1 00:00:00,700 --> 00:00:02,000 Crossing family. How you guys doing? 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,700 How you doing? All right, I'm hoping. 3 00:00:03,700 --> 00:00:06,100 So I'm glad we getting to hang out and have a little bit of fun 4 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:08,200 today. I want you to do me a quick 5 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:10,800 favor right here on the front end across all of our locations. 6 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,900 Those of you online inside will be a little bit. 7 00:00:12,900 --> 00:00:15,000 Maybe more challenging for you, but if you want to participate, 8 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,000 we'd love to have you do it. Can I get y'all to stand up for 9 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,000 just a quick second? Appreciate it. 10 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,400 We did this last week. We spent a little bit of time on 11 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:23,500 the front end of the sermon. Just praying for one another. 12 00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:25,700 And I want to give us an opportunity to do that again 13 00:00:25,700 --> 00:00:27,800 today. And, I know that last week there 14 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:29,900 are many of you that not only did you raise your hand saying, 15 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,500 Yeah, Clayton. That's the situation I'm in, but 16 00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:35,200 you have the strength to go and actually pray over. 17 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,200 Somebody else even though you had your hand raced, and I'm 18 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,700 going to ask those of you who did that to summon the strength 19 00:00:40,700 --> 00:00:42,800 again this week. Because I have no doubt that 20 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,500 there's me a lot of hands raised across all of our locations. 21 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:48,200 Because what I want to do right now is I want to talk 22 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,100 specifically to, those of you who there is a family member in 23 00:00:52,100 --> 00:00:55,200 your life, that does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. 24 00:00:55,700 --> 00:00:58,500 It is a heavy burden that's on your heart. 25 00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:01,700 You think about it a lot. Maybe made a lot of invites, 26 00:01:01,700 --> 00:01:05,700 you've prayed a lot of prayers and yet still they don't have 27 00:01:05,700 --> 00:01:09,600 what you have in Jesus. Maybe it is a son or daughter. 28 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,600 Maybe it's a mother or father, maybe it's a brother or sister. 29 00:01:13,900 --> 00:01:17,200 And so, right now, just in a moment of vulnerability across 30 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,300 all of our locations. If you have somebody in your 31 00:01:19,300 --> 00:01:22,100 family that you care about deeply that doesn't of Jesus 32 00:01:22,100 --> 00:01:25,300 would use put your hand up. Yeah, I'm in that same boat with 33 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:26,700 you. And what I want to do is leave 34 00:01:26,700 --> 00:01:29,000 your hand up for just a second that I want to give people in 35 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:30,800 our church and opportunity. Come around side, you they're 36 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,200 going to put their hand on your shoulder. 37 00:01:32,300 --> 00:01:35,200 Once you put your hand on your shoulder, I'm going to, I'm 38 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:36,700 going to pray. I'm going to give you guys three 39 00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:38,800 verses, but go ahead and move across all the locations. 40 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Find some people with their hands up, put your hand on the 41 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,800 shoulder so that way we can pray over you because we want, you 42 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,300 know, you're not alone in this. I do for some of you, this is a 43 00:01:46,308 --> 00:01:49,400 little uncomfortable, but this church, we genuinely love you. 44 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,000 So if you see hands up once you got someone, put their hand on 45 00:01:52,008 --> 00:01:53,400 your shoulder, put your hand down. 46 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,700 Want to make sure I give staff and other people an opportunity 47 00:01:55,700 --> 00:01:57,300 to come around. We got a couple people over 48 00:01:57,300 --> 00:01:58,100 there. Be awesome. 49 00:01:58,100 --> 00:01:59,900 Someone prayed with, there's somebody up. 50 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,300 Here. God bless you. 51 00:02:01,300 --> 00:02:03,200 There's some people over there. When someone's there with you, 52 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:05,100 put your hand on them. Okay. 53 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:08,100 I want to give you three verses and then I'll price you have to 54 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:10,000 pay yet. Let me give you three verses 55 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:12,300 because I know that sometimes when we're navigating this, we 56 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:14,900 can feel like we're all alone. So let me give you a great 1, 57 00:02:14,900 --> 00:02:17,400 John 3:16, you guys know this one for God. 58 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,000 So loved the world that he gave his one and only son that 59 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:21,500 whoever believes in him, shall not perish. 60 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:25,800 But have eternal life. God Is So committed to loving 61 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,100 the person in your life that you want to pray about that. 62 00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:31,700 He sent his son on their behalf. Here's the second verse, second, 63 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:35,300 Peter 3:9. The Lord is not slow, in keeping 64 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:38,000 his promise as some understand slowness. 65 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,100 Instead, he is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, 66 00:02:42,100 --> 00:02:45,600 but everyone to come to repentance God is not slow. 67 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:50,300 He is moving in this, the last one first Timothy Chapter 2, I 68 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:52,300 urge them. First of all, that petitions 69 00:02:52,300 --> 00:02:55,800 prayers, intercession and Thanksgiving be made for all 70 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,000 people for kings and those in Authority that we may live 71 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,300 peaceful and quiet. Lives in all godliness and 72 00:03:01,300 --> 00:03:04,900 Holiness. Check out this, this is good and 73 00:03:04,900 --> 00:03:10,000 pleases Our God and savior who wants all people to be saved and 74 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:11,300 come to a knowledge of the truth. 75 00:03:11,300 --> 00:03:15,500 Would you guys pray with me? God, it is such a pleasure to be 76 00:03:15,508 --> 00:03:19,600 able to approach you right now with these requests because I am 77 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:24,200 crying out to a God, who loves all the people that were 78 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,500 thinking about infinitely more than we do. 79 00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:31,100 Who cares about them? Infinitely more than we do? 80 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,700 Who wants them to find? Jesus infinitely. 