1 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:10,360 This is ERC Sundays, the messages at Emmaus Rd. 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,240 Church in DeWitt, Iowa. ERC is a Church of people 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,320 striving to grow in Jesus and make him known to others through 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,560 our faith, words and actions. Find out more about our church 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,360 at emmausrdonline.org. Here's this week's message. 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,480 Each and everyone of you have someone in your life, be it 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,640 family, friends, coworkers, what have you. 8 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,560 You have one more in your life that needs to come to know 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,680 Jesus. I know that you do and that's 10 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,080 what we're going to be chasing. So we want to share some stories 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:47,480 of testimonials of of how that's happened already amongst you 12 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:49,920 all. Believe it or not pastor Kristen 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:55,280 Lisa were once well once the one more were were were once invited 14 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:59,080 in. They did not know Jesus and was 15 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,040 set on a completely different path from where their lives were 16 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,280 going and are now pastoring this church. 17 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,920 Kristen on staff here her and her husband Derek who's who's an 18 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,720 elder here now. They were friends with Kristen 19 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:17,600 Lisa living in sin in the early part of their lives, and they 20 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:25,520 too a lifetime ago were were the one more and so many of you I I, 21 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:27,640 I look and see the faces out here. 22 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,320 I'm I feel that I never was a one more. 23 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,720 I I I feel that I was I always knew who Jesus was. 24 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,880 I I grew up in a Christian Church and or a Christian family 25 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,960 and and I was baptized before I could remember it or be aware of 26 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:46,680 it. And and yet even in that sinful, 27 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,920 from the time my mother conceived me, sinful from birth, 28 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,920 God still saw me as the one more, the one more who needed to 29 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,800 come and know Jesus. And there's so many of you that 30 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,800 have lived that out in your life being being the one more, being 31 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,760 invited to church. Maybe you're here right now, 32 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,120 just at the behest of somebody else who invited you. 33 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,000 Hey, come on. I promise it's not a cult. 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:14,240 It's not weird like we sing some songs and we read from this 35 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:18,320 really cool book and we and we teach and grow and encourage in 36 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,560 love and kindness with each other. 37 00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:24,400 That's what we're doing here. This is for the one more. 38 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:25,880 That's what we're aspiring to do. 39 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,360 So Megan and Ryan, thanks for being here a part of our 40 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,640 community. Thank you for taking the dive 41 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:34,880 and being the Guinea pigs on on working on this series with us. 42 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:40,360 We'll release the full length story from them very soon. 43 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,680 But just wanted to give you a sneak peek of that. 44 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,600 Praise God, he's, he's so good. He's got you guys right where he 45 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,640 wants you to be. And and we're grateful for that. 46 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,480 So. All right, I'm Pastor Matt. 47 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,960 Today is Vision Sunday. I don't love that title. 48 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,760 I I fought against calling it Vision Sunday. 49 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,920 But yeah, I fought with the guy who suggested that as the title 50 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:10,120 for today, but I couldn't come up with a better idea. 51 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,640 And the guy who suggested it was me. 52 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:17,880 So I just had to, I just had to go with it. 53 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:24,320 Off to a good start. Here at Emmaus Rd. 54 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:30,440 Church, we want to be captivated by the idea of knowing Jesus and 55 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,440 making him known. It's why we exist as a church, 56 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,960 as a people that make up this church. 57 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,800 We are a people on mission to know Jesus and to make him known 58 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,640 to others, always reaching the one more. 59 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,960 If you're here this morning for the first time, maybe it's 60 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,120 literally your first time in church, you don't know who this 61 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,440 Jesus guy is or why we'd call on his name or why we'd sing songs 62 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,760 to him. Let me catch you up really quick 63 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,480 just because we all have to be on the same page, jumping off 64 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,680 here in understanding. God created the whole earth. 65 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,440 Everything you see was made by the Creator Godfather God. 66 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,440 He made mankind, Adam and Eve. He put them in this perfect 67 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,080 place called the Garden of Eden, where they were supposed to just 68 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,920 live in perfect harmony with God. 69 00:04:17,959 --> 00:04:20,640 Every need was met, everything was provided for. 70 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,920 They were perfect. Then they thought themselves 71 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,240 smarter than God, as all of us often do. 72 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,000 Let me take your plan God and let me just add a little special 73 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,000 sprinkle to it because I think it's going to make it better. 74 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,120 Wrong. They rebelled against God and 75 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:38,640 ate from the fruit in the tree of the garden. 76 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,560 That was the one thing that they were told not to do Parents 77 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,240 again, what if you tell your kids not to do something? 78 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,920 What is the very next thing that they do right? 