1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:02,800 It's great to see everyone back this afternoon. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:08,300 I mentioned when I opened up in the morning that I had a sports 3 00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:12,200 analogy and I'll set a sports analogy for this afternoon that 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,300 wasn't actually planned, but I don't have just talked about 5 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:18,300 sports, believe it or not even though I do like sports and 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:19,500 religion. What your favorite things to 7 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:24,600 talk about? But going back to my childhood, 8 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:26,700 I played on a lot of different teams. 9 00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:32,400 And when I was in high school, my junior year in high school 10 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:38,300 during football season, we had a really good team and they're 11 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:41,700 just one of those things are a small school public school, so 12 00:00:41,900 --> 00:00:44,200 you don't have a good team just about every year. 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,200 Just usually kind of comes together. 14 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,400 It was one of those years where had the right group of kids and 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,800 the right plan and we had a great season and we were playing 16 00:00:54,500 --> 00:00:57,400 at that time in San Diego, we're playing a rank. 17 00:00:57,500 --> 00:01:00,300 Steam and for a small school, you don't get a chance to play A 18 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:04,099 ranked team very often. So we are all excited for the 19 00:01:04,099 --> 00:01:07,900 game. And long story short, the game 20 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:13,400 started, we were playing great, they didn't know what hit him, 21 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:15,800 it was really cold that day. We kind of played in the 22 00:01:15,808 --> 00:01:17,400 mountains and they were from the desert. 23 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,800 So they really have a chance, weather-wise and the end of the 24 00:01:20,808 --> 00:01:22,300 game, it was thirty four to nothing. 25 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:24,400 We won. So we're feeling pretty good 26 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:28,900 about ourselves and we were going into last couple weeks of 27 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:31,400 the Season. We are undefeated and we are 28 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,900 playing at that time, the third place team, and our league and 29 00:01:35,900 --> 00:01:39,000 of course as the team, that's the top dog. 30 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,900 You start kind of smelling yourself with what they say. 31 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,600 And we say well, you know, we're probably going to win this game 32 00:01:46,700 --> 00:01:49,100 and we're going to go to on 25 an undefeated season. 33 00:01:50,500 --> 00:01:52,900 Well, there's one of those days where it was really hot 34 00:01:52,900 --> 00:01:54,100 unusually. Hot. 35 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,800 We weren't really used to that. We didn't, we weren't ready to 36 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:59,100 play. We weren't excited. 37 00:01:59,100 --> 00:02:03,900 We weren't pumped up, and it was a close game all the way down to 38 00:02:03,900 --> 00:02:06,500 the end, and they ended up scoring in the fourth quarter. 39 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:08,400 And they won the game by a touchdown. 40 00:02:09,100 --> 00:02:12,800 And of course, we were heartbroken as teenagers, we 41 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:18,400 lost the big game and back in the locker room, people were 42 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,600 crying. They were hitting the walls. 43 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,000 And why why do we lose? And I was never really a type of 44 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,600 person, but I was pretty small L my team. 45 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,800 So I didn't say anything. I didn't want to lie, you guys 46 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:34,300 crying. I just kept my mouth shut. 47 00:02:35,100 --> 00:02:37,900 Why are all these big giant? Guys are crying in the corner 48 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:40,300 and I was like, it's just a game guys. 49 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:43,800 But of course, that's teenage years and testosterone and all 50 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,300 that. Well, they were crying and they 51 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:49,800 are upset because they expected to win, like we had this great 52 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:51,500 Season. We're going to, we could go 53 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:54,100 undefeated and we lost and now they're really upset and 54 00:02:54,100 --> 00:02:58,900 expected to win. Well, so I played on some really 55 00:02:58,900 --> 00:03:04,400 bad teams in my life, especially when I played soccer soccer was 56 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:09,600 new to our area when I started. And a lot of it, the league 57 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,100 around us. A lot of the kids have been 58 00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:12,300 playing since they were little kids. 59 00:03:12,300 --> 00:03:14,600 Five years old. We all started when we were like 60 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,600 10 or 11. So none of us knew how to play 61 00:03:18,300 --> 00:03:21,100 and if you're not Not that familiar with soccer. 62 00:03:21,100 --> 00:03:26,100 Generally, a good game in the prose is 221, you know, one to 63 00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:29,400 nothing 00. Sometimes three, two, one, we 64 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,800 lost every single game 12-nothing 14-nothing. 65 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:38,900 If we got the ball past halfway Midfield we are like oh that was 66 00:03:38,900 --> 00:03:42,600 a good possession that's great. Or if we even got a chance to 67 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:47,300 score if we even took a shot I was like okay that was a big 68 00:03:47,300 --> 00:03:49,600 deal. And I think we may have a score 69 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,000 like Five goals the whole season but you know what's interesting 70 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,900 about those teams after the game nobody was crying. 71 00:03:58,900 --> 00:04:02,600 Nobody was upset. We were laughing having a good 72 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,000 time. We'd go out and get ice cream. 73 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Or we go to Carl's jr. Or something. 