1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,040 Welcome to the Illuminate Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:05,640 We hope today's message is encouraging to you. 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:11,200 We're in a series called Community. 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,520 Everyone say Community. Yeah. 5 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:19,360 And just to refresh at the top here, we are made for community. 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,640 That's why we were made by a community. 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,920 That's what we've been saying in the series, The community being 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,080 the Triune Godfather, Son and Holy Spirit. 9 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,120 Together they said let us make man in our image, and their 10 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,960 image is a community. And so we are supposed to 11 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,040 reflect that community and we cannot reflect the community by 12 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:41,720 ourselves. We were designed to live in 13 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:43,520 community. That's the really the point of 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,320 this whole series is to return everybody to original design. 15 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,200 And when we don't operate an original design, the design 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,760 doesn't work. It's like putting milk in your 17 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:58,080 gas can in your car. That's not how it was designed. 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,120 It will not work. And the same thing for you, you 19 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,760 may be feeling as you enter here today, Man, I'm a little off. 20 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,920 My marriage is hurting, my finances are hurting, my inner 21 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,880 self is hurting. And it may be because somewhere 22 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,560 the communal part of your life is not operating as it as it's 23 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,120 designed. That's the whole point of the 24 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,240 series. We just want to learn from God 25 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,280 how community works so that we can live in our optimal design. 26 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,760 Do you understand? It's like hitting the reset 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,960 button on a, you know, like you got a piece of electronics and 28 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:26,920 it has that little secret button. 29 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,560 You got to reach a paper clip up in there and press, and when you 30 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,440 press it, it goes back to its default setting. 31 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,280 Yeah, everyone, this is the participation part of the Yeah, 32 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:38,800 Yep, that's what we're doing. We're saying God reset us to 33 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,560 understand your design as it regards to community. 34 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:43,480 Last week we talked about the table. 35 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,440 We had a table appear if you were here, and the idea of the 36 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:50,560 table is that Jesus invites us to the unity of the body that is 37 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,840 his new community of faith. Anyone who believes in Jesus 38 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,240 becomes a part of the faith family forever where he is ABBA 39 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,800 father and we are his sons and daughters. 40 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,560 Amen, heirs to the throne, Amen. Unity also we reveal his glory 41 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,840 together. When the world sees the unified 42 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,560 body of Christ, it it, it beholds the glory of God like 43 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:13,240 whoa, these people look like, smell like, talk like, act like 44 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,920 together, the body of God, body of Christ. 45 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,720 And then finally, the table we said last week was about 46 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,400 revealing his transformational power, that when we live in 47 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,840 actual community, not doing faith alone in isolation, but 48 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,480 community of believers, the transformation really occurs in 49 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:30,720 US. And people can tell the 50 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,800 difference. They see it when we live inside 51 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,080 of this community. We said over and over, Jesus is 52 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,440 inviting you to the table. And I want to take it a step 53 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,040 further today and say this. If Jesus is inviting his table, 54 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,440 us to the table, then what should the church be doing? 55 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:52,360 And I'll put it in this sentence, who are you inviting 56 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:57,280 to the table? I mean, we just really just stop 57 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:58,640 there and say that's the message. 58 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:03,840 If Jesus is the one inviting us to the table and we are to be 59 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,600 like Jesus and to grow up into all things Christ, who is the 60 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,960 head of the church, then we as a church should be inviting people 61 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:15,240 to the table on the regular. It should be the forefront of 62 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:16,960 our minds. Today's message is called 63 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:21,360 Mission Defined Community. Community that finds its 64 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,200 identity based on its mission. You all know this. 65 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,520 People form communities around common interests and hobbies all 66 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,360 the time. Anyone have in their 67 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,640 neighborhood the cycling club, I see these, these people on its 68 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,880 celebrations where we live. They got to they're in their 69 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,520 bikes. These, this club is known for 70 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,160 spandex. That's what they're known for. 71 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,040 I don't wear spandex, so I don't cycle. 72 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,760 There you go. Then you have the runners club 73 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,240 and the idea of the club is that you have community, but running 74 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,720 and having community at the same time is impossible for me 75 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,120 because I can't talk when I'm running. 76 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,040 I can barely breathe when I'm running. 77 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:01,680 Anybody. Hallelujah. 78 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,440 So like other person's talking, like can we wait until we're 79 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,640 done with this 100 yard run? My dad's in a community. 