1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:05,040 Morning, we put the seats really close together so y'all could 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,360 get warm. Husbands, this is your 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,560 opportunity to get a snuggle in. I'm just telling you, somebody 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:14,560 said it's cold. I said if your favorite football 5 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,520 team was playing today, you'd be there with snow on your head. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,440 So ain't that cold. My name's Daniel. 7 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:23,160 I'm the lead pastor here at Res Church. 8 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,600 Welcome to the Junketique Outlet thrift store. 9 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:34,280 If you're unfamiliar with this place, this is a a dream that 10 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:39,720 has come true that was born from a yard sale, a Calvary Bible for 11 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,480 many years and now the profits from this organization go to 12 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,360 missions and missions organizations and missionaries 13 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,840 and partners all over the world to further Kingdom purposes. 14 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,720 There's a, there's a famous line in the story Lord of the Rings 15 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,240 where there's a there's this council that gets together 16 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,760 trying to figure out how to accomplish this impossible task 17 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,760 of destroying this ring of Sauron. 18 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:09,240 And there's these little weak little hobbits that look kind of 19 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,000 like kids and, and they volunteer and the council looks 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,160 at them kind of condescendingly. And there's a famous line where 21 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,960 one of them looks at the little hobbits and he goes, 1 does not 22 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:24,680 simply walk into Mordor. Translation. 23 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,840 You can't do this. Who are you? 24 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:32,920 I want you to keep that in mind as we read today's text. 25 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:38,360 In our story, we're finishing up a series called Sent this idea 26 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,640 that when you were saved, you were also commissioned. 27 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,040 When God took you from spiritual death to spiritual life, he 28 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,400 actually gave you a purpose. And so we're going to finish 29 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,760 this series in Luke 10, starting in verse 17. 30 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,800 We'll be reading Luke 1017 through 23 today. 31 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,080 If you have your Bible, join with me. 32 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,080 We're going to finish off a story of these 72 disciples that 33 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,240 are coming back here. Here we go, verse 17 to 72 34 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:18,120 returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to 35 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,280 us in your name. And he says Jesus, he said to 36 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,560 them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 37 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,000 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents 38 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,320 and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing 39 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:41,080 shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in 40 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,680 this that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that 41 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,240 your names are written in heaven. 42 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:58,200 In the same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I 43 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,240 thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have 44 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:07,640 hidden these things from the wise and understanding and 45 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:10,280 revealed them to little children. 46 00:03:10,920 --> 00:03:13,520 Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 47 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,320 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one 48 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,440 knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is 49 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:27,920 except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal 50 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:29,960 him. And then turning to the 51 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,600 disciples, he said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see 52 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,400 what you see. For I tell you that many 53 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:41,360 prophets and kings desire to see what you see and did not see it 54 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,360 and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. 55 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:51,920 Blessed be the word of God. If you're picking up on our 56 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:56,600 story, in week 472 disciples were sent out all into the 57 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,240 countryside to preach and proclaim the gospel. 58 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,560 And and now they're coming back since 72 came back and returned 59 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,240 with what's that word? Joy. 60 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:11,480 Just like everyone who showed up in the cold today, joy, we came 61 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,560 back with joy and said, Lord, even the demons is subject to us 62 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:15,920 in your name. Now I want you to think about 63 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,200 the story. We're not talking about the 12 64 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,760 apostles and we know their names and they wrote books and they're 65 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,160 famous. We're talking about 72 regular 66 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,720 people with very little training sent out pretty unprepared, no 67 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:32,200 defenses, no money, no preparation, no equipment to 68 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,400 preach. What was the very controversial 69 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,960 message to what turned out to be a very stubborn people who would 70 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,360 eventually kill Jesus for that message? 71 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:48,120 And on this trip, if you're a planner right now, you're 72 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:53,760 thinking so much could go wrong on this trip. 73 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:57,640 They witnessed such supernatural power. 