74 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:13,400 Why was that, why? It was that we expected to lose. 75 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:17,399 We knew we were going to lose. So why be upset about it? 76 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:19,399 Why would be a bit upset? When we knew what was already 77 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:23,500 going to happen here? My other team, we lost a close 78 00:04:23,500 --> 00:04:27,800 game and everybody's crying because expected to win. 79 00:04:28,100 --> 00:04:31,900 They were upset. Now, here I have these kind of 80 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:36,800 to two positions that people take and I won't go to contend 81 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,700 to morning at sometimes. In the church we can be like my 82 00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:47,500 soccer team. Is that we expect to lose to the 83 00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:50,800 world. We see the world around us is 84 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,300 wicked and evil. And we see maybe I'm not 85 00:04:54,300 --> 00:04:57,300 familiar with this area as well. But at least in El, Cajon where 86 00:04:57,300 --> 00:04:59,300 I live. We're surrounded by these mega 87 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:03,000 churches where they have no immunity heard of Daniel, 88 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:07,200 Jeremiah the televangelists. He's three miles from our 89 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,400 building. We have The Rock Church. 90 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,800 I don't know if you've heard of that lie, where I can't remember 91 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:14,600 his name. Now, the top of my head, but 92 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,700 he's on TV as well. And then you have Foothills or 93 00:05:16,707 --> 00:05:19,900 surf right across the street. And they have a All block of 94 00:05:19,900 --> 00:05:23,100 buildings, All Surrounded surrounding us. 95 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,900 And I feel sometimes at the church is that we expect people 96 00:05:29,100 --> 00:05:34,200 not to be interested. We expect people not to come to 97 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,700 worship. We expect people to reject our 98 00:05:38,700 --> 00:05:43,300 message. And I would like to say that we 99 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:49,500 should not think that way or feel that way. if you truly 100 00:05:49,500 --> 00:05:53,500 believe that God is on your side, that means you're on The 101 00:05:53,500 --> 00:05:56,800 Winning Side. God does not want us to have a 102 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,600 losing mentality that we are powerless that we don't have 103 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,900 ability to convert people, that we don't have. 104 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:08,100 The ability to bring the gospel to people this afternoon. 105 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:15,600 I want us to think that we can win souls for Christ, even this 106 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:21,900 day and age this time, in this state, in this city, people can 107 00:06:21,900 --> 00:06:26,800 turn to Christ. If we follow God's word and we 108 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:32,800 trust in it in Proverbs 11:30 the fruit of the righteous is a 109 00:06:32,808 --> 00:06:40,700 tree of life and he who wins what, who is wise, when's Souls? 110 00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:47,800 Brothers sisters. We are in a battle. 111 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:52,600 Tween Satan. And us. 112 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:59,600 Battle over Souls. In verse 4 of First, John 113 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:03,800 chapter 3, John tells us everyone who makes a practice of 114 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:08,000 sinning also practices. Lawlessness sin is lawlessness. 115 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,500 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins and in 116 00:07:11,500 --> 00:07:13,600 him. There is no sin, no one who 117 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,800 abides in him, keeps on sinning. No one who keeps on sinning has 118 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,900 ever seen him or known him little children. 119 00:07:20,900 --> 00:07:24,500 Let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness 120 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:28,400 is righteous as he is righteous. Whoever Makes a practice of 121 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,600 sinning is of the devil for the devil has been sinning from the 122 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,700 beginning. The reason of the Son of God 123 00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:40,900 appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 124 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,600 Notice here, the very end. The reason some of that appeared 125 00:07:46,700 --> 00:07:49,600 was to destroy the works of the devil. 126 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,500 Now, I admit I don't often think about that. 127 00:07:53,500 --> 00:07:57,800 I often think about Jesus coming as as giving us guidance as 128 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:02,200 giving us a way of life and ultimately dying for our sins on 129 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,100 the cross, which is absolutely right. 130 00:08:04,300 --> 00:08:08,200 But do we often think about Jesus also came to destroy the 131 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:13,300 Devil to overcome him to put him in his place. 132 00:08:14,900 --> 00:08:20,400 That's exactly what he did. Jesus overcame him the devil 133 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,100 tempted. Him, he came to him. 134 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:25,700 He threw everything he had at him and he devil thought he won. 135 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:31,600 When he was Jesus was crucified. but Jesus was resurrected and 136 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,600 the devil was defeated Do you realize that you are on The 137 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:40,500 Winning Side today? Why should we feel defeated? 138 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,200 Well we shouldn't now I realize it's hard to convert people. 139 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,800 I realized that it's not easy when people say no and we can 140 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:56,600 get down and sometimes congregations get smaller but 141 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,700 that's that's not the case everywhere. 142 00:09:01,100 --> 00:09:02,700 That's not the case at all times. 143 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:08,800 Partly, it's because of us, we lose hope we stopped working. 144 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:13,200 We stopped asking our neighbors, we stopped getting being 145 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,000 involved in the evangelism of the church. 146 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,500 Well, there is a battle going on of our souls and we have to 147 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:23,200 consider that if we're not reaching out to those in sin or 148 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:27,100 not, reaching out to the Lost. They can potentially lose their 149 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:29,300 soul, there's going to be a great separation. 