81 00:03:34,700 --> 00:03:38,300 More than we do. God, that you are not an enemy 82 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:41,600 in this. You are the greatest Ally. 83 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,100 And God, I specifically pray that you would soften the hearts 84 00:03:47,100 --> 00:03:50,600 of those that are on our minds and God, that you would give us 85 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,400 the courage and the strength to do, what you call us to do, to 86 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,600 open up the door for them to find your son, Jesus, and it is 87 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,900 in Jesus name that I pray cross all of our locations. 88 00:04:01,900 --> 00:04:03,100 Help me. Close it out. 89 00:04:03,300 --> 00:04:06,000 Amen, man. I'm glad we get together 90 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,100 together. You can go ahead and grab a 91 00:04:07,108 --> 00:04:08,900 seat. Thank you for doing that. 92 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:11,700 I know it gets you a little bit out of your comfort zone, but I 93 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:15,200 just, I want Sure, that, you know, that we are in this with 94 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,899 you? Well, we are in a sermon series 95 00:04:17,899 --> 00:04:21,000 called there has to be a place. And last week we talked about 96 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,600 there has to be a place for everyone. 97 00:04:22,900 --> 00:04:25,800 And it's going to take every one of us to make that happen. 98 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,200 And we looked at this graphic right here, that we're trying to 99 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,400 help people start the relationship with Jesus, and 100 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,100 we're trying to help people live out the relationship with Jesus. 101 00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:38,100 There might be -5 s people who hate God. 102 00:04:38,700 --> 00:04:41,400 Hey Church. Don't even believe in God, and 103 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,800 then you've got, you know, No, your grandma right over here. 104 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,800 And then, as a church, we have a responsibility, a spiritual 105 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,600 responsibility to everybody on this Continuum to those who are 106 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,100 far from Jesus and to those who have been following Jesus for a 107 00:04:55,100 --> 00:04:57,400 long time. And then we also recognize that 108 00:04:57,407 --> 00:04:59,300 we have a spiritual obligation to our region. 109 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:02,300 And that what we want to do this is what our church looks like 110 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:04,300 from space. And that our hope is to make 111 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:08,400 this region and whatever, God, grows it to be the hardest place 112 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,500 on Earth to get to Hell from then it's going to take each and 113 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:14,900 every single one of us. To make that a reality. 114 00:05:15,100 --> 00:05:17,500 Well, this week, I entitled my message. 115 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,000 There has to be a place that gives people time. 116 00:05:21,100 --> 00:05:26,900 And by say, it takes time, you may not know this but there's 117 00:05:26,900 --> 00:05:29,600 some people right now that they are in diaper. 118 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:34,800 Hell, And they are putting food in one end and it is constantly 119 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,500 coming out the other end and they feel like all they do is 120 00:05:38,500 --> 00:05:42,300 change diapers and they're looking at you and they're 121 00:05:42,300 --> 00:05:44,700 going. When is this ever going to end? 122 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:49,000 And those of us who've been there, we can look at them 123 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,700 lovingly and we would say to them, it takes time. 124 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:56,500 Right? And then there's some of you 125 00:05:56,500 --> 00:05:59,000 you're out of diapers stage. Never thought you'd get there 126 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,200 and you thought it'd get easier after that but it didn't. 127 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:04,200 Because then you're trying to address these kids and they have 128 00:06:04,207 --> 00:06:07,100 their own opinions. You haven't been on time in 129 00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:10,000 years, you don't even know what the first two songs that church 130 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,000 sound like you just keep coming in when I'm onstage you like I 131 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:14,300 guess he's singing now. I guess. 132 00:06:14,700 --> 00:06:16,200 Yeah. II get it. 133 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,000 And you try to get your kids dressed every morning and every 134 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:20,700 morning. It's as if your kids forgot that 135 00:06:20,700 --> 00:06:23,200 they've been dressed every morning of their life like 136 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,600 socks, don't go on your face. What is your deal like, how did 137 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:31,100 you forget how to put pants on? But and you're going, how long 138 00:06:31,100 --> 00:06:33,000 is this going to last? And those of us who've been 139 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,600 there, we would look at them and we would say it takes time, 140 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:39,800 right? Right now I'm in the middle of 141 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:48,500 potty training, a dog and I keep hearing people say that dog is 142 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:53,000 man's best friend. Nope, I can tell you, I'm that 143 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,900 dog's best friend, okay? Because I, I've never had a 144 00:06:56,900 --> 00:06:58,500 friend as good as I am to that dog. 145 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:00,800 I've never seen anybody pick up my poop. 146 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,700 Not once. Not once I let him poop in my 147 00:07:04,700 --> 00:07:05,300 yard. You've never. 148 00:07:05,300 --> 00:07:07,300 Let me poop in your yard, that's his dog. 149 00:07:07,300 --> 00:07:09,700 Has it easy? Okay, and no matter what 150 00:07:09,700 --> 00:07:11,900 happens, he doesn't get blamed for the problem. 151 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,600 My fault because I didn't take him out fast enough for a fill 152 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,100 in the blank and I was talking to Lindsay in about potty 153 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:22,800 training, the dog and Lindsay looked at me and you know what? 154 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:28,100 She said to me takes time Ladies. 155 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:34,600 You, you know, you met your husband and he says it was love 156 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,500 at first sight. But it one commitment at First 157 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:39,500 Sight. Was it ladies? 158 00:07:40,100 --> 00:07:43,000 You may like the way you looked. It was nice to talk to him, but 159 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:47,200 if he had got down on his knee on night one, yet a walked away. 160 00:07:48,300 --> 00:07:49,700 You had to wear you down, didn't he? 161 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:54,000 and eventually he got down on one knee and you said, yes, and 162 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,900 the reason you said yes, is because well It takes time. 163 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,700 And fellas, you can back me up on this, you can want some ribs, 164 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,600 but they don't come out as fast as a hamburger, and you can 165 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,600 watch some brisket, but you can't smoke a brisket as fast as 166 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,000 you can cook a steak. And if you're looking, you ain't 167 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,100 cooking. Because if you want some good 168 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,500 delicious ribs. Well church you know the answer 169 00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:22,600 to that said, what does it do? Yeah, it takes time. 170 00:08:24,500 --> 00:08:29,200 In a world of microwaves and Pop-Tarts, K Cups and high-speed 171 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,000 internet. We can get pretty impatient. 