74 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:03,640 Did all they do, They come back and they go there's that scene 75 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,760 in the one of the spider man movies where the first time he 76 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,360 uses his power and he's like, whoa. 77 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:17,120 And they come back and go whoa, healing miracles, casting out 78 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:22,440 demons. What like what you know, maybe 79 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,560 you're here today or, or you're listening to the live stream, 80 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,320 but you're thinking like the the the very idea of miracles, the 81 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,840 very idea of demons is like a bit overwhelming. 82 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:35,600 You know, it's just, let's allow me to at least finish the story 83 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:37,800 'cause I get it, it was for me too. 84 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,480 Of this is, there's a lot here and maybe you don't think much 85 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:46,360 of the spiritual world, but almost every human being can 86 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,640 admit that there are many things about this universe that we do 87 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,360 not understand and cannot explain. 88 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,600 And so if you'll stay curious for a few minutes, maybe as we 89 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:58,760 finish the story, we can address some of those doubts. 90 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,240 These disciples return from this journey. 91 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,280 They're overjoyed at what happened. 92 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,920 And I want you to think about a trip that they took with no 93 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,960 prep, no money, no defenses, no help, and came back overjoyed. 94 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,840 And here's what I would tell you that is so from my experience, 95 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:20,800 that is so representative of life in line with God. 96 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:28,280 When you're living a life pursuing God, it begins to feel 97 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:31,080 this way when you're willing to risk everything, including their 98 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:36,080 lives for Jesus. Apparently that's joyous. 99 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:44,040 Not easy, not comfortable, might be cold under the tent, but 100 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:53,240 amazing, satisfying Christian. Did you want to know for for 101 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,240 many of us Christians, why your faith is boring? 102 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:01,960 You're not actually following Jesus. 103 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:07,800 You, you proclaim Jesus, but are you really pursuing him because 104 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,920 he's moving And often where Christ is leading us into unsafe 105 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,880 spaces. And the moment that Christians 106 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,160 stop pursuing, we start plopping. 107 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,960 Do you know what I mean by plopping? 108 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,720 Plopping down in pews and chairs, Plopping down in 109 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,400 routines and and comfortable friend groups that haven't 110 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,360 changed in years. Plopping, getting comfortable. 111 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,440 It's like, it's like playing with the wrapping paper and 112 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:48,640 missing the gift. Christian, you can't plop and 113 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:53,560 pursue. You can plop or pursue, but you 114 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,280 have to pick one. Look around you real quick. 115 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,200 Look around you. Go ahead, Look at all those 116 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:02,800 beautiful people. One of the reasons that I wanted 117 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,320 to do a church service here in a parking lot under a tent is 118 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:08,840 guess what? You're not sitting in the same 119 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:13,880 seat you sit in every Sunday now. 120 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,680 Some of you actually sat in the same section of chairs that you 121 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,680 do in the sanctuary. You made me chuckle. 122 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,960 You made me chuckle. I was like, man, we do like our 123 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,960 routines. I wanted you to sit in a 124 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,200 different seat because the Christian life is about pursuit, 125 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,840 not about getting comfortable. The disciples came back from 126 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,799 this uncomfortable mission overjoyed because Jesus LED them 127 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:42,240 into a crazy moment. And they said yes, The Bible 128 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:50,480 says that where Jesus is, there is life, There is contentment, 129 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,280 there is satisfaction when we are connected to the vine. 130 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,880 That's Jesus. We can bear much fruit, but the 131 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,800 Spirit is moving and we better be obedient. 132 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:08,320 And if not, it's going to get boring because the Spirit's 133 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,080 moving, and if we're not, we get left behind in an empty 134 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:12,800 building. That's what the famous quote 135 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:14,720 from Bono. He said. 136 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,720 Religion is what you get when the Holy Spirit has left the 137 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:22,600 building. Christian religion is what you 138 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:28,920 get when you plop all of the moral fibers of Christianity. 139 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:35,520 But Christ is on the move and the spiritual life and vitality 140 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,080 will get sucked out of the room when we get cozy and 141 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,400 comfortable. So this point number one is you 142 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:45,880 can plop or pursue, but you can't do both. 143 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,200 Pastor Francis Chan says it this way. 144 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:53,040 He says the core problem isn't the fact that we're lukewarm, 145 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:54,800 half hearted, or stagnant Christians. 