150 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:31,600 You read about it. Jesus explains in Matthew 25, 151 00:09:31,900 --> 00:09:35,400 when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with 152 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:40,100 him, then he will sit on his glorious Throne before him will 153 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:43,000 be gathered all the nations and he will separate people from one 154 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,000 another. As a Shepherd separates the 155 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,400 sheep from the goats and he will place the sheep on his right, 156 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:55,400 but the goats on his left. Jesus is coming to return, he is 157 00:09:55,400 --> 00:10:00,800 coming to fulfill his mission and that is going to bring all 158 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,400 of us into judgment. And what's going to be an 159 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:10,100 account as everyone's Soul, how they lived, how they what are 160 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:14,000 they became a Christian or whether they stayed away of the 161 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,700 world? Well, the Sheep on the right, I 162 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:19,300 realize I probably should put this backwards. 163 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,900 I don't make a lot more sense. The Sheep on the right then the 164 00:10:23,908 --> 00:10:25,400 king will say to those on his. Right? 165 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,500 Come who you are blessed of my father, inherit the Kingdom, 166 00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:31,500 prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. 167 00:10:32,100 --> 00:10:34,900 And on the goats that left then he will say to those on his left 168 00:10:34,900 --> 00:10:37,500 depart from me, you cursed into the Eternal fire prepared for 169 00:10:37,500 --> 00:10:43,500 the devil and his angels. There are people that we know 170 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:47,700 people that we talk to people that we love that are going to 171 00:10:47,700 --> 00:10:52,200 be on the left with the goats. God has given us. 172 00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:58,200 The gospel of salvation. Now, if you truly care about 173 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:03,600 your neighbor or your family member, your Your coworker. 174 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,300 Why don't we share the message of Saving Grace of Jesus Christ? 175 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,600 We have a role to play in James chapter 5. 176 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,200 We read my brother's If anyone among you wanders from the truth 177 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,000 and someone brings him back. Let him know that. 178 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,600 Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering. 179 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:25,500 Will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of 180 00:11:25,500 --> 00:11:29,200 sins. God wants us to have compassion 181 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,200 on those who have wandered away from the truth. 182 00:11:32,900 --> 00:11:37,600 I realized today that we can get so caught up in our own little 183 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,200 world. I know I do this is that we're 184 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,500 focused on we wake up or we're getting ready for work. 185 00:11:44,500 --> 00:11:46,300 We're getting the kids ready for school. 186 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:48,800 We were thinking that what we have to do that day. 187 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,500 Maybe already thinking about what we have to do in the 188 00:11:51,500 --> 00:11:53,100 afternoon. What we have to do for dinner, 189 00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:55,800 getting that ready. Then we either we go to work. 190 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,500 We go to school. We have to be our 191 00:11:58,500 --> 00:12:03,800 responsibilities in the daytime. We get home after, you know, a 192 00:12:03,808 --> 00:12:06,400 long day. Maybe there's some time to 193 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,300 unwind and then you have to go right back into chores and 194 00:12:09,500 --> 00:12:12,700 taking care of kids, or maybe visiting family, or maybe have 195 00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:16,400 someone sick in the hospital. There's a lot of things to do in 196 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,700 a day. But do we consider that there 197 00:12:19,700 --> 00:12:24,600 are people who are lost that need? 198 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:29,600 Help to find the way. Well, the reality is it doesn't 199 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:35,200 take much to encourage someone. I can send a two-sentence text 200 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:38,700 in about 10 seconds especially now that I can just talk right 201 00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:41,800 into my phone and say, hey how are you doing? 202 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,100 I haven't seen you in a while. And they say, oh well thanks I 203 00:12:46,108 --> 00:12:47,500 haven't seen you in a while either. 204 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,600 You know, we still have we could still write cards the 205 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,100 old-fashioned way. We can send emails, we can call, 206 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:56,600 we can send a text to check in on people that have wandered 207 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,600 away. We need to Value their soul. 208 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,600 I know, we can get caught up in what we're doing, but we all 209 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:09,000 have a role to play in this now. I like to go hiking and I know 210 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,700 you have mountains close by here and I'm assuming some of you are 211 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:15,900 hikers. Generally when I go hiking, we 212 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:18,000 stay on the trail. I'm not wealthy people that just 213 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,400 goes and runs wild out there and finds a spot. 214 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:25,600 We have a trail that we do and I've really never been lost 215 00:13:25,700 --> 00:13:28,800 hiking, but I know there are people who are a lot more 216 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,500 adventurous than I am that that get stuck somewhere, that that 217 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:36,900 lose the trail even following a trail sometimes it you don't 218 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:39,800 know where it goes. I even kind of embarrassing. 219 00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:43,700 I don't know if you're familiar with the PCT, the Pacific Crest 220 00:13:43,700 --> 00:13:46,500 Trail. Where it starts from the Mexican 221 00:13:46,500 --> 00:13:50,300 border goes all the way up to the Canadian border and it 222 00:13:50,300 --> 00:13:53,600 actually starts in my hometown in Campo, right on the Mexican 223 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,300 border, the Mexican American Border. 224 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:00,100 So we decided you were going to start hiking portions of it and 225 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,700 me my brother, and our friend, Josh who came part of the way. 226 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,500 And the very first section starts on her hometown and it 227 00:14:07,500 --> 00:14:10,600 goes up to the lake where my parents live, and we're on the 228 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,200 trail and we're walking along about halfway through. 