Participants:
Series Code: PME
Program Code: PME250201S
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00:21 >> Good morning, church family. 00:22 My, it's nice to see all 00:23 your smiling faces. 00:25 And if they're not smiling, 00:26 you know what you can do. 00:27 You can find a smile 00:28 and put it on there. 00:30 And we welcome you. 00:32 And if you're visiting with us 00:33 via Internet or other media, 00:36 we particularly welcome you. 00:39 Would you stand with me 00:41 for the invocation as we ask and 00:43 invite God to be with us here? 00:46 We'll appreciate it. 00:47 He will appreciate it, too. 00:51 Father in heaven, 00:53 we gather in Your presence 00:57 to worship, to praise, 00:59 to honor, and to glorify you. 01:02 So share this time with us, 01:03 won't you, Father? 01:04 May each of us 01:06 sense your presence and 01:09 your Holy Spirit speaking to us. 01:12 We thank you so much. 01:14 We ask in Jesus' name. 01:15 Amen. 01:17 ♪ 01:27 >> ♪ Gathered in God's 01:30 presence ♪ 01:32 ♪ In fellowship and gladness 01:37 ♪ Let us sing our praises 01:42 ♪ And pray for all the nations 01:49 ♪ Gathered in God's presence 01:54 ♪ Gathered in God's peace 01:59 ♪ See a torch of promise 02:05 ♪ Lit within this place 02:11 ♪ Lit within this place 02:28 ♪ Gathered at God's altar 02:33 ♪ And in the Spirit's 02:36 presence ♪ 02:39 ♪ We may share the calling 02:44 ♪ To go to all the nations 02:51 ♪ Gathered in God's presence 02:56 ♪ Gathered in God's peace 03:02 ♪ See our torch of promise 03:08 ♪ Lit within this place 03:14 ♪ Lit within this place 03:31 ♪ Gathered 'round God's 03:34 calling ♪ 03:36 ♪ We shall as faithful 03:40 servants ♪ 03:43 ♪ Bear the flame now kindled 03:49 ♪ As light to all the nations 03:55 ♪ Gathered in God's presence 04:01 ♪ Gathered in God's peace 04:07 ♪ See our torch of promise 04:13 ♪ Lit within this place 04:19 ♪ Lit within this 04:27 place ♪ 04:33 ♪ 10:54 >> Welcome to Part 2 10:55 of our continuing 10:57 and sporadic series entitled 11:00 "Church Works." 11:02 Sporadic because in the second 11:03 semester here at 11:04 Andrews University, 11:05 we do have a number 11:06 of special Sabbaths that 11:07 we are honored to celebrate. 11:08 And that means 11:09 that the various installments 11:11 of this series will be spread 11:13 out a fair amount 11:14 over this first semester. 11:15 A few weeks ago was Part 1. 11:17 If you missed Part 1, 11:18 we talked about how the gates 11:20 of hell shall fall. 11:23 You can go back to pmchurch.org. 11:25 You can see that archived there, 11:26 if you wish to view that sermon. 11:27 I encourage you to do so, 11:28 because we looked at 11:30 how important God thinks 11:32 organization is 11:34 to the Christian witness. 11:36 He's very clear about this. 11:37 Both personally and corporately, 11:39 we need to be organized. 11:40 We're not to be haphazard 11:41 or, you know, kind of dodgy and 11:43 spotty in our work for the Lord. 11:44 We're to give him our 11:45 absolute best, 11:46 to be organized for mission. 11:48 We finished Part 1 11:50 by looking at perhaps one 11:51 of the most powerful examples 11:53 of teamwork and organization 11:55 that Jesus Himself ever gives. 11:57 Matthew 16, Jesus talks about 11:59 that the gates of hell will not 12:01 be able to withstand the 12:03 onslaught of the battering ram. 12:05 That's what's implied there, 12:06 this battering ram, 12:07 an instrument of war 12:08 that took an immense amount 12:10 of competency and organization 12:11 and teamwork 12:13 to make work effectively. 12:15 God is in favor of organization. 12:18 And in the 1st century church, 12:21 that kingdom structure, 12:22 that kingdom organization 12:24 worked marvelously. 12:26 It was fantastic. 12:28 Have you ever wanted to go back 12:29 to the 1st century 12:30 Christian church and maybe just 12:31 be a fly on the wall there? 12:32 Acts 2, those kinds of things. 12:33 I mean, what a time it must have 12:35 been to be alive, to be a 12:36 Christian. 12:37 You know, thousands of people 12:38 baptized in a day, 12:39 plus this steady trickle 12:40 of people coming in 12:41 and becoming believers 12:42 in Jesus Christ, 12:43 miracles being performed, 12:45 even Peter's shadow. 12:45 You know, 12:46 God used that to heal people. 12:48 It was an astonishing, 12:50 vibrant, normal time 12:54 to be alive, 12:55 normal in the eyes of heaven, 12:56 as we pointed out in 12:57 out in installment number one 12:58 there, which makes 12:59 me want to ask a question. 13:02 What happened? 13:06 What happened that took 13:09 the 1st century Christian 13:11 church, with all of its vibrancy 13:13 and normalcy in the eyes of 13:15 heaven, at least, to within 13:17 a few centuries, 13:19 becoming a church 13:19 that sometimes seems 13:20 like it could barely keep 13:21 its nose above water, 13:23 was sometimes filled 13:24 with apostasy, 13:25 and was just a shadow 13:27 of the greatness in Christ 13:28 that it once held back in 13:30 Acts 2? 13:31 What happened? 13:37 Well, I suspect a number 13:40 of things happened, 13:40 but one of the biggest things 13:42 that happened was... 13:46 Well, let me tell you a story. 13:49 And I'm going to tell you in 13:49 advance, I'm going to change 13:51 some details in this story 13:53 to disguise it from you. 13:55 You know, they say 13:56 that for the average human being 13:57 on Earth, 13:59 that we are six degrees 14:00 of separation from one another. 14:02 You know, six relationships. 14:03 You know somebody who knows 14:04 somebody who knows somebody 14:05 who knows somebody six times 14:05 away, and they will know 14:07 your friend, right? 14:08 Well, in Adventism, there's 14:10 two degrees of separation, okay? 14:12 So I know if I just told 14:13 this story straight up, 14:14 everything exactly like 14:15 what happened there, that 14:15 somebody's aunts, 14:17 cousins twice removed 14:18 would come to me afterwards and 14:19 say, "How dare you tell 14:20 that story about my uncle?" 14:21 So to avoid that, 14:22 I am going to change 14:23 some key details here, 14:24 but the substance of the story, 14:26 sadly, is absolutely true. 14:31 Within the last 30 years, 14:32 at a church within 10,000 miles 14:33 of here, it was during the week, 14:36 and I was coming into the church 14:37 there to do some work. 14:38 And I looked off 14:39 into the yard there 14:41 on one side of the church, 14:43 and nice landscaping there. 