146 00:09:55,280 --> 00:10:00,400 The crux of it all is why we are this way, and it is because we 147 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:06,760 have an inaccurate view of God. We see him as a benevolent being 148 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,000 who is satisfied when people managed to fit him into their 149 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,360 lives in some small way. And we forget that God never had 150 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,120 an identity crisis. He knows that He's great and 151 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,320 deserves to be the center of our lives. 152 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,800 And if he's at the center, then you and I, we, we've got to get 153 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:31,480 our minds around this concept that we are sent. 154 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,440 They finish this line, they come back over, join and say, look, 155 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,520 Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. 156 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,960 Say they're throwing out demons, that they have experienced 157 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,520 supernatural power and they're in awe of it. 158 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,880 And Jesus affirms this. He says, and and he said to 159 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,640 them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 160 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:58,560 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents 161 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:01,480 and scorpions and all over the power of the enemy, and nothing 162 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:07,200 shall hurt you. Theologians are kind of split on 163 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,080 what this means when he talks about seeing Satan fall like 164 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:11,480 lightning. But the most common of the 165 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,720 opinions is that he's referring to the fact that when they begin 166 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,680 to do spiritual work, Jesus could actually see the spiritual 167 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:24,760 impact against the enemy. That even though they're all out 168 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,880 over the countryside, that Christ could actually see the 169 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:34,080 impact of their work on Satan. You know, the Bible says that 170 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,880 the primary conflict of this world is not political. 171 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,760 It's not racial, it's not gender based or economic. 172 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,240 It's not ice in Minnesota or an invasion of Greenland or 173 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:51,480 conflict in Iran. The primary battle of this world 174 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:57,320 is spiritual. That's what Ephesians 6 tells 175 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,200 us, the apostle Paul says. For we do not wrestle against 176 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,440 flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, 177 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:10,960 against the cosmic powers, over this present darkness, against 178 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,520 the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 179 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,480 Now you may be listening and thinking, like when first demons 180 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,600 and now spiritual warfare. Like really, I get it. 181 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:30,320 It's OK to have doubts, even listen, even if you're not sure 182 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,600 about the supernatural. I just want you to think what 183 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:36,800 what if the principle of it is true? 184 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:41,720 What if, what if who you Love Actually matters more than you 185 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:43,520 know? And we're going to keep looking 186 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,880 at that. Jesus is affirming the impact of 187 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,960 their mission. Hey, I saw what happened in the 188 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,120 spiritual realm because you were obedient. 189 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,200 They saw some supernatural things. 190 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,320 Jesus saw the impact and greater effects of it. 191 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:07,680 And for you, Christian, when you obediently step into God's call 192 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:11,600 and God's mission, we're going to impact far more than the 193 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:16,520 physical, more than the temporal. 194 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:27,200 We shake the foundations of Satan's realm, you and I, 195 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:32,040 Christian, we, we get to push back the darkness of this 196 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,280 reality just a little bit more when we're obedient. 197 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:39,600 You didn't get called to foster that child simply for the impact 198 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,800 of that child. You didn't get called to feed 199 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,480 the hungry just for that one meal they need right now. 200 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:50,440 All of those things are good. But when we obey the call of 201 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:55,360 Christ through outreach, through proclamation of the good news, 202 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,200 through the living out of the gospel, we participate in an 203 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:03,000 ancient battle and we make a difference. 204 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:09,720 You make a difference, believer. You can shake the very 205 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:16,640 foundations of hell when a whole people turns toward the darkness 206 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:18,960 of this world and begins to shine for Christ. 207 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,660 When we say yes to adopting that child, to praying for our Co 208 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:29,200 worker, to speaking into the life of a friend with the truth 209 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:37,280 of the gospel, Satan shutters. Last week there was a guy named 210 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:46,670 Jose and he got his name written on a little ping pong ball in 211 00:14:46,670 --> 00:14:48,790 the ping pong wall, a white one because someone invited him to 212 00:14:48,790 --> 00:14:52,190 church. And then someone got to write 213 00:14:52,190 --> 00:14:54,750 his name on an orange ball because he showed up. 214 00:14:56,590 --> 00:14:58,230 And then by the end of the service, someone got to write 215 00:14:58,230 --> 00:15:00,270 his name on a paintball because he surrendered his life to 216 00:15:00,270 --> 00:15:09,320 Christ. And in the same way that Jesus 217 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,840 is saying, hey, you saw some of the supernatural impact of the 218 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,480 things you were doing when you were being obedient, and I saw 219 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,680 more. What I want to tell you is that 220 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:21,840 we see some of the impact of this, but but when someone gives 221 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,680 their life to Christ, hell shakes and demons flee and Satan 222 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:32,160 grits his teeth. We don't even see all of it yet. 223 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,280 And that type of power that they're experiencing in this 224 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,600 moment as they come back joyous, I'll be honest, it's a it's 225 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:44,200 addictive. It's so attractive that Jesus 226 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:45,800 actually follows it up with a warning. 