229 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,200 We get to a road. And the road kind of breaks up 230 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,400 the trail. So we start walking down the 231 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,800 road to find the trail and we can't find the trail. 232 00:14:21,700 --> 00:14:23,700 And it's really embarrassing because we're about five miles 233 00:14:23,700 --> 00:14:27,400 from my house. It's like wow, we're lost and I 234 00:14:27,408 --> 00:14:31,000 think it took me about 45 minutes to find the trail, but 235 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,000 eventually we found it. But and that was a wide-open 236 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,200 area to there was no trees above us or we can we couldn't see the 237 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,800 Sun, but as you can, as you can see it, go down to force out in 238 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:42,200 the wilderness. People can get lost and they 239 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,100 don't know the way out. As well as Christians. 240 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,000 There are people who are wandering right around us and 241 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,000 they're like, I don't know, the way to Jesus, I don't know. 242 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,600 The way that God and we don't, we don't say anything to them. 243 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,100 We have a map that shows them the way. 244 00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:01,100 But we're not handing it out to them. 245 00:15:01,100 --> 00:15:03,300 We're not speaking it to them, we're not checking in with them. 246 00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:08,000 To say, hey, do you know the way to Jesus Christ? 247 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,200 You know, the way to Salvation this goes for our friends goes, 248 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,900 for our neighbors, it goes for our family. 249 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:20,800 Going starting off with our friends. 250 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,300 When I was a teenager, I was baptized when I was 16. 251 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,000 I grew up going to church in the Church of Christ. 252 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:37,000 My mom and my mom was baptized, my grandparents were Christians. 253 00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:42,800 So I had a culture growing up in the church but I wasn't 254 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:44,400 necessarily active in the church. 255 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,400 I was there on Sunday on Sunday morning. 256 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,900 I was there Wednesday is no Sunday, afternoons. 257 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:52,200 Nope. Maybe after potluck or 258 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:56,500 something, I would stick around. And when I would be with my 259 00:15:56,500 --> 00:15:59,700 friends, now I'm not going to say I was a wild person, I 260 00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:04,800 really wasn't but I didn't miss Lee, talk about God and my 261 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,500 friends we talked about everything else but that and as 262 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:11,800 my early 20s, I started to get more involved in the church. 263 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,200 And when Matt Trent came down into San Diego and started 264 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,400 working down there, I started doing Bible studies with him. 265 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:21,700 I maybe my whole life I may be done for Bible studies, my whole 266 00:16:21,700 --> 00:16:24,900 life of that point and I was Doing three a week. 267 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:26,600 So I was getting a lot more involved. 268 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:31,500 I was cited and I invited my friends to the Bible study. 269 00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:34,500 I think for my friends came to the Bible study and that was 270 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:39,500 really exciting and one of my friends actually to my friends 271 00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:43,600 ended up getting baptized Mostly because of math. 272 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:49,200 Course I was just there. He did all the talking But I had 273 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:54,100 a very almost heartbreaking conversation with my friends 274 00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:57,400 where it just really kind of punches you in the gut. 275 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:02,200 I was talking to my friend and he had been baptized for a while 276 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,300 and thing is we had been friends since seventh grade and so I 277 00:17:06,308 --> 00:17:09,599 have we've known each other for a long time and he just we're 278 00:17:09,599 --> 00:17:14,099 talking in one day he said Andrew How come you never 279 00:17:14,099 --> 00:17:20,000 invited me to church before? He's like, we're friends for 280 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:26,300 trying do the math here, at least eight, nine years and it 281 00:17:26,300 --> 00:17:30,000 did it took you nine years to invite me to church, how come 282 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,600 you never invited me to church. And I was one of those things 283 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:37,400 where it just hits you. And the reason was because his 284 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,000 family didn't go to church, but he was always interested in 285 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,400 going to church, but no one really invited him. 286 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,300 He'd go sometimes here and there but when I invited he was 287 00:17:45,300 --> 00:17:47,500 excited, someone invited me and I'm going to Go. 288 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:53,200 But all those years, I didn't invite him one time, I'll try to 289 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:55,700 think back on my life. How many people had contact 290 00:17:55,700 --> 00:17:58,000 with? I never invited them to church 291 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,700 once. How many co-workers I had, how 292 00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:05,900 many schoolmates I didn't invite them to church once or to a 293 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:09,700 Bible study or even say the word Jesus in front of me, it's very 294 00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:13,700 shameful to think about, but now that I'm cognizant of that, we 295 00:18:13,700 --> 00:18:17,600 all need to be cognizant that people around us are lost our 296 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,100 neighbors. Do your neighbors know that you 297 00:18:19,100 --> 00:18:22,100 go to church, do your neighbors know that you're a Christian. 298 00:18:22,900 --> 00:18:25,800 What about even some of our own family? 299 00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:29,600 Now, I know that's a very uncomfortable Terrible 300 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:31,600 conversation. I would rather talk to a 301 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:36,000 complete stranger about Jesus. Then someone I'm very close to 302 00:18:36,100 --> 00:18:37,200 that. I know that has different 303 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,600 opinions to me because it can be an awkward conversation. 