14:44 There was a rock garden 14:47 with some of the rocks 14:49 at the lower edge displaced. 14:52 Now, there's only four 14:53 or five of them, you know, 14:54 rocks about this big or so. 14:56 You know, rock gardens 14:56 fairly common in that arid part 14:57 of the world there. 14:58 And they had come down 14:59 onto the lawn a little bit, 15:01 and I thought, "Eh, you know, 15:02 landscaping guys or the deacons, 15:03 when they're mowing, that's 15:04 probably going to be in their 15:05 way, so I'll take just 15:06 a few moments to fix it." 15:07 Walk across the yard, 15:08 go up to the stones there, 15:09 pick them up, put them 15:10 in their spot there, step back. 15:12 And I'm thinking 15:13 "No one will ever know. 15:14 You know, good as new," right? 15:18 Well, indeed, I did think 15:19 that no one would ever know, 15:20 but I was disabused 15:22 of that notion the next Sabbath, 15:24 when, to my surprise, 15:25 I was in between services. 15:27 I was in my office there. 15:28 And brother Bill -- 15:30 Not his real name, 15:31 so don't even try. 15:32 Bill came into my office 15:35 and Bill was mad. 15:37 He filled the door 15:38 of the office there. 15:39 He glowered over me 15:41 and he said, 15:42 "Did you touch my rock garden?" 15:47 "Your rock garden?" 15:49 I said, "What do you mean?" 15:50 He said, There were rocks 15:52 at the bottom of that, 15:53 and I heard you put them back." 15:57 I'm like, "How do you know 15:57 this?" 15:58 I mean, you know, is each -- 16:00 Is a geolocator on each stone 16:01 that goes to your watch? 16:02 I have no idea how this happens. 16:03 I said, "Well, yeah, 16:04 they had fallen down there." 16:06 "Don't touch 16:08 my rock garden again. 16:12 I designed that garden. 16:14 I paid for it. 16:16 You are not to touch 16:17 that rock garden ever again." 16:22 And with that, he walked out. 16:25 Happy Sabbath to you, too, Bill, 16:26 right, okay? 16:28 And with this ray of sunshine 16:30 coming into my Sabbath morning, 16:31 I thought, "Okay, I got to ask 16:32 somebody about this." 16:32 So I poked my head out 16:33 in the hallway, 16:34 and here comes a church leader. 16:35 And I pull him into my office 16:36 and say, "You're not going 16:37 to believe the conversation 16:38 I just had with Bill." 16:40 He said, "Oh, really? 16:40 What happened?" 16:41 I said, I explained, "Well, you 16:42 know, the rock garden and the 16:43 rocks, I put them back up 16:44 there." 16:44 He said, "Oh yeah, yeah, 16:46 yeah, yeah, yeah. 16:46 That happens sometimes." 16:50 I said, "What do you mean 16:51 that happens sometimes?" 16:52 "Yeah, you know, sometimes, 16:53 Bill comes unglued at people 16:55 that, you know, do stuff. 16:56 Maybe the mower bumps one 16:57 of the rocks and stuff. 16:58 Yeah, he gets 16:58 pretty mad about that." 17:02 And I'm, like, sensing, 17:02 like, this is okay. 17:03 So, like, 17:05 "Shouldn't we do something 17:06 about that with Bill? 17:07 Like, you know, if I'm just one 17:08 in the most recent string 17:09 of victims?" 17:11 And the church leader looked 17:12 back to me and he said this. 17:15 He said, "Oh, do something 17:17 about -- Well, no, no, 17:18 no, no, no, pastor." 17:19 And this is exactly what 17:20 he said next here. 17:21 "That's just 17:23 the way that Bill is." 17:29 He smiled and he left my office. 17:36 Just the way that Bill is? 17:40 And, now, this is a saint of 17:41 long experience in the church, 17:42 Baptized member of the 17:43 Seventh Day Adventist Church 17:44 for dozens of years, right? 17:47 And that's 17:48 just the way that Bill is? 17:53 Hmm. 17:56 Ladies and gentlemen, 17:59 I wonder if this might be 18:02 an interesting window into 18:05 why the 1st century church 18:06 fell from its supernatural 18:08 vibrancy and perhaps also 18:09 why the current state 18:10 of Christianity in the West 18:12 is also not so good. 18:16 I would suggest 18:17 that one of the major reasons 18:18 that the 1st century 18:19 Christian church 18:20 fell from its vibrancy, 18:22 in large part, was due to this. 18:23 Let me put it 18:24 on the screen here for you. 18:33 The personal appreciation 18:34 of this journey 18:36 that Jesus calls us 18:37 to go on here -- 18:39 it was something, 18:40 that its appreciation 18:42 dropped dramatically. 18:45 Let me show you what I mean. 18:46 If you have a Bible, take a look 18:47 at 1 Corinthians 3:9. 18:50 1 Corinthians 3:9. 18:52 It's page 768 in the red Bible 18:54 that's somewhere nearby 18:55 where you're at. 18:57 1 Corinthians, chapter 3, 18:58 beginning with verse 9. 19:00 The apostle Paul here is writing 19:01 to the church plant in Corinth. 19:03 Church plant in Corinth 19:04 was an interesting place to be. 19:06 They had some pretty serious 19:06 problems, all kinds of 19:09 immorality, lots of division 19:11 going on. 19:12 And Paul repeatedly tries 19:14 to show them a better way, 19:15 including here in 19:16 1 Corinthians 3. 19:18 And he's going to bring up -- 19:19 He's going to build this analogy 19:22 that will help us to understand 19:23 this journey that 19:24 Christ is wanting to take us on. 19:26 Verse 9, chapter 3. 19:28 Paul says, "For we are God's 19:29 fellow workers. 19:31 You are God's 19:33 field, God's building.'" 19:35 Pause right there, please. 19:36 "God's fellow workers." 19:38 So God is doing something, 19:40 but He wants us to go with Him. 19:41 We're to work together, side 19:42 by side here, to make 19:43 whatever this is. 19:44 And then he brings into 19:45 this thing his idea of a field. 19:46 And then there's 19:47 a building analogy. 19:49 He's going to take the building 19:50 one and run with it here. 19:52 Look at the next verse, 19:53 verse 10. 19:54 "'By the grace God has given me, 19:56 I laid a foundation as an expert 19:58 builder, and someone else 19:58 is building on it. 20:00 But each one should be 20:01 careful how he builds, 20:03 for no one 20:05 can lay any foundation other 20:07 than the one already laid, 20:09 which is Jesus Christ.'" 