1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 2 Timothy chapter two, verse one says, 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,180 you therefore my son be strong in the grace 3 00:00:08,180 --> 00:00:10,500 that is in Christ Jesus. 4 00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:12,180 What you have heard from me in the presence 5 00:00:12,180 --> 00:00:15,540 of many witnesses commit to faithful men 6 00:00:15,540 --> 00:00:18,260 who will be able to teach others also. 7 00:00:19,380 --> 00:00:22,660 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 8 00:00:22,660 --> 00:00:25,420 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled 9 00:00:25,420 --> 00:00:28,620 in the concerns of civilian life. 10 00:00:28,620 --> 00:00:31,820 He seeks to please the commanding officer. 11 00:00:31,820 --> 00:00:34,060 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, 12 00:00:34,060 --> 00:00:38,500 he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 13 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:41,460 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first 14 00:00:41,460 --> 00:00:43,860 to get a share of the crops. 15 00:00:44,740 --> 00:00:47,580 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you 16 00:00:47,580 --> 00:00:49,740 understanding in everything. 17 00:00:50,860 --> 00:00:51,980 This is God's word. 18 00:00:53,100 --> 00:00:53,940 Will you join me in prayer. 19 00:00:53,940 --> 00:00:56,500 Father, I thank you for this day 20 00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:59,300 and for the opportunity that we have this morning 21 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:01,500 to receive from your word. 22 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:05,180 We pray that your Holy Spirit would speak to us 23 00:01:05,180 --> 00:01:08,740 according to your will and your good purposes 24 00:01:08,740 --> 00:01:10,180 and that we would walk in the strength 25 00:01:10,180 --> 00:01:13,100 that we receive from you and you alone. 26 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:16,940 We ask this in Jesus name, amen. 27 00:01:19,820 --> 00:01:23,660 There is one thing which gives radiance to everything. 28 00:01:23,660 --> 00:01:27,260 It is the idea of something around the corner. 29 00:01:28,660 --> 00:01:31,060 There is one thing which gives radiance to everything. 30 00:01:31,060 --> 00:01:33,860 It's the idea of something around the corner. 31 00:01:33,860 --> 00:01:35,860 Those are words from the English writer 32 00:01:35,860 --> 00:01:38,100 and philosopher G.K. Chesterton 33 00:01:38,100 --> 00:01:40,060 and I think they're fitting for us 34 00:01:40,060 --> 00:01:42,500 as we welcome the year 2024. 35 00:01:44,060 --> 00:01:46,060 Personally, I am eager and excited to see 36 00:01:46,060 --> 00:01:50,260 what the Lord has in store for his people this year. 37 00:01:50,260 --> 00:01:55,260 Maybe the words from the Psalm Amazing Grace ring true. 38 00:01:57,460 --> 00:01:59,660 Through many dangerous toils and snares, 39 00:01:59,660 --> 00:02:01,660 I have already come. 40 00:02:02,660 --> 00:02:06,660 Twas grace that brought me safe thus far 41 00:02:06,660 --> 00:02:08,860 and grace will lead me home. 42 00:02:11,060 --> 00:02:15,060 For us here at Village, we are just eight months removed 43 00:02:15,060 --> 00:02:19,060 from stepping forward into a fresh mission in vision 44 00:02:19,060 --> 00:02:20,660 and a name to mark the change. 45 00:02:20,660 --> 00:02:22,860 Only eight months have passed. 46 00:02:24,460 --> 00:02:27,060 Since that time, some of you have joined us 47 00:02:27,060 --> 00:02:30,660 here in our fellowship worshiping with us on a weekly basis. 48 00:02:30,660 --> 00:02:33,260 Some of you have become a part of what we're doing 49 00:02:33,260 --> 00:02:36,260 and are now an integral part of the family 50 00:02:36,260 --> 00:02:37,660 and fellowship that we call here. 51 00:02:37,660 --> 00:02:41,460 We welcome you and we're so glad that our family grows. 52 00:02:43,260 --> 00:02:45,060 You are part of what God is doing here 53 00:02:45,060 --> 00:02:47,260 and even though you're not here, 54 00:02:47,260 --> 00:02:49,460 you are part of what God is doing here 55 00:02:49,460 --> 00:02:54,460 and even more so what he is preparing to do here 56 00:02:54,860 --> 00:02:57,860 through us and the work of ministry here 57 00:02:57,860 --> 00:03:02,260 at 4458 Street and the people who go out from here. 58 00:03:02,260 --> 00:03:05,260 2024 begins a new stage in the life of our fellowship, 59 00:03:05,260 --> 00:03:06,100 I believe. 60 00:03:07,060 --> 00:03:09,260 And it will not be without its own difficulties 61 00:03:09,260 --> 00:03:12,460 and struggles, its dangers, toils and snares, 62 00:03:12,460 --> 00:03:15,860 but we are each invited to be strong in the grace 63 00:03:15,860 --> 00:03:20,860 of the Lord Jesus, for his grace has brought us thus far 64 00:03:21,060 --> 00:03:23,460 and his grace will lead us on. 65 00:03:26,060 --> 00:03:28,260 In the Book of Second Timothy, 66 00:03:28,260 --> 00:03:31,460 it is the second letter between the Apostle Paul 67 00:03:31,460 --> 00:03:33,060 and Timothy. 