80 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,520 The people in his community are called Lip Boomer and the 81 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,920 Canadian. These are the people that he 82 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,440 golfs with every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a 83 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:22,400 bunch of about 20 other guys. They golf all that. 84 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,320 It's just his community. My mom's a part of a community. 85 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,040 It's called the Peacemakers Quilt Guild. 86 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:33,880 Any quilters in the House wait on it? 87 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,720 Yeah, my mom is an award-winning quilt maker and she made this 88 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,080 community of quilters. There's like a couple 100 of 89 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,320 people in this thing called the Peacemakers Quilt Guild. 90 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,240 My dad says they gather around the F word, which for him is 91 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:53,040 fabric, fabric, more fabric. Yeah. 92 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:59,320 So studies show that we are incredibly more likely to form 93 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:04,240 community friendships around activity more than any other 94 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,160 way. 42% of people find their friendships and their community 95 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:09,560 at work. If you love your work and the 96 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,840 other person loves their work, then you love working on this. 97 00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:14,400 Like I'm like, we're cast members, we love Disney and 98 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:20,680 there's interest happens that. Just as an example, 31% of 99 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,640 people find their community based on sports or 100 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,960 extracurricular activities like golf or biking or running, and 101 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,400 17% of the people find their community based on hobbies and 102 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,720 interests like quilting or Pokémon, something like that. 103 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,080 In the 9:00 AM service, I said that and a guy here is like woo. 104 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:47,120 And he's like kind of funny. So these shared interests, when 105 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,120 we have them, it makes it way easier to form a common bond. 106 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,800 But we're just easily relate because we have a shared 107 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,680 identity. You find 2 guys who like the 108 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:58,680 Minnesota Vikings, they've never met each other, but all of a 109 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:04,400 sudden they're friends. Pastor Kim got Heather there. 110 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,560 Yeah. So when we have identity like 111 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,800 this in a community, we say things like this. 112 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:23,320 We are bikers, we are runners, we are golfers, we are quilters. 113 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:35,760 But what about the church? What are we churchers? 114 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,200 If you ever go to Cracker Barrel and you're sitting there, no, 115 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:40,120 wait. Just like, how do you all know 116 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:41,480 each other? Like, oh, we're churchers? 117 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:44,720 Like what in the world is a churcher? 118 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:49,320 I have no idea. So what is the common interest 119 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,680 of the church that we form our identity and we bond around? 120 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:57,360 Everyone's saying Jesus, I got a question for you. 121 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:58,920 What about the Father and the Holy Spirit? 122 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,080 Would you agree with me that the interest of Illuminate Church is 123 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,400 the Lord our God? OK, y'all aren't ready, I'm 124 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,840 gonna go over here. Would you agree with me that the 125 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,440 interest of the highest nature at Illuminate Church is the Lord 126 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,800 our God? Mezzanine, do you believe us, 127 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,080 the Lord our God? Y'all want a second chance? 128 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,400 Do y'all believe that the common interest of Illuminate Church is 129 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,760 the Lord our God? Whoa, bring that energy the 130 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,840 first time. Come on, I love that. 131 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,880 I would say that I agree with you that God is our common 132 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,280 interest because that is how we all begin in the faith. 133 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:50,280 It is God that draws us by His Holy Spirit, by his own grace as 134 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,240 love, as mercy. We come with need. 135 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,960 I'm hurting, I'm alone, I'm bound in sin, I feel doomed for 136 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,400 destruction. So I've come looking for a 137 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:01,960 Savior. And when you walk into a church 138 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:03,920 that preaches the gospel, you'll find the Savior. 139 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,800 His name is Jesus and respond to him. 140 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,960 He is the head of the church. We are the body from which His 141 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,880 glory is derived. He is the head. 142 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,600 And so if you say that the Lord our God is our common interest, 143 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,280 that we're looking to the Lord, I would say you are correct. 144 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,560 But here's the thing that's distinctive about this community 145 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,840 called the church. Once we receive the love of God 146 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,640 and salvation and faith in Jesus Christ, we immediately begin a 147 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:35,360 maturing process. Our faith grows so that we get 148 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,200 to this place where we don't walk into the church all the 149 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,440 time saying, God, how I need you. 150 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,080 Instead we say, God, how do you need me? 151 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,240 There's a flip that happens in the mind of the maturing 152 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,560 believer that says I'm no longer coming here just for myself. 153 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:56,520 I'm coming here to see what God wants me to do that's 154 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:00,520 distinctive about our community. How can I respond to your heart, 155 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:02,320 Lord? How can I match your heart? 