79 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:53,560 That's that's what happened with Adam and Eve prone to sin, prone 80 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,920 to wander Lord, I feel it. That's called sins. 81 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:58,800 They rebelled against God. They did the one thing they 82 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:03,040 weren't supposed to do. And for the rest of Natural 83 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,240 History, all of mankind from that point, born sinful, made 84 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:13,280 sinful, in rebellion from God. So Jesus, God sends his Son to 85 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:17,840 earth to live a perfect life, be a perfect sacrifice, because the 86 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:20,920 wages of sin is death. If we're rebelling against God, 87 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:26,000 we deserve to die. So God, who first loved us, 88 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,840 reaches out, sends his Son. Jesus, casts heaven aside, comes 89 00:05:30,840 --> 00:05:32,760 down to earth. Fully God, fully man. 90 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,640 There's a perfect life. He never sinned and the world 91 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:40,040 hated him for it. They crucified him for it. 92 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,000 Three days later he was resurrected from the grave. 93 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,000 That we could have the hope of eternal life. 94 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,120 Because the Bible also tells us that though the wages of sin is 95 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,280 death, whoever confesses their sin and calls on the name of 96 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,120 Jesus, surely they will be saved because of the price that he has 97 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:04,320 paid. So because of that, the price 98 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,320 being paid, the sacrifice given Jesus is perfect life. 99 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,800 Your sins are forgiven, you're brought into harmony with God 100 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,840 and you're clothed in the righteousness of Christ. 101 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,560 If you've never heard any of that before today, I've that's 102 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,000 that's as much as I can like cram the Bible into a simple 103 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:21,840 thing. If you believe all those things, 104 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,320 bam, you're on team Jesus. Let's go. 105 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:32,400 You can start today. OK, Right now we're learning and 106 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,360 growing together in God's truth every day. 107 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,440 But Vision Sunday. I didn't like that because it 108 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:47,840 seems like a really like corporatey, compelling buzzword, 109 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,520 and it also sets the bar high where the rest I I feel like 110 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,320 most of the room every time I heard it this morning, like the 111 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,640 expectation just ratcheted up a notch of just having your socks 112 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,240 blown off with each and everything that Chris or I could 113 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:05,880 say this morning. And here I am. 114 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:10,640 Yet some of you so far, very unimpressed. 115 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,400 We've made this big deal about Vision Sunday and they're up 116 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,520 here talking Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus again. 117 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,960 We wanted to hear big things about blowing out walls and 118 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,160 renovating buildings and hey, there's a parking lot in there. 119 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,120 When are we going to? When are we going to pave that 120 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,400 and finish that and what and what else is happening? 121 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,040 That's why I didn't like Vision Sunday, because we so often 122 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:43,760 attach vision to things that we do instead of the vision being 123 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:49,600 fueled by who God is. So we're going to talk about 124 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,440 some dreams. We're going to talk about some 125 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,320 work that He's already doing that He has in store for us. 126 00:07:54,320 --> 00:08:00,960 But first we're going to focus on and revel in the character of 127 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:04,640 God. So not to disappoint and and not 128 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,920 to again have, have any of you just kind of the air taken out 129 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:09,800 of your sails here. You're telling me they, they 130 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,200 fluffed this up and called this thing Vision Sunday and he's 131 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,360 just, they call the Vision Sunday and they're just going to 132 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:18,320 talk about Jesus and that's it. It's all it takes to be a 133 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,080 professional Christian. Kinda. 134 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:24,640 You can do it right now. You can do it today. 135 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,600 The harvest is plenty and the workers are few. 136 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:39,559 So we're captivated by this idea of knowing Jesus and making him 137 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,200 known because Paul tells us that in Romans 8. 138 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,040 We know that for those who love God, all things work together 139 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,440 for good, who are called according to his purpose. 140 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:52,240 I like good things. I want my life to be good. 141 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,920 But the clause in this is all things work together for good 142 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,680 for those who love God. So I loving God is a pretty big 143 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:04,160 deal if I want the things in my life to work together. 144 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:05,480 Well, just what Pastor Christian said. 145 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,280 The law is is for our betterment, right? 146 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,840 It's guardrails. It keeps us in line. 147 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,320 So if we know Jesus and make him known. 148 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,440 Carter, do we have the is the green slide? 149 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,000 Can you put the green slide up there? 150 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:23,640 Yeah, that one. Thank you. 151 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,600 This looks like a lot of information and it kind of is, 152 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,440 but I promise it makes sense. That's our name. 153 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,160 If you don't know where you are, you're out of Main Road Church. 154 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,760 Knowing Jesus and making him known as what we're fueled by, 155 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,320 we've started to use this language not even started. 156 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,720 We've used this language for years of the life priorities 157 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:53,560 that we should have, starting with God, then filling out to 158 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,720 your immediate family. We've added in some elements of, 159 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,960 of, of fitness and finances, which are kind of implied in 160 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:03,400 your just be an adult and get your life together. 161 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,360 Sort of things like that, that we just need to steward and and 162 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,920 well manage the things that God has tasked us with. 163 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,480 But we've taken some more specific language with this 164 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:18,760 lately. All this chart is, is knowing 165 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,560 Jesus on the left column, lived out in faith. 166 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,320 And of course, we're going to back that in Scripture and 167 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,440 faith, family fitness, finances, how we know the heart, the 168 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:33,000 character of Jesus, what those things are for our lives. 