68 00:03:33,060 --> 00:03:36,260 And Timothy is someone that Paul has invested his time 69 00:03:36,260 --> 00:03:38,460 and his teaching and his life into 70 00:03:38,460 --> 00:03:40,860 and is like a son in the faith to him. 71 00:03:41,860 --> 00:03:44,060 He is a fellow worker in the Gospel 72 00:03:44,060 --> 00:03:47,860 and he was sent by Paul to go aid the church 73 00:03:47,860 --> 00:03:49,260 in the city of Ephesus. 74 00:03:50,260 --> 00:03:52,460 Now the church in Ephesus is encountering all kinds 75 00:03:52,460 --> 00:03:55,660 of hardships like the reality of doing ministry 76 00:03:55,660 --> 00:04:00,260 and living life in a city that's renowned for idol worship. 77 00:04:01,860 --> 00:04:04,660 Add to that the many different teachings 78 00:04:04,660 --> 00:04:06,660 and myths that seep in. 79 00:04:06,660 --> 00:04:09,460 The fledgling church is also infiltrated by teachers 80 00:04:09,460 --> 00:04:14,060 that one must keep the traditions of Judaism, 81 00:04:14,060 --> 00:04:15,860 the dietary and ceremonial laws, 82 00:04:15,860 --> 00:04:19,260 in order that they would be saved. 83 00:04:19,260 --> 00:04:21,460 And so Paul in his letters to Timothy 84 00:04:21,460 --> 00:04:25,060 puts a great deal of emphasis on the need 85 00:04:25,060 --> 00:04:28,860 for sound teaching and for sound and qualified leaders 86 00:04:28,860 --> 00:04:30,060 to do the teaching. 87 00:04:31,260 --> 00:04:33,860 And he encourages Timothy to lead by example 88 00:04:33,860 --> 00:04:36,860 and to live the exemplary Christian life 89 00:04:36,860 --> 00:04:41,860 in view of others who are to then imitate his life and faith 90 00:04:43,260 --> 00:04:46,260 as Timothy has imitated the life and faith of Paul. 91 00:04:47,660 --> 00:04:50,860 And that work is not easy, the opposition was real. 92 00:04:50,860 --> 00:04:54,060 But the Gospel is also real and the good news, 93 00:04:54,060 --> 00:04:56,260 it is worth giving all for. 94 00:04:58,060 --> 00:05:00,460 And you see that even in verses eight 95 00:05:00,460 --> 00:05:02,460 of that same chapter that we read, 96 00:05:02,460 --> 00:05:05,460 shortly after the next verse where we stopped, 97 00:05:05,460 --> 00:05:07,060 verse eight of that same chapter says, 98 00:05:07,060 --> 00:05:11,860 "'Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead 99 00:05:11,860 --> 00:05:14,460 "'and descended from David according to my Gospel, 100 00:05:14,460 --> 00:05:16,260 "'for which I suffer to the point 101 00:05:16,260 --> 00:05:18,060 "'of being bound like a criminal, 102 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:21,660 "'but the word of God is not bound. 103 00:05:23,060 --> 00:05:26,660 "'This is why I endure all things for the elect, 104 00:05:26,660 --> 00:05:29,260 "'so that they also may obtain salvation,' 105 00:05:29,260 --> 00:05:32,660 which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 106 00:05:32,660 --> 00:05:36,060 "'This saying is trustworthy, 107 00:05:36,060 --> 00:05:39,860 "'for if we died with him, we will also live with him. 108 00:05:39,860 --> 00:05:42,860 "'If we endure, we will also reign with him. 109 00:05:42,860 --> 00:05:47,060 "'If we deny him, he will also deny us. 110 00:05:47,060 --> 00:05:50,660 "'If we are faithless, he remains faithful, 111 00:05:50,660 --> 00:05:53,060 "'for he cannot deny himself.'" 112 00:05:54,860 --> 00:05:58,060 What promise, what hope, 113 00:05:59,060 --> 00:06:02,060 what grace and strength for us today 114 00:06:02,060 --> 00:06:05,460 to remember, Paul tells Timothy that in order to fight 115 00:06:05,460 --> 00:06:09,460 the good fight and to stay true in the face of great hardship, 116 00:06:09,460 --> 00:06:11,460 you will need to remember something. 117 00:06:11,460 --> 00:06:13,460 You will need to remember something. 118 00:06:13,460 --> 00:06:15,460 You'll need to remember Jesus. 119 00:06:15,460 --> 00:06:19,060 You'll need to remember his death and his resurrection. 120 00:06:19,060 --> 00:06:21,260 You will need to remember that he is the Messiah 121 00:06:21,260 --> 00:06:23,860 who has brought with him all the promises 122 00:06:23,860 --> 00:06:25,260 of the Old Testament. 123 00:06:26,260 --> 00:06:29,260 You'll need to remember that the Gospel is unstoppable. 124 00:06:29,260 --> 00:06:32,260 The word of God cannot be bound. 125 00:06:33,260 --> 00:06:36,260 My body may find chains on it someday, 126 00:06:36,260 --> 00:06:39,260 but no chain will ever restrain the word of God. 127 00:06:41,260 --> 00:06:44,260 You'll need to remember that enduring means 128 00:06:44,260 --> 00:06:46,860 doing the hard work for the sake of those 129 00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:49,660 who have yet to believe, but will one day believe 130 00:06:49,660 --> 00:06:51,860 that they may have salvation. 131 00:06:51,860 --> 00:06:53,860 Remember those things. 132 00:06:53,860 --> 00:06:54,860 Remember. 