156 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,360 How can I be part of the solution that reaches out to 157 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,200 others? As we we grow in our faith, in 158 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,640 our minds, our, our, our mindset should transform into this kind 159 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,960 of thinking. Here it is because God is our 160 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,920 interest. Our interest should be God's 161 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:24,520 interest. And my wife doesn't love golf, 162 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,880 but she's interested in it because I'm interested in it. 163 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,640 So occasionally when I come home from a round of golf, not 164 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,280 because she really cares, but she knows what cares to me. 165 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,880 She said, How was your round? Tell me about your scores, what 166 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,440 you do. I'm like #1 in the water #2 167 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:50,960 triple bogey #4 I quit. We do this with people that we 168 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,080 are interested in. We make their interest our 169 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,560 interest because it matters to them and they matter to us. 170 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:00,360 And so as we mature in the faith, we move from thinking 171 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,280 about only our interest to now what's God's interest? 172 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:09,000 And God's interest is people. His interest is people. 173 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:11,360 Just look John chapter 3, verse 16. 174 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,280 For God so loved the world. The world is a bunch of people 175 00:10:14,680 --> 00:10:16,920 that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in 176 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:18,600 him shall not perish but have eternal life. 177 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,200 You've heard this verse, but let it sink down into your soul. 178 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:25,800 How much God loves people took his one and only Son that he 179 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,760 would suffer through an impossibly torturous death just 180 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,880 so that you and I could feel the love of the Father. 181 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,240 John chapter 10, Hallelujah indeed. 182 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,560 John chapter 10, verse 10. The thief comes only to steal, 183 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:40,560 kill and destroy. But I have come, Jesus has come 184 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,680 that they, the people may have life and have it to the full. 185 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,760 God is crazy about people. People are His interest. 186 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,800 And because people are His interest and God is our 187 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,920 interest, people should be our interest. 188 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,200 In fact, God gave us marching orders. 189 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,520 He gave us a command. We called the Great Commission. 190 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:06,320 Matthew chapter 28, That Jesus said to them, all authority in 191 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:07,800 heaven on earth has been given to me. 192 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,360 Therefore go make disciples of all nations. 193 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:14,480 Nations are full of what are you all here? 194 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:20,800 Nations are full of what? Yeah, people baptizing them in 195 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:22,880 the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit and 196 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,120 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 197 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:30,160 And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. 198 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,800 God says in the Great Commission, go and be interested 199 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:38,760 in people to the extent that those people will fall in love 200 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,840 with the Father. And after they fall in love with 201 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:43,880 the Father, they'll care about what the Father cares about, 202 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,480 which is people. And then they'll lead people to 203 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:50,000 the love of the Father and tell those people raise up in the 204 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,120 faith, and they realize what the Father's heart is about. 205 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,600 And they'll match their heart to the Father's, and they'll lead 206 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:55,840 other people. Do you understand what I'm 207 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,560 saying here? It just goes on and on and on. 208 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:01,080 We are standing in this space today because of the 209 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,960 faithfulness of other people to be interested in us. 210 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,600 Somebody was interested enough in you to lead you to the love 211 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:16,960 of the Father. That's God's interest, needs to 212 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:18,000 be our interest. Then what? 213 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,320 What can we say is our communal interest to Illuminate Church 214 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,120 that defines us as our community? 215 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,720 These words won't surprise you. It's on the wall in the lobby. 216 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,440 We help people find abundant life in Jesus. 217 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,680 This is what Jesus came to do, Amen. 218 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,720 This is what Jesus came to do. This is the Father's heart to 219 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,840 help people find life. And so it's our heart to match. 220 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,240 It's hard to say this is what we're going to do too, but how 221 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:43,640 do we do it at Illuminate Church? 222 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,800 Great question. We make disciples. 223 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:51,440 We fulfill the Great Commission because it's disciples who 224 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,200 experience abundant life. It's disciples. 225 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,480 How do we do that? Well, four ways. 226 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,440 Meet God, discover who you are in Christ, Become more like 227 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,680 Jesus and lead others to do the same. 228 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,520 Meet, discover, become. Lead. 229 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:09,880 You say it. Meet, discover, become. 230 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:16,440 Everybody says it me. Discover, become, lead. 231 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,400 This is the mission that defines us. 232 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:22,040 This is what identifies us here as illuminate church. 233 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,080 Who are we? Are we churchers? 234 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,720 So who are we? People of God. 235 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,400 People of God, Yes. Oh, somebody went to the 9:00 236 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:38,560 AM. We are disciple makers. 