227 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:47,800 He says, yes, I saw what you did. 228 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,800 Yes, I saw the impact. I gave you that power. 229 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:55,560 Say me to push back against the enemy, but don't get caught up 230 00:15:55,560 --> 00:16:01,280 in the power because it'll make you prideful like Satan. 231 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:08,440 And don't forget the big picture that it's not about me, it's 232 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:12,640 about the King. I want you to say that with me, 233 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,040 Church, it's not about me, it's about the King. 234 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:19,520 Let's say it together, It's not about me, it's about the King 235 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:27,800 and His name is Jesus. So don't lose sight of who we do 236 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,440 this for and why it matters. If you know Christ, if you have 237 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,480 surrendered your life to Christ, you've found the greatest 238 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:40,280 treasure ever and your eternity is guaranteed and your salvation 239 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:46,080 is sealed and you have but a few days or years left to shape what 240 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:53,480 all of eternity will look like. He chose you to send you. 241 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,600 That's our big idea. He chose you to send you? 242 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,120 Yeah. I worked as a, a volunteer, a 243 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,760 teacher, and then a volunteer elder and then a volunteer 244 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,440 pastor at my last church for, for many years. 245 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,040 And then I came to this church and I worked here for about 7 246 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,760 years as just a volunteer discipleship pastor and 247 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,119 associate pastor. And, and I, and I was working 248 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,319 for free. But I mean, in reality, I wasn't 249 00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:18,800 really working for free. I was enrolled in the ultimate 250 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:31,440 retirement plan where stocks can never crash, thieves can never 251 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,360 steal, and I just want to invite you to participate in the same 252 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:38,000 retirement plan. When we get to please our King, 253 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:44,640 there is great satisfaction in our lives as we serve, but also 254 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,760 we are storing up treasure in heaven where neither moth nor 255 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:54,800 rust destroy. And so I want to look at in our 256 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,760 in our last moments today, how we go about doing that. 257 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:03,240 We know why to please God, but how do we do that and pick this 258 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:07,280 up in verse 21 in that same hour. 259 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,200 This is Jesus. He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit 260 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:14,760 and he said I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that 261 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,800 you have hidden these things from wise and understanding and 262 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,320 you've revealed them to little children. 263 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,440 I'm not sure if I should be offended. 264 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:33,000 I'm pretty sure that Jesus just said that God hid the knowledge 265 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,680 of Christ from the wise and the understanding of this world, and 266 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:37,560 he only revealed Jesus to little children. 267 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:46,400 So if we know Christ, that makes us little children little 268 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,920 children. You don't think Jesus is trying 269 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,440 to insult you in this moment? I think He's trying to explain 270 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,040 something to you and I don't want you to miss it. 271 00:18:57,840 --> 00:18:59,840 He makes the same point in Matthew 18. 272 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:02,360 I want you to read it this way. In Matthew 18 verses 2 through 273 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:06,400 4, Jesus says and calling to him a little child, He put him in 274 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,000 the midst of them. And he said, truly, I say to 275 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:14,160 you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never 276 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:19,040 enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like 277 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,480 this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. 278 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,640 What, what part of childlike faith is it that we need? 279 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:31,160 Well, it's, it's right there in the text. 280 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,360 It's humility. You have to humble yourself. 281 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:38,320 You see, a child knows where the authority and the power and the 282 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:43,560 strength comes from. A child knows that it's Dad that 283 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:48,320 gets the tough stuff done. So Jesus is telling you and I 284 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:50,040 something really insightful. He said if you want to 285 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,960 experience supernatural power and miracles of the Father, you 286 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:00,480 need to come like children because it's not us, it's Him. 287 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,640 And so you need to cling to Him, you need to be infatuated with 288 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:09,400 Him, you need to be captivated by Him, you need to be in love 289 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,560 with Him, you need to be dependent on Him. 290 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,200 You need to believe in Him like children believe in their 291 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:19,520 parents. You ever asked a child what can 292 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,000 God do and just start to chuckle when you laugh at all their 293 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:28,760 outlandish comments? Well, God could, and it's some 294 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,320 massive thing that makes you smile and laugh. 