304 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,400 But is it worth having an awkward conversation to win? 305 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,200 Someone's soul. I think it is. 306 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,900 If you put it, like, put it in perspective, people are lost, 307 00:18:51,900 --> 00:18:55,100 but we know the way about God gives us people. 308 00:18:55,100 --> 00:18:58,600 He gives us people in our lives. He gives us people in the church 309 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:04,000 to lead us away from this Darkness into light and verse 11 310 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,000 of Ephesians 4. Paul says, any games the 311 00:19:06,008 --> 00:19:09,200 apostles the prophets, evangelists the shepherd's, the 312 00:19:09,208 --> 00:19:11,900 teachers took whip this It's for the work of Ministry for 313 00:19:11,900 --> 00:19:15,300 building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity 314 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:17,700 of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God to a mature. 315 00:19:17,700 --> 00:19:21,300 Manhood to the measure of the statute of fullness of Christ. 316 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:24,900 So that we no longer be children tossed to and fro by waves and 317 00:19:24,900 --> 00:19:28,200 carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human cunning by 318 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,400 craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather speaking the truth in 319 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:35,300 love we are to grow up to every way unto him, who is the head 320 00:19:35,300 --> 00:19:40,400 unto Christ? Going back to your mindset. 321 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:41,400 That's what we'll be talking about. 322 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,500 Today is our mindset of. Are we here to win? 323 00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:49,300 Souls for Christ? Or are we just taking up space? 324 00:19:50,300 --> 00:19:55,600 In the church, are we actively serving our role in the church. 325 00:19:57,100 --> 00:19:59,800 Now, not everyone is going to be the preacher and God makes that 326 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,800 very clear. If you read 1st Corinthians, do 327 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,500 you read. Romans 12 has a different role 328 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:07,400 for us, and we're going to get to one of those passages. 329 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,400 But are we fulfilling a role in the church? 330 00:20:11,500 --> 00:20:13,600 Are we doing our part to spread the gospel? 331 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,100 Now, I mentioned sometimes we'd only have to be the ones doing 332 00:20:17,100 --> 00:20:20,000 the talking. But we should be the ones, doing 333 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,100 the inviting, I know you have great teachers here that are 334 00:20:25,100 --> 00:20:27,800 capable of sharing the gospel with people. 335 00:20:28,500 --> 00:20:32,000 We can invite them to church, invite them to a Bible study or 336 00:20:32,008 --> 00:20:34,300 maybe even start the conversation ourselves and say, 337 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:38,000 hey would you be interested in talking to one of our preachers 338 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:42,300 more about Jesus? The gospel, you might be 339 00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:45,400 surprised by their answer, you might be surprised. 340 00:20:47,100 --> 00:20:51,400 We have an influence, God expects us to influence those 341 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:54,200 for the good. Jesus said, you are the light of 342 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,900 the world say that set on a hill cannot be hidden nor people 343 00:20:57,900 --> 00:21:01,600 light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand and it 344 00:21:01,608 --> 00:21:04,100 gives light to all in the house in the same way. 345 00:21:04,300 --> 00:21:06,300 Let your light shine before others. 346 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:08,900 So they will may see your good works and give glory to your 347 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:16,500 father who is in heaven. I know this people to this many 348 00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:21,100 times to bring someone to Christ. 349 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,300 We don't have to preach a sermon to them. 350 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:30,800 Live the life of the Christian be an example unto them and they 351 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,800 will see your good works. And glorify your father in 352 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,900 Heaven when we do a kind deed for someone and they say thank 353 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:40,100 you. We say it's all for the glory of 354 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:42,100 God. Oh really. 355 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:44,600 Are you a Christian? Yes, I am. 356 00:21:47,500 --> 00:21:51,800 We have an influence in this world possible, Paul understood 357 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,500 this, that he was there to serve other people. 358 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,300 And First Corinthians 9 in verse 19 says for though, I am free 359 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:02,000 from all. I have made myself a servant to 360 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,000 all that. I might win more of them to the 361 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,500 Jews. I became as a Jew in order to 362 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:09,900 win the Jews to those under the law. 363 00:22:09,900 --> 00:22:12,900 I became one under the law though, not being myself under 364 00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:15,400 the law. They had my twin those under the 365 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:17,600 law to those outside the law. Law. 366 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,700 I became as one outside the law not being outside the law of 367 00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:25,800 God, but under the law of Christ that I might win those outside 368 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,600 the law to the week, I became weak that I might win the week. 369 00:22:30,300 --> 00:22:33,400 I have become all things to all people that I have been all 370 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:39,800 means I might save some Apostle. Paul the right attitude says 371 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,900 there are people who have Jewish backgrounds or people who have 372 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:46,800 maybe a Greek background of philosophical background. 373 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:52,000 I can relate to them, I can share them the way I can point 374 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,500 them in the line that they can get to Christ. 375 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,600 Everyone here has a unique background. 376 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,600 That is different than the person sitting next, to you, 377 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,900 even your spouse even your own family. 378 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:18,300 I have a background that might relate to someone else. 379 00:23:19,300 --> 00:23:23,800 I have a sports background. I am a middle child. 