133 00:06:54,860 --> 00:06:59,860 My chains, my hardship, my sacrifice is for them. 134 00:07:02,860 --> 00:07:06,860 And so just before this, Paul instructs young Timothy, 135 00:07:06,860 --> 00:07:10,860 verse three, share in suffering 136 00:07:10,860 --> 00:07:13,860 as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 137 00:07:14,860 --> 00:07:18,860 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 138 00:07:18,860 --> 00:07:20,860 What does Paul say to Timothy? 139 00:07:20,860 --> 00:07:24,860 He says, take your share of hardship. 140 00:07:25,860 --> 00:07:29,860 Take your share of hardship. 141 00:07:30,860 --> 00:07:33,860 Take your share of suffering. 142 00:07:33,860 --> 00:07:36,860 Take it as is fitting for any soldier, 143 00:07:36,860 --> 00:07:38,860 any good soldier. 144 00:07:38,860 --> 00:07:40,860 Paul loves the military metaphors. 145 00:07:40,860 --> 00:07:42,860 There's all sorts of cross references we could go to 146 00:07:42,860 --> 00:07:46,860 where Paul draws on the imagery of the military 147 00:07:46,860 --> 00:07:51,860 but you might think, oh, I shouldn't have a share 148 00:07:51,860 --> 00:07:53,860 in hardship. 149 00:07:53,860 --> 00:07:56,860 I shouldn't have a share in suffering. 150 00:07:56,860 --> 00:08:00,860 I like to just watch. 151 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:03,860 I'm just gonna hang out and watch a little bit. 152 00:08:03,860 --> 00:08:06,860 Could you imagine a soldier saying that? 153 00:08:07,860 --> 00:08:10,860 Or even more so, could you imagine a commanding officer 154 00:08:10,860 --> 00:08:11,860 buying it? 155 00:08:11,860 --> 00:08:16,860 No. Take your share of hardship. 156 00:08:16,860 --> 00:08:17,860 Take yours. 157 00:08:17,860 --> 00:08:21,860 Hardship is a feature, not a bug, 158 00:08:21,860 --> 00:08:23,860 of the Christian witness. 159 00:08:23,860 --> 00:08:26,860 A feature, not a bug. 160 00:08:26,860 --> 00:08:28,860 Unless you think that hardship or suffering is only 161 00:08:28,860 --> 00:08:33,860 a thing for your missionaries in a third world country. 162 00:08:33,860 --> 00:08:35,860 I'll tell you that I know pastors, 163 00:08:35,860 --> 00:08:38,860 I know the missionaries in the third world country. 164 00:08:38,860 --> 00:08:42,860 I'll tell you that I know pastors, I know lay leaders, 165 00:08:42,860 --> 00:08:45,860 I know just regular old church folk. 166 00:08:45,860 --> 00:08:48,860 I'm sure Pastor Mike could tell stories too. 167 00:08:48,860 --> 00:08:52,860 Who faithfully endure the hardship of the gossiping, 168 00:08:52,860 --> 00:08:58,860 complaining, all talk, no work, church goer. 169 00:08:58,860 --> 00:09:03,860 And they do it with the grace of Christ strengthening them. 170 00:09:04,860 --> 00:09:07,860 In fact, one of the greatest hardships you may face 171 00:09:07,860 --> 00:09:12,860 in the faith is learning to be one of a new community 172 00:09:12,860 --> 00:09:14,860 with other Christians. 173 00:09:14,860 --> 00:09:18,860 What does it mean to be a part of this new kind of people? 174 00:09:18,860 --> 00:09:19,860 That's hard work. 175 00:09:19,860 --> 00:09:21,860 I don't know if you've experienced it. 176 00:09:21,860 --> 00:09:23,860 Some of you have been at this church for a very long time. 177 00:09:23,860 --> 00:09:25,860 I'm sure you've gone through a lot of hardship 178 00:09:25,860 --> 00:09:27,860 just trying to figure out what does it mean 179 00:09:27,860 --> 00:09:29,860 to be the new people of God? 180 00:09:29,860 --> 00:09:34,860 What does it mean to be the new community? 181 00:09:34,860 --> 00:09:37,860 But Paul says, take your share of suffering. 182 00:09:37,860 --> 00:09:42,860 Take your share of suffering like a good soldier of Christ. 183 00:09:42,860 --> 00:09:47,860 Share in the work, share in the cost, 184 00:09:47,860 --> 00:09:52,860 share in the suffering, share in the reward. 185 00:09:52,860 --> 00:09:54,860 Verse four is also interesting. 186 00:09:54,860 --> 00:09:58,860 After saying to endure it, he says, 187 00:09:58,860 --> 00:10:01,860 no one serving as a soldier gets entangled 188 00:10:01,860 --> 00:10:04,860 in the concerns of civilian life. 189 00:10:04,860 --> 00:10:09,860 He seeks to please the commanding officer. 190 00:10:09,860 --> 00:10:13,860 Now, most of us only know the soldiering life 191 00:10:13,860 --> 00:10:16,860 from movies or from stories that we've heard. 192 00:10:16,860 --> 00:10:19,860 Some of you, I know, have served in the military 193 00:10:19,860 --> 00:10:21,860 and you know it firsthand, but most of us, 194 00:10:21,860 --> 00:10:23,860 we watch a movie or we hear a story. 195 00:10:23,860 --> 00:10:26,860 So I did what anyone would do nowadays, 196 00:10:26,860 --> 00:10:30,860 and I went to chat GPT, the AI, 197 00:10:30,860 --> 00:10:33,860 and I said, hey, chat GPT, 198 00:10:33,860 --> 00:10:36,860 write me a poem about the soldiering life. 199 00:10:36,860 --> 00:10:40,860 Here's what the AI gave me, all right? 200 00:10:40,860 --> 00:10:43,860 In the clasp of duty, their youth is spent 201 00:10:43,860 --> 00:10:47,860 on unknown paths with resolve unbent. 