237 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,880 It's all right. They just studied for the test. 238 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:52,520 We are disciple makers. So if I ask you, who are you, I 239 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,320 would hope that as part of your identity that you would speak to 240 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:56,560 me. You would say I'm a disciple 241 00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:01,920 maker and I'm a part of a community that makes disciples. 242 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:04,560 It's who we are. It's what we do. 243 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,080 It's our identity. We're not politicians. 244 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,120 We're not activists, we're not doctors or teachers. 245 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,040 These are all great and noble professions. 246 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,800 But as this community stands together, when we gather and 247 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:21,280 we're out in the world, what we do is make disciples who make 248 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:26,040 disciples who make disciples who make disciples. 249 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,520 Confusion arises in the community that doesn't know who 250 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:37,080 they are. When there's a void of identity, 251 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,600 whoever is the strongest mouth in the room will stand up and 252 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,480 say this is who we are, this is what we do. 253 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,920 And when there's confusion or an absence of clarity, division 254 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,280 arises. And when that division arises, 255 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,720 there's usually factions and rivalries and it ain't pretty. 256 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,000 Case in point, if I were to ask you the question, don't answer 257 00:14:58,000 --> 00:14:59,760 out loud on this one. What is an American? 258 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,240 What's the identity of an American? 259 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:08,680 What's the mission of American? Because there's confusion. 260 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,520 What you have in the world is factions and divisions and 261 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:16,000 bitter rivalries that are trashing each other on social 262 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,160 media. Unless I'm the only one who's 263 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,440 seen it. But Jesus has been so kind to us 264 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:24,520 so that no man has to have an opinion. 265 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:29,160 No woman has to think about it. It's clear from the Creator what 266 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:34,000 our mission is as a church. This is what we do, he says. 267 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:41,040 This is who we are as his body. You wouldn't join a softball 268 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:42,680 team and try to teach them all hockey. 269 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,080 It confuses the mission, confuses the identity. 270 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,920 What are we, softball people with hockey sticks? 271 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,840 You wouldn't join a business leaders group and try to teach 272 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,520 them guitar. It's it's mission confusion. 273 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:00,800 Like what are we actually here to do? 274 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:02,840 Play Axel Rose? Like, dude, what? 275 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:08,680 Somebody just found their church? 276 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:16,280 Yes. You wouldn't enter a church and 277 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,000 try to change the mission either. 278 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,000 You wouldn't want it to be confusing. 279 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:25,800 You'd want to find out what is it that we do? 280 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:31,440 And now I'll let myself align to it and become part of the 281 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:33,040 community. The mission unites us. 282 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,120 The mission identifies us. We are disciple makers. 283 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:39,080 In this series, we're inviting you to community, which means 284 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,520 we're inviting you to the mission of the community as 285 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,440 well, to be part of what's happening in the Kingdom. 286 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,360 Here at Illuminate Church in Central Florida. 287 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,320 We are disciple makers. That's the point of the church, 288 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,880 to grow the Kingdom, the community of believers. 289 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,640 You may say, well, I thought the mission of the church was 290 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:01,760 healing. Didn't Jesus say himself, the 291 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,280 blind will see, the lame will hawk, though the lame will walk, 292 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,079 the death will hear. Is it the mission of the gospel 293 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:09,560 to bring freedom to people through his blood? 294 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,400 And I would say this to you, and I submitted to you gently that 295 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,680 healing is on the way to mission. 296 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:23,329 It is not the mission. Healing is on the way to 297 00:17:23,329 --> 00:17:24,450 mission. It's not the mission. 298 00:17:28,690 --> 00:17:32,210 You may have come to the day or come to this church anytime 299 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,080 because you need the healing, spiritual, emotional, physical, 300 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:40,120 financial, relational, and I want to tell you came to the 301 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:44,320 right place. Healing is in God's house. 302 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,680 Healing is the children's bread. It's meant for His body. 303 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:53,520 God is concerned about healing, but healing is not the end of 304 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,360 the game. Healing is not the only thing. 305 00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:00,680 We come here for me like I got healing so I'm good, I'm done. 306 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:06,560 And we said back, God brought you here not just for your 307 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,840 healing, but that you would join the communal mission to expand 308 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,800 the Kingdom of heaven. Genesis chapter 1, God says be 309 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,400 fruitful and increase in number. He's not just talking about 310 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,640 procreation. He's talking about replicating 311 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,840 the community on the earth. Matthew chapter 28, we just read 312 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:24,040 it. The Great Commission says go and 313 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:25,760 make more and more, not Christians, more and more 314 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,640 disciples, people who follow me. A Christian believes A disciple 315 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:36,320 follows Acts chapter one verse 8 says when the Holy Spirit comes 316 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:38,080 upon you, you will be my witnesses. 