380 00:23:24,300 --> 00:23:26,800 Whatever it is. Maybe I'll meet someone else 381 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:28,900 that's five foot nine. Am 5 foot nine to. 382 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,900 We both. Can we both can follow Jesus. 383 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,400 Whether it's our ethnicity, what other, whether it's where we're 384 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:41,400 from, we all have an ability to relate to other people and 385 00:23:41,408 --> 00:23:44,300 that's what Paul. So, Paul did he recognize that? 386 00:23:44,500 --> 00:23:48,000 Well, I have a lot of ways I can relate to people. 387 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,300 I said, I've been a weak person. I'm the chief of Sinners. 388 00:23:51,300 --> 00:23:52,500 All you think you're a bad person? 389 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,300 Wait till you hear my story? How bad I was? 390 00:23:56,300 --> 00:24:00,900 But God changed me. And God can change anyone who 391 00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:02,800 comes to. Then when order for us to 392 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,900 accomplish this and worse for us to have this mindset that we're 393 00:24:05,900 --> 00:24:11,200 going to be out there winning souls and in business and 394 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,200 marketing and I've been learning a little bit about marketing 395 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:19,900 myself. And a lot of times we focus on 396 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:26,000 the the, the losing things say, well, I talked to my neighbor 397 00:24:26,500 --> 00:24:29,800 and they rejected And my message. 398 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:32,100 So, and that really discouraged me. 399 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:33,700 So I didn't want to talk to my other neighbor. 400 00:24:35,100 --> 00:24:37,300 Well, what if Jesus had that same attitude? 401 00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:39,400 What if Paul had that same attitude, they wouldn't I got 402 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,400 too far and they're preaching, would they? 403 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,600 No Jesus said, you know, shake off your sandals and move on to 404 00:24:45,608 --> 00:24:47,900 the next town so I can listen to you. 405 00:24:48,500 --> 00:24:52,700 I know it's hard to do that, but we have to understand that there 406 00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:56,000 are people out there waiting for us to share the message with 407 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,200 them. And if someone is not 408 00:24:58,300 --> 00:25:01,200 interested, we move on to the next person. 409 00:25:02,500 --> 00:25:06,800 But people are interested in order for us to have this, we 410 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,900 have to have the mentality. We have to empathize with 411 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:12,700 people. Now I try to put myself in that 412 00:25:12,700 --> 00:25:16,200 situation. And kind of going back to my 413 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:22,300 analogy of my friends. How would you feel if one of 414 00:25:22,308 --> 00:25:27,800 your best friends? New the way to Salvation and 415 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,800 they were just watching you live your life and you had no idea. 416 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:34,200 You didn't know much about the Bible, of course, the growing up 417 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,000 growing up in America, you know, a little bit about the Bible and 418 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:43,100 about Jesus, maybe just in pop culture and your friends over 419 00:25:43,100 --> 00:25:44,600 here going to church every Sunday. 420 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,500 And he gets baptized, he's trying to be the best Christian. 421 00:25:48,500 --> 00:25:51,600 You can't, he never bothers to talk to you about Jesus. 422 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:58,400 How would you feel that knowing that he knew these things and 423 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,400 didn't share it with you? Would you be upset when he found 424 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,900 out? I think I would be. 425 00:26:06,100 --> 00:26:08,800 Well, sometimes that's us. We need to realize that there 426 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:13,600 are people who just need to know about God, that just need that 427 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,600 little invitation to get their foot in the door, to hear about 428 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,500 Jesus. We also need earnestness 429 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,000 Tomorrow's not guaranteed. Now I have a lot of plans to do 430 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,800 things in the future and I'm if you're a planner I'm sure you 431 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,700 have a lot of plans. The I want to, I want to go to 432 00:26:29,700 --> 00:26:31,600 this place. I want to travel here. 433 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,500 I want to talk to this person. You know, I want to go preach 434 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:35,900 over here. If you're a preacher you make me 435 00:26:35,908 --> 00:26:38,000 have your list of places you want to go to maybe even 436 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:40,000 countries that you want to evangelize to. 437 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,500 And that's great. That's great to have these plans 438 00:26:43,500 --> 00:26:47,300 in these admissions. The reality is the world may end 439 00:26:47,300 --> 00:26:49,800 tomorrow. Jesus May return our life might 440 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,200 be over too. Today, we don't know. 441 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,400 So, if there's someone that, you know, that's lost, maybe someone 442 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:02,000 in the church, that's wandered away today after church, before 443 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,200 you forget, Send them a text. Hey, how are you doing? 444 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:08,900 Send them an email. Call them. 445 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,400 Maybe tomorrow, if you're you have the ability. 446 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,500 You go try to go visit. So makeup, make a plan. 447 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:18,200 Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night? 448 00:27:19,100 --> 00:27:20,300 Do you want to come over for dinner? 449 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,300 You want to meet for lunch? We cannot wait. 450 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:26,900 We cannot let these opportunities wait. 451 00:27:29,700 --> 00:27:33,700 There's one story that the story I do not say I do not enjoy 452 00:27:33,700 --> 00:27:38,500 sharing but it is important for us to understand. 453 00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:48,100 And this there was a family that I had been talking to and of 454 00:27:48,100 --> 00:27:50,200 course I approached them about doing a Bible study, that's 455 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,200 primarily what I do during the week is, do Bible says with 456 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:57,000 people. So I said, well, one of the 457 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,400 member one of the People in the marriage can't think of the 458 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:06,000 name, one of the spouses one was a member one was not okay. 459 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,700 I said it and so I put it out there is that may be decided 460 00:28:09,700 --> 00:28:11,400 with the whole family. But really, I was kind of 461 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,400 thinking about the one person that wasn't a member that was 462 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:15,900 kind of my angle, but I put it out there. 