202 00:10:47,860 --> 00:10:49,860 And the quiet whispers of the night, 203 00:10:49,860 --> 00:10:53,860 they dream of home in the pale moonlight. 204 00:10:53,860 --> 00:10:56,860 Their uniforms, badges of honor and pain 205 00:10:56,860 --> 00:10:59,860 in the dance of war they don't refrain 206 00:10:59,860 --> 00:11:03,860 through the echoes of gunfire, loud and clear, 207 00:11:03,860 --> 00:11:06,860 they face each challenge despite the fear. 208 00:11:06,860 --> 00:11:09,860 In camaraderie, they find their strength. 209 00:11:09,860 --> 00:11:12,860 For one another, they go to any length. 210 00:11:12,860 --> 00:11:14,860 In the trenches, amidst the mud and the rain, 211 00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:18,860 they share their hopes, their loss, their gain. 212 00:11:18,860 --> 00:11:22,860 Under the vast unending sky, they ponder deeply 213 00:11:22,860 --> 00:11:24,860 with a thoughtful sigh about the world, 214 00:11:24,860 --> 00:11:27,860 so complex and vast, and moments fleeting 215 00:11:27,860 --> 00:11:29,860 that quickly passed. 216 00:11:29,860 --> 00:11:32,860 In their eyes, a story untold of bravery, 217 00:11:32,860 --> 00:11:36,860 young and bold, with every step on foreign soil, 218 00:11:36,860 --> 00:11:40,860 they remind us of loyalty's unending toil. 219 00:11:40,860 --> 00:11:43,860 With honor they serve, with courage they stand, 220 00:11:43,860 --> 00:11:46,860 guardians of peace in every land. 221 00:11:46,860 --> 00:11:49,860 In the annals of time, their tales will survive, 222 00:11:49,860 --> 00:11:53,860 eternal and proud of the soldiering life. 223 00:11:53,860 --> 00:11:55,860 Not too bad for a computer, huh? 224 00:11:55,860 --> 00:12:00,860 Make that up. 225 00:12:00,860 --> 00:12:03,860 But do you know what it is to live 226 00:12:03,860 --> 00:12:07,860 the soldiering life of faith? 227 00:12:07,860 --> 00:12:09,860 All those themes stir up all kinds of things 228 00:12:09,860 --> 00:12:11,860 in your heart. 229 00:12:11,860 --> 00:12:15,860 The camaraderie, the gains, the losses, 230 00:12:15,860 --> 00:12:21,860 the toils, the courage, the tales. 231 00:12:21,860 --> 00:12:23,860 Do you know what it is to live 232 00:12:23,860 --> 00:12:27,860 the soldiering life of faith? 233 00:12:27,860 --> 00:12:31,860 Paul says that soldiers don't get entangled, 234 00:12:31,860 --> 00:12:33,860 and this was a term that basically carried with it 235 00:12:33,860 --> 00:12:37,860 the idea of a civilian's cloak, the outer robe, 236 00:12:37,860 --> 00:12:41,860 and a sword getting all wrapped up. 237 00:12:41,860 --> 00:12:45,860 Don't let your sword get wrapped up in civilian clothes. 238 00:12:45,860 --> 00:12:49,860 A good soldier doesn't allow ordinary things of life 239 00:12:49,860 --> 00:12:52,860 to become the main thing. 240 00:12:52,860 --> 00:12:56,860 A good soldier does not allow ordinary things of life 241 00:12:56,860 --> 00:12:58,860 to become the main thing. 242 00:12:58,860 --> 00:13:01,860 Why do I work? 243 00:13:01,860 --> 00:13:07,860 I work to the glory of God and for the work of the kingdom. 244 00:13:07,860 --> 00:13:09,860 Why do I spend time investing and pouring 245 00:13:09,860 --> 00:13:12,860 and loving my boys? 246 00:13:12,860 --> 00:13:17,860 To the glory of God and for the work of the kingdom. 247 00:13:17,860 --> 00:13:19,860 It is not my greatest joy or hope 248 00:13:19,860 --> 00:13:21,860 that they would make a lot of money 249 00:13:21,860 --> 00:13:24,860 and have a nice house and a lovely wife and two kids 250 00:13:24,860 --> 00:13:27,860 and go on two weeks long vacations every year 251 00:13:27,860 --> 00:13:29,860 in their mobile home. 252 00:13:29,860 --> 00:13:34,860 That's not my greatest joy or hope. 253 00:13:34,860 --> 00:13:38,860 My greatest joy or hope is that God would be maximally glorified 254 00:13:38,860 --> 00:13:41,860 in their lives and that they would give themselves 255 00:13:41,860 --> 00:13:43,860 to the work of the kingdom of God. 256 00:13:43,860 --> 00:13:46,860 That's my hope. That's my joy. 257 00:13:46,860 --> 00:13:50,860 Poverty or riches? Nah. 258 00:13:50,860 --> 00:13:53,860 Are there things to take care of? Yes. 259 00:13:53,860 --> 00:13:57,860 But if my calendar looks like a lot of civilian affairs 260 00:13:57,860 --> 00:14:01,860 sprinkled with the occasional kingdom seeking, 261 00:14:01,860 --> 00:14:04,860 then I need to reevaluate. 262 00:14:04,860 --> 00:14:10,860 Paul's schedule was cleared when they slapped the change 263 00:14:10,860 --> 00:14:13,860 on his hands and threw him into prison. 264 00:14:13,860 --> 00:14:16,860 Paul had all the time in the world suddenly. 265 00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:18,860 And you know what he did? 266 00:14:18,860 --> 00:14:22,860 Sing songs of praise, wrote books of the Bible, 267 00:14:22,860 --> 00:14:25,860 made sure to connect with those that he had left 268 00:14:25,860 --> 00:14:28,860 in different places, to make sure as he yearned 269 00:14:28,860 --> 00:14:31,860 and ached to be with them and to see the advancement 270 00:14:31,860 --> 00:14:35,860 of the gospel or to help the fledgling church over here 271 00:14:35,860 --> 00:14:38,860 that was dying or on the edge or the word that he heard 272 00:14:38,860 --> 00:14:41,860 about the church over here that false teachers 273 00:14:41,860 --> 00:14:44,860 had infiltrated in his heart broke and ached 274 00:14:44,860 --> 00:14:47,860 as he's in prison. 