172 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:37,600 And I wonder if you're like me that you bring you hope that the 173 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,000 first time you make an invitation a personal come to 174 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,900 church with you and the first time they come to church in the 175 00:08:42,900 --> 00:08:45,800 very first time that they hear a sermon that people would 176 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:50,300 respond. However, oftentimes well, you 177 00:08:50,300 --> 00:08:53,900 know the answer. It takes say it with me. 178 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,700 Yeah, it takes time. And there's this cool story in 179 00:08:57,700 --> 00:09:01,100 the Bible that for years, I misread, I didn't misread the 180 00:09:01,100 --> 00:09:04,100 story. I misread the events surrounding 181 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:08,200 the story and my hope is that the end of this message, you 182 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,100 will have some hope that this will encourage you to be 183 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,600 faithful and continue in your commitment to investing in the 184 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,300 people that God has placed in your life. 185 00:09:17,500 --> 00:09:21,400 Let's look at this story, Luke Chapter 5, one day is Jesus was 186 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,900 standing The lake you can estimate, the people were 187 00:09:23,900 --> 00:09:26,400 crowding, around him and listening to the word of God. 188 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:29,600 He saw at the water's edge to boats left there by the 189 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:31,500 fishermen who were washing their Nets. 190 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:35,100 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon and 191 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:38,200 he asked him to put out a little from Shore and then he sat down 192 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:39,600 and taught the people from the boat. 193 00:09:39,900 --> 00:09:43,000 Now Jesus is there on the Sea of Galilee and I know that some of 194 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,300 you are going but Clayton, you just call it. 195 00:09:44,300 --> 00:09:46,200 The lake you can estimate. I'm confused. 196 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:47,500 I can't trust the Bible. What do I do? 197 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,900 So actually, the Sea of Galilee goes by other names to it. 198 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:54,700 Also goes by the Sea of tiberias it has multiple names. 199 00:09:54,900 --> 00:09:57,500 Kind of like the Mississippi, right? 200 00:09:57,700 --> 00:10:00,000 I bet you maybe you guys know this, it's also called the 201 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,600 father of waters. And it used to be called Old 202 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,200 Blue, which I think it was named by a blind man, because I've 203 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,500 never looked at the Mississippian gun now that's 204 00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:11,600 blue. Okay, here's another funny one. 205 00:10:11,700 --> 00:10:13,600 We call it old money, but guess what? 206 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,100 That's not the Mississippi. That's the Missouri. 207 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:18,700 But we just rely cathars is Muddy to. 208 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:20,400 So we'll call it Big Money. Okay. 209 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,800 So we're in the same geographic region that we're talking about 210 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,800 last week the Sea of Galilee and Jesus is preaching to a group of 211 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,500 people in the group of people are crowding around him and his 212 00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:32,500 ankles Touch the Water. So he goes, I know what I'll do. 213 00:10:32,500 --> 00:10:35,300 I'm gonna hop in Simon Peters boat and he pushes out from 214 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:38,500 Shore. And he turns it into a makeshift 215 00:10:38,500 --> 00:10:42,300 Amphitheatre where his voice would bounce off of the waters 216 00:10:42,300 --> 00:10:45,300 and get captured by the thousands of Hills surrounding 217 00:10:45,300 --> 00:10:47,600 the Sea of Galilee. So everybody could hear him. 218 00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:51,500 And so he gets out there and he preaches let's keep going in the 219 00:10:51,500 --> 00:10:54,500 story. What he had finished speaking, 220 00:10:54,500 --> 00:10:58,100 he said to Simon put out into deep water and let down the nets 221 00:10:58,100 --> 00:11:00,700 for a catch. Simon answered Master. 222 00:11:00,700 --> 00:11:06,000 We worked hard all night and haven't caught anything but 223 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,800 because you say so I will let down the Nets. 224 00:11:09,500 --> 00:11:12,300 Now let's zero in on Peter for a little bit. 225 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,900 Let me help you see him through 21st century Eyes. 226 00:11:18,500 --> 00:11:23,200 Peter is a blue-collar baller. He's got his camo cargo shorts 227 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,600 on, he's got his Crocs and four-wheel drive. 228 00:11:25,700 --> 00:11:28,600 He's got a salt life fishing shirt on with Maui, Jim 229 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,400 sunglasses. Okay. 230 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,900 He's the kind of guy who has he's a small business owner, who 231 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:38,100 drives a brand-new F-350 with his company's logo, vinyl down 232 00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:41,200 the side. He has strong thick calloused 233 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,000 hands. A wind Burt face in a set of 234 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,800 shoulders and biceps that are accustomed to carrying heavy 235 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,300 loads. He spent time in High School, 236 00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:54,200 playing full, Back as well as middle linebacker and got offers 237 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,200 from D2 schools. This is the kind of guy who gets 238 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:00,700 up early works hard because that's what he's done his whole 239 00:12:00,900 --> 00:12:04,400 life it's all he knows make no mistake, he's not fishing for 240 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:08,100 fun or on vacation this isn't him chartering something. 241 00:12:08,300 --> 00:12:11,600 This is his business and people depend on him. 242 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,400 And he's been working on the whole night and has nothing to 243 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:20,500 show for it. Have you ever been there? 244 00:12:22,300 --> 00:12:28,000 You work real hard and you've got nothing to show for it. 245 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,700 You created a to-do list on Friday of all the things you'd 246 00:12:31,700 --> 00:12:37,500 like to have done by Sunday. and Sunday comes You got nothing to 247 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:41,400 show for it. You, you, you are going. 