169 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,240 And then making him known. Well, if we have, if we know 170 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,600 Jesus's heart as it relates to our personal faith with him, our 171 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,360 family entering into a relationship with him and, and, 172 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:48,000 and being discipled by us. And then our physical and mental 173 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,440 emotional fitness being well cared for. 174 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,280 If we, if we understand what Jesus had intended for us in 175 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,720 that area. And if we understand how we are 176 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:59,160 supposed to manage finances, how we're supposed to manage and 177 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:05,160 steward resources on this earth, subdue the earth was was manage 178 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,800 and subdue care for the earth was his command to Adam and Eve. 179 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,480 And as Chris said before, everything was his to begin 180 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:17,720 with. He made and created everything 181 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:24,880 that we have that we see. So by knowing Jesus in these 182 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:30,520 areas and being rooted in his character in these aspects of 183 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:35,120 our life, and then being able to speak into the lives of others 184 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,440 because we don't want, we don't just want to talk, we want to 185 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:44,560 walk the walk too, right? If I came up here and and told 186 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:53,080 you that I was an expert on dreadlocks, are you buying that? 187 00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:56,720 Do you think you believe that I have a lot of experience with 188 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:58,960 how to manage or or or or do that? 189 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:05,840 No, I'm glad, I'm glad. I wasn't sure if Cole is going 190 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:07,000 to be here. I don't want to embarrass him, 191 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,520 but I was going to call him out. Like if, if you, if you guys 192 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,600 don't know who Cole is, he, he has the barn fitness and I was, 193 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,360 I'm not going to have you come up here, but like if you were up 194 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,600 here versus me and you needed to get your life on track 195 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,000 physically and you, and you saw him up to like, it's an easy 196 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,080 decision that you're going to follow that guy who already has 197 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,120 the barn and the fitness set. Like you're, you're going to 198 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:29,920 follow him because he's walking the walk. 199 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:34,040 He's doing this thing right. So as Christians, as followers 200 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,640 of Christ, we need to understand what Jesus had intended so that 201 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,840 we can be an example and make him known to others as we live 202 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,680 these things out. Why? 203 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,480 For His glory and our good. Just that. 204 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:50,680 Just like Chris was saying, there is a best way. 205 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,320 It's in the Word. It's in the Bible. 206 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,240 We have this directive from God on how our lives are supposed to 207 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,600 be orchestrated, but we need to walk the walk if we're going to 208 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,960 show others what it's like to be in relationship with God and to 209 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,280 be in proper union with His design. 210 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:17,040 Now, as Chris said, are you going to be able to perfectly 211 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:18,600 execute these things all the time? 212 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,640 No, we're not. That the 10 commandments 213 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:26,200 perfectly done is a pipe dream. We can't do it. 214 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:31,560 Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law and and be that good and 215 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:35,760 perfect person for us in each and every one of these aspects. 216 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,880 But when you pursue these things for God, when you pursue his 217 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,400 way, it has a trickle down effect. 218 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,440 There's a generational inheritance here. 219 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,240 Look at this. I'm going to cherry, but we're 220 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,800 not going to go through each and every one of these passages this 221 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:56,280 morning. You're welcome to look them up. 222 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,600 We'll make we'll make this slide available too. 223 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:00,760 And and this will be a thing that we're going to continue to 224 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:05,040 talk about. But building on this idea of 225 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,640 knowing him, just starting in, in that route there, Paul writes 226 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,720 in Philippians 3. I count everything else as lost 227 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,920 because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. 228 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,640 My Lord. That is the number one thing, 229 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,160 Your faith, knowing Christ, knowing who he is, that starts 230 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,520 right here. This is his word, this is his 231 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,480 voice. This is how you get to know Him. 232 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:33,440 Out of that, once we know Him, we go go therefore and make 233 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,520 disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of 234 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,160 the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to 235 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:39,640 observe all that I have commanded you. 236 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:46,320 Now, if you weren't at the river last week, that's that's fine. 237 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:51,360 We baptized 10 people last week, which is more people than I had 238 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,960 in my ministry career to that point of, of like actually 239 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,000 physically baptizing people. Maybe that sounds like rookie 240 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,040 numbers. I'm still 34. 241 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:07,360 I got some time to go, but not only were there the tent in the 242 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:11,520 water, there were 50 on the shore to witness it. 243 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,120 Do you know the median attendance, like the like the 244 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:20,880 middle point of attendance in Protestant churches in the US, 245 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:27,920 it's 60 people. 50% of the Protestant churches in America 246 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:30,960 have 60 or fewer people showing up on a Sunday. 247 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:35,360 We had that many out on a river when it was 60° in October in 248 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,400 Iowa. Tell me who's weird now? 249 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:51,920 This room, there's 225 people in this building this morning. 