275 00:14:47,860 --> 00:14:54,860 Friends, we are called to a life that is preoccupied 276 00:14:54,860 --> 00:14:57,860 with gospel concerns. 277 00:14:57,860 --> 00:15:00,860 We are called to a life preoccupied with gospel 278 00:15:00,860 --> 00:15:03,860 concerns to be single-minded. 279 00:15:03,860 --> 00:15:07,860 Why? Because Christ has a claim on his people. 280 00:15:07,860 --> 00:15:10,860 Christ has a claim on his people. 281 00:15:10,860 --> 00:15:13,860 Because Christ has purchased his people for himself 282 00:15:13,860 --> 00:15:16,860 and his people will be preoccupied with him 283 00:15:16,860 --> 00:15:20,860 and his mission. 284 00:15:20,860 --> 00:15:22,860 You don't get the crown unless you compete 285 00:15:22,860 --> 00:15:24,860 according to the rules. 286 00:15:24,860 --> 00:15:27,860 It's the hardworking farmer that has the right 287 00:15:27,860 --> 00:15:32,860 which the indolent person forfeits. 288 00:15:32,860 --> 00:15:35,860 This is Paul's instruction to Timothy, 289 00:15:35,860 --> 00:15:38,860 be a good soldier. 290 00:15:38,860 --> 00:15:40,860 Don't get tangled up. 291 00:15:40,860 --> 00:15:45,860 And this is our encouragement this morning. 292 00:15:45,860 --> 00:15:50,860 Is the Christian life a checkout counter? 293 00:15:50,860 --> 00:15:53,860 Or is it an altar? 294 00:15:53,860 --> 00:15:58,860 Is it a checkout counter where I go to get what I want? 295 00:15:58,860 --> 00:16:02,860 Where I pay and then I need the goods? 296 00:16:02,860 --> 00:16:05,860 Or is it an altar where I come to lay everything 297 00:16:05,860 --> 00:16:08,860 that I am down on? 298 00:16:08,860 --> 00:16:11,860 Is it an altar like Romans 12 says that in view 299 00:16:11,860 --> 00:16:14,860 of God's mercy we offer our entire self, 300 00:16:14,860 --> 00:16:17,860 our whole bodies of living sacrifices, 301 00:16:17,860 --> 00:16:19,860 holy and pleasing to God? 302 00:16:19,860 --> 00:16:25,860 Or is it a place that I go, get my goods? 303 00:16:25,860 --> 00:16:30,860 Is the church an audience or an army? 304 00:16:30,860 --> 00:16:33,860 Is it an audience here to spectate? 305 00:16:33,860 --> 00:16:35,860 Ah, worship was okay. 306 00:16:35,860 --> 00:16:37,860 I didn't really like the songs that they chose. 307 00:16:37,860 --> 00:16:39,860 That pastor bugs me. 308 00:16:39,860 --> 00:16:43,860 Why does he yell all the time? 309 00:16:43,860 --> 00:16:47,860 Is it an audience or is it an army? 310 00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:51,860 Am I sitting with an army or an audience of spectators 311 00:16:51,860 --> 00:16:57,860 who want to be thrilled, entertained? 312 00:16:57,860 --> 00:16:59,860 Throw that next one up, Jerry. 313 00:16:59,860 --> 00:17:04,860 Are we a cruise ship or a battleship? 314 00:17:04,860 --> 00:17:08,860 Are we a cruise ship or a battleship? 315 00:17:08,860 --> 00:17:11,860 On a cruise ship, a select staff of people 316 00:17:11,860 --> 00:17:14,860 serve the passengers, entertain them, 317 00:17:14,860 --> 00:17:15,860 put together shows. 318 00:17:15,860 --> 00:17:17,860 You guys want to do line dancing today? 319 00:17:17,860 --> 00:17:19,860 Let's do line dancing, keep you happy. 320 00:17:19,860 --> 00:17:21,860 Let's do the limbo now. 321 00:17:21,860 --> 00:17:22,860 Right? 322 00:17:22,860 --> 00:17:25,860 Stock the bars, bring you towels, room service. 323 00:17:25,860 --> 00:17:27,860 You file a complaint, they want to come 324 00:17:27,860 --> 00:17:30,860 and do their best to make sure that you're satisfied 325 00:17:30,860 --> 00:17:33,860 with everything, mister or missus, 326 00:17:33,860 --> 00:17:37,860 by creating a fantasy world with no problems 327 00:17:37,860 --> 00:17:42,860 where everyone exists for the passengers' comfort. 328 00:17:42,860 --> 00:17:49,860 Or are we on a battleship where everyone has a job? 329 00:17:49,860 --> 00:17:53,860 Everyone has a purpose that is vital to the mission, 330 00:17:53,860 --> 00:17:57,860 the mission that has been received by higher ranks, 331 00:17:57,860 --> 00:18:01,860 higher command outside of the ship. 332 00:18:01,860 --> 00:18:06,860 Are we on a battleship where discipline is required? 333 00:18:06,860 --> 00:18:11,860 Where we work for the good of the whole and for the mission? 334 00:18:11,860 --> 00:18:16,860 Where the individual is subordinate to the group? 335 00:18:16,860 --> 00:18:19,860 Is there a sick bay for the sick and injured on a battleship? 336 00:18:19,860 --> 00:18:21,860 Yes. 337 00:18:21,860 --> 00:18:23,860 But it's a purpose to get them restored 338 00:18:23,860 --> 00:18:27,860 and back at their station ASAP. 339 00:18:27,860 --> 00:18:29,860 We're on mission. 340 00:18:29,860 --> 00:18:30,860 Is there learning and growing? 