20:12 Pause right there, please. 20:14 In other words... 20:17 Jesus is the foundation. 20:21 Not even the first, 20:23 second, or third floor. 20:26 Do you follow me now? 20:28 Paul is making this analogy 20:29 here, under the inspiration 20:30 of the Holy Spirit of God, 20:31 saying, to be a disciple, 20:32 it begins -- 20:33 the foundation is Jesus. 20:35 There's this initial encounter 20:36 with Jesus Christ. 20:37 We accept Him 20:38 as our Lord and Savior. 20:40 That is only the foundation 20:43 of this disciple building 20:45 that we are now to engage with. 20:46 In other words, 20:48 it's just the beginning. 20:49 There's more to come. 20:51 We are to be co-builders with 20:53 Jesus in building 20:54 up this disciple kind of life. 20:56 Now, Paul gives a little 20:57 more color here to this. 20:59 Verse 12 -- "'If any man builds 21:01 on this foundation using --'" 21:02 and then he gives a list 21:03 of kind of worldly materials 21:04 here -- "'gold, silver, 21:06 costly stones, wood, 21:07 hay, or straw, 21:08 his work will be shown 21:10 for what it is, because the 21:11 Day --'" capital "D" 21:12 in my Bible, and that's a good 21:13 reason for that. 21:14 Refers to the Second Coming 21:15 of Jesus. 21:16 "'Because the Day 21:17 will bring it to light. 21:18 It will be revealed with fire, 21:20 and the fire will test the 21:22 quality of each one's work.'" 21:27 Alright, so, let this sink in. 21:29 Jesus is the foundation. 21:31 To put a foundation down implies 21:33 strongly that there will be 21:34 a structure built upon it. 21:35 Correct? 21:36 We are not just to let Jesus do 21:38 this on His own, 21:39 because Jesus Himself, 21:40 through His Holy Spirit 21:41 here, is saying, "We are 21:42 co-laborers together." 21:43 We're to work together to build 21:45 on the foundation of Jesus 21:47 into this disciple building. 21:50 This is why we find, 21:52 in the Great Commission, 21:53 these words. 21:54 Matthew 28, 19 21:55 and first part of 20. 21:56 Jesus said, "'Therefore, 21:57 go and make disciples 21:58 of all nations, 21:59 baptizing them in the name 22:00 of the Father and of the Son 22:01 and of the Holy Spirit, 22:02 and teaching them to obey --'" 22:03 How much? 22:04 What's it say? Everything. 22:06 "'Everything I have commanded 22:07 you.'" 22:07 Baptism is the beginning, 22:11 and then comes this journey 22:14 that Jesus longs to take us on. 22:16 So let it be crystal, 22:17 crystal clear. 22:18 As important as baptism is, 22:23 as important as conversion is, 22:25 as important as making that 22:27 initial commitment to Jesus is, 22:30 it is only the beginning. 22:33 It is only the first step 22:34 in becoming a genuine, 22:36 mature disciple of Jesus Christ. 22:39 Jesus has so much more to go. 22:45 So, what does 22:45 that journey look like? 22:47 The journey 22:48 that the 1st century church 22:49 and maybe the church 22:50 today has devalued. 22:52 What does it mean to become 22:54 a genuine, 22:55 mature disciple of Christ? 23:01 Well, I suppose there's a number 23:02 of ways to answer that question. 23:04 One of my favorites 23:05 is what I'm going to share 23:05 with you this morning. 23:06 I am indebted to 23:07 Dr. Philip Samaan, 23:08 a professor in 23:09 Adventist education. 23:11 He's written a number of books 23:12 on this topic, including one 23:13 called "Christ's Way of Making 23:14 Disciples." 23:16 And he has formulated 23:17 eight characteristics 23:18 of a genuine, 23:20 mature disciple of Christ. 23:21 I've embellished some of them, 23:22 put my own touch on them there, 23:23 but I want to give my thanks 23:24 to Dr. Samaan for his help. 23:26 Now, in a general way, 23:28 the word "disciple" -- 23:30 Let's put it this way. 23:31 The word "disciple" does not 23:32 belong to Christianity, does it? 23:34 There are disciples outside 23:35 of Christianity, right? 23:37 The word is a general one, 23:38 and it usually refers to 23:39 a person who is seeking to 23:41 not just follow somebody, 23:43 but to become as much 23:44 like that person as possible. 23:46 Okay? Well, certainly, that 23:48 applies to Christianity, as 23:49 well. 23:49 It's a pretty good definition 23:50 of a Christian disciple. 23:51 We want to become as much 23:53 like our master as possible. 23:54 Right? 23:56 And along that path, 23:58 there are at least eight 23:59 characteristics 24:01 that will come to define us. 24:03 Number 1... 24:12 Now, this is really important. 24:14 You know, so often, 24:14 we think about -- 24:15 You know, in pastoral ministry, 24:17 we talk about making an appeal 24:18 or making a call. 24:20 It's a figure of speech. 24:21 I get it. 24:22 We kind of have to talk that 24:22 way. 24:23 But, truly, 24:25 if it's a genuine call, 24:26 it's from Jesus. 24:27 I mean, picture this. 24:28 This afternoon, 24:29 you're busily engaged. 24:33 All right, you're taking a nap, 24:33 okay? 24:34 And, so, you hear 24:36 this knock on the door. 24:37 If you're in your dorm room, 24:38 it's your dorm-room door. 24:38 If you're at a house, 24:39 knock on the door. 24:40 Then like, "Oh, man, 24:41 I'm not expecting anybody. 24:42 I'm tired," whatnot. 24:43 The knock keeps coming. 24:45 Finally, you get up, 24:46 you go to the door, 24:47 and you open it. 24:48 And I want you to imagine 24:49 that this was actually the case, 24:50 that this was actually true, 24:53 that Jesus Christ, physically, 24:55 in the flesh, 24:55 was standing there at your door. 25:00 And with all the 25:02 love and the grace 25:04 and the mercy radiating 25:06 from his face, 25:08 the scars in His hands 25:10 from dying for you. 25:12 And with a smile, 25:15 He holds out his hand 25:17 and He says, 25:18 "I want you to be my disciple." 25:19 Follow me. 25:26 Ladies and gentlemen, 25:26 the call to discipleship 25:28 is not extended by some loser. 25:31 It's not even extended by some 25:33 by some human VIP. 25:35 You know, we might be impressed 25:36 if a prime minister or a king or 25:38 a president asks us to do 25:39 something, right? 