317 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,200 You're going to go tell the world in Jerusalem, Judea, 318 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,520 Samaria, the ends of the earth. All of these scriptures, Old 319 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,480 Testament to New Testament to the birth of the church, all 320 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,760 pointed to the same thing. I'm creating you with a mission. 321 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:58,160 Build a community, draw people in to the faith family. 322 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:02,040 This is what we do that all of this comes from Jesus heart. 323 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,360 Jesus is heart of what's is what forms our communal mission. 324 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,920 You've heard me say before that what should the body of Christ 325 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,840 be doing what we should be doing what Christ did while in his 326 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,040 body and I want to show you we finally got to Matthew Chapter 327 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,760 9. You've been so patient Jesus 328 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,520 heart. You can see it displayed in a 329 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:26,520 few short verses. Verse 35, You ready? 330 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,440 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their 331 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:35,320 synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom and healing 332 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,640 every disease and sickness. There's a distinction here 333 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,560 between the good news of the Kingdom and healing is every 334 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:43,640 disease and sickness. They're both important, but 335 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,240 they're distinct. When he saw the crowds, he had 336 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,240 compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like 337 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:53,320 sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 338 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,360 the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 339 00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:59,440 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers 340 00:20:00,120 --> 00:20:04,520 into his harvest field. You get the essence and kind of 341 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:06,880 see the pattern and cycle of what I'm speaking about right 342 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,000 here in this short passage about Jesus. 343 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:14,040 We have healing and then we have harvest. 344 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,680 Jesus has a pattern. First he touches the physical 345 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:19,200 need. Then he draws attention to the 346 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:24,800 spiritual need, the physical. Followed by the spiritual, the 347 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,200 temporary, followed by the eternal, the healing, and then 348 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,120 the harvest. That's why we do things here to 349 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:35,360 illuminate church, like our food pantry every month, supplying 350 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:39,480 for physical needs of people. It's why we partner with the the 351 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,880 Beyond Pregnancy Care Center, which helps women and family in 352 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,240 their most crucial needs regarding their pregnancies. 353 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,880 It's why we have our Thrive ministry, which reaches those 354 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,720 with special needs. Amen. 355 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,200 It's it's incredible. Boo, I see you. 356 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,840 These are all needs that people have that the church should 357 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,840 address. The local church is the hope of 358 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:07,160 the world. But the end game is not just 359 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,240 that we meet the physical needs or the emotional needs of 360 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:15,840 people, but that we spiritually see the issue and respond to it 361 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,000 with the gospel. This is what Jesus is doing here 362 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:24,080 in Matthew Chapter 9. He sees and then he responds. 363 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,600 Read it with me. Jesus sees and Jesus responds. 364 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,520 Was it up there one more time? Jesus sees and Jesus responds. 365 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:36,680 In between Jesus scene and Jesus responding is this one thing. 366 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:42,680 It's called compassion. It's a difference between 367 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:47,000 driving by somebody who's got a flat tire on the road and seeing 368 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,720 it and keep going, or seeing them sitting there stuck and you 369 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,280 have compassion and you pull over. 370 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,920 That's convicting, isn't it? I got things to do, I'm busy. 371 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:01,000 I got my own tires to worry about. 372 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,360 Compassion makes you stop and respond. 373 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,160 The first part, though, is maybe where the church is already 374 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:15,000 failing. We cannot respond unless we see. 375 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,280 Ask yourself this question. Do I see what Jesus sees? 376 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,480 You cannot solve the problem if you don't see the problem. 377 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,640 And when I say see, I don't mean you visually see it, although 378 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:30,880 that could be the case. It's not just visually seeing 379 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:35,680 it, but it's comprehending, appreciating, understanding 380 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:37,600 what's going on in somebody's life. 381 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:41,760 So you see the problem and then like Jesus, your heart breaks. 382 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:48,160 You're moved with compassion. How can I leave this person in 383 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:53,080 this state and do nothing but by compassion I will respond to 384 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,640 them? We have to see the hurting in 385 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,120 order to see the mission. Our community is built on the 386 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:02,800 heart of Jesus who sees and then he responds. 387 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,120 Glory to God. But notice what he does when 388 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:08,920 Jesus responds. He doesn't start running up and 389 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:12,800 down the streets and trying to help every person that he can 390 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,160 with their spiritual condition. Instead, he says this. 391 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:22,360 The world needs more harvesters. Jesus's strategy is to multiply, 392 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,760 to share the burden of the compassion that he feels. 