1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,000 Welcome to the. First Apostolic Church Podcast. 2 00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:07,960 Our church mission is to love as God loves, showing compassion 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,440 every soul, thus winning those souls and equipping them to be 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,680 sent out to plant and to harvest. 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,520 Thank you for joining. Us today and we hope that you 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:28,290 are blessed by today's podcast. Praise the Lord everyone. 7 00:00:30,090 --> 00:00:32,369 Amen. Good to be in the House of the 8 00:00:32,369 --> 00:00:40,200 Lord this afternoon. Hey man, don't mind me, just 9 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:49,960 getting my bearings order here. Thank you for your faithfulness 10 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,080 to the House of the Lord. Amen. 11 00:00:54,080 --> 00:01:00,880 It is a good day to be in the House of the Lord man, you can 12 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,720 go ahead and turn your Bibles to 1st Corinthians 12 and 12. 13 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:07,600 Give honor to pastor and his wife. 14 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,840 They are out of town. Love and appreciate them and all 15 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,320 that they do and hope that everything has gone well this 16 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:20,920 weekend. They he'd been preaching Friday 17 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,280 night and then Sunday twice. So, so maybe just a little bit 18 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,920 of evangelist in him today, this weekend. 19 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:35,160 So I hope that that has been well and they get to fellowship 20 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,240 with some of their friends. So I'm sure they are enjoying 21 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,520 that as well. Amen. 22 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,040 Thankful for my wife love and appreciate her and all that she 23 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:52,320 does and puts up with me and and whatnot my craziness and she is, 24 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,760 she is the reminder horse and I sometimes I would forget things 25 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:02,600 if she didn't remember things. So I appreciate that too because 26 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,560 you know, it's just one of those things people. 27 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,320 It's just one of those things. But I appreciate her and I love 28 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:15,200 doing life with her. Amen. 1st Corinthians 12 and 12. 29 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:17,920 It says I'm reading from the ESV. 30 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,960 I'm sure the KJV is up there right now, but it says for just 31 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:26,360 as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of 32 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:32,160 the body, though many are one body, so it is with Christ. 33 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:36,360 For in one spirit we are all baptized into one body. 34 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:41,640 Jews or Greeks, slaves are free and all were made to drink of 1 35 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:44,960 spirit. For the body does not consist of 36 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:49,040 1 member, but of many. If the foot should say, because 37 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,640 I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make 38 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:58,520 it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 39 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,840 because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that 40 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,640 would not make it any less a part of the body. 41 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:12,080 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing 42 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,400 Where be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, 43 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,840 where would be the sense of smell? 44 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:23,560 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of 45 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,160 them as He chose. If all were a single member, 46 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,200 where would the body be? I want to stop reading right 47 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,360 there. I want to speak simple subject. 48 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,640 I don't plan on holding you long tonight on roll call. 49 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,840 Roll call. I wonder if you would set your 50 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:45,840 Bibles down. Help me pray tonight. 51 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,320 Lord. I thank you Lord for this word. 52 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,480 Lord, today I thank you for the day that you have given us. 53 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,080 Lord, I ask you that you would prepare hearts and minds as a 54 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,320 planting ground for your word. Lord, let there be, Lord, a 55 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,400 burden of call to serve, Lord, in this place. 56 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,680 Lord, I ask you just to move, Lord, anoint my lips of clay. 57 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,280 Lord, I speak what needs to be spoken tonight to your people 58 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,040 and we're going to give you all the honor and the praise and the 59 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:17,600 glory and the Jesus mighty name that we pray and everybody said 60 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:25,000 in Jesus name, Jesus name. You may be seated, may be 61 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:26,760 seated. Roll call. 62 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,160 I'm going to continue on in in this. 63 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,440 I didn't want to keep you standing the whole time. 64 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,800 You're welcome. But it it talks about it, it 65 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,680 says if all were a single member, where would the body be? 66 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:44,880 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 67 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,640 And verse 21 says that I cannot say to the hand I have no need 68 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,960 of you, nor again the head to the feet. 69 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:56,280 I have no need of you. On the contrary, the parts of 70 00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:59,680 the body that seem to be weaker, seem to be weaker, are 71 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:00,960 indispensable. But. 72 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,360 And on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we 73 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,680 bestow the greater honor, and our unrepresentable parts are 74 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,760 treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts 75 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:19,200 do not require. But God has so composed the 76 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:24,160 body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that 77 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,280 there may be no division in the body, but that the members may 78 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:31,200 have the same care for one another. 