25:40 This is God! 25:42 Jesus Himself has reached 25:43 out His hand to you 25:44 and said, "I want you. 25:45 I want you." 25:47 No matter how far down the scale 25:48 you've gone, no matter 25:49 how much you've messed up, 25:50 no matter how many warts 25:51 on your soul you may have, 25:52 Jesus looks at you, 25:53 and He loves you 25:54 and He wants you to be 25:55 part of His kingdom. 25:56 And He says, "Come, follow me." 25:58 Do you understand the value 26:00 that that puts on you? 26:03 You are not trash. 26:06 You are not to be thrown away. 26:08 You are embraced 26:10 by the King of the universe. 26:12 A disciple is one 26:13 who is called by Christ Himself. 26:16 Number 2. 26:19 Oh, yes, Jesus chose you. 26:20 You did not choose Him. 26:22 Number 2... 26:29 Not just by Christ Himself, 26:31 but to Christ Himself. 26:32 Now, Jesus is 26:33 pretty explicit about this. 26:34 Notice this -- Matthew 11:28-30. 26:37 "'Come to --'" What's that word? 26:38 "Me," Jesus says. 26:39 "'Come to me, 26:40 all you who are weary 26:41 and burdened, 26:42 and I will give you rest. 26:43 Take my yoke upon you 26:45 and learn from me, 26:46 for I am gentle and humble 26:47 in heart, and you will find 26:48 rest for your souls. 26:49 For My yoke is easy, 26:51 and My burden is light.'" 26:55 Ladies and gentlemen, 26:55 I think sometimes, 26:57 maybe particularly for 26:59 Seventh day Adventists -- 26:59 I don't know. 27:02 But I think, sometimes, 27:03 when we think about 27:04 discipleship, 27:05 we think about adherence to 27:06 certain precepts and dogma 27:09 and beliefs and whatnot. 27:10 And I hope by now, 27:11 you understand I'm a huge fan 27:12 of Adventist theology. 27:14 I mean, you know, I eat 27:15 and breathe this stuff 27:16 and very gladly and joyfully. 27:18 This is my world, right? 27:20 And I also know this, 27:22 that all of the Adventist 27:23 teaching in the world, 27:23 all of the biblical 27:25 teaching, Christian teaching 27:26 in the world, 27:27 without Jesus Christ, it's just 27:28 a noose around my neck. 27:31 It's just 27:32 a noose around my neck, 27:34 because Jesus is the reason. 27:36 He is the center. 27:37 He is the focus of discipleship. 27:38 Anything else is 27:39 not discipleship. 27:40 Not Christian discipleship. 27:42 When you are called to be 27:43 a disciple of Jesus, 27:44 you are called to Jesus himself. 27:47 Yes, along the way, absolutely, 27:48 there's important things to -- 27:50 "Yes, this is me, this is me. 27:51 I'm a part of this." 27:51 That's what it means, in part, 27:52 to become a Seventh Day 27:53 Adventist Christian. 27:54 And make no mistake, 27:56 Jesus must be at the core 27:58 of all of that, 27:58 else it is false. 28:00 Else it's a waste of 28:01 your time and mine. 28:03 Jesus loves you. 28:04 He died for you. 28:05 He wants to be with you. 28:06 He doesn't just want you 28:07 to believe the right things. 28:08 He wants you 28:09 to know the right one. 28:12 That's what Jesus said in 28:12 John 17, you know? 28:15 "'This is eternal life, 28:16 that they may know you, 28:17 the one true God --'" pointing 28:18 to his Father in heaven. 28:19 "'And Jesus Christ, 28:20 whom you have sent.'" 28:21 Jesus wants a relationship 28:23 with us, nothing less. 28:26 To be called a disciple 28:27 of Jesus Christ is to be called 28:29 to Jesus Himself, 28:31 and by the power 28:32 of the indwelling Holy Spirit, 28:34 we can be closer to Jesus 28:36 than even his 12 disciples 28:37 were when Jesus walked 28:38 physically among them. 28:40 This is our birthright, because 28:42 Jesus came from the grave. 28:44 And you can have that. 28:45 That's what discipleship means. 28:49 And when Jesus lives within, 28:51 when Jesus is inside, 28:53 in my heart and in yours, 28:55 incredible things 28:56 begin to take place. 28:57 Because Jesus loves us, 28:58 He will take us exactly 29:00 where we're at, 29:01 but He loves us too much 29:02 to leave us there. 29:03 Which brings us 29:04 to characteristic number 3. 29:14 Now, this is 29:15 not just me talking. 29:16 Jesus Himself 29:16 makes this quite clear. 29:17 John 14:15. 29:18 "'If you --'" 29:19 What's that third word? 29:21 "'If you love me, keep my...'" 29:24 Ah! Okay. 29:24 '"If you love me.'" 29:25 And, now, again here, 29:26 Jesus, in this very short text, 29:28 is pointing again 29:29 to the relationship, 29:29 this love relationship 29:31 that He wants to have with us. 29:32 Springing from that 29:34 is this desire to be loyal 29:36 to Jesus and to keep His will. 29:40 Now, let's just be straight 29:40 here. 29:41 Many people, 29:42 when they think about obedience, 29:43 immediately think about 29:44 legalism and people trying 29:46 to earn their salvation. 29:47 And make no mistake, 29:49 it can happen. 29:51 Any good relationship 29:52 with Jesus, yes, 29:53 if we are not careful, 29:54 it can devolve into legalism. 29:56 And by the way, 29:57 that's not an Adventist thing. 29:58 That's a human thing. 29:59 Okay? 30:01 We're just wired this way. 30:02 Since the Garden of Eden 30:02 and the fall came 30:03 and flesh was changed, 30:04 all of this, 30:05 we aim towards legalism. 30:06 We want to pay our way. 30:07 Okay? So let's just be 30:09 clear about this. 30:10 You cannot get to heaven 30:12 by keeping the Ten Commandments. 30:15 You cannot enter the kingdom 30:16 because you walk up to the door 30:17 and say, 30:17 "Look how good I've been." 30:19 Okay? You can't do that. 30:21 Being good will not save you, 30:22 but if you are saved, 30:23 you will strive to be good. 30:25 Okay? 30:26 This is part of the glory 30:29 that God has put in His law. 30:30 Not that it saves us. 30:31 Well, let's 30:32 just put it this way. 30:34 All of God's laws, 30:35 rightly understood, 30:36 are laws of love. 30:37 Amen? 30:38 >> Amen. 30:39 >> They're all laws of love. 30:40 Not a single one of God's laws 30:41 are designed to harm you. 30:42 Not a single one. Okay? 30:44 All of God's laws, 30:46 furthermore, rightly understood, 30:47 are laws that bring freedom. 30:49 Right? When the law asks us to 30:51 not do something, we are freed, 30:53 if we keep it, from experiencing 30:55 the negative consequences 30:55 that come from 30:56 breaking God's law. 30:58 This is the law that brings 30:58 freedom into our lives. 31:00 I'd like to have more freedom. 