248 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,100 You know what this week, we're going to get these things dialed 249 00:12:44,100 --> 00:12:49,100 in, or you've had a whole bunch of stuff on your agenda and you 250 00:12:49,100 --> 00:12:53,900 ran errands all day long. And got nothing done. 251 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,200 You're working on a project at home and you keep going to Home 252 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,600 Depot, and picking out all of the wrong things and you get 253 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,100 there and none of them fit. And so you drive back, you've 254 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:13,100 got nothing to show for it. We just finished cleaning his 255 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:16,500 nuts. This is the worst part of his 256 00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:21,200 job made only worse by the fact that he got them dirty and he 257 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,300 didn't even catch anything. He still has to clean up the 258 00:13:24,300 --> 00:13:26,100 mess even though he made no money. 259 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,600 But because Jesus told him to throw out into the deep water. 260 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,400 He does. Looks what happens. 261 00:13:35,500 --> 00:13:38,800 When they had done so they caught such a large number of 262 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,000 fish that their Nets began to break. 263 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,100 So they signaled their Partners in the other boat to come and 264 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:49,400 help them and they came and filled both boats so full that 265 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,800 they began to sink when Simon Peter saw. 266 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,000 This he fell at Jesus knees and said go away from me, Lord. 267 00:13:57,100 --> 00:14:01,400 I am a sinful man. For he, and all his companions 268 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,200 were astonished at the catch of fish, they had taken. 269 00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:07,700 And so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's 270 00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:11,000 partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, this 271 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,200 is Simon Peter. Don't Be Afraid from now on. 272 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,100 You will fish for everybody say this word for people. 273 00:14:19,900 --> 00:14:23,700 So they pulled their boats up on shore, they left say this word. 274 00:14:25,100 --> 00:14:29,100 And followed him. It was in. 275 00:14:30,300 --> 00:14:34,400 This moment that Peter made the move to follow Jesus. 276 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,100 I think it's interesting to note, he'd had other nights 277 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:41,200 where he hadn't caught fish but he chose to follow Jesus on his 278 00:14:41,300 --> 00:14:45,800 best day that his worst day. He decided to follow Jesus after 279 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:50,900 the windfall, not the downfall. He didn't follow Jesus on the 280 00:14:50,908 --> 00:14:54,100 heels of a divorce after getting arrested after a fight with his 281 00:14:54,100 --> 00:14:54,800 kids. No. 282 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,300 Think this was actually a great day and he left it all and he 283 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,800 followed Jesus and for so long. I thought that this moment would 284 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,100 Jesus was Peters first time hanging out with Jesus. 285 00:15:07,300 --> 00:15:10,400 And that's kind of how I thought it was going to be for me that I 286 00:15:10,408 --> 00:15:13,200 would bring a friend, I would bring a family member and the 287 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,200 first time they heard it they would go. 288 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,300 Yeah, this is this. I'm all in. 289 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,400 But it was in some deeper study and reading a couple things. 290 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,900 I noticed that there was actually more going on here. 291 00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:28,700 This was not just Peters first interaction with Jesus or just a 292 00:15:28,708 --> 00:15:32,200 couple moments surrounding it. In fact, that Peter had been 293 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,400 watching Jesus for a long time now. 294 00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:39,000 You see Peter was one of John's disciples when I say John's 295 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,500 disciples. I mean, John the Baptist's 296 00:15:41,500 --> 00:15:47,200 disciples, which means more than likely, Peter was there, when 297 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:49,900 Jesus was baptized and the clouds. 298 00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:55,100 Parted and a dove descended. And God said, this is my son in 299 00:15:55,100 --> 00:15:57,900 whom I'm well pleased that's my God voice. 300 00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:03,100 Peter would have heard that. And he went back to fishing. 301 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:10,100 More than likely Peter was there when Jesus cleansed the temple 302 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:15,200 and claim to ownership over that by saying my father's house. 303 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,500 And after that happened, guess what? 304 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:20,500 Peter did. He went back to fishing. 305 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:25,400 He was there when Jesus ministered to the, the Samaritan 306 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,200 woman at the well and told her everything that she had ever 307 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,500 done. And watched her go into the town 308 00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:33,600 and all the people come out where Jesus says, look the 309 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,600 fields are harv, are the fields are full. 310 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,900 The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few and guess 311 00:16:37,900 --> 00:16:39,900 what Peter did, he went back to fishing. 312 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:46,200 He was there when Jesus healed all the people in Judea and 313 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,500 Peter went back to fishing. He was there when Jesus turned 314 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:57,600 water into wine and Peter went back to fishing, it wasn't until 315 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:03,400 the miraculous catch that Peter left, everything and followed. 316 00:17:03,500 --> 00:17:08,500 Jesus, say it with me. Sometimes it takes all you, see 317 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:11,000 it? I mean. 318 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:17,400 The crazy thing is, I know this because I've seen this happen in 319 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,500 other people's lives. That's sometimes it takes time. 320 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,300 When I was up at our Macomb location, there was an event 321 00:17:25,300 --> 00:17:27,599 where we paired college students with high school kids. 322 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:30,900 So that way they can have a mentor and at the event, my wife 323 00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:37,300 met a young wiu student named Lisa Now, Lisa ended up talking 324 00:17:37,300 --> 00:17:40,200 to Jennifer about some of the pain of her past. 325 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,100 She had lost her mom when she was about 10 years old. 326 00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:47,400 She had a rough relationship with her father and was 327 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,900 believing a lot of lies and so they started meeting on a 328 00:17:50,900 --> 00:17:53,300 regular