79 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,800 If one member suffers, all suffer together. 80 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,200 If one member is honored, all rejoice together. 81 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:44,000 Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. 82 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:51,360 The body of Christ, all one. And some of you with roll call 83 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:56,320 may be familiar with the system of attendance checking in 84 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,760 school. I'm sure we've all been in 85 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:04,080 school at some point, some of us a lot long ago, but some of us 86 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,320 more recently. And with that, the teacher 87 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,480 either has a clipboard or they have it pulled up on the 88 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:16,240 computer now and they take roll call and, and they say, they say 89 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,640 someone's name. They listen for an 90 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,840 acknowledgement of the students saying here, some type of 91 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:28,520 acknowledgement present. I am here or you got the, you 92 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,480 got the kids that like to be smart, Alex. 93 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,960 And they'll say not here just for fun. 94 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,720 And there there's a movie that has has a famous quip. 95 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,760 It's from Ferris Bueller's Day off. 96 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,360 The teachers. He's standing there with his 97 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,240 clipboard and he's, he's being very monotone and he's, he's 98 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,720 calling for roll call and he gets the Bueller and Bueller, 99 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:58,640 Bueller, Bueller and the, the whole point of the, the movie is 100 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,920 that he is skipping school and, and the roll call, he is nowhere 101 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,240 to be found. And there, there are so many 102 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,600 things to attend in life. There are so many things to go 103 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,280 to and in attendance. Life is, is like a, a bustling 104 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:19,080 Hwy. if you will. And as we, we grow older, we, we 105 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:24,440 transition into adulthood, we, we veer onto the, the proverbial 106 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:28,800 exit, if you will, onto this grand highway and it's bumper to 107 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,520 bumper because everyone's got to go and do something. 108 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,240 Everyone's got to go do something and you know, we have 109 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,000 college, we've got jobs, we've got marriage, kids, church, 110 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,520 conferences, gathering side jobs, hobbies list could go on. 111 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,360 We you know that. And locally we've got those, 112 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,600 those softball tournaments people do. 113 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,600 That's just a little side thing. It's not like they're any pro 114 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,960 athletes or anything or getting money for it or anything. 115 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:56,840 And it's just a, it's just a hobby. 116 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,400 There's so many things you could get involved with. 117 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,560 You take your pick if you if you want to do a hobby, go golfing, 118 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,720 go golfing there you go. There's a there's a hobby. 119 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,560 If you like music, spend a bunch of money on music you like video 120 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,160 games, I like video games. I'll spend money on video games 121 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,000 too. Trevor is raising his hand and 122 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,320 so there's so many things you can get involved if you can 123 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,920 attend different conferences that meet your interests. 124 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,160 There are, if you're, if you're anything like myself, that you 125 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,960 got comic cons, those are about superheroes and, and comics and 126 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,240 you can go and do that. There's, there's the PGA tours, 127 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,039 you can go do that. There's so many different things 128 00:08:34,039 --> 00:08:38,919 that can continually fill up your time spots and attendance. 129 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,640 And, and if you're anything like my wife and I, we, we aren't 130 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:47,320 busy for no reason at all. But with that, it comes to my 131 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,120 wife keeping track of everything. 132 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,680 And I try my best and sometimes I miss things. 133 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:55,040 And we, we, you know, have a little fun with figuring out who 134 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,400 forgot what. But with that we have, we have 135 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,120 countless multiple calendars. I could show you. 136 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,320 I think I counted, I got about 12 different calendars on my 137 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,320 phone. And then we've got, we got 138 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,280 different reminder lists and we've got alarms on our phone. 