295 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,680 And I just want you to realize that they have it right and we 296 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:40,960 might be a little cynical. Remember the hobbits? 297 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:46,800 The unlikely weak little heroes. Far too often we become cynical 298 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,560 and we're the people looking down our noses and thinking you 299 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:51,920 have to be powerful to do something great for God. 300 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:58,320 No, you don't. You just have to believe. 301 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:04,720 Our problem isn't that we lack power or money or people or 302 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:06,600 strategy. God has all of those things. 303 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:13,760 Our problem is that we dream too small for such a big God church. 304 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,600 We want to believe in the Father like little children do. 305 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,720 I want to live in a space where either God shows up in power or 306 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,800 I look foolish and silly because a child doesn't care about 307 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:30,600 looking foolish or silly. Believe like a child. 308 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:38,200 That's the first step to getting to participate in this mission 309 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,360 from this text Believe like a child verse 23. 310 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:45,960 Then turning to the disciples, he said privately, blessed are 311 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,000 the eyes that see what you see Rez church. 312 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,360 Blessed are the eyes that see what you're getting to see in a 313 00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:54,520 move of God right now. For I tell you, many prophets 314 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,800 and kings desire to see what you see and did not see it and to 315 00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,720 hear what you hear and did not hear it. 316 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:03,400 So first point is come like a child. 317 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,280 The second is to be remembered as faithful. 318 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,960 Let me ask you this. What were the names of the 72 319 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,680 people that were sent out and did all these miracles? 320 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,440 Nobody knows. Nobody knows their names. 321 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:21,320 We don't have any other names at all. 322 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,240 They did miracles. They healed people. 323 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,400 They cast out demons. And we don't know their names. 324 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:28,320 They're not written in this book. 325 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:32,280 They're written somewhere else. They're written in the Book of 326 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:36,280 life. See, we aren't working to be 327 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,400 noticed. We're serving so that maybe 328 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,720 Jesus gets noticed. Our mission is not to have our 329 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:48,040 names remembered here on earth, but simply to be remembered as 330 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:52,600 being faithful. What's it going to look like, 331 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,840 Rez? To look faithful? 332 00:22:55,880 --> 00:23:00,400 To be remembered as faithful in the days or years that you have 333 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,160 left here before God calls you to heaven. 334 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:07,000 What's it going to look like? Galatians 6, 9, and 10 says it 335 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,640 this way. This is the apostle Paul again 336 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,920 writing to another church. It says, and let us not grow 337 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:18,600 weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not 338 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,080 give up. So then, as we have opportunity, 339 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,120 let us do good to everyone and especially to those who are of 340 00:23:26,120 --> 00:23:31,680 the household of faith Church. We are the hands and feet of 341 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,600 Christ. We are the hope of the world. 342 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,760 Christ in you, the hope of glory. 343 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:41,600 That's what Colossians one says, that Jesus could transform us to 344 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:46,520 live so differently. Other people would notice that 345 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:52,800 the whole plan to reach a broken world was you. 346 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:01,920 It's dangerous, it's treacherous, it's exhausting, 347 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:09,200 but there exists nothing, nothing in this universe that is 348 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:15,200 more satisfying, that will bring more peace and contentment in 349 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:19,320 your life, that will be more impactful, more eternal, than to 350 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:23,240 gather together and burn brightly for Christ while we 351 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:28,480 serve others. Because you've been given all 352 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:32,600 authority and all power and all wisdom. 353 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,760 And our response is simply to get up and follow Jesus 354 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,320 desperately with childlike faith and don't give up doing good. 355 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:48,800 And if we will do this, the very gates of hell will tremble and 356 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:53,840 shake. Satan will be terrified that a 357 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,000 bunch of kids in Bakersfield said yes to Christ. 358 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,080 I believe we can change the world, not because we have any 359 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:15,000 particular power to do so, but He does. 360 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:18,760 So I want to give you an opportunity to start believing 361 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,920 like a child today. Would you learn today to be a 362 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:22,720 kid? You're right. 