basis and over the course of those meetings, 329 00:17:53,300 --> 00:17:55,400 Jennifer said to Lisa, I love you. 330 00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:59,100 And Lisa said you, I don't know how to take that. 331 00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:03,500 And Jeff was like okay well can I you know, can I say that I 332 00:18:03,500 --> 00:18:09,200 like you and Lisa was like nah Jeffers like okay can I say I 333 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,500 care about? You know they eventually settled 334 00:18:12,500 --> 00:18:16,000 on my wife was allowed to look at Lisa and say, I know you, 335 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:18,900 okay. So they would end their meetings 336 00:18:18,900 --> 00:18:21,800 with my wife looking at least in saying I know you and Lisa would 337 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:27,300 say to my wife, I know you too. Well, eventually Lisa kind of 338 00:18:27,300 --> 00:18:30,400 fell onto some hardships and she was worried that she was not 339 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,500 going to be able to stay at Western Illinois because of 340 00:18:32,500 --> 00:18:35,300 financial challenges. And so my wife offered up our 341 00:18:35,300 --> 00:18:39,100 house for Lisa to come move in with us and so that September 342 00:18:39,100 --> 00:18:43,500 Lisa moved into our house and she continued to live with us. 343 00:18:43,700 --> 00:18:46,300 And then when Jennifer and I moved down here to Quincy, she 344 00:18:46,300 --> 00:18:49,300 moved out of our house, and she moved into bin and Jessica, 345 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:52,300 elephants his house in Macomb and Lisas. 346 00:18:52,300 --> 00:18:54,700 A good Godly girl, and she's trying to do things the right. 347 00:18:54,900 --> 00:18:57,900 Wages navigating the hardships of Life which we've all been 348 00:18:57,900 --> 00:19:00,300 there. Well, she was continue to grow 349 00:19:00,300 --> 00:19:02,700 and things were going good. And then she met Don. 350 00:19:03,900 --> 00:19:05,900 Now I have to say this about Don. 351 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:12,600 Don is as good of a man, as you can find, genuinely a man full 352 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,200 of integrity and honor unbelievably respectful. 353 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:21,200 Just a good good man. But he's an atheist. 354 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,500 And Lisa cared about it and they were dating. 355 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:34,400 And so don would hang out with her and, you know, we would talk 356 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:38,200 and dance been here to our 48th Street campus and he would go to 357 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,400 our Macomb location and we would talk to him and we would answer 358 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,500 questions and we would read books and we would talk through 359 00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:48,300 sermons and for a long, long time. 360 00:19:48,300 --> 00:19:52,400 We, I tried to help him find a relationship with Jesus, but he 361 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,800 like, I said, he's a good man and he has integrity He's not 362 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:58,100 going to fake the funk, but he's not going to say he believes 363 00:19:58,100 --> 00:20:02,800 when he doesn't believe. Well, eventually he comes down 364 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,300 to Quincy and ask Jennifer knife from permission to marry Lisa 365 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,600 and he has been in Jessica for permission to marry Lisa. 366 00:20:11,300 --> 00:20:14,100 And I'm looking to go on this is this really is just an 367 00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:18,300 unbelievably good man and we told him that but the fact that 368 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:21,700 she has a faith in the fact that he has no faith was going to put 369 00:20:21,700 --> 00:20:25,500 some serious challenges inside of that relationship and we go. 370 00:20:25,500 --> 00:20:28,800 And you can't just pretend to love Jesus for the sake of being 371 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,200 in a relationship with a girl. That's, that's not right, and 372 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:32,700 he's not the kind of guy that would do that. 373 00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:37,800 Anyway, Well, as they continue to Journey along they say he 374 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:40,500 started spending more and more time with Ben, Ella Fritz and 375 00:20:40,500 --> 00:20:43,100 eventually, they were getting ready to move out to the east 376 00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:46,800 coast and they didn't want to live together and not be 377 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,300 married. So been elephants did a private 378 00:20:49,300 --> 00:20:54,100 ceremony where they got married in and they went out east and 379 00:20:54,100 --> 00:20:56,900 they continue to meet together or with been on a regular basis. 380 00:20:56,900 --> 00:20:58,700 Now I need to pause and say this real quick. 381 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,900 And Ben would tell you this that when it comes to the Bible, 382 00:21:04,900 --> 00:21:09,100 like, I'm smarter than him. That's the only thing I'm 383 00:21:09,100 --> 00:21:11,000 smarter than Bennett but this is it. 384 00:21:12,300 --> 00:21:14,800 And I know though I mean that's what I went to school for. 385 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:19,500 That's what I studied theology for and Ben didn't do that, but 386 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:22,000 I need you to know. It wasn't my conversations that 387 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,500 were making all the difference in Don's life. 388 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:29,100 It was Ben's that sometimes your relational credibility is more 389 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:31,700 important than your theological credibility. 390 00:21:32,900 --> 00:21:35,200 Here's what I'm trying to say. I know that sometimes you're 391 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,300 going, man, if I could just have my friend talk to Clayton or 392 00:21:37,308 --> 00:21:40,000 talk to Jerry, or if you know, if they're busy, maybe talk to a 393 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,600 campus password. If they're busy, I'll talk to 394 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:43,900 another Pastor if they're busy, I'll talk to a staff member. 395 00:21:44,300 --> 00:21:49,200 And what I want to tell you is, no, you can talk to them, some 396 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,200 of my greatest journeys of Faith have been, what I've been trying 397 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,200 to answer somebody else's question. 398 00:21:54,900 --> 00:21:58,700 I need you to hear me say this. I am not your pastor. 399 00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:05,000 I am one of your pastures. And I am surrounded by campus 400 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,200 pastors and other pastors and staff members. 401 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:14,900 And I'm surrounded by you. And you can Pastor, you can 402 00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:18,900 Pastor your home, you can Pastor your family, you can Pastor your 403 00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:22,800 street, or your block, you can Pastor your school, you can 404 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,000 Pastor your workplace, and you can Pastor the people at this 405 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:28,400 church. It's in. 406 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,000 You, God has purposed. You any quick to you and will 407 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,200 sustain. You in those moments, he makes 408 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,500 it possible where he will come and he will intercede for you 409 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,600 and help you in those moments. As you try to help someone find 410 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:43,600 a relationship with Jesus Christ. 