139 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:12,000 Every once in a while. I'll make fun of my wife because 140 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,320 she has alarms and sometimes she doesn't remember to rename them. 141 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,760 And so sometimes the alarm's going off and she's giggling 142 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:20,640 right now. So the alarm's going off and 143 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,960 I'll go and I'll read it. And it's not exactly what the 144 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,200 reminder's about, but she made an alarm. 145 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,040 And so I'll be like, go to Vincent's. 146 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,320 She was like, oh, that was from like two years ago. 147 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,120 I'm like, OK. But it reminded her of 148 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,320 something, all right, The reminder of something. 149 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,880 And, and, you know, we, we have to make sure when, when, when 150 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,400 everyone lives busy lives, we have to make sure nothing slips 151 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:40,480 through the cracks. We have to. 152 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:45,040 There's so many things to go on and, and there's a song, if 153 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,520 everyone, anyone watched Space Jam growing up, there's a song 154 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:52,520 that says time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping 155 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:57,360 into the future. And how true that rings as we, 156 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,520 we grow up into adulthood. And some of our students, I've 157 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,960 told them before, you'll find as you continue on into your high 158 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:09,120 school years, that years seem to become quicker and things seem 159 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,200 to become shorter as far as time goes. 160 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,640 And, and you have to, you have to take hold of those precious 161 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:20,560 moments and enjoy them while you can because it continues on this 162 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:23,800 rolling path. And it's difficult because 163 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,120 there's always something going on. 164 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,320 Time keeps slipping into the future. 165 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:35,280 And I've found it, you know, we, we grow busy, we grow ever more 166 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,520 busy. And sometimes we yearn for the 167 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:42,480 moment to catch our breath. We yearn for that moment of we 168 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,040 have nothing. It's a free Saturday. 169 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,920 What is that? We sleep in. 170 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:52,320 What's that right? And people yearn for the free 171 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,920 and the catch our breath. And I've found it interesting 172 00:10:55,920 --> 00:11:01,640 sometimes that that we get into this mode sometimes of finding 173 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:06,600 rest on a Pew. We find rest on the Pew, We find 174 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,640 rest from church. And I'll get to where I'm saying 175 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:15,320 we attend church. We attend it's it's, it's a 176 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:19,880 significant part of our routine. We go to church on Sunday 177 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:24,280 morning, We go to church on Sunday night, we go to church on 178 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:28,960 Wednesday night, we go to prayer on Thursdays, on the first of 179 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,760 the first Thursday of the month. We do all these different things 180 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:37,520 and we get into the routine and it's significant part and it is 181 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,960 refreshing to the Spirit. It's refreshing and it's 182 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,000 important. It's supposed to be important to 183 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,440 be refreshed and it's supposed to be nourishing for all our 184 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,280 souls. And I'm not taken away from 185 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,280 that. However, God's call to us goes 186 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:57,480 beyond attendance. It beckons us to engage, to 187 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:02,040 participate actively in the lifeblood of the church. 188 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:08,920 It's an ever growing thing. It is the body we are called to 189 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,040 serve. Matthew 20 and 28 says even as 190 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:19,320 the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister 191 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:24,720 and to give life, his life as a ransom for many, Jesus himself 192 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:30,640 didn't come so he could be served, but to serve. 193 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:36,200 And aren't you glad that he did? What would have happened if the 194 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,800 whole point of Jesus coming was that he could come and be born 195 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:46,000 into a grandiose palace and become and earthly king and be 196 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,480 catered to? What kind of story and 197 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,960 recollection of Jesus would we be remembering today if he 198 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:59,800 didn't come to serve? Our call as Saints of God is not 199 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:04,960 just to receive, but it is to give of ourselves. 200 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,400 And I know when we talk about giving, we talk. 201 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,760 We talk about money, but it is so much more than money. 202 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:16,280 It is about giving of your time, your effort, your blood, your 203 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:21,360 sweat, and your tears unto the lifeblood of the body. 204 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:28,040 The concept of service is rooted in everything that Jesus did in 205 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:33,320 His lifetime on this planet. He washed the feet of his 206 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,520 disciples. He healed the sick. 207 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:39,680 He fed the hungry. He prioritized the needs of 208 00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:43,920 others above his own comfort and His convenience. 209 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:51,840 Serving of serving is selfless. Just attending is selfish. 