363 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:26,760 Here's your opportunity to start believing like a child. 364 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:28,160 It's this simple. Here's the first one. 365 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,280 Pray for something impossible. Everyday. 366 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:39,240 Pray for something impossible. Secondly, invite someone that 367 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,600 you're scared to invite or that you've given up on. 368 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:48,840 And 3rd sign up for something you do not want to do or think 369 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:53,880 that you can't pray for something impossible every day. 370 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,080 A couple years ago, we were in like year seven of the Kern 371 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:58,280 County drought. I don't know if you remember 372 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:03,120 that one fun times. And I was in prayer with the 373 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:05,480 Lord and I had really been struggling with just kind of 374 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,280 getting my arms around the calling here. 375 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,360 And I finally got to the point where I was talking to the Lord. 376 00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:13,800 I said, man, I, I, I surrender wanting to move somewhere that's 377 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:19,880 not brown and dead. I'm going to do whatever you 378 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:21,840 want me to do. I'm going to stay here. 379 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,440 I'm going to embrace what you're asking me to do. 380 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,400 I'm going to be obedient. But God, would you, would you 381 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:31,800 just make it green here? And so I remember having this 382 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,200 conversation with the Lord and just just getting to talk to him 383 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:35,760 and feeling like, man, this is so good. 384 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,360 And I went back in the office afterwards and I said, hey guys, 385 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,480 y'all better check your umbrellas 'cause this fall it's 386 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:43,600 going to rain like crazy. And everyone laughed at me. 387 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,320 You're 7 of a drought, right? And I was like, no, you don't 388 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:51,280 understand. I I asked dad for it and that 389 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:55,480 year we had a record rainfall. Who looks foolish now? 390 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:04,560 Ask God, Pray for something impossible everyday. 391 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,560 Stop dreaming small. He doesn't invite someone you're 392 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:13,920 scared to invite or written off. Listen, you don't have to 393 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,920 convince them to come. You just have to invite them. 394 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:21,680 God does all the convincing. Third, sign up for something 395 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:31,600 that you do not want to do. Could be scooters or think that 396 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,440 you can't do. Sign up for something mildly 397 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,440 scary. Serving, going on mission, 398 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,720 learning something new, a group, leading a group, starting a 399 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:42,080 group. There's so many different things 400 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:43,640 right after the service. We're going to give you 401 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:45,680 opportunity to serve in a bunch of different ways here in this 402 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,360 community. Go try something new. 403 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,840 In fact, one of the things we've been talking to you a lot about 404 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:01,240 is that there's a an evangelism workshop coming up on February 405 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:02,760 7th. Raise your hand if you've 406 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,600 already signed up for that. I'll look around. 407 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,280 Don't want to miss out. There are 100 of us, just over 408 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,480 100 of us now signed up. And so we want you to come sign 409 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,120 up and join us there. It's always a little bit weird 410 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:17,680 when we roll in and like, most of the churches there have three 411 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,000 people and then we come up with like 100. 412 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,560 It's a little bit like growing up in East Bakersfield. 413 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:23,200 Yeah. Yeah. 414 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:25,920 We just come in like, oh, it's Rez. 415 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,040 There's all of us and what's up, dude? 416 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,160 Yeah, what's up? It is, it is a little, it is a 417 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:33,760 little fun. I'm sure everyone else is 418 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,040 intimidated, but you won't because there'll be a lot of us. 419 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:38,800 Sign up for something that you haven't tried. 420 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,400 Sign up for an evangelism workshop. 421 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:43,120 But I don't want you to forget this. 422 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,480 This is the point of today. He chose you to send you. 423 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,400 He never chose you to plop. He didn't chose you to choose 424 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,400 you to get comfortable. He chose you to send you on 425 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,520 mission. And so you're never going to be 426 00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:00,040 fully satisfied in Christ until you actually begin to get your 427 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,960 hands and your heart and your mind around that calling that He 428 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:05,840 has on your life. That's why it's the job of 429 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:10,160 pastors to equip the Saints for works of service. 