31:01 Wouldn't you? 31:02 I mean, we live in a world 31:03 where, you know, our habits 31:04 and all of these things 31:04 enslave us, right? 31:05 Fear enslaves us. 31:06 Wouldn't it be great 31:07 to be free from that? 31:08 God says, "I've got a way. 31:10 I've got a way." 31:11 And because we understand 31:14 that we are saved 31:15 by Jesus Christ, 31:17 not by our works, 31:18 but by His grace, 31:19 by faith in Him, 31:21 we are now freed from the fear 31:23 of having to earn our salvation. 31:25 And in the absence of that 31:27 fear -- In fact, let me just put 31:27 this statement up here 31:28 for you to see. 31:39 Now, how much 31:40 progress we make, you know, 31:41 total obedience, well, 31:42 that's up to God and us 31:43 how far that works 31:44 before the Second Coming comes. 31:45 But that it is 31:47 our desire, that we crave this, 31:50 that we want to follow Jesus 31:51 because we love Him. 31:53 He has given His life for us. 31:54 Now we give it back 31:54 to Him in return. 31:58 We are not good to be saved, 32:00 but if we are saved, 32:02 good things are going to happen. 32:04 This is Christ's promise to us. 32:05 And that's why Jesus said, 32:06 "If you love me, 32:08 keep my commandments." 32:11 Number 4. 32:18 Now, again, 32:19 Jesus speaks about this 32:20 in a number of places. 32:21 Let's look at some of them. 32:22 John 15:4, 5, & 16. 32:25 Jesus says, "'Remain in me --'" 32:27 There's that relationship again. 32:28 In Jesus, called to Jesus. 32:30 "'And I will remain in you. 32:32 Just as no branch can bear fruit 32:33 by itself 32:34 unless it remains in the vine, 32:36 neither can you bear fruit 32:37 unless you remain in me. 32:39 I am the vine, 32:40 and you are the branches. 32:41 The one who remains in me 32:42 and I in them 32:43 will bear much fruit. 32:45 For apart from Me, 32:46 you can do nothing.'" 32:47 Then verse 16. 32:49 "'You did not choose me, 32:50 but I chose you and I appointed 32:52 you to go and bear fruit -- 32:55 fruit that will last.'" 32:58 Let's just be 32:59 crystal-clear here. 32:59 And, again, 33:00 these are not my words. 33:01 These are Jesus' words. 33:02 Productivity, 33:04 fruitfulness is, indeed, 33:05 a key sign 33:08 of a true disciple of Jesus. 33:11 If there is only a little fruit, 33:13 well, the disciple might be ill 33:14 and in need of merciful aid. 33:17 If there is no fruit, 33:18 then the disciple is 33:20 either deathly ill, spiritually, 33:21 or else not a disciple. 33:24 And what is 33:25 the fruit of a disciple? 33:27 Well, there's at least two 33:27 that the Bible talks about. 33:29 The fruit of the disciple, 33:30 first of all, 33:30 is the fruits of the Spirit. 33:31 You're probably 33:32 familiar with this. 33:33 Galatians 5:22-23. 33:36 "But the fruit of the spirit 33:38 is --'" And then look at this 33:39 list. 33:40 Man, this is incredible. 33:41 "Love, joy, peace, patience, 33:45 kindness, goodness, 33:47 faithfulness, gentleness, 33:48 and self-control." 33:51 You know, if you grew up 33:51 in the Adventist Church 33:52 and you went to Sabbath School, 33:54 I can guarantee you there's 33:55 a time when you drew fruit 33:56 and you put those words on them, 33:57 didn't you? 33:58 Right? Okay? 33:59 Because we want 34:00 our children -- 34:01 We want all of it, right? 34:02 Wouldn't 34:03 you like to live next door 34:04 to somebody who's like that? 34:07 Wouldn't that be awesome, okay? 34:08 Wouldn't you like to work 34:09 with people that are all 34:10 about love and joy and peace 34:11 and patience and kind-- 34:12 Wouldn't that be awesome? 34:13 Can you imagine 34:15 how different the world would be 34:16 if all of God's children 34:18 were big into this? 34:20 Would it change the news cycle? 34:22 Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 34:24 What a difference it would make. 34:28 There's a second fruit 34:31 of a disciple, 34:32 and that's another 34:33 reproducing disciple. 34:37 This one's pretty clear. 34:38 You say, 34:39 "Well, how do you know?" 34:40 Let's go back 34:40 to the Great Commission. 34:41 Matthew 28:18-20. 34:43 "Then Jesus came to them 34:44 and said, 34:45 'All authority in heaven and 34:46 earth has been given to me. 34:47 Therefore, go and make disciples 34:48 of all nations, 34:49 baptizing them in the name 34:50 of the Father and of the Son 34:51 and of the Holy Spirit, 34:53 and teaching them to obey --'" 34:54 there's that word again -- 34:55 "'everything I have commanded 34:56 you...'" 34:57 Including this command 34:59 to make more disciples. 35:02 So if somebody has Jesus 35:03 in their heart 35:04 and Jesus is allowed 35:05 to work in them 35:06 as He wishes to, 35:07 this is going to come back. 35:09 There's this command 35:10 to make disciples. 35:10 So one disciple 35:12 is actively engaged 35:13 in making another disciple. 35:15 And they look at this command 35:16 and say, "Well, I want to obey 35:16 that. 35:17 Jesus is in my heart. 35:17 I want to obey this." 35:18 They make another disciple, 35:20 who makes another disciple. 35:21 Et cetera, et cetera, 35:21 et cetera, et cetera. 35:23 And note the key point. 35:25 This fruitfulness, 35:28 fruits of the spirit 35:28 and another disciple making 35:29 a disciple, is one 35:31 of the specific signs 35:33 that Jesus says indicate 35:35 we are His disciples. 35:37 John 15:8. 35:39 "'This is to My Father's glory, 35:41 that you bear much fruit --'" 35:42 What's the next word there? 35:44 "Proving." 35:45 Showing it to be true. 35:46 "'Proving yourselves 35:48 to be My disciples.'" 35:54 Ladies and gentlemen... 35:57 the facts of being with Jesus 35:59 as His disciple are these. 36:04 We are not genuine, 36:05 mature disciples of Christ 36:07 unless we are actively seeking 36:08 to grow in the fruits 36:09 of the spirit and to make 36:11 more disciples for Him. 36:14 That's just -- Again, 36:15 these are not my words. 36:16 These are Jesus' words, 36:17 because He knows 36:18 how important this is. 36:19 Again, fruitfulness isn't 36:21 going to earn your way 36:22 into the kingdom. 36:23 Jesus loves you 36:24 whether you're fruitful or not. 36:26 You cannot earn your way 36:27 by your good works 36:28 or your fruitfulness. 36:29 No, that's not how this works. 