210 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:01,080 First, Peter 4 and 10 says, As every man hath received the 211 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:07,120 gift, Even so minister the same one to another as good stewards 212 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,440 of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak 213 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:15,240 as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do 214 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:21,240 it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things 215 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:25,440 may be glorious, verified through Jesus Christ, to whom be 216 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,200 praised in dominion forever and ever. 217 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:32,240 Amen. We are reminded in this passage 218 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:37,680 in first Peter of our individual responsibility within the body 219 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,560 of Christ, our responsibility, just like it said in our opening 220 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:45,320 passage. One body, but many members. 221 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:49,240 You know what that means then what that means is that there 222 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,920 are also many different abilities and gifts that God has 223 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:59,320 given each one of us. We are unique in that that we 224 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:03,360 may be a part of the body and it's one body, but unique 225 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,880 members that have certain ability sets that I could not do 226 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,840 that pastor could not do, that Brother Mason could not do that 227 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,000 Bishop could not do. There is there is so much 228 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,960 uniqueness that we have been given physically and spirit 229 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,600 spiritually, gifts and talents that are unique to you. 230 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:27,560 They were not intended for our own personal glory or gain, but 231 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:32,040 for the edification of the church and the advancement of 232 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:38,040 the Kingdom of God. Ephesians 2 and 10 says, For we 233 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:43,160 are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works, 234 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:48,720 which God hath hath before ordained, that we should walk in 235 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,200 them. We are not just. 236 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,640 We are not just aimless Wanderers. 237 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:59,800 We are purposely crafted to carry out specific assignments 238 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,760 and contributions to the Kingdom of God. 239 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:10,880 The call to serve. The call to serve instead of 240 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:18,360 just attending is not just a suggestion, it is a divine call. 241 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:24,320 It's woven into the fabric of our identity as a child of God. 242 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,880 When we embrace it, we end up aligning ourselves with the 243 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:33,440 heartbeat of God. We end up and becoming actively 244 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:38,240 participant in what He is doing and the work that He is doing 245 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:43,120 all around us. What I'm trying to convince you 246 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:53,600 tonight is that we need to stop attending church, stop having 247 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:59,480 church and just coming to church as the check box on the To Do 248 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:08,440 List for this week. I did Sunday morning, I'm doing 249 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,319 Sunday night and then whenever Wednesday comes, I'll do 250 00:17:12,319 --> 00:17:16,880 Wednesday night and I'm not doing anything in between those, 251 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,280 but I'll come back Sunday morning again. 252 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:28,800 Don't let the things that you do become stale to where it is. 253 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,680 It's just another thing that you do on your To Do List. 254 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,800 I, I, I hope and pray that even if I get to that point, I could 255 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:42,480 come back quickly, that I don't allow church to become A to do 256 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,680 list item. This isn't your grocery list. 257 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,400 This isn't something you go into Walmart for. 258 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,160 This isn't something this is beyond. 259 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:58,560 This is a divine call. We need the people of the Church 260 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,880 of today to stop attending church for A roll call. 261 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,880 They say, well, I went, I can go to God. 262 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:11,640 And I said, well, I went to every service. 263 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,640 Lord, I was present. I was in my Pew. 264 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:19,160 I stood up a couple of times. I lifted my hands. 265 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:26,440 Every once in a while. We need to start answering the 266 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:34,400 divine call to serve. You have something to offer the 267 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:39,360 Kingdom of God. I've told our young people 268 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:43,880 multiple times, when you go, you become an adult, you get a job. 269 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:48,600 Whatever skills, whatever tools you have learned in that secular 270 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,000 job can be used for the Kingdom of God. 271 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,200 There is no reason. Well, Brother Mason, that's, 272 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,560 that's silly, Is it? Is it really? 273 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,800 There's no reason that we should have things that we can do for 274 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,160 man that we can't do for God's glory. 