430 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:15,920 Say me, that's you. That's why we want to keep 431 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:20,560 giving you opportunities to find out what is that calling look 432 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,840 like? What is God calling me to do? 433 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,520 Before we finish our services, we wrap this up and, and we all 434 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,800 run out and go serve together or take a tent down or stack chairs 435 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,040 or go to the the homeless center we're going to go to in a 436 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,440 minute. Maybe there's a few of you here 437 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,040 or watching our live stream that have begun to realize you need 438 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,840 some of the hope that we keep talking about and you don't have 439 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:51,160 it. You know, if you're new to this 440 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,920 whole Bible thing, it is completely OK to be searching. 441 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:59,520 But I want you to consider, in our story, why would 72 very 442 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:03,600 average people risk everything and come back overjoyed? 443 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:10,760 Maybe because we are more than simply biology and reasoning and 444 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:15,280 intellect. And maybe that brokenness that 445 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:21,000 you feel has an actual answer. Today, Jesus offers you real, 446 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:27,760 everlasting hope. The Bible says that every person 447 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:32,400 is born under the curse of sin, that the first people on earth 448 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:37,480 rebelled against God, and now all of us are born hopeless and 449 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,640 in need of something that we can't provide for ourselves. 450 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:48,080 So God, loving us even though we were his enemies, sent his Son 451 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:53,400 Jesus to live a perfect life of obedience that we can't live. 452 00:30:55,480 --> 00:31:00,840 He was killed on a cross by religious people, but in doing 453 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:06,600 so, he sacrificed himself for us and he rose three days later, 454 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:09,520 conquering sin and death forever. 455 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,240 The Bible says that salvation is found in no other name than 456 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,760 Jesus. And so if you want that hope, 457 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:25,800 you must surrender your life, your will yourself to Jesus, the 458 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,680 King of kings and the Lord of Lords. 459 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,200 And he says that if you will acknowledge with your words and 460 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:36,600 believe in your heart that he is King, you will be saved. 461 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:41,720 So I want to give you that opportunity today. 462 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:43,600 Will you? Will you bow your heads and 463 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,920 close your eyes with me as we we finish this service? 464 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,880 If you're listening to this today and and you've come to the 465 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:54,520 point where you would surrender your life to Christ, I want you 466 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:56,800 to simply repeat this prayer after me. 467 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:08,480 Jesus, I can't save myself. I surrender to you. 468 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:16,920 I ask you to save me and adopt me into your family. 469 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:26,960 Be my Lord. Please, Jesus, if you prayed to 470 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,960 surrender your life to Jesus for the first time right now, would 471 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,600 you be brave and raise your hand for me to see? 472 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:38,560 Thank you. I see you. 473 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:41,440 Thank you can put your hands down. 474 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:49,320 Maybe you're here today. You've come to realize that you 475 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:50,960 aren't living on mission for Christ. 476 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:56,680 Your life is better defined as plopping than pursuing, and it's 477 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:00,800 been dominated by your own plans and your own wisdom and your own 478 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:05,200 desire. And you want to turn away from 479 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:08,760 the worries and distractions of this world, and you want to live 480 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,200 a life sold out and on fire for Christ. 481 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:18,600 You want to commit to making changes in your life that allow 482 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:24,720 for discipleship and community and a charging after Jesus in 483 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:28,880 your daily life. And if that's you, I just want 484 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:30,800 you to raise your hand right now for me to see. 485 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:40,520 Thank you, thank you, thank you. See, you put your hands down in 486 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:45,240 Jesus name, Amen. All right, He saved you to send 487 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:50,240 you. For those of you who just 488 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,960 committed your life to Christ for the very first time, welcome 489 00:33:52,960 --> 00:34:04,240 to the family. In just a moment as we respond 490 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:05,840 to this sermon, we're going to sing a song. 491 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:07,760 Our per team's going to be up here and we're going to pray 492 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,000 with you. If you just made a commitment to 493 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:11,920 Christ for the first time. There's a table in the back 494 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:13,600 right there. She's waving her hand. 495 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,679 Say hi. She's beautiful, says I raised 496 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:18,520 my hand. We want you to go back there and 497 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:20,199 tell someone that you made a commitment to Christ. 498 00:34:20,199 --> 00:34:22,480 We'd love to talk to you about what's next. 499 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,000 We have a gift for you. We want to celebrate with you. 500 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:30,080 If you just made a commitment to go hard after Christ, we want to 501 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:31,520 pray for you. There could be a bunch of people 502 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:33,080 up here to pray. Just come up here and pray with 503 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,840 us if you need prayer for any reason. 504 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,159 We cherish opportunities to pray with you and for you. 505 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,520 Let's stand to sing You. Move as the Lord leads you. 506 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:43,320 Love you church.