36:30 But if Jesus lives inside of 36:32 you, there will be fruitfulness. 36:35 It's the evidence. 36:36 It's not what makes you saved. 36:37 It is the evidence 36:38 that you have been. 36:40 And so Jesus, 36:41 when He says, "I am the vine, 36:42 and you are the branches. 36:43 Stay in me, and we're going to 36:45 be fruitful together. 36:46 We're going to be fruitful. 36:48 Work with me." 36:48 Remember, God -- 36:49 he says co-laborers, 36:50 co-builders. 36:51 Work with Je-- 36:51 Jesus is inside of us. 36:53 He simply asks for our 36:54 cooperation. 36:55 Sometimes, all He needs 36:56 is our permission, 36:57 and great things can happen, 36:59 including fruitfulness for Him. 37:03 You know, part of the good news 37:04 is also that all of Christ's 37:06 callings are His enablings. 37:09 Some of you right now 37:10 have never won 37:11 somebody to Jesus. 37:13 You've been a Christian maybe 37:13 for a while, but you've 37:14 never had the privilege 37:15 of leading someone to Christ. 37:18 I just want you to know, 37:18 do not be discouraged. 37:20 Do not be discouraged. 37:21 Jesus never asks us to do 37:23 something that, by His grace 37:24 and power, we can't do. 37:26 I mean, He has foreseen this. 37:28 He puts you together just 37:30 like -- with your giftedness, 37:32 with the sets and the passions 37:33 that he's put in your heart. 37:35 He knows how to use those 37:36 by the power of His Holy Spirit 37:38 to reach somebody for Jesus. 37:39 Even you. Even you. 37:43 So I just want to invite you 37:44 to join this part of 37:45 the discipleship adventure. 37:46 This is where so much of 37:47 the excitement takes place. 37:48 I mean, 37:49 trying to help make disciples 37:50 for Jesus is spiritual bungee 37:51 jumping at its best. 37:53 This is good stuff. 37:55 So, find out. 37:56 Find out what it takes for you, 37:58 in the armor 37:59 that God has given you, 38:01 the gifts that God has given 38:02 you, to make other disciples. 38:04 And I'll give you a little tip. 38:05 In the not-too-distant future, 38:06 we're going to do 38:06 some training here. 38:08 If you feel like, "Well, 38:09 I don't know how to share my 38:09 faith. 38:10 I don't know how to be a part 38:11 of this disciple-making 38:12 process." 38:13 We're going to help you out. 38:14 You don't have to wait for us. 38:15 You know, if you're ready to go, 38:15 go. 38:17 And we're going to offer 38:17 some help here in the 38:18 not-too-distant future, because 38:20 a genuine, mature disciple 38:22 of Jesus is fruitful. 38:26 Number 5... 38:41 Now, again, 38:42 Jesus is clear about this. 38:43 Matthew 20, second part 38:45 of verse 26 through 28. 38:46 He says, "...whoever wants to 38:47 become great among you must be 38:49 your servant, and whoever wants 38:52 to be first among you must be 38:53 your slave -- 38:54 just as the Son of Man 38:55 did not come to be served, 38:57 but to serve, and to give 38:58 His life as a ransom for many." 39:02 Jesus talks about this 39:03 in a number of other places. 39:04 Luke 9:23-24. 39:07 "Then Jesus said to all of them, 39:08 'If anyone wants to come 39:09 after me, they must deny 39:11 themselves and take up their 39:13 cross daily and follow Me. 39:15 For whoever wants to save 39:16 their life will lose it, 39:17 but whoever loses their life 39:18 for My sake will save it.'" 39:21 And lastly here, Luke 14:27. 39:24 "'And whoever does not carry 39:25 their cross and follow me 39:27 cannot be my disciple.'" 39:31 You know, the cross of Christ 39:33 is a very familiar symbol 39:35 for Christians all over 39:36 the world, obviously. 39:38 And sometimes, I can't help 39:39 but wonder if the familiarity 39:40 breeds apathy. 39:43 You know, not so much here, 39:44 perhaps, in our faith circle, 39:46 but many Christians all over 39:47 the world, you know, 39:48 Christians on necklaces, 39:49 Christians on, you know, 39:50 lapel pins, this kind of 39:51 a thing, bumper stickers, 39:53 on churches and whatnot. 39:54 You know, we're familiar 39:55 with the cross, 39:56 but do we recall that the cross 39:59 was an object of shame? 40:02 Do we recall that to take 40:04 up your cross meant that 40:05 you were about to participate 40:06 with an instrument 40:07 of torture and death? 40:09 Jesus was not asking for 40:11 half-baked disciples. 40:12 Remember, Jesus only asks us 40:13 for one thing, 40:14 and that one thing is 40:15 everything we've got. 40:17 That's it. 40:18 That's all He asked for. 40:21 And so this is quite 40:22 serious when Jesus says 40:23 to take up your cross. 40:24 And many times, 40:25 when Christians read verses 40:26 like this one, at first, 40:28 an appropriate kind of dialogue 40:30 in their brain goes off, 40:30 I think. 40:31 They're like, "Oh." 40:32 You know, and they'll ponder 40:33 this potential sacrifice. 40:35 You know, they think about the 40:36 martyrs that took place. 40:36 You know, Jan Hus 40:37 burned at the stake, 40:38 these kinds of things, 40:39 you know, dying for their faith. 40:41 You know, here's the truth 40:42 as best I understand it. 40:45 There will be some of you 40:46 probably listening 40:48 that will have the privilege 40:49 of giving your life physically 40:50 for Jesus Christ. 40:53 I don't say that lightly. 40:55 Some of you 40:56 will be martyrs for the cause. 41:00 But here's 41:01 the next part of the truth. 41:03 Probably not many of you. 41:06 And when people realize this, 41:08 Christians will say, "Phew!" 41:12 "Still in the land 41:13 of the free, home of the brave. 41:14 Nobody beating 41:14 down my door right now. 41:15 Life's okay." 41:16 And on they move from this text, 41:18 completely missing, 41:19 almost excusing themselves -- 41:20 "Well, because 41:21 I don't have to be a martyr" -- 41:23 the much wider application 41:25 of this principle of sacrifice. 41:27 Because even 41:28 if you don't give your life 41:29 physically, we are called 41:30 to be living sacrifices 41:32 for Jesus Christ. 41:33 And in what way? 41:34 Well, let me just put 41:35 something up here. 41:36 "Desire of Ages," page 504. 41:38 She says... 41:52 Oh, wow. Interesting. 41:54 She says this. 41:55 "Unless there is 41:56 practical self-sacrifice --" 41:58 There's that word again -- 41:59 "sacrifice." 