275 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,240 If you start to think about it, there are things that you know, 276 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,880 there are things that are unique to you, skills that are unique 277 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:16,600 to you that you aren't using for God, that you could be using for 278 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,960 God. And shame on us if we gatekeep 279 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,240 our gifts and abilities from the Kingdom of God. 280 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:29,360 If if it wasn't for God to begin with, we wouldn't even have 281 00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:31,200 those abilities. We wouldn't have those 282 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,760 opportunities. We wouldn't have the knowledge 283 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,800 and the things that we do in order to do them. 284 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:44,880 Another thing and our, our call to serve in that is if, if you 285 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:50,040 are serving actively, don't become stagnant. 286 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,280 We get, I get it. We, we are all, we are all 287 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,320 subject to it. We get into the routines and the 288 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:01,040 ruts of things and we, we do for the church and it becomes a part 289 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,320 of the routine and we lose the passion like pastor said 290 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:07,080 recently and it becomes protocol. 291 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:15,120 Take this as a warning tonight. It can be just as, if not more 292 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:20,160 dangerous to become stagnant in your call to service as it is to 293 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:26,560 just attend church. We we, we have taken on 294 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,800 responsibility of being a part of the body of Christ. 295 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:34,560 The last thing we need to do is just attend or become stagnant. 296 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:40,600 Just attending looks a little bit of something like I'm going 297 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:45,800 to come, I'm going to sit at my Pew and when the preacher says 298 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,320 something really good, I'll I'll stand up. 299 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,640 I'll give a couple claps. I'll stand for the reading of 300 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,160 the word, The title slide looks good. 301 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,520 And and then I'll sit back down. Sit back down and, and I'll get 302 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:07,680 comfy and we'll just sit here. Come on and and stagnation looks 303 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,560 a little bit. Let's say brother Malone came up 304 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:10,840 here all right, I'm picking on you. 305 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:15,800 Let's say brother stagnation comes up here for emceeing and 306 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:22,360 praise the Lord Church beautiful day isn't it like it's it's 307 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:26,640 smart Alec right stagnation is I'm here. 308 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:30,880 I don't necessarily want to be or man, my week was really, 309 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:35,120 really tiring and and this is it's on my To Do List. 310 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:39,600 I just got to check this off. It's almost the same mentality 311 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:46,120 of I'm just here for a paycheck. But but instead you're thinking 312 00:21:46,120 --> 00:21:49,040 that that's that's that attitude's, you know, I'm just 313 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:50,680 here for heaven. All right, I'm just here to 314 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:57,920 check. Punch my ticket, Lord, when I 315 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:02,160 just attend, what I expect, when I just attend, I expect to be 316 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:05,880 catered to. I am not going to do anything. 317 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:09,760 I am going to be a limp limb in the body, if you will. 318 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:13,520 When I just attend, you have these pieces of the body working 319 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,920 and we're dragging. We're dragging. 320 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,840 We're dragging along. And it's just like, are you 321 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,000 going? No, OK, we're dragging. 322 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,320 When I become stagnant, what happens in the body is that 323 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:34,560 we've got, well, if I have to, if I have to, OK, if I have to. 324 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:41,160 But true service is all about all the pieces fitting together, 325 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:44,040 everything working in tandem, Everyone's. 326 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,400 And you don't, you're going to have off days. 327 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,080 I get it. You're going to have off days. 328 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:51,360 But in, in the grand scheme of things, it's about unity. 329 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,240 It's about working for the betterment of the Kingdom. 330 00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:57,760 And all the pieces are working together and you're just 331 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,960 trudging along and it's benefiting each other. 332 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,240 You're benefiting each other by doing it. 333 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:11,200 Yeah, when I become stagnant in my service, I may do it, but I'm 334 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,080 not going to like it and I'm going to have an attitude about 335 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:19,120 it. In these last days of the 336 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:23,720 church, coming to church for roll call is not going to cut 337 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,720 it. We have to answer the call to 338 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,400 serve. When we answer the call to 339 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,400 serve, we get over our stagnation. 340 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:36,640 The whole body of Christ starts to move in tandem and we what 341 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,880 happens is people start to grow. People start to grow. 342 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,640 I've told our young people, I want you to get involved with 343 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,360 things because I want you to grow. 344 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,760 I want you to grow When your knowledge of just everything, 345 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:51,400 everything that we do, I want you to grow in the sense of 346 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:55,320 getting you plugged in because what that does that they, they 347 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,960 may not be called to do nursing the, the nursing room ministry, 348 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:05,480 but you know what, they're doing something and eventually maybe 349 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,120 they'll find what they are called to do by doing something. 