393 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:33,200 There are so many people here in need that we need more and more 394 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:41,120 people to go and help the sheep. Come on, I hear you, William. 395 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,040 Jesus says that the people are harassed and helpless. 396 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:51,720 Can you visualize these words? Visualize them harassed and 397 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,440 helpless sheep without a shepherd. 398 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,600 Sheep, actual sheep, have their shepherd for a lot of reasons, a 399 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,200 lot of great benefits. Number one, they provide 400 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:04,120 protection. The shepherd's legs work just 401 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:06,240 fine. He doesn't need a cane, but he 402 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:10,800 carries a stick. The shepherd's staff is for 403 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,760 defense of the sheep. It's also for the rescue of the 404 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:15,920 sheep, the crook, and where they can pull them out of thorns and 405 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,520 thistles and then the little crevices that they fall into and 406 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:20,360 then get back right in again and pull them out again. 407 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,200 The sheep also are led to provision by their shepherd. 408 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,960 The next field with the grass. They won't go there naturally by 409 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:38,520 themselves because sheep are dumb, So the shepherd leads 410 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:40,200 them. The shepherd also gives him his 411 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:45,400 fellowship, little affection, pat on the head, squeeze of the 412 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:47,840 wool, running the hand over the back. 413 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:50,960 There's caregiving, there's connection. 414 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,800 All this comes to the sheep who has a shepherd. 415 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:59,480 And Jesus says all these people, no protection, no provision, no 416 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,480 fellowship, no caregiving. They are harassed and helpless, 417 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,280 which means they're hurting and have no hope. 418 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,880 It means they are cursed and there is no cure that they are 419 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,680 receiving currently. When I think of the words 420 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:17,480 harassed and helpless, I think of flailing, not failing, 421 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:24,240 flailing, a life that is flailing bodily. 422 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,880 We see it in a baby when the baby comes out of the womb where 423 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,320 they've been nice and cocooned, you know, And then they come out 424 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,360 like what? And their feet, they don't know 425 00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:36,800 what to do with them and their spastic with them. 426 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:42,160 And then what do you do? You swaddle them, take a 427 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:43,840 blanket, wrap them up and hold them here. 428 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:50,040 And they just like, yeah. Do you see anyone in your life 429 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:54,920 that's flailing? And how can you respond? 430 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,640 I got my buddy Ronnie here. I just want to give you a visual 431 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,680 image. Would you give two claps to 432 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:01,840 Ronnie Antoine? Come on. 433 00:26:04,120 --> 00:26:06,680 Ronnie's been on Sav with us now 2 1/2 years. 434 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:12,640 The shepherd extraordinaire, my brother, how are you? 435 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:21,160 Good to see you. So let Ronnie represent your 436 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:28,080 neighbor who's just have a loved one die or a Co worker who just 437 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,320 can't figure out the finances and constantly is stressed out 438 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,680 about paying the bills, barely making ends meet, asking for 439 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:36,880 money. I don't know what the case may 440 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,040 be. How about Ronnie represents to 441 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,840 you the friend who cannot get out of anxiety? 442 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,760 They're constantly struggling just to make thoughts exist. 443 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,840 What all of these circumstances and millions more, the people 444 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:55,080 are flailing, they're harassed, they're being tormented 445 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:59,360 internally, externally, spiritually, and their spirit is 446 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:05,760 like this, right? And Jesus says send harvesters 447 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:09,120 in the field to harvest them. What I imagine the people doing 448 00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:12,320 is saying, hey, come with me into the basket. 449 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,480 Let me harvest you into the community where God's peace 450 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,960 reigns and let me take you from flailing like a child or an 451 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,640 adult in your spirit and wrap you up. 452 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,560 I have this here way to blanket. Anyone here have a way to 453 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:31,160 blanket there's science on these guys? 454 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,800 This is what I want you to see that harvesters do. 455 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,280 A man who's hurting and broken, a woman who's hurting and 456 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,600 broking, and you walk with the gospel of Jesus Christ and you 457 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,960 simply go like this. Hey, you're going to be all 458 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,280 right. Wear this here weighted 459 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,240 blankets. The science on it is called deep 460 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:56,320 pressure stimulation. It's like a hug. 461 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,520 Does a hug make you feel better? A weighted blankets like a all 462 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:05,320 night long hug. The body responds incredibly 463 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:09,240 positively to evenly distributed pressure upon it. 464 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,800 And that's what's happening with the weighted blanket even. 465 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,520 It means it's like a hug. It's like a papoose for a baby. 466 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,600 It's like the womb. And do anyone here remember when 467 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:25,080 you were in the womb? Me neither, but I do remember 468 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:28,040 the effects of what happens to a child when you return them to a 469 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,640 womb in the swaddling. And we're all children of God, 470 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,600 and what we're doing in harvesting is swaddling some 471 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,280 people. 