250 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,120 Over the past eight weeks, we have averaged 200 people on a 251 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,240 Sunday morning. There's 190 chairs in this room. 252 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:05,680 That math doesn't math. That doesn't work. 253 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,400 We are spilling over and the Spirit of God is moving 254 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:17,040 powerfully, not just in quantity, but in quality, in 255 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:18,960 depth. That's why we're doing the One 256 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,520 More series, because lives have been changed here. 257 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,120 And I know not all of you know each and every one of them 258 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,680 because we are growing and we're going to reach a point, we're 259 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,720 kind of already at a point where you can't possibly know every 260 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:34,320 single face that's in here. I try my darndest, but we were, 261 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:38,160 we were at a conference. Kristen and Chris and I went to 262 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,640 a conference at a church in Jacksonville last month. 263 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,560 This lead pastor, they have 28,000 people that come to their 264 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,320 campuses on a weekend across 14 campuses. 265 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,160 I don't care if you're the Flash, you don't know all of 266 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:53,760 those people on a Sunday morning. 267 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,200 There's just isn't time. There isn't margin. 268 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:02,240 But what we have to do is create a space not where everyone 269 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:06,960 necessarily needs to know the lead pastor, but where they are 270 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,280 known. And I said lead pastor, that's 271 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,599 just a general thing. We are partners. 272 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,760 We are partners in this. This isn't my vision. 273 00:17:14,839 --> 00:17:19,119 This is our leadership's vision. Our elders and pastor, Chris and 274 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,680 Kristen included in this. This is how we move forward. 275 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,760 We're reaching a point where we're not small church anymore. 276 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,760 And that scares some of you. Some of you came here because 277 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:32,280 you wanted it to be a small church. 278 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:34,440 You liked that it was a small church. 279 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,480 You liked that you knew each and every face that was here. 280 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,320 And that's OK. But I bring up these, I bring up 281 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:46,200 these numbers, these metrics, these things because we could 282 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:50,520 use them as an out. We could say, hey, we just had 283 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,520 more people at a baptism than most churches have in their 284 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,600 building on Sunday morning. We could say, hey, God rooms 285 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,040 fall. We did it. 286 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,760 What now? We filled all the seats. 287 00:18:08,610 --> 00:18:10,130 The seats in heaven aren't full yet. 288 00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:18,450 In fact, they'll never be. We can always reach one more 289 00:18:18,810 --> 00:18:23,890 with the love of Jesus. So we have two choices at this 290 00:18:23,890 --> 00:18:26,650 point. We can stay here with our hands 291 00:18:26,650 --> 00:18:31,010 out or our hands in our pockets and say, God, we did it. 292 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:34,680 What now? I'm going to go find something 293 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,200 else to do because all the people are here and they're 294 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,640 going to stay here and we're just going to, we're going to 295 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,360 turn into a cold and just be 1 happy family here and not, not 296 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:45,080 add to it, not not have anyone else mix in. 297 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:54,320 Or we could choose a posture. We could carry out this Great 298 00:18:54,320 --> 00:19:00,040 Commission and be utterly convinced to do whatever it 299 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:06,040 takes to reach one more for Jesus, one more at a time. 300 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,600 That's the crossroads we're at right now. 301 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:13,440 Nothing wrong with small church and I'm not. 302 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,720 I don't want to scare any of you or or ruin it, but we are 303 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:21,520 reaching a point where you're not going to know everyone and 304 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:26,920 it's OK. But if we foster a community of 305 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:32,080 small groups of ministries that are active and inviting and are 306 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:36,760 bringing people into community and connection with Christ and 307 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,920 with the people of God so that they maybe aren't necessarily 308 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,120 always known by the people up front, but they're known by 309 00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:47,840 someone, that's how we grow. That's how we sustain. 310 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:53,320 We don't want you to be anonymous, but if I took time on 311 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,280 a Sunday morning to meet and greet and chat each and everyone 312 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,600 of you, we're going to be here till 6 O clock tonight and I can 313 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,240 do that again. Professional Christian up here. 314 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,640 Like that's, that's what my time is for. 315 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:07,520 But I don't think you all are going to wait in line all day 316 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,240 and don't hear that as I don't have time for you. 317 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,200 I do. My job is to care for people. 318 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:22,680 My job is to shepherd sheep. I heard from one of you within 319 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,320 the past couple weeks just complimenting Chris and Chris 320 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:26,760 and I and how approachable we are. 321 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,840 Maybe you don't feel that way this this person did, but I hope 322 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:35,840 we are that way. I don't ever want you to think 323 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:42,200 when you have a crisis or a joy or something that you want to 324 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,920 bring to a pastor. Don't ever think the thought, 325 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:50,920 well, he's too busy for that. That's exactly why I'm here for 326 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:55,120 that to hear that from you. So is Pastor Chris. 327 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,280 But at the same time, I can't have a touch point with each 328 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:02,600 everyone of you on a Saturday morning. 