341 00:18:30,860 --> 00:18:31,860 Yes. 342 00:18:31,860 --> 00:18:34,860 But with the purpose of better accomplishing 343 00:18:34,860 --> 00:18:39,860 the mission objectives. 344 00:18:39,860 --> 00:18:42,860 Are we an audience or an army? 345 00:18:42,860 --> 00:18:47,860 Is this a checkout counter or is this an altar? 346 00:18:47,860 --> 00:18:51,860 Are we playing cruise ship or battleship? 347 00:18:51,860 --> 00:18:54,860 I believe that 2024 is the year where we must make a shift 348 00:18:54,860 --> 00:18:58,860 at a cultural level in our church from cruise ship mentality 349 00:18:58,860 --> 00:19:00,860 to battleship mentality. 350 00:19:00,860 --> 00:19:04,860 That's why we call it all hands on deck. 351 00:19:04,860 --> 00:19:07,860 From audience to army, from checkout counter to altar, 352 00:19:07,860 --> 00:19:15,860 on September 15th of 2024, we will be reintroducing ourselves 353 00:19:15,860 --> 00:19:18,860 to the community and to the greater Sacramento area. 354 00:19:18,860 --> 00:19:22,860 September 15th, 2024. 355 00:19:22,860 --> 00:19:25,860 This will be a relaunch. 356 00:19:25,860 --> 00:19:27,860 A relaunch. 357 00:19:27,860 --> 00:19:32,860 We will be deploying a massive coordinated mailer social media 358 00:19:32,860 --> 00:19:35,860 and boots on the ground campaign to reach people 359 00:19:35,860 --> 00:19:40,860 in our neighborhood and in our city. 360 00:19:40,860 --> 00:19:43,860 We are going to use that moment, September 15th, 361 00:19:43,860 --> 00:19:48,860 as a catalyst for momentum and for growth. 362 00:19:48,860 --> 00:19:53,860 We will be aiming to double, triple, even quadruple our reach 363 00:19:53,860 --> 00:19:56,860 through these efforts. 364 00:19:56,860 --> 00:20:02,860 We want to see people reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 365 00:20:02,860 --> 00:20:07,860 When Jesus returns, when the skies part and the trumpet sounds 366 00:20:07,860 --> 00:20:14,860 and he looks down at Village, I want him to catch us red hot 367 00:20:14,860 --> 00:20:18,860 with passion doing the work of the kingdom. 368 00:20:18,860 --> 00:20:22,860 And he goes, yeah, ready. 369 00:20:22,860 --> 00:20:24,860 Come on. 370 00:20:24,860 --> 00:20:27,860 Good job. 371 00:20:27,860 --> 00:20:30,860 Red hot. 372 00:20:30,860 --> 00:20:31,860 What does all this mean? 373 00:20:31,860 --> 00:20:38,860 It means that you and I, we are the launch team. 374 00:20:38,860 --> 00:20:41,860 We are the launch team. 375 00:20:41,860 --> 00:20:42,860 We are the launch team. 376 00:20:42,860 --> 00:20:44,860 You thought you were just here to attend 377 00:20:44,860 --> 00:20:46,860 and slip out really quick, right? 378 00:20:46,860 --> 00:20:51,860 You got signed up in the army now. 379 00:20:51,860 --> 00:20:54,860 You are the launch team. 380 00:20:54,860 --> 00:20:56,860 We are the launch team. 381 00:20:56,860 --> 00:21:00,860 We are the people who have been given the opportunity 382 00:21:00,860 --> 00:21:03,860 to make this something. 383 00:21:03,860 --> 00:21:06,860 You might be asking, what is a launch team? 384 00:21:06,860 --> 00:21:10,860 I signed up for it, I guess, but I don't know what it is. 385 00:21:10,860 --> 00:21:13,860 I'm going to give you four words to contemplate as we think 386 00:21:13,860 --> 00:21:16,860 about what we as a launch team might look like. 387 00:21:16,860 --> 00:21:19,860 Number one, it's prepare. 388 00:21:19,860 --> 00:21:21,860 Prepare. 389 00:21:21,860 --> 00:21:25,860 We make preparations beforehand for what we will be at 390 00:21:25,860 --> 00:21:27,860 and after the launch. 391 00:21:27,860 --> 00:21:29,860 We begin to make preparations now. 392 00:21:29,860 --> 00:21:31,860 Just like if you had a dinner party of 20 guests coming 393 00:21:31,860 --> 00:21:34,860 to your house, you would make all kinds of preparations 394 00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:37,860 to accommodate and serve them, wouldn't you? 395 00:21:37,860 --> 00:21:40,860 You'd be running with a, like a chicken with your head cut off 396 00:21:40,860 --> 00:21:44,860 trying to get that thing ready, right? 397 00:21:44,860 --> 00:21:47,860 This includes addressing our building. 398 00:21:47,860 --> 00:21:52,860 Addressing our building and how we look to our neighborhood. 399 00:21:52,860 --> 00:21:56,860 Addressing things like how the bathrooms function. 400 00:21:56,860 --> 00:21:59,860 Kids' classrooms, sanctuary, and so on. 401 00:21:59,860 --> 00:22:01,860 We could go into all sorts of details. 402 00:22:01,860 --> 00:22:04,860 If I keep going, every one of you will have something wrong with it. 403 00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:06,860 We'll stop there. 404 00:22:06,860 --> 00:22:10,860 But that's what preparation means is you get things ready beforehand. 405 00:22:10,860 --> 00:22:12,860 How many of you guys, you know, men out there, 406 00:22:12,860 --> 00:22:14,860 how many of you guys have ever got the honeydew 407 00:22:14,860 --> 00:22:16,860 before the big dinner party, right? 408 00:22:16,860 --> 00:22:18,860 The light bulb needs to be changed, this needs to be swept off, 409 00:22:18,860 --> 00:22:20,860 this needs to happen? 