65% of people who put on weighted blankets feel better 472 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:45,640 when they have anxiety. 60% of people with ADHD have positive 473 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,280 response when they put on a weighted blanket. 474 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,760 It's just a way to illustrate what we're doing when we're 475 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,560 harvesting, taking a person who's flailing around with their 476 00:28:55,560 --> 00:29:00,720 life and covering them with the love of God, harvesting them in 477 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,960 to the community. I want to send you on a mission, 478 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:08,840 Ronnie. There's somebody here who's 479 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:11,040 going to be bold enough to raise their hand in a second who says 480 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,640 I need that hug of God today. It's why I came here. 481 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,720 And Ronnie is going to give you this blanket. 482 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:19,560 You can take it home and keep it for you. 483 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:21,000 Who is it? Anyone need that today? 484 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:22,160 Oh, my goodness. Good luck. 485 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:33,120 He's got you. Let let me show you what this 486 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,000 looks like in a true story that happened just a month ago or so. 487 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,680 There's a woman here in the church, good friends of ours, 488 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:42,080 who's sitting at home at our house, and all of a sudden she 489 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,400 hears a crash outside in the neighborhood. 490 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,920 Car runs into some sort of truck, delivery truck, big 491 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:55,560 truck, and then there's the sounds of the people from the 492 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:57,640 accident. And it turns out there wasn't a 493 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,720 lot of bodily damage. It was more like trauma of the 494 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,320 wreck. I don't know if you've ever been 495 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:04,000 in a wreck. It's scary. 496 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:10,520 So this woman goes out of her house hearing the sounds, just 497 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,920 responding. So she saw it. 498 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,760 She has compassion, she's responding. 499 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,840 And she goes and sits with this girl, this young girl who's been 500 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:25,080 in this accident. And she sits waiting for the 501 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:28,400 cops to come, waiting for the family to get there. 502 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:35,240 And she sits and she sits an hour and a half sitting with 503 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:42,040 this girl who's flailing, traumatized you following me 504 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,200 says, can I pray? I felt like I can. 505 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:51,120 I pray for you. Girl says yes, prays with her, 506 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,520 said here's my number. Do you need anything? 507 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,120 Just just text me. I live right there. 508 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,880 Like right there. You need a bathroom? 509 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:05,280 Come on. You need water. 510 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:06,960 Come on. A friend that showed up. 511 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:08,840 She wasn't abandoning her. A friend that showed up. 512 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,920 She's like, I'm going. She goes to the house. 513 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,360 Eventually the the the wreck gets taken care of. 514 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:19,520 Everything you know that they do the next morning she gets a text 515 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:24,520 from the girl and it's this text of Thanksgiving for being there, 516 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:27,880 being a weighted blanket in the middle of my trauma. 517 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:35,680 And then inspired of the Lord. She says, hey, we're having a 518 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:37,200 morning to worship at church tomorrow. 519 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,880 I know we just met through an accident, but would you consider 520 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:45,840 coming to church? And that Sunday morning, just 521 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:47,400 like a month ago, we had the morning worship. 522 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:52,520 She showed up, the girl showed up with her parents at church, 523 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:57,800 and then the dad of this family sign up and came to men's 524 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:08,520 conference. All because one person saw and 525 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:11,960 responded. All because one person was 526 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,920 prayed for by Jesus long ago. Say, Lord, would you send 527 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,560 harvesters into the field? And the Lord sent this woman 528 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:23,640 into the field. I believe Jesus is still asking 529 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,360 us to pray this prayer. Father God, the field belongs to 530 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:28,880 you. The harvesters belong to you. 531 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,600 Will you send your harvesters into the field who care about 532 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:36,400 what you care about, who see what you see, and will respond 533 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,520 the way that you responded with compassion? 534 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:45,880 I don't feel like we need to ask the Lord to send harvesters into 535 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,160 the field as much as I need to ask you, will you be the 536 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:51,800 harvester that God prayed for so long ago? 537 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:58,680 Will you identify yourself not as a churcher or a Christian, 538 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,920 but as a disciple maker? Because that's who Jesus was, 539 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:09,760 that's who Jesus is, and that's who his body should be. 540 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:14,720 I'm going to give you some ways to do that. 541 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:20,720 How can you be a harvester #1 practical, not going to leave 542 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:21,600 you, like, yeah, I want to do that. 543 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:28,480 What do I do #1 invite somebody to your table between now and 544 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:30,640 Easter, getting really practical. 