463 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:19,900 Hey, let's do a family study and of course, the kids, they were 464 00:28:19,900 --> 00:28:23,000 younger, but still, they were getting closer to the age where 465 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,600 they become remembers. So I put that out there and they 466 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,700 said, you know, that'd be great nose. 467 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:30,000 Yes. All right. 468 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,600 Great. And as a, the course, how these 469 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,800 things go, how it is here, but in San Diego. 470 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,400 The culture is, everyone will say, yes, but it's more like a 471 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,300 maybe. Oh, yeah, sounds great. 472 00:28:41,300 --> 00:28:43,100 When you want to get together, I'll get back to you. 473 00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:46,200 All right. I love to get together with you, 474 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,800 alright? When you want to get to the, let 475 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:49,800 me check my schedule and you never hear back from. 476 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,600 Of course, it's just a polite, way of saying yes. 477 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,300 But another there's tell me. No but that's different. 478 00:28:55,300 --> 00:28:57,600 That's different story. Well anyways it was one of those 479 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,200 situations where I said, okay, let's do Bible. 480 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:05,500 Teddy and they get back to you. All right, so week went by you 481 00:29:05,508 --> 00:29:06,600 know, they didn't get back to me. 482 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,100 So next time I saw him, I brought it up again. 483 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:14,300 Hey, you still interested in doing a Bible study and I think 484 00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:17,000 it happened three times and the third time, is it, you know 485 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,100 what, it's really not going to work out with our schedule right 486 00:29:20,100 --> 00:29:23,500 now but you can study with our kids because they're free at 487 00:29:23,500 --> 00:29:25,900 this time. Of course I was disappointed, 488 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:27,800 but I said well, at least I'm going to study with their kids 489 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,600 so I went to Bible say with their kids and of course that 490 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,400 was that was a good thing to do, even though I wanted really 491 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,500 wanted to study. With the husband because he 492 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:41,600 wasn't a Christian and I believe it was about three, four months 493 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:46,700 later, he had a heart attack and died. 49 years old. 494 00:29:48,900 --> 00:29:52,600 Never became a Christian greed. To the Bible study was 495 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:57,500 interested. not saying that if he would study with me, it would 496 00:29:57,500 --> 00:30:02,500 have happened, but Never got a chance and I think I go back and 497 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:05,100 Replay that was like, should have been more persistent? 498 00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:09,200 You should have tried harder. Of course, I should have But the 499 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:14,400 same time on his side, he didn't take that opportunity. 500 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,300 Tomorrow is not guaranteed. If someone you know, someone 501 00:30:19,300 --> 00:30:24,700 that you care about is not a Christian, we need to win their 502 00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:29,000 souls for Christ and let them they can be on the side with 503 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,500 Christ. Now I bring us about 504 00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:35,300 Effectiveness and I don't want to stand up here and pretend 505 00:30:35,300 --> 00:30:37,900 like I know all the answers and know how to do things. 506 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,800 Everyone has a method that works for them. 507 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:42,900 There's a brother that works with me. 508 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,700 In El, Cajon Ali, Assad Regus. You probably heard of him. 509 00:30:46,700 --> 00:30:51,600 He's won or against his brother. He, I don't want to say it, but 510 00:30:51,900 --> 00:30:53,800 he's probably one of the best evangelist we have in the 511 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,900 church. I mean, the man's started more 512 00:30:56,900 --> 00:30:59,600 churches than a lot of preachers of baptized, he just an 513 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:04,100 excellent, excellent. Evangelist and he's very busy. 514 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:10,600 but if I tried to, Real evangelize like he did, it 515 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,600 wouldn't feel sincere because I'm not him. 516 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,400 He has his way of doing things, and I have my personality have 517 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,700 totally different personalities. And even the culture is what she 518 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:20,900 worked. There's different cultures and 519 00:31:20,900 --> 00:31:24,800 different aspects. I'm just saying that if we try a 520 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:30,600 method and it doesn't work, the answer is not to give up, but to 521 00:31:30,608 --> 00:31:35,300 try another method, the try another angle, if you invite 522 00:31:35,300 --> 00:31:37,700 someone to church and say, you're not really interested in 523 00:31:37,700 --> 00:31:38,700 coming. To church. 524 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,600 Okay? Are you interested in coming to 525 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,300 a Bible study? Are you interested in coming to 526 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:46,800 a fellowship night? Are you interested? 527 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,300 There's always something else that we can try to get their 528 00:31:50,300 --> 00:31:53,000 foot in the door or don't even ask them. 529 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,000 Just have a conversation with them. 530 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:57,400 What do you think about Jesus? Do you believe in Jesus? 531 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:01,600 Are you Christian? Sometimes we just get the ball 532 00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:03,700 rolling. Don't give up after the first 533 00:32:03,700 --> 00:32:07,000 time a failure. That's what winners keep going. 534 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:08,800 God wants us to keep going Apostle. 