410 00:22:20,860 --> 00:22:22,860 Yeah, that too. 411 00:22:22,860 --> 00:22:24,860 We make preparations. 412 00:22:24,860 --> 00:22:29,860 We prepare beforehand so that we are who we want to be 413 00:22:29,860 --> 00:22:31,860 when we get to the date. 414 00:22:31,860 --> 00:22:35,860 And we are who we want to be after that date. 415 00:22:35,860 --> 00:22:38,860 Number two is lead. 416 00:22:38,860 --> 00:22:40,860 I don't know if you caught this yet, we call our servant, 417 00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:43,860 we call our board members servant leaders 418 00:22:43,860 --> 00:22:46,860 because leading is serving. 419 00:22:46,860 --> 00:22:48,860 Leading is serving. 420 00:22:48,860 --> 00:22:53,860 And we serve people that we haven't even met yet 421 00:22:53,860 --> 00:22:56,860 by helping to build structures of care and service 422 00:22:56,860 --> 00:22:59,860 and by everyone gladly participating in them 423 00:22:59,860 --> 00:23:03,860 so that as people arrive, they can immediately join 424 00:23:03,860 --> 00:23:07,860 a caring and serving community. 425 00:23:07,860 --> 00:23:10,860 You know the last, you know the most terrible moment 426 00:23:10,860 --> 00:23:13,860 to be thinking about how to be caring and serving and loving is? 427 00:23:13,860 --> 00:23:16,860 Is the moment you need to be. 428 00:23:16,860 --> 00:23:19,860 But if you think about it beforehand, if you make preparations 429 00:23:19,860 --> 00:23:24,860 and you lead, not just think about it, but you lead with your life, 430 00:23:24,860 --> 00:23:28,860 you lead with your actions and your choices and your decisions, 431 00:23:28,860 --> 00:23:32,860 then we can be made ready to receive new folks 432 00:23:32,860 --> 00:23:34,860 who can be cared for, who can be loved, 433 00:23:34,860 --> 00:23:37,860 and who can be thought about and considered and taught 434 00:23:37,860 --> 00:23:40,860 and raised up in disciples. 435 00:23:40,860 --> 00:23:44,860 But that's not going to happen if we wait till they're here. 436 00:23:44,860 --> 00:23:48,860 If you wait till they're here, they're gone before you get it together. 437 00:23:48,860 --> 00:23:51,860 Make preparations and then you lead the charge individually, 438 00:23:51,860 --> 00:23:52,860 each one of us. 439 00:23:52,860 --> 00:23:55,860 We lead, I lead. 440 00:23:55,860 --> 00:23:57,860 We make preparations. 441 00:23:57,860 --> 00:24:01,860 We help to build the structures of care and service. 442 00:24:01,860 --> 00:24:04,860 It is no trivial thing that we are launching small groups. 443 00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:12,860 It is no trivial thing because those small groups will represent 444 00:24:12,860 --> 00:24:18,860 the primary location of care for the folks who come into our congregation. 445 00:24:18,860 --> 00:24:23,860 This is the biggest obstacle to any growth in any church 446 00:24:23,860 --> 00:24:27,860 by all the people who know what they're talking about 447 00:24:27,860 --> 00:24:33,860 is lack of growth in care to meet the need of the people who come in. 448 00:24:33,860 --> 00:24:36,860 People hit the door when they don't feel cared for or they don't feel loved. 449 00:24:36,860 --> 00:24:39,860 People hit the door when they feel like they can't get in. 450 00:24:39,860 --> 00:24:42,860 They can show up and fill the pews, get marked down as attendance, 451 00:24:42,860 --> 00:24:45,860 but they can't get in to the community. 452 00:24:45,860 --> 00:24:49,860 We remove all that friction when we build structures of care 453 00:24:49,860 --> 00:24:53,860 like small groups and we have a clear way, come on in, 454 00:24:53,860 --> 00:24:56,860 and we're excited about it, and we're all there. 455 00:24:56,860 --> 00:24:58,860 We're all there. 456 00:24:58,860 --> 00:24:59,860 It's not for them. 457 00:24:59,860 --> 00:25:02,860 Remember, that's not cruise ship, cruise ship mentality. 458 00:25:02,860 --> 00:25:04,860 They serve me. 459 00:25:04,860 --> 00:25:06,860 No, battleship. 460 00:25:06,860 --> 00:25:10,860 We serve the greater purpose and mission. 461 00:25:10,860 --> 00:25:14,860 Lead, number three, act. 462 00:25:14,860 --> 00:25:15,860 Prepare, lead, and act. 463 00:25:15,860 --> 00:25:16,860 Give of your time. 464 00:25:16,860 --> 00:25:17,860 Give of your talent. 465 00:25:17,860 --> 00:25:20,860 Give of your treasure. 466 00:25:20,860 --> 00:25:24,860 Give generously to see the gospel initiative advance. 467 00:25:24,860 --> 00:25:31,860 The local church is the instrument that God has chosen to reveal the kingdom of God 468 00:25:31,860 --> 00:25:34,860 to be a different kind of community on display. 469 00:25:34,860 --> 00:25:36,860 That is the instrument. 470 00:25:36,860 --> 00:25:38,860 Don't hear me wrong. 471 00:25:38,860 --> 00:25:40,860 I love parachurch organizations. 472 00:25:40,860 --> 00:25:42,860 I love outreach organizations. 473 00:25:42,860 --> 00:25:43,860 I love food banks. 474 00:25:43,860 --> 00:25:49,860 I love Diamond Arrow, our camp, but that is not the church. 