411 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:47,100 And so Don and Ben keep meeting and meeting and meeting and 412 00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:49,900 meeting. And then this past Thanksgiving, 413 00:22:49,900 --> 00:22:51,800 the Thanksgiving where I filled the trailer full of a whole 414 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:53,300 bunch of food to cook for my family. 415 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,600 On Friday, there's a whole bunch of people at my house and I had 416 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,900 been hearing a rumor, but I didn't want to like, you know, 417 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,900 mess it up by saying about anything about it too soon. 418 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,300 And that afternoon before we cook pork chops that evening, 419 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:09,900 Seven Vehicles loaded up at my parents house. 420 00:23:11,500 --> 00:23:13,900 And we left Fort Madison Iowa and we drove down the big hill 421 00:23:13,900 --> 00:23:17,600 and went over the two Bridges. We hopped on the highway and we 422 00:23:17,608 --> 00:23:20,200 drove to our Keokuk campus. I'm so glad we have a kick-up 423 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,900 campus just 15 miles from my parents house. 424 00:23:23,300 --> 00:23:26,200 Because on that Friday right after Thanksgiving, this 425 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:34,700 happened, Say it with me. Sometimes, sometimes sometimes 426 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:41,100 it takes, it takes time that I should have known that because 427 00:23:41,100 --> 00:23:46,300 that's what happened to me. You know, I didn't say yes to 428 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:48,500 Jesus the first day I heard about him either. 429 00:23:49,700 --> 00:23:52,800 You know, there was a I went to Fort Madison Christian church 430 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,700 and there was a lady by the name of Del all I can remember is 431 00:23:56,700 --> 00:23:59,100 that she wore a tie dye Church volleyball shirt. 432 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,700 And she had white hair, she worked at the Sheaffer Pen 433 00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:07,400 Company for many years and she had black dark Rim glasses. 434 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,200 And she taught me about Jesus from kindergarten through sixth 435 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:13,900 grade. And I didn't get serious about 436 00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:17,700 Jesus, and she didn't do it once a month or every other week. 437 00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:22,200 You know what, she did. Every Sunday for Sunday school, 438 00:24:22,500 --> 00:24:26,600 she taught me the word of God. When I got into junior, high and 439 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,900 high school, a man by the name of Ken Morrow, an electrical 440 00:24:29,900 --> 00:24:34,900 engineer, who was before his time in 1985, he had programmed 441 00:24:34,900 --> 00:24:38,600 a device that he could start his car when he was in the church 442 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:42,000 service, while his car was parked in the parking lot, 1985 443 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,000 folks. He also had it on that same 444 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,100 thing that he could turn on all the lights in his house and 445 00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:49,000 control the thermostat at his house. 446 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,300 He also did all of that wiring for the church on his little 447 00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:56,500 device that he made, but that's not what impressed me about him. 448 00:24:56,700 --> 00:24:58,400 It was that every single Sunday, he taught me. 449 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,100 The book of Acts, January to December, he taught us the book 450 00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:04,500 of Acts and then when January, we started back at Acts chapter 451 00:25:04,500 --> 00:25:06,800 1. At the end of every month, he 452 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,300 gave us a quiz on the chapters we had covered. 453 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:10,900 And if you got all the answers, right? 454 00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:13,800 You got three dollars. And if you got most of the 455 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,200 answers, right? You got two dollars and if you 456 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,400 showed up, you got a dollar and I got a lot of dollars. 457 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,300 And he continually invested in me and I still didn't follow 458 00:25:25,300 --> 00:25:32,400 Jesus. but they continued to work and invest in my life 459 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:40,900 because sometimes it takes, you know, this and there has to be a 460 00:25:40,900 --> 00:25:47,600 place that gives people time. There needs to be a group of 461 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,300 people who will give and start giving to make sure that the 462 00:25:51,300 --> 00:25:53,800 lights are on the water's. Running the toilet papers 463 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,300 restock, the staff employed in the communion juice fresh 464 00:25:57,300 --> 00:26:01,300 because sometimes it takes time and there has to be a place that 465 00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:04,900 will love on their kids, greet them at the door, say hi to them 466 00:26:04,900 --> 00:26:07,200 at the Welcome Center. Put their hands on them during a 467 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,000 prayer. This Bump them at the doors. 468 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,500 They walk in the auditorium helps with the leading of the 469 00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:13,700 worship, the running of the graphics, the playing of the 470 00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:16,300 instruments and gets down on their knees and bangs on 471 00:26:16,300 --> 00:26:19,100 Heaven's Door. Format, the steps there has to 472 00:26:19,100 --> 00:26:22,100 be a church. A place that will step into the 473 00:26:22,100 --> 00:26:23,900 mess. That's long-suffering patient 474 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:27,500 with their questions, caring in their approach rooted in truth, 475 00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:31,100 covered in Grace, there has to be a place. 476 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,200 There has to be a place for people like you and me to give 477 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,900 other people the same amount of Grace, that God and others. 478 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,700 Is have given to us. Listen, you might say you love 479 00:26:42,700 --> 00:26:45,800 the people around you and you might say, you love your 480 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:52,600 communities and if that's true. It shouldn't catch us a 481 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:57,300 surprise. That when it describes love and 482 00:26:57,300 --> 00:27:03,100 First Corinthians 13, the very first descriptor is love is 483 00:27:04,100 --> 00:27:08,400 patient. And we've been in a rush. 484 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:13,000 Trying to get it done today, when that's not how it worked 485 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,500 with us. That means that there's going to 486 00:27:15,508 --> 00:27:17,600 be times when people are going to come to our church and say 487 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,100 that they're a part of us and they're going to act a fool and 488 00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:22,700 make mistakes, and we're going to be a church. 