545 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:36,360 Will you look with Jesus's eyes at work, in your neighborhood, 546 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:41,360 in your family and say, I see a need, I'm comprehending what's 547 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,560 going on in the heavenlies, the spiritual realm, and I'm going 548 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,360 to invite this person to my house and we're going to break 549 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,000 bread. We're going to share life. 550 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,280 And if the Lord opens the door, I'm going to say, I hear what 551 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:56,640 you're going through. I've been there too. 552 00:33:57,280 --> 00:33:59,320 Let me tell you what made a difference in my life. 553 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:05,640 One thing, not a thing, one person, Jesus Christ. 554 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,880 And I just submit that to you. And if the Lord gives you extra 555 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:14,440 grace and you say, hey, come with me to Easter, Come hang out 556 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:16,880 at Illuminate Church. Let's go and hear the good news 557 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:18,400 together. We're going to talk about 558 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,360 forgiveness on Easter. I can't wait. 559 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:23,960 I guess I have to. I can hardly wait. 560 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:29,040 Invite somebody to your table in just a moment. 561 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:30,560 We're going to pray and I'm going to ask the Lord to give 562 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:34,960 you a name, you as a harvester, who's the fruit that you're 563 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:42,440 supposed to go pick #2 Jesus calls them harvesters that 564 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:44,159 Illuminate Church. We call them Dream Team. 565 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,520 The Dream Team are the people at this church who serve as 566 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:52,280 volunteers because they see and they respond. 567 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:56,480 They have compassion and say God, I'm going to do whatever I 568 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,640 can to help harvest. One more person here at 569 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,920 Illuminate Church to bring them into the communal family. 570 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:04,400 I'm a serving kids. I'm going to sweat out in the 571 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:09,720 parking lot, be here Sunday night with the youth, Monday 572 00:35:09,720 --> 00:35:11,480 night with the young adults, soon to be Thursday night with 573 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:17,000 the young adults, All sorts of ways that dream Team members 574 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,840 serve. And they're all harvesters. 575 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:25,040 They're they're the answer to what the Lord prayed. 576 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:26,240 Well, would you send more harvesters? 577 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:28,240 And the dream team said, yes, I'll be a harvester. 578 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:30,840 I'll go do it. So invite somebody to your 579 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,560 table. Join the dream Team, whether 580 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:35,400 it's in the church, in the region, or in the world. 581 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:46,200 And here's the last part. I just can't help but think that 582 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:52,280 there's somebody here today, somebody's you're like every 583 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,400 time you talk about the harassed and helpless in the sheep 584 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,560 without a shepherd, I feel like it's me. 585 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:00,520 I feel like you're talking to me. 586 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,800 I feel harassed and I am the flailing 1. 587 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:07,520 There's no condemnation of that. It's really wise for you to 588 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:10,400 understand this is what I think my condition is. 589 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:15,680 I would say to you this Jesus is the healer that you've been 590 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,000 looking for. Jesus is the binder of wounds 591 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,560 that you've been looking for. Jesus is the one who makes 592 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,840 possible what feels impossible to you. 593 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:26,160 It's the blood of Jesus that heals every disease. 594 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,360 It's the blood of Jesus that heals every sick sickness that 595 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,440 comes from sin and the brokenness of the world. 596 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:38,640 What you've been looking for, you found his name is Jesus. 597 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:40,360 You don't have to be a sheep without a shepherd. 598 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,200 All you need to do is say yes to his invitation. 599 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,080 And I want to give you an opportunity to do that right 600 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:52,320 now, to come into the family, to be part of the community of 601 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:54,160 faith. It's a simple prayer Church, we 602 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:57,240 pray this prayer a lot. I, I hope you never tire of it. 603 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,600 Hope you never say we're praying that prayer again. 604 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,640 You're like, yes, you would say, we're praying that prayer again, 605 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:04,920 right? So if you would bow your heads, 606 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,760 close your eyes, let me give one last instruction. 607 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,440 We're going to pray this prayer so that anyone in here who feels 608 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,920 like they don't have a shepherd, you would receive him as your 609 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:17,840 shepherd right here and right now praying together with me 610 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:22,840 saying, Father, come on church, Father, in the name of Jesus. 611 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:30,960 I recognize that I am a Sinner in need of a savior, a sheep in 612 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:36,360 need of a shepherd. So I confess and I believe that 613 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:40,680 Jesus is Lord, He is my Savior, He is my shepherd. 614 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:43,360 I receive him into my heart today. 615 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:49,840 And I ask you, Jesus, to live your life through me all the 616 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:58,580 days of my life. Somebody in here is praying that 617 00:37:58,580 --> 00:38:01,900 today for the first time, and I would just want you to take your 618 00:38:02,060 --> 00:38:05,920 take your moment, talk to Jesus, say yes to what I'm believing. 619 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:13,720 I'm coming home be my shepherd. Thanks for joining us today. 620 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,800 We hope God is speaking to your heart through this message. 621 00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:19,760 If you'd like to connect with us, you can text connect to 622 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:26,320 407-588-0115 or visit Illuminate dot church. 623 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:28,000 Have a great week.