26,300 --> 00:31:30,200 you take what you have and you fully leverage it for his glory. 541 00:31:31,100 --> 00:31:35,000 And I think, when a church does that something special happened 542 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:38,200 and I'm asking you to join me in that effort, we're moving to a 543 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:46,600 time of decision. So if you're in here and you 544 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,900 don't have a relationship with Jesus, I want to tell you two 545 00:31:49,900 --> 00:31:53,500 things, one, you don't have to have everything figured out 546 00:31:53,500 --> 00:31:56,700 about Jesus before you can join us in his mission. 547 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,700 That you don't have to be a full-blown follower of Jesus. 548 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,900 Before you could start serving and making a difference. 549 00:32:05,700 --> 00:32:08,400 How much theology do you have to have right to smile. 550 00:32:10,100 --> 00:32:11,800 How much theology do you have to have? 551 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,400 Right to hold. Open a door and just treat 552 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,500 people with dignity. There's all kinds of stories of 553 00:32:18,500 --> 00:32:20,900 God using people that weren't Jesus followers? 554 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,000 My favorite one, is he let a donkey talk? 555 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,500 So if you let a donkey talk, I'm guessing he'll let you do some 556 00:32:26,500 --> 00:32:29,500 stuff too. And if you want to go on this 557 00:32:29,500 --> 00:32:31,300 journey with us, your deep down inside, you like, I don't have 558 00:32:31,300 --> 00:32:33,400 everything figured out about Jesus, but I'd at least like to 559 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,100 be a part of making this world a better place and I'd like to do 560 00:32:36,100 --> 00:32:38,100 it with you guys. I want you to know, we'd love to 561 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:40,700 have you. The second thing I want you to 562 00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:45,600 know is that God has indeed Place something inside of you 563 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,600 for the greater good of humanity, in the advancement of 564 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,700 his mission, your gift might look different than other 565 00:32:52,700 --> 00:32:56,600 people's gifts, but listen to me, your gift is not worse than 566 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:00,400 other people's gifts. Because your gift has God's 567 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:05,100 Divine fingerprint on it. When he placed it in you the 568 00:33:05,100 --> 00:33:10,200 value, the value is not in the gift, but in the fingerprint and 569 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:15,400 how that gift is leveraged. But you will never fully unlock 570 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:19,700 the beauty of that gift until it is surrendered to the Lord, and 571 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:22,400 until you are in an intimate personal relationship with Jesus 572 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,900 Christ. Some of you you're already using 573 00:33:24,900 --> 00:33:28,300 your gift, but you're using it all for your glory and you have 574 00:33:28,300 --> 00:33:30,700 no idea what God will do when you start using it for his. 575 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,100 And if you have questions about how to start an intimate, 576 00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:37,700 personal relationship with Jesus Christ, how to join God in his 577 00:33:37,700 --> 00:33:41,500 glorious emission, man, we would love to have a conversation with 578 00:33:41,500 --> 00:33:42,800 you today and in just a few moments. 579 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:46,200 Person be somewhere over there by the baptistry or after the 580 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,900 service you can come and find somebody on the lobby. 581 00:33:48,900 --> 00:33:51,500 There's no reason for you to walk out of here today without 582 00:33:51,500 --> 00:33:53,200 getting some of those questions answered. 583 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:57,700 And I hope you also hear this how radically committed this 584 00:33:57,700 --> 00:34:02,100 body of Believers is to helping you on that spiritual journey to 585 00:34:02,100 --> 00:34:04,700 the rest of you in the room. Those of you who are Jesus 586 00:34:04,700 --> 00:34:12,699 followers, hear me, you don't get to like Some period later 587 00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:15,500 on, in your life, where you're fully ready to use your gift, 588 00:34:16,100 --> 00:34:19,400 your gift is supposed to be stewarded by you, for the glory 589 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:22,400 of God, which means you need to take that gift. 590 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,600 That God has placed in you and you need to basically go. 591 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,900 God, this is yours. How do you want me to use it? 592 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:34,600 And every single one of you has something to offer. 593 00:34:35,699 --> 00:34:40,900 All of you and we just want to go on that Journey with you as a 594 00:34:40,900 --> 00:34:44,300 church is a staff as leadership. We want to be in your corner as 595 00:34:44,300 --> 00:34:48,000 you discover and discern how best to use it and how to 596 00:34:48,007 --> 00:34:51,400 leverage it to help other people find what you have found in 597 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:54,600 Jesus, it would be a shame for us to be a church. 598 00:34:54,607 --> 00:34:57,800 That buries the gift that God has given us in the sand. 599 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,300 When we know what kind of difference it could make. 600 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:03,800 Would you guys stand with me? Heavenly father, thank you so 601 00:35:03,808 --> 00:35:07,200 much for today for the time we get to Spend together, gotta 602 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:08,900 pray that you would use this this week. 603 00:35:09,500 --> 00:35:11,900 Got of those of us who need to be convicted right now. 604 00:35:11,900 --> 00:35:14,200 Convicted us, those of us who need to be. 605 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:16,200 Heartbroken. God break it. 606 00:35:17,700 --> 00:35:20,000 Because what we don't want to do is we don't want to become 607 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:23,900 calloused and hard-hearted toward the things that matter 608 00:35:23,900 --> 00:35:28,200 the most to you. God, we care deeply about people 609 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,500 who don't have a relationship with you and we don't want to 610 00:35:31,500 --> 00:35:34,600 sit on the sidelines, expecting the World to Change without 611 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:36,700 getting out on the field and getting dirty to make that 612 00:35:36,700 --> 00:35:39,800 change a reality. Help us to do that. 613 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:41,700 God in your name, I pray. Amen.