42:00 "Unless there is practical 42:02 self-sacrifice for the good 42:03 of others, in the family circle, 42:05 in the neighborhood, 42:06 in the church, 42:07 and wherever we may be, 42:09 then whatever our profession, 42:10 we are not Christians." 42:17 Wouldn't it be awesome 42:19 if every Adventist, 42:21 every Christian all over 42:22 the world were known for their 42:24 self-sacrificing 42:25 care for those around them? 42:27 Wouldn't it be great 42:28 if we were known for -- 42:29 "Oh, there's 42:30 the Seventh Day Adventists. 42:31 They're the ones that clothe 42:32 the naked and feed the hungry 42:34 and counsel the confused 42:35 and lift up the downtrodden. 42:36 That's those people." 42:38 Wouldn't it be great 42:39 if when somebody moved in 42:40 next door to a Seventh Day 42:41 Adventist Christian, they said, 42:42 "Ah, phew, I'm so glad, 42:45 because they're so kind 42:46 and they're so loving and 42:47 they're reaching out to people. 42:48 I'm glad to be able to live with 42:49 that kind of person." 42:51 Wouldn't you like 42:52 to be that kind of person? 42:55 Because is this 42:56 not what Jesus modeled 42:58 probably every day of his life? 43:01 This self-sacrificing 43:02 for the good of others. 43:05 And sometimes, that 43:06 will call for some suffering. 43:08 There's no doubt about it. 43:10 But this is our calling. 43:12 Jesus has asked us 43:14 to do this sacrifice, 43:16 this living sacrifice 43:17 for others. 43:21 And now we get to 43:22 the irony of it all. 43:25 It's the sixth 43:26 characteristic of a disciple. 43:29 You might think that with all 43:30 of this sacrificing and service 43:32 and stooping to help others, 43:34 that life would be awful. 43:36 Well, characteristic number 6. 43:42 This is the upside-down kingdom, 43:43 is it not? 43:44 And Jesus is 43:45 quite clear about this. 43:46 Look at this. John 14:27. 43:47 He says... 44:01 This is supernatural peace. 44:02 It doesn't make any sense. 44:03 In fact, the Bible refers to it 44:04 as the peace 44:05 that passes all understanding. 44:07 It doesn't make any sense 44:08 by the world's standard. 44:09 And, yet, Christians, 44:09 even in the darkest times, 44:11 in the darkest places, 44:12 at the darkest hours, 44:13 can still have the peace and joy 44:14 of Christ within them. 44:16 You know, the Bible records some 44:17 of these instances. 44:18 You may recall, in Part 1, we 44:19 talked about Acts 5. 44:20 The disciples are called 44:21 before the Sanhedrin 44:23 to account for preaching 44:24 about Jesus Christ, 44:25 and they want to kill them, 44:26 but Gamaliel stands 44:27 and gives a speech 44:28 and convinces them not to. 44:29 Acts 5:40-42. 44:30 "At this, 44:31 they yielded to Gamaliel. 44:33 They called the apostles in 44:34 and had them flogged." 44:35 That's severely beaten. 44:37 "Then they ordered them 44:38 not to speak in the name 44:39 of Jesus and released them. 44:41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, 44:43 rejoicing that they had been 44:45 counted worthy of suffering 44:46 disgrace for the Name. 44:48 Every day in the temple courts 44:49 and from house to house, 44:50 they did not stop teaching 44:52 and proclaiming the good news 44:53 that Jesus is the Christ." 44:58 Who would have thunk it? 45:01 It turns out 45:02 that total commitment 45:04 to Jesus Christ -- 45:05 the commitment 45:06 to serve and to suffer and, 45:07 if need be, to die for Him -- 45:09 turns out to be the only path 45:11 to lasting 45:12 and true joy and peace. 45:20 We live in a world 45:23 which is so often chaotic 45:25 and painful and dark. 45:29 But when the master 45:29 of the universe, 45:31 the creator of all, 45:33 our Lord and Savior 45:34 Jesus Christ, is on your side, 45:37 really, what else 45:39 is there to worry about? 45:43 >> Amen! 45:46 >> Number 7... 46:00 My reference for this 46:02 is the New Testament, okay? 46:03 You can just read that and 46:04 you'll see that this is true, 46:05 okay? 46:06 Now, we need to be 46:07 real clear about this. 46:08 This power and authority 46:09 is 100% derived. 46:10 Humans have none 46:11 of this on their own. 46:12 Zero. Okay? 46:15 It is instead, number 2, 46:16 the power of 46:16 the indwelling spirit, 46:18 the spirit living in people 46:19 such that they are under 46:20 His influence, 46:21 His direction, His power, 46:23 and because of this, 46:24 when such Christians do 46:25 something for God, 46:26 it produces fruit, 46:29 because they have 46:29 spiritual power 46:30 and spiritual authority. 46:32 Now, here's the thing. 46:32 Some of you 46:33 know people like this. 46:35 Some of you 46:36 know people like this. 46:37 They are humble. They are meek. 46:38 They understand 46:38 that they are a vessel 46:40 that God has filled. 46:41 But they have spiritual 46:42 power and authority, 46:43 and when God moves through them, 46:45 fruitful things happen. 46:47 Let me just tell you something. 46:48 When the majority 46:50 of God's people 46:52 are this kind of disciple, 46:54 when the majority of God's 46:55 people are people 46:56 that have spiritual power 46:57 and authority, 46:59 then the world will be turned 47:00 upside down one last time, 47:02 the gospel work will be 47:03 finished, and we will go home. 47:06 I crave 47:07 to be this kind of person, and 47:08 I hope that you do, too. 47:09 Not for our glory, God forbid, 47:11 but for His and for the harvest. 47:13 >> Amen. 47:15 >> Number 8, lastly... 47:26 You're familiar with the text 47:27 if you've been around 47:28 Christian circles 47:28 for any length of time. 47:29 1 Corinthians 10:31. 47:36 For this type of disciple, 47:38 there is one test for all 47:39 that they think and say and do. 47:42 "Will what I'm about 47:43 to think or say or do bring 47:45 glory to God or not?" 47:48 They live their lives that way 47:50 because Jesus lives 47:51 in their heart and He has 47:53 full sway in their lives. 47:56 Let's sum it up. 48:26 Can you see that 48:27 maybe, just maybe, 48:29 the personal appreciation 48:30 for the journey 48:31 that Christ is longing 48:32 to take us on has dropped 48:34 since that 1st century church? 