489 00:27:23,900 --> 00:27:27,300 That gives them time. There's me time when people come 490 00:27:27,300 --> 00:27:30,000 to church and they don't believe the things that we believe and 491 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:31,800 they don't act the way that we would act. 492 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,500 And we're going to be a church. that gives people time because 493 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:40,700 that's what God did with us, we can get in such a hurry, to get 494 00:27:40,700 --> 00:27:43,200 people to find a relationship with Jesus Christ that we 495 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:46,800 forget, what happens in the parable of the sower, you know, 496 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,600 the seed that sprouted, the fastest was also the seed that 497 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:55,000 died the fastest it's spring up from within the Rocks, but 498 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,500 because it had no root it withered and died, but the seed 499 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:03,700 that actually produced the biggest Harvest came up last 500 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,000 Farmers. You go out and you plant your 501 00:28:08,008 --> 00:28:10,700 corn, do you go out the next day to dig it up to see how it's 502 00:28:10,700 --> 00:28:13,000 doing. No. 503 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,900 You know that if you're a farmer if you want to raise a really 504 00:28:16,900 --> 00:28:25,000 good crop it takes time but when it comes up it produces a 505 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:33,300 harvest of 30 60 and 100 fold. We have to be a church that 506 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:37,100 gives people time look what it says in Galatians. 507 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,100 Let us not become weary in doing good. 508 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:47,000 Let me just stop for a second. I know that's not easy. 509 00:28:49,100 --> 00:28:52,700 I know some of you that is exactly where you're at, you are 510 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,800 weary right now. How long am I supposed to be 511 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,000 patient with a spouse? That doesn't believe. 512 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,900 How long am I supposed to invite a kid? 513 00:29:02,900 --> 00:29:05,600 That won't come. How long am I supposed to serve 514 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,600 somebody who doesn't seem to appreciate it? 515 00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:12,400 How long am I supposed to keep doing good? 516 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:16,800 I'm weary I'm tired, I'm frustrated, I'm hurt. 517 00:29:16,900 --> 00:29:20,900 I'm mad. Let us not become weary. 518 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,200 And doing good. Why? 519 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,300 For at the everybody say this word. 520 00:29:30,500 --> 00:29:34,500 Not your time. Not my time. 521 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:42,900 Not your time, not my time, but at the proper time, there's a 522 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:46,700 promise. We will reap a harvest. 523 00:29:47,700 --> 00:29:53,000 If we do not say these two words, there has to be a place 524 00:29:53,700 --> 00:29:58,600 that doesn't give up. And that gives people time 525 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:03,000 because when it's the proper time, you can't stop it when 526 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:05,600 it's the proper time. Satan can't get in the way. 527 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:11,100 You have it when it's the proper time, it's will happen. 528 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:16,600 And we people who have received profound Grace from God, who he 529 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:22,200 has been patient and long-suffering with us, have got 530 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:27,900 to be a people who can be patient and long-suffering with 531 00:30:27,900 --> 00:30:32,100 others. There has to be a place that 532 00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:36,900 gives people time and I say Say it's here. 533 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,100 I say it's with us and I say it's now. 534 00:30:42,300 --> 00:30:45,000 Would you join me in creating that place? 535 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:53,200 We're moving to a time of decision now, those of you 536 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:57,800 watching online and in the room, I know right now some of you are 537 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:01,000 a little ticked. And that's fair. 538 00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:06,000 Because you're going Clayton. I brought a friend today that I 539 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,100 was really hoping you would close the deal on. 540 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,400 And you just gave them an Implement permission slip. 541 00:31:13,900 --> 00:31:15,900 I get it. So let me be clear. 542 00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:20,800 Just because I say this is going to be a place that gives people 543 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,400 time. We are going to preach the 544 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,900 gospel with urgency and every single week, we are going to 545 00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:29,800 give people an opportunity to step into that intimate personal 546 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,500 relationship with Jesus Christ because it's time. 547 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:35,800 And I don't know when they're going to meet Jesus or when 548 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,200 Jesus is going to meet them. But I want to make sure that 549 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,100 I've done everything in my power, to make sure that they 550 00:31:40,100 --> 00:31:43,000 are ready for that moment. Because when it's the right 551 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:45,900 time, you know, last week a lot of churches would close when 552 00:31:45,900 --> 00:31:47,500 it's a, our church will never close. 553 00:31:47,500 --> 00:31:49,600 When there's bad weather out. You don't have to come. 554 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,000 You can watch online. Thousands of other people do it. 555 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,500 But you know why we were open. People give their life to Jesus 556 00:31:55,500 --> 00:32:01,200 last week because when it's time it's time and you can't stop it. 557 00:32:01,500 --> 00:32:04,500 And we're going to be a place that gives people the Time even 558 00:32:04,500 --> 00:32:08,100 on a cold Icy day. And so, to those of you in here, 559 00:32:08,300 --> 00:32:11,400 who have never started an intimate, personal relationship 560 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:13,800 with Jesus Christ, can I talk to you for a bit? 561 00:32:15,500 --> 00:32:20,900 I know you've got questions. I know you've got doubts and I 562 00:32:20,908 --> 00:32:23,700 just want to tell you something, I do too. 563 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,100 I do too. I don't have everything figured 564 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:31,500 out about an infinite God with my finite brain. 565 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:35,900 I got questions. And there are things about him 566 00:32:35,900 --> 00:32:38,500 that I struggle with. And there are things about him, 567 00:32:38,500 --> 00:32:43,400 I don't understand. but believe it or not, sometimes it's those 568 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,000 doubts, and those questions that have driven me further in my 569 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:50,300 faith, not cause my faith to dwindle And you're on with 570 00:32:50,300 --> 00:32:53,000 Clayton, you're wanting me to give my whole life to something, 571 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:58,400 I don't completely understand. I hear you but you've done it 572 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,300 before. Fellas, I'm gonna need your 573 00:33:01,300 --> 00:33:04,400 help. Fellows at all. 574 00:33:05,300 --> 00:33:12,400 Raise your hand if you figured women out Only the single people 575 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:19,000 raise their hands, right? Then, Fellas. 