350 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,000 You're not going to find it by just sitting on your hands, just 351 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,600 attending. What happens is that people grow 352 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,680 spiritually because of it. Hidden talents will start to be 353 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,200 discovered. New skills are learned and 354 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:28,160 callings are poured out when we start to answer the call to 355 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:35,120 serve as the body of Christ. Serving refines our character. 356 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:39,600 It amplifies our collective impact in our community. 357 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,560 When we decide to get involved as the body of Christ here, that 358 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:49,000 makes an impact out there. Who doesn't want that? 359 00:24:54,480 --> 00:25:00,640 We become a beacon of hope and people of unity because unity 360 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:04,440 becomes stronger when we decide to get involved in the body of 361 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:10,480 Christ. Serving is it's beyond serving 362 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,680 knows no bounds. The impact knows no bounds to 363 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,400 what could happen when we decide. 364 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,240 And we make up a resolve in our spirit that we are going to 365 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:23,280 serve and call. Answer the call to serve, and 366 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,200 we're going to do it with passion. 367 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,040 Music can come. We can stand. 368 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:31,560 I told you I wasn't holding you long. 369 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,560 But I want to close with this simple thought tonight. 370 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:42,800 Imagine, if you will, if our involvement in church could go 371 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:48,520 beyond just A roll call. If we could decide in our 372 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:54,640 spirits that I am going to do something more than just coming 373 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,040 to the House of the Lord. That's the first step. 374 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:01,000 There's nothing wrong with that. That's the first step. 375 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,280 And, and it's a big step, especially we talked this 376 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,800 morning about habits, sowing what you reap, reaping what you 377 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,160 sow. And there's an important thing 378 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,240 with habits, right? It takes repetition. 379 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,880 You should attend, but I'm saying don't make a habit of 380 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,720 just attending. Make a habit of finding 381 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,720 something to do, finding and serving. 382 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:30,400 Imagine if it went beyond just A to do list. 383 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,120 Imagine if you will, we could come to the House of the Lord 384 00:26:34,120 --> 00:26:38,160 expecting and we could come to the House of Lord ready to 385 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,560 serve, whatever capacity that is. 386 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,880 There are so many different gifts and talents in this 387 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:48,520 building right now that can benefit the Kingdom of God. 388 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,880 Imagine what would happen if you started to serve and use your 389 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:57,480 individual gifts. Imagine what would happen if you 390 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:03,040 would find your passion of service again amongst the 391 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:06,760 whirlwind of life. It is time that we moved beyond 392 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,880 merely attending for A roll call. 393 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:13,840 These altars are open tonight and I just. 394 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:18,960 I wonder it what if we embraced the church not as a place to 395 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:24,080 attend, but as a call of service unto the Kingdom of God and the 396 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,640 betterment of the Kingdom of God. 397 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,360 I wonder what would happen to Mount Carmel if the people of 398 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:35,320 FAC would decide that we are going to do more than just 399 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,840 attend. We are going to go beyond that 400 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:42,040 and we are going to serve the Kingdom of God 'cause I have 401 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:45,280 something to offer the Kingdom of the Lord. 402 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:50,320 I have something that is unique to me that is going to benefit 403 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:54,000 the Kingdom of God. I don't know what it is and 404 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,760 maybe you need to do some reflection tonight of what you 405 00:27:56,760 --> 00:28:00,920 can do where your hands can be useful in the Kingdom of God. 406 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:05,720 But tonight we need to decide, am I going to come to church for 407 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:11,720 roll call or am I going to come to church to answer the call of 408 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:15,680 service? I wonder if we could decide 409 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:19,880 tonight to set aside our old call mentality and that we're 410 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:24,160 going to answer the call to serve and serve with intention 411 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,600 and with passion. Oh Hallelujah, yes. 412 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:39,120 Thank you for listening. If you would like more 413 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,320 information about our services and activities, you can find us 414 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:47,200 on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter with the username FACMC. 415 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:51,600 Again, that's FACMC. Thank you and have a blessed 416 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:51,880 day. You can. 417 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:59,640 Go to Facebook.