48:36 Maybe we've kind of lost 48:37 the understanding and 48:38 appreciation of this? 48:41 And just might a return to this 48:43 be a major part 48:44 of the restoration of God's 48:45 final work on this planet? 48:48 And further notice this. 49:07 In other words... 49:15 And this is why the elders covet 49:18 your prayers right now, 49:20 because we are in this process 49:21 of strategic planning, 49:22 of seeking to help make 49:23 the great things 49:25 that are already happening 49:26 here even better and 49:27 more efficient for the Kingdom. 49:28 This is why we are going through 49:30 this process, 49:31 because converts are born, 49:33 but disciples must be made. 49:35 They must be made. 49:39 And as you lift up our elders 49:40 in prayer, I would invite 49:41 you to consider 49:43 a gentle question or two. 49:45 When you look at 49:46 this description here 49:47 of a genuine, mature disciple, 49:49 where are you in this? 49:54 Maybe this is -- You're doing 49:55 this. 49:56 You're living with Jesus 49:56 each day. 49:57 You're moving forward. 49:58 Praise the Lord. 49:58 Let me just pour 49:59 gas on your fire. 50:00 Keep going, keep going. 50:02 Maybe you're far from this. 50:04 You know, maybe this isn't part 50:05 of your life at all, 50:06 but you see that it could be. 50:07 Maybe you're 50:08 somewhere in between. 50:09 Whatever the case, 50:11 whatever the case, 50:12 may I gently challenge you 50:14 to come to Jesus? 50:15 Don't let another day go by. 50:16 Make today your day. 50:18 Commit or recommit 50:19 yourself to Jesus Christ. 50:21 Commit yourself to becoming, 50:22 by His grace, the best disciple 50:25 of Jesus Christ 50:26 that you can possibly be. 50:28 You know, whatever sacrifice 50:29 that requires, 50:30 whether it be our physical lives 50:34 or just whatever your version 50:35 of a rock garden is, 50:37 whatever sacrifice it is 50:39 God calls you to make, 50:40 you will be glad you made it. 50:42 No one but no one, 50:43 when they're standing around 50:44 the sea of glass 50:45 or the tree of life 50:46 in heaven is going to say, "Boy, 50:47 I sure wish I hadn't made 50:48 that sacrifice for Jesus." 50:49 Nobody's going to do that. 50:51 Everybody is going to be 50:52 so thrilled that they were 50:53 there, because heaven is 50:54 cheap enough, after all. 50:57 And if we make this kind of 50:58 sacrifice to become the best 51:00 disciples that we can be, 51:01 we will also have 51:02 the great benefit 51:03 of avoiding becoming yet 51:05 another Christian congregation 51:07 who commits the great omission. 51:09 The great omission 51:11 of making converts, yes, 51:13 but of omitting to then continue 51:14 and also make actual, genuine, 51:16 mature disciples of Christ. 51:21 May this be a place -- 51:22 may it always be a place 51:25 where Jesus-loving 51:26 Jesus-following, Jesus-honoring 51:28 disciples are made, 51:30 that as many as possible 51:32 might come to know Christ 51:34 before He returns. 51:36 >> Amen! 51:42 ♪ 52:00 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 52:04 a giving place ♪ 52:08 ♪ A house of prayer, 52:12 a sacred space ♪ 52:17 ♪ A chapel 52:19 of your boundless grace ♪ 52:24 ♪ Lord, make 52:26 this church a giving place ♪ 52:36 ♪ Lord, make this church 52:39 a giving 52:44 place ♪ 52:59 ♪ Lord, make 53:01 this church an open door ♪ 53:07 ♪ Where every word 53:12 redeems, restores ♪ 53:17 >> ♪ A healing room 53:19 forevermore ♪ 53:25 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 53:27 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 53:31 >> ♪ An open door 53:39 >> ♪ Lord, build this church 53:43 with broken hearts ♪ 53:47 ♪ On fragile jars of clay 53:55 ♪ Through wounded windows, 53:58 shine Your light ♪ 54:02 >> ♪ Lord, shine 54:04 in a thousand glorious ways ♪ 54:08 >> ♪ In a thousand glorious 54:11 ways ♪ 54:19 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 54:22 a light of hope ♪ 54:26 ♪ A beacon bright, 54:30 a welcome home ♪ 54:36 ♪ A gathering where 54:39 your love is shown ♪ 54:55 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 54:59 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 55:08 >> ♪ Lord, make this church 55:13 ♪ A giving 55:20 ♪ Place 55:44 >> Jesus, we long 55:48 to more deeply and 55:49 to better reflect your heart, 55:52 your goodness, your love. 55:57 Humanly speaking, Lord, 55:58 this is beyond us. 55:58 We cannot achieve it. 56:02 But with God, 56:02 all things are possible. 56:06 Teach us, Lord, 56:06 to become the kind of disciples 56:08 that you would have us to be. 56:09 Grow us, Lord. 56:10 We thank you for saving us. 56:11 Now grow us, Lord, 56:12 into this great building 56:13 that you have in mind. 56:15 Restore unto us Your energy, 56:17 Your strength, Your passion, 56:18 Your power, and Your love. 56:19 Fill us with Your spirit, 56:21 that, indeed, this might be 56:22 a giving place, Lord, 56:23 that literally 56:25 spreads around the world, 56:28 that Your work might be 56:29 finished, and we can go home. 56:32 Bless us, Lord, in this way, 56:35 for we've asked in Your name. 56:37 Amen. 56:38 >> Amen. 56:40 ♪ 56:53 >> I'm Shane Anderson, 56:54 the lead pastor here 56:55 at Pioneer Memorial Church. 56:57 At Pioneer Media, 56:58 we have been blessed 56:59 by the financial support 57:01 that comes from our viewers like 57:02 you that enable us 57:04 to continue this ministry. 57:06 We've made a conscious decision 57:08 not to continually appeal to you 57:09 for that support. 57:11 However, keeping this ministry 57:12 going takes money 57:13 to support our staff and 57:15 technology needs. 57:16 If God has blessed you 57:18 and you would like to further 57:19 the work of this ministry, 57:20 we invite you 57:21 to partner with us. 57:23 You can donate 57:24 on our website, pmchurch.org. 57:27 Then click "giving" at the top, 57:29 then select "media ministry." 57:32 Or call the number 877-HIS-WILL. 57:36 Again, that number is 877, 57:38 the two words HIS-WILL. 57:41 My prayer is that the God 57:43 who has blessed 57:44 you will continue to pour 57:45 into your life the gifts 57:46 of His joy and His hope. 57:49 Thank you, and 57:50 I'm looking forward to seeing 57:51 you right here again next time. 58:00 ♪ |
Revised 2025-02-13