535 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,000 Paul. He's because he changed his 536 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,300 method as approach to find the people to bring them to Christ 537 00:32:14,300 --> 00:32:17,000 the win. Then the last thing is we need 538 00:32:17,100 --> 00:32:22,800 everyone involved. There's a lot of great people in 539 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:24,800 the church who do a lot of great work. 540 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,300 If the church is going to grow and if it's going to grow 541 00:32:28,300 --> 00:32:32,800 exponentially, the reality is everyone needs to be involved. 542 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,900 Everyone needs to be doing their part in Romans. 543 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:41,400 Chapter 12 Verses 4 through 8 for as in one body. 544 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,300 We have many members, the members do not all have the same 545 00:32:44,300 --> 00:32:48,300 function so we though many are one body in Christ and 546 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:49,900 individually members of one another. 547 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,700 Having gifts that differ, according to the grace, given to 548 00:32:53,700 --> 00:32:59,200 us, let us use it. If prophecy in proportion to our 549 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,500 faith. If service in our serving, the 550 00:33:02,500 --> 00:33:04,800 one who teaches in his teaching, the one who exhorts in his 551 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,800 exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity, the 552 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:14,500 one who leads with Zeal, the one who does acts of Mercy, With 553 00:33:14,500 --> 00:33:19,600 cheerfulness. Of all the things listed here, 554 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:21,100 is there anyone in this building? 555 00:33:21,100 --> 00:33:23,200 That could not perform one of these tasks. 556 00:33:25,300 --> 00:33:28,100 Like I said, I don't know everyone here, but I think the 557 00:33:28,100 --> 00:33:33,000 answer is no, everyone here. Can can do one of these things 558 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:38,600 to serve to encourage to teach to contribute to lead. 559 00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:46,400 To have mercy. Now, I really like this last one 560 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:53,000 because I funding, I struggle with if someone is really sad, 561 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,300 if someone is really hurting their grieving, they're in pain, 562 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:04,400 I do my best. But I'm not one to get really 563 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:09,800 emotional and to start crying and to that's just not me my 564 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,400 wife on the other hand, if she sees someone crying, she'll 565 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:16,000 start crying. If someone isn't she goes right 566 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:17,300 over to them and gives them a hug? 567 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:20,100 You know, we have different roles. 568 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:25,199 We need people like that who can empathize, who can Comfort, who 569 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:30,199 can be merciful There are people who are are generous, and 570 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:32,800 they're in their money and generous in their time, they're 571 00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:36,000 people who are, who are retired, but the still active that can 572 00:34:36,100 --> 00:34:38,600 visit people in the daytime and visit people in the hospital 573 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,199 that those who are working, may not have the time to do that, at 574 00:34:41,199 --> 00:34:44,600 that time. We all have a role to play. 575 00:34:44,699 --> 00:34:47,300 Now, if we're all doing these things, that's where it gets 576 00:34:47,300 --> 00:34:50,199 exciting because we'll see the results. 577 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:56,199 But going back to the attitude. If we have the attitude that we 578 00:34:56,199 --> 00:34:59,000 are defeated, do you think all these things are going to 579 00:34:59,008 --> 00:35:00,900 happen? Do you think the church is going 580 00:35:00,900 --> 00:35:02,700 to grow? Do you think people are going to 581 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:06,600 walk in this building and say, you know what these people have 582 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:10,600 the Light of Christ If we're sitting around talking about, 583 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:15,100 well it's just so hard and I just don't think we're going to 584 00:35:15,100 --> 00:35:17,000 make it. I don't think you have the 585 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:20,300 attitude, but I've been places where that is the attitude. 586 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:25,100 You know you already defeated at that point, we're here to win 587 00:35:25,100 --> 00:35:28,700 souls for Christ, God is on our side. 588 00:35:35,500 --> 00:35:43,500 I mentioned already this morning, not the way to 589 00:35:43,500 --> 00:35:48,600 Salvation is through Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth and 590 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:50,200 the life. No one comes to the father, 591 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:54,500 except through him. We have to believe that, and we 592 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:58,900 have to accept that people are going to be lost unless 593 00:35:58,900 --> 00:36:01,000 Christian stand up and say no more. 594 00:36:02,700 --> 00:36:08,500 No more not in my community. Not in my household. 595 00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:12,000 No, we're going to win souls for Christ. 596 00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:17,000 We are going to overcome because we have Christ on our site. 597 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:22,400 Jesus already defeated Satan. God is already declared victory. 598 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:27,000 Are we going to join the battle? Are we going to get involved? 599 00:36:28,100 --> 00:36:32,700 Or we can accept our role in the church now maybe we've lived a 600 00:36:32,700 --> 00:36:35,400 while and we've been coasting through life. 601 00:36:35,900 --> 00:36:40,000 It's not too late to get back engaged to get back involved. 602 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:46,000 If you're a member of a church, you're not too old to serve 603 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:47,900 Christ. You're not too young. 604 00:36:49,900 --> 00:36:52,700 We all have something to contribute. 605 00:36:53,900 --> 00:36:56,600 We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the 606 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:02,300 Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you 607 00:37:02,300 --> 00:37:05,500 would like any additional information or you would like to 608 00:37:05,500 --> 00:37:08,600 receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail. 609 00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:13,100 Please email us at info at True Church of Christ 610 00:37:13,100 --> 00:37:17,000 Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays 611 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:22,600 at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. 612 00:37:23,300 --> 00:37:26,800 Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 613 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:27,700 honored guest.