329 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:07,040 And we're chasing something greater where that's just going 330 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,240 to be even more of a problem. And it's a good problem to have 331 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:12,720 that. There's too many butts in the 332 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:21,360 seats. So where does that leave us? 333 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,760 We can't perfectly execute all these things, but we can chase 334 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:32,000 them. We can chase knowing Jesus each 335 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,960 and every day. We can chase one more each and 336 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,000 every day. It'll be more effective if we if 337 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,000 we live it out, if we walk the walk instead of just talk the 338 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:48,440 talk. And this is this is the idea of 339 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:54,080 passing it on disciple. These commands, these laws that 340 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:56,000 we're going to get to that God handed down. 341 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,600 He had a purpose not just for you, but for others because he 342 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,840 knows there's a generational inheritance here. 343 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,600 These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 344 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:09,000 You shall teach them diligently to your children. 345 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,440 Talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by 346 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:13,120 the way, and when you lie down and when you rise. 347 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:20,000 Annoy your kids with Jesus. Just do it. 348 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,120 There's plenty of other annoying things in the world. 349 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,880 Honestly, you should annoy them with Jesus. 350 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:31,880 And then when they get it and when they internalize it, at 351 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,240 least when they annoy you, they're annoying you back with 352 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:41,270 Jesus. For those of you that maybe 353 00:22:41,270 --> 00:22:43,670 don't have kids in the house or maybe don't even have other 354 00:22:43,950 --> 00:22:46,350 family, how does how does, how does this work? 355 00:22:46,350 --> 00:22:49,800 Well, Jesus talks about this in Mark 3. 356 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,680 His mother and brothers came and standing outside, they sent him 357 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,120 and called to him, looking about those who sat around and Jesus 358 00:22:56,120 --> 00:22:59,880 said here are my mother and brothers for whoever does the 359 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:02,920 will of God. He is my brother and sister and 360 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,960 mother. Family goes beyond blood. 361 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,960 I know there's some of you that absolutely understand that. 362 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,960 There's some of you that that's going to be a new thing. 363 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:15,600 That's going to be something different to consider. 364 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:28,520 If Jesus is 1st and best, the people who know him that you're 365 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:37,320 sharing eternity with, they really are closer to you than 366 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,360 even your blood. If your blood doesn't. 367 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:44,320 If your blood doesn't know Him, you're tied all the more 368 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,040 powerfully to your brothers and sisters in Christ through the 369 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,200 blood of Jesus than any biological blood that you have 370 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:55,480 flowing through you. That doesn't mean don't reach or 371 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,280 impact those that are lost in your lives that you would 372 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:00,680 otherwise. There's still family, obviously. 373 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,000 But be encouraged and rooted here. 374 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:07,760 Be encouraged and built up in the people who know Christ even 375 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:14,920 more so than those that you just share blood with knowing him and 376 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,080 making him known. Fitness. 377 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,920 I'm just going to touch on really quick that's we, we think 378 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,240 of that as as physical fitness, but the the word that's used in 379 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:24,680 the Bible. Do you not know that your body 380 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,640 is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you? 381 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,960 It's the whole body. It's your mind, it's your 382 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,760 emotions. It's it is your physical body 383 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,720 that you're supposed to care for as it houses the Holy Spirit 384 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,920 that you have. But it's all of those things. 385 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:45,760 And I promise it's all in here. If you're rooted in this, cast 386 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,840 all your cares. Cast all your anxieties upon him 387 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,880 because he cares for you. Do not be anxious. 388 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,680 There's answers and there's truth and there's peace in the 389 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:03,120 words of Jesus. For our whole body is a temple, 390 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:10,240 and thereby when we live that out, when we have sanity, when 391 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:14,560 things don't make sense, when we have peace, when there is chaos 392 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:20,480 in our lives, when our hope is in the Lord, our strength, our 393 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,240 physical strength, our mind strength, our emotional strength 394 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:27,760 is all renewed. We will run, we will move, we 395 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:33,640 will think and not grow weary. We will move and not be faint. 396 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,720 It all starts right here. And knowing his heart and his 397 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:45,680 design, finally Chris cracked the door open a little bit. 398 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:49,360 That everything is God's. It all started with Him. 399 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:53,320 It's established that he as His, it all belongs to Him. 400 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,760 Paul reflects the heart of Jesus as it relates to earthly 401 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,880 finances in this, in everything I did, this is the words of 402 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:02,160 Paul. I showed you that by this kind 403 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:03,680 of hard work we must help the weak. 404 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,680 Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said. 405 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,040 It is more blessed to give than to receive. 406 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:18,640 That doesn't make sense. A wholeheartedly acknowledge 407 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:23,640 that that doesn't make sense. We like stuff. 408 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:29,840 We like receiving stuff. Some of you. 409 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:31,120 Yeah. Your love language is gift 410 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:31,960 giving. I get that. 411 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:39,520 But like, it's still still nice to have stuff when we understand 412 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:51,480 Jesus's heart of generosity, that he gave it all because his 413 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:56,600 life belonged to the Father. He was obedient to the Father's 414 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,360 will. We can talk numbers. 415 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:03,040 We can debate on the theological accuracies of is it 3%? 416 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:05,240 Is it 10%? What is a tithe? 417 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,040 What is a gift? What is charity? 418 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:08,640 Yadi. We can go all the way down the 419 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:15,480 list. What if Jesus gave 3% on that 420 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:20,400 cross? What if we only gave 10%? 