576 00:33:22,900 --> 00:33:24,300 Do they raise a lot of questions? 577 00:33:25,500 --> 00:33:29,400 To you are there things about them, that don't make sense, you 578 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:32,500 don't get it, you're scratching your head trying to understand 579 00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:34,800 because let's just be honest, you are never going to 580 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,500 understand a woman but raise your hand. 581 00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:39,800 If you're thankful. You got one in your life. 582 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,300 Come on, that'll preach right there. 583 00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:45,700 I didn't know everything I needed to know about Jennifer, 584 00:33:45,900 --> 00:33:50,100 but I knew enough to know that I wanted her in my life for the 585 00:33:50,100 --> 00:33:53,600 rest of my life. There were things that I still 586 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:55,700 don't get. There are things that Still 587 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:57,900 frustrate me. There are things that we just 588 00:33:57,900 --> 00:34:01,700 don't see eye to eye on but I wouldn't trade her for anything. 589 00:34:01,900 --> 00:34:05,400 I didn't have everything figured out about women, but I knew I 590 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,000 wanted one and I didn't have everything figured out about 591 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,100 her, but I knew that I didn't want to keep living without her. 592 00:34:11,199 --> 00:34:14,900 And I'll tell you, the parallels between that and my relationship 593 00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:19,600 with God are so scary clothes. That I don't have everything 594 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:24,500 figured out about him. But I don't want to spend a day 595 00:34:24,500 --> 00:34:31,500 without him. I don't know why he does some of 596 00:34:31,500 --> 00:34:35,600 the things that he does, but I wouldn't trade him for anything. 597 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,699 and there are things about him where I scratch my head and I 598 00:34:40,699 --> 00:34:50,500 wonder and I doubt But I am so profoundly thankful that he's 599 00:34:50,500 --> 00:34:58,000 mine and if you're in this room and what I just said is your 600 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,100 testimony to would you put your hand up? 601 00:35:00,900 --> 00:35:04,400 It's the truth. I don't know everything about 602 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:09,500 him but I know that he's good. And I know that his mission is 603 00:35:09,500 --> 00:35:12,200 worth it. And if you're in here today and 604 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:16,000 you're going Clayton, all right, all right. 605 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,400 Next week. I'll start my relationship with 606 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,700 him next week. I just want you to know you can 607 00:35:22,700 --> 00:35:24,500 do it today. We're going to give you the 608 00:35:24,500 --> 00:35:26,900 time. If you have questions, come up 609 00:35:26,900 --> 00:35:28,900 and talk to us. We'd love to help. 610 00:35:28,900 --> 00:35:31,400 Answer them some of your going. You know what it's time for me 611 00:35:31,408 --> 00:35:33,600 to get baptized but I, you know, I got to come back next week I 612 00:35:33,607 --> 00:35:36,800 can bring my clothes. We're kind of church that makes 613 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,100 space for people like you. We already got close. 614 00:35:39,300 --> 00:35:39,800 Okay. Caillou. 615 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:41,500 But, but you don't have my size. I don't know. 616 00:35:41,500 --> 00:35:44,500 We got every size. That's how much that's this 617 00:35:44,500 --> 00:35:46,400 place, that's this place, that's our heart. 618 00:35:47,100 --> 00:35:49,200 And if that's you we'd love a chance to talk to you and help 619 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:52,300 make that happen to the rest of you in here that already have a 620 00:35:52,308 --> 00:35:55,800 relationship with Jesus. I'm going to be super easy with 621 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:58,500 you. I'm going to ask you to just do 622 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:01,900 one thing during this next song. Would you come down? 623 00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:04,800 Maybe up here, two steps or maybe by the baptistry, or maybe 624 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,000 you want to go buy one of the walls or maybe you just want to 625 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:08,700 get down on a knee, right? Where you're at, but there are 626 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:10,600 people in your life. You raise your hand already, 627 00:36:10,900 --> 00:36:11,300 that? Don't know. 628 00:36:11,300 --> 00:36:14,100 Jesus yet, I just want you to pray to prayers. 629 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:18,100 God, would you soften their heart? 630 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:22,300 Soften their heart. God. 631 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,600 Then the second prayer but would you strengthen mine? 632 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:30,200 Strengthen my heart because I don't want to become weary in 633 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,300 doing good. Strengthen my heart because I 634 00:36:32,300 --> 00:36:35,700 may be the I may be the Bible that they read strengthen my 635 00:36:35,700 --> 00:36:37,900 heart because my life is going to be a light in there. 636 00:36:37,900 --> 00:36:40,800 And I hope that that point them to Jesus God to strengthen my 637 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,100 heart, because there's going to be times where it's hard to live 638 00:36:43,100 --> 00:36:45,100 for you in front of him and I'm gonna need your strength to do 639 00:36:45,100 --> 00:36:46,300 so. God's often. 640 00:36:46,300 --> 00:36:50,700 There's but strengthen mine. I mean, I I think if there was a 641 00:36:50,700 --> 00:36:54,300 church that was trying to become a place that gives people time 642 00:36:55,300 --> 00:36:58,100 Those are exactly the kind of prayers that we would pray. 643 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:02,500 Would you join me in there? Would you stay in Heavenly 644 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:08,800 Father? Man, you know, every thought 645 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:15,400 every feeling every burden, every tear that is in this room 646 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:20,600 right now. And God, you know what? 647 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:24,700 This church could become. You know, the people that could 648 00:37:24,700 --> 00:37:30,300 be reached and changed and saved and blessed, you know, you know, 649 00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:34,800 the true power of this moment. And God, I pray that right now, 650 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,800 if there are people in this room that have been putting off that 651 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,000 relationship with you, God, I pray that they would make that 652 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,200 move today. And got for the rest of us in 653 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,100 this room. I pray that as we get down on 654 00:37:46,100 --> 00:37:49,100 our knees and as we pray, those two prayers that you would do a 655 00:37:49,100 --> 00:37:53,400 work in US. God against our will. 656 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:57,500 If necessary make this a place that gives people time? 657 00:37:58,900 --> 00:38:01,400 Jesus name I pray, amen.