421 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:24,840 There's a lot of us in this room that are left out. 422 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:32,800 He gave it all because it all belong to God to begin with. 423 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,280 And that's not a guilt trip. That's not open your pocketbook. 424 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,640 It's pocketbooks. No one has pocketbooks anymore. 425 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:50,000 Maybe you do. I definitely don't. 426 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,720 That's not to say you got to open the floodgates and give it 427 00:27:55,720 --> 00:28:00,400 all, but there's a, there's a story of a widow's might or her, 428 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,400 her 2 pennies, her her littlest gift. 429 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,000 It was everything that she had and she gave it all because she 430 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,320 trusted that that came from God to begin with. 431 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,440 And there would be more where that came from and it would be 432 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:16,040 enough. So in Paul's words, each one 433 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:17,880 must give us. He has decided in his heart, not 434 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:21,640 reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 435 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:26,320 God doesn't want your money. He doesn't need your money. 436 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:29,480 It's technically not even your money. 437 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:31,600 It's his, but he doesn't need it. 438 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:38,720 He wants your heart. He wants the cheerful, joyful, 439 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:46,320 expectant trust of what's going to happen when you bring back to 440 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:52,960 him what's already his. Josh is on drums this morning. 441 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:58,200 But if I, if I gave him my guitar to borrow for the week to 442 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,400 practice on, to play, maybe he just wants to try. 443 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,280 So, yeah, he's excited about it. Yeah. 444 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:09,080 If he comes back to practice on Wednesday, he's all excited. 445 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:11,240 Big granted. Matt, I got something for you. 446 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:12,360 You're going to be really excited. 447 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,680 And he gives me back my guitar. OK? 448 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:19,920 It's my guitar. Am I, am I supposed to be 449 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:23,080 impressed by this gift that you brought back to me? 450 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:30,040 It's not our money. It's already gods. 451 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:36,040 He's not impressed by our generosity. 452 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,280 He's not impressed by the money we can lay at his feet. 453 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:46,680 He wants your heart. He wants the childlike trust 454 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:53,600 where you're wholly reliant on him and nothing's going to 455 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,640 unfold in your life without his provision. 456 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:08,070 That's what he wants. So now to the fun stuff. 457 00:30:09,910 --> 00:30:11,750 That was the fun stuff. And some of you are going to. 458 00:30:12,710 --> 00:30:14,510 This isn't the end because some of you would be leaving. 459 00:30:14,510 --> 00:30:16,870 All right, Vision Sunday really wound up being about money, 460 00:30:17,110 --> 00:30:19,190 surprise, surprise. I'm shocked. 461 00:30:21,390 --> 00:30:24,070 It is, and it isn't because God wants your heart. 462 00:30:24,670 --> 00:30:29,800 I'm going to hold to that when we give to him, just like with 463 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:35,000 Cain and Abel, the first story, the first murder in the Old 464 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:43,960 Testament, Cain brought God a reluctant gift. 465 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,400 He didn't bring God his first fruits. 466 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,720 He didn't give him his best. He certainly didn't give him 467 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:59,480 most Abel, the first things that he harvested, the first things 468 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,680 that God provided to him in his life, he gave right back to God. 469 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,840 And that was his sacrifice. That was his act of trust, that 470 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,920 God, I know you gave this to me. I know it belongs to you, and I 471 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:12,640 know that you'll bring it back to me again. 472 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:18,400 So it's yours anyway. 1st and best was the model that we see 473 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:25,280 in Abel in Genesis. That's going to take some doing, 474 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:30,200 if that's not already your mode of operation. 475 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:36,000 The average middle class American is living on 107% of 476 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:40,040 their household income. Once again, that math doesn't 477 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:45,680 math, especially if you're here and you're and you're hearing 478 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:50,360 the law side of this, that you're supposed to live on 90% 479 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,480 or less. After that 10% goes to God, 480 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,240 right? Excuse me, Sorry. 481 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,160 It's not about guilting you into it. 482 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,640 It's not even about achieving a number. 483 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:16,240 It's about your heart. It's about cheerfully joining in 484 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:24,280 to the work that God is doing. So what can we do? 485 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:27,920 Sorry JT, if you would just mute me for a SEC. 486 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:37,550 I need great. What are we going to do 487 00:32:37,950 --> 00:32:40,030 practically? What does this look like? 488 00:32:40,070 --> 00:32:46,070 Well, all these things, the knowing Jesus part that's worked 489 00:32:46,070 --> 00:32:48,510 out with fear and trembling in your own personal life. 490 00:32:49,390 --> 00:32:52,190 Yes, we're here to facilitate and encourage and build 491 00:32:52,190 --> 00:32:54,590 community in these in these things, but it's what we're 492 00:32:54,590 --> 00:32:58,560 going to chase so that together we can make him known and we can 493 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:00,840 reach one more at a time for Jesus. 494 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,280 Now in order to do that in the way that Pastor Chris were 495 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:09,000 talking about that, yeah, we want to come to a relatively 496 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:13,200 clean, a relatively, I don't know, not packed out sanctuary. 497 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,440 We want it's it's a chicken or the egg thing because if we make 498 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,360 a bigger room and then we fill it up again and then we got to 499 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:19,960 do that. Like the goal is to fill it up 500 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,240 again, but we never want it full because then we can't fit more 501 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:24,800 people in. And we just got to roll. 502 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,880 We just got to roll as as God's moving the momentum, right? 503 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:33,720 We need to care for some things first. 504 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,000 And I didn't, I don't have plans, pictures, things to show 505 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,560 you because I don't want your hope to be in a building. 506 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,320 I want your hope to be in the character of God that's in this 507 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,840 book, OK. Because if we see this thing 508 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:51,520 through and this thing that we're chasing, we could double 509 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:53,920 the size of this room. We could make 400 seats and we 510 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:56,120 can put two services in it. And when there's 800 people here 511 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:58,560 on a Sunday, we're going to be right back here wondering what 512 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,640 do we do? Guess who didn't change? 513 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:05,200 God didn't change. So that's what our hope is in 514 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:10,120 not this building or what it holds, but we're still called to 515 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:11,560 do. We're still called to act when 516 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,360 he brings momentum, when he brings His spirit. 517 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:18,920 So we got to expand bathrooms. I know that doesn't sound 518 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:22,600 awesome, but you got to start with the little things. 519 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:27,239 We got a parking lot Outback. I don't know that that parking 520 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,520 lot is going to bring anyone to Jesus directly. 521 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:36,120 I just I I know rock water came out of it and fed the Israel and 522 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,040 satisfied the Israelites thirst. But like I I don't know, but you 523 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:41,760 know what it's going to do? It's going to make room for one 524 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:43,480 more to come to Jesus in this place. 525 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,000 So that's why we did that. We got to have bathrooms. 526 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,719 We got to expand the bathrooms, to expand the bathrooms out 527 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:52,880 here, we got to move the kitchen way over there, and we got to do 528 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,400 all those things so that we can fit more people in this room 529 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:01,120 because we're going to have to blow that wall out at some 530 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:05,840 point. We're starting with two services 531 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:11,760 next week because there's 190 people in this room and there's 532 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:17,440 190 seats. We literally don't have space 533 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:22,240 for one more and I'm not ready to stop and give up. 534 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:32,360 It's not done and over. We still have more work to do, 535 00:35:36,720 --> 00:35:40,920 Jesus wrote. And This is why the knowing 536 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:45,760 Jesus and making him known is really important, that we are to 537 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:51,640 seek first the Kingdom of God and all these worries, all these 538 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:55,320 things that we like to spend time and resource on, that we 539 00:35:55,320 --> 00:36:01,560 like to pay attention to. If we rightly order our lives 540 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:10,840 seeking the Jesus way, seeking his character first, all that 541 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:13,720 other stuff is going to be taken care of in his benevolent grace. 542 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:17,560 Look at the sparrows lacking for nothing. 543 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:20,800 Look at the lilies of the field clothed in splendor. 544 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,960 Do you not think that your heavenly Father cares for you 545 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:31,000 more than these? And it sounds really poetic and 546 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:32,760 beautiful and nice. And then we walked out of the 547 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:37,720 church doors and we're like, yeah, but I need a new 548 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:43,240 KitchenAid mixer. I want a new pair of shoes. 549 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:50,680 I need a new car. There's always more things. 550 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:59,080 Jesus told us not to store up our treasures on earth, where 551 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:02,320 moth and rust destroy, but lay them up in heaven. 552 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:07,320 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 553 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:11,320 You want to see that in real time. 554 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,280 Where's where's your heart? Where's your treasure? 555 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:19,960 There's a young lady who has been an instrumental part of the 556 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:22,560 worship team for many, many years up here, and she just 557 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,680 graduated high school this past year. 558 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:29,200 Natalie. She went up to UW Platteville 559 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:31,280 for college. And I don't know if any of you 560 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:35,280 noticed, I noticed her mom, Lindsay, who's up here on base 561 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:38,880 often, has had a pretty regular wardrobe change since her 562 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:42,760 daughter's been at school. She's rocking the pioneer blue 563 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,160 and orange. And it's today. 564 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:47,240 I, I know I didn't even tell you to do that. 565 00:37:47,240 --> 00:37:53,360 I just, you know why? Because that's where your 566 00:37:53,360 --> 00:38:01,960 treasure is. Your treasure moved, moved not 567 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:06,480 forever, didn't go away. But where your treasure is, 568 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,280 there your heart is also. That's how it works with us in 569 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,520 money. Show me your checking account. 570 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:16,040 I'll show you where your heart is. 571 00:38:23,110 --> 00:38:25,910 No one can serve 2 masters. You'll either hate one and love 572 00:38:25,910 --> 00:38:27,670 the other. Who would be devoted to 1 to 573 00:38:27,670 --> 00:38:29,830 despise the other? You cannot serve God in money. 574 00:38:32,550 --> 00:38:35,150 We need money. Money is a resource, a tool, a 575 00:38:35,150 --> 00:38:37,030 leverage. It absolutely is. 576 00:38:37,950 --> 00:38:42,440 But what's the end, What's the goal? 577 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:47,040 What's the out? We're not immune to it. 578 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:48,760 We, we made a budget here last week. 579 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:51,120 We had a budget meeting before, before baptism. 580 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:54,000 We're trying to be godly stewards of resources that are 581 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:55,880 here. I think probably for the first 582 00:38:55,880 --> 00:39:00,200 time ever, the budget is over $400,000 on an annual basis. 583 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,800 Wayne, you can vet that. You've been here serving as 584 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:06,200 elder longer than I've been alive. 585 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:10,320 So I'm going to and that wasn't OK. 586 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:11,640 You guys took that the wrong way. 587 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:21,800 That was, maybe I said it wrong. That was a compliment to the 588 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,720 testament of God's faithfulness in this place. 589 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:34,000 Whether you've been here for 40 years or 40 minutes, it's clear 590 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,040 to see that God is moving amongst us. 591 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:45,840 The time is now, we are working on plans. 592 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:48,960 We will have plans, we will have specific things that we're doing 593 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:56,880 to this building, but I promise it all starts here first and 594 00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:00,160 that's never going to change. This is what we're going to 595 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:04,040 compel you towards because I still believe as much as we need 596 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:08,280 our your God's money to do this thing. 597 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:12,800 First and foremost, He wants your heart. 598 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:17,480 So if I'm going to chase after His heart, that's the first 599 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:22,360 thing I want to. I want your heart to love Jesus 600 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:24,040 more than anything else in this world. 601 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:38,520 The end of this passage. Though there's warnings, there's 602 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,360 also promises. Therefore, I tell you, do not be 603 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,480 anxious about your life, what you will eat or drink, nor about 604 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:45,400 your body, what you will put on. Life is more than clothing. 605 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:47,640 Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap, yet 606 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:51,600 your heavenly Father feeds them. You're of more value than they 607 00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:55,120 are by being anxious. Which of you can add a single 608 00:40:55,120 --> 00:41:00,360 hour to your life? Consider the lilies, how they 609 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:02,360 grow. They neither toil nor spin, but 610 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:14,120 yet they are arrayed in glory. And if God closed the grass of 611 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:17,280 the field which is alive, and tomorrow is thrown into the 612 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:19,680 oven, how much more will He clothe you of you of little 613 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:24,080 faith? Do not be anxious for the 614 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:27,800 Gentiles, the world, whenever you see that word in the Bible, 615 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:30,520 the world, those that are wrapped up in the things of the 616 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:35,920 world, the Gentiles seek after all these things, all this toil, 617 00:41:36,640 --> 00:41:42,680 all this money, all this effort, and your heavenly Father knows. 618 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:48,760 He sees that you need them all. He understands. 619 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:52,080 He's not going to let you out to dry. 620 00:41:57,240 --> 00:42:02,000 He understands. So seek first the Kingdom of God 621 00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:06,600 and His righteousness, which is found in that guy Jesus that 622 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:07,840 we're going to keep talking about. 623 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:09,960 And yeah, that's what Vision Sunday was about. 624 00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:12,080 Because it still just comes back to Jesus. 625 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:17,440 And all these things that we're so wrapped up and concerned with 626 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,920 will be added unto you. It has to be Jesus first. 627 00:42:23,160 --> 00:42:28,800 Seek the Kingdom first. This is the how. 628 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:32,000 This chart is the how. It's it's, it's how we can get 629 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:39,480 there. But this is the goal, this is 630 00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:51,200 the scoreboard halftime interviews of of coaches at 631 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:54,840 football games that they're they're down in points coach 632 00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:56,880 what what what went wrong? And the, and the coach will 633 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:00,280 usually go on about how defense wasn't good enough for the 634 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:02,040 quarterback missed some passes. You know what it was? 635 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:04,920 You know what went wrong? You didn't score as many points 636 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:08,360 as the other team. That's the point of the game, 637 00:43:08,360 --> 00:43:09,600 right? I don't care the quarterback's 638 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:11,160 completion percentages. I don't care about the guy. 639 00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:13,440 You didn't score more points than the other team. 640 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:22,360 These are the points. This is the scoreboard that 641 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:25,360 matters. Are you seeking first the 642 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:30,000 Kingdom of God? This is the how I think it's 643 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:31,920 pretty solid. I really do. 644 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,680 So if you need guidance on on on where it is, we're going to 645 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:37,960 start here and we're going to be harping on these things. 646 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:40,840 We're going to do a four week series on these four things at 647 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:43,480 the start of the year to help with finances. 648 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:47,320 We're going to start financial peace again in January. 649 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:49,400 We're going to start a small group centered on Financial 650 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:51,040 Peace University to help with that. 651 00:43:51,600 --> 00:44:00,280 J TS2 thumbs up champion for that back there all along the 652 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:04,040 way. If we align these things with 653 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:09,920 the character of Christ, how can we not reach the One More? 654 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:23,840 God is first, so we will seek the Kingdom first, all for the 655 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:28,720 sake of reaching the One More. There will be asks. 656 00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:32,240 There will be plans. Yes, there will be phases and 657 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:36,000 and capital campaigns and there will there will be asks for 658 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,720 money. Not today, but I know there 659 00:44:39,720 --> 00:44:42,040 will. There will be. 660 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:46,160 We're going to prepare and be ready in these things for that 661 00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:47,480 day. We're going to start trusting 662 00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:53,160 that the Lord will provide now starts today. 663 00:44:55,960 --> 00:44:59,320 We're going to sing one more song together to really get that 664 00:44:59,320 --> 00:45:11,880 idea in there band can come on back up the church. 665 00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:16,400 This is where it starts, when we have our heart aligned pursuing, 666 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:19,800 seeking the Kingdom 1st and the things of Jesus. 667 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:30,040 We're going to fill this room twice over. 2 services, that's 668 00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:34,640 going to fill up. We're going to have to figure 669 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:37,880 out what to do after that. Do we grow the room again? 670 00:45:38,520 --> 00:45:42,800 Do we plant a church somewhere? I don't know. 671 00:45:47,080 --> 00:45:49,040 I'm supposed to be the one who knows. 672 00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:56,840 So that's not super confident. I am confident because I know 673 00:45:56,840 --> 00:46:01,920 the one who holds tomorrow, I know the one who knows the 674 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:04,960 plans. And if we follow him earnestly, 675 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:08,760 we're going to end up exactly where he wants us to be. 676 00:46:13,720 --> 00:46:15,960 Thanks for listening to ERC Sundays. 677 00:46:16,320 --> 00:46:18,480 To support the work God is doing at Emmaus Rd. 678 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:22,440 Church, visit emmausrdonline.org/giving.