475 00:25:49,860 --> 00:25:56,860 The church is God's chosen instrument for reaching communities. 476 00:25:56,860 --> 00:26:00,860 He planted us here. 477 00:26:00,860 --> 00:26:04,860 It would be a travesty to support all of these other things without first giving 478 00:26:04,860 --> 00:26:12,860 and contemplating how you might generously reach the folks who are in the pews next to you, 479 00:26:12,860 --> 00:26:17,860 create places, spaces for care and love, and reach the community around you. 480 00:26:17,860 --> 00:26:23,860 We act by giving generously of our time, our talent, and our treasure. 481 00:26:23,860 --> 00:26:28,860 The local church, where people are known and loved and cared for, 482 00:26:28,860 --> 00:26:31,860 where they can use their gifts and talents, 483 00:26:31,860 --> 00:26:38,860 where they are accountable and submitted to godly leaders who faithfully teach the word, 484 00:26:38,860 --> 00:26:44,860 this is the instrument God has chosen to reach the world. 485 00:26:44,860 --> 00:26:45,860 And so we act. 486 00:26:45,860 --> 00:26:46,860 We prepare. 487 00:26:46,860 --> 00:26:47,860 We lead. 488 00:26:47,860 --> 00:26:48,860 We act. 489 00:26:48,860 --> 00:26:52,860 And finally, we nurture. 490 00:26:52,860 --> 00:26:55,860 Genuinely love each other. 491 00:26:55,860 --> 00:26:59,860 We've all had the easy conversation. 492 00:26:59,860 --> 00:27:04,860 You know, I'm naturally, I would consider myself naturally an introvert. 493 00:27:04,860 --> 00:27:06,860 And so I got my bag of tricks. 494 00:27:06,860 --> 00:27:09,860 I got my five intros into a conversation. 495 00:27:09,860 --> 00:27:12,860 And then when they run out, I'm like panicked. 496 00:27:12,860 --> 00:27:13,860 What do I do? 497 00:27:13,860 --> 00:27:14,860 What's next? 498 00:27:14,860 --> 00:27:18,860 Pull out chat GPT. 499 00:27:18,860 --> 00:27:20,860 No, that's naturally how I am. 500 00:27:20,860 --> 00:27:23,860 But I know that that doesn't serve. 501 00:27:23,860 --> 00:27:26,860 Relationships that doesn't serve knowing one another. 502 00:27:26,860 --> 00:27:29,860 That doesn't serve loving one another. 503 00:27:29,860 --> 00:27:32,860 It actually takes work to genuinely love each other. 504 00:27:32,860 --> 00:27:36,860 Lots of churches claim to be loving churches, a lot of them. 505 00:27:36,860 --> 00:27:41,860 And what that means is probably that they love a few people and they want to keep it pretty small 506 00:27:41,860 --> 00:27:44,860 so they don't lose them in the crowd. 507 00:27:44,860 --> 00:27:46,860 But people can tell when they come in the door. 508 00:27:46,860 --> 00:27:52,860 And one of the greatest marks that a church can hear about a success is that they love each other. 509 00:27:52,860 --> 00:27:56,860 About a success in mission is wow, that's a loving church. 510 00:27:56,860 --> 00:28:01,860 The moment from the moment I arrived to the moment I left, I felt love for one another. 511 00:28:01,860 --> 00:28:04,860 I felt like I was being drawn into it. 512 00:28:04,860 --> 00:28:06,860 That church has gravity. 513 00:28:06,860 --> 00:28:08,860 They're pulling me in. 514 00:28:08,860 --> 00:28:10,860 I want to be a part of that. 515 00:28:10,860 --> 00:28:14,860 And so we nurture, we nurture the love that we have for one another. 516 00:28:14,860 --> 00:28:20,860 Nothing is more of a spectacle to this world than an odd group of people who for all intents and purposes 517 00:28:20,860 --> 00:28:22,860 should not be together. 518 00:28:22,860 --> 00:28:26,860 Look around the group, look around the room, a bunch of oddballs. 519 00:28:26,860 --> 00:28:28,860 People you just select, right? 520 00:28:28,860 --> 00:28:31,860 This is totally a randomized test, you can tell, right? 521 00:28:31,860 --> 00:28:33,860 The Lord's doing something funny here. 522 00:28:33,860 --> 00:28:37,860 A group of odd people who get together and love each other. 523 00:28:37,860 --> 00:28:41,860 Some of y'all are old. 524 00:28:41,860 --> 00:28:43,860 Some of you are young. 525 00:28:43,860 --> 00:28:46,860 I'm somewhere in the middle. 526 00:28:46,860 --> 00:28:48,860 This is a weird group. 527 00:28:48,860 --> 00:28:50,860 This ain't a seniors ministry. 528 00:28:50,860 --> 00:28:51,860 This isn't a kids ministry. 529 00:28:51,860 --> 00:28:52,860 This is not a youth ministry. 530 00:28:52,860 --> 00:28:54,860 It's a church. 531 00:28:54,860 --> 00:28:56,860 And it's beautiful. 532 00:28:56,860 --> 00:29:02,860 And we nurture our love relationship with one another because God has commanded it and it's so. 533 00:29:02,860 --> 00:29:09,860 They will know you are my disciples by the love you have one for another. 534 00:29:09,860 --> 00:29:14,860 Love considers the other before self. 535 00:29:14,860 --> 00:29:20,860 Love gives the benefit of the doubt in a disagreement or argument. 536 00:29:20,860 --> 00:29:25,860 Love covers over a multitude of sins. 537 00:29:25,860 --> 00:29:35,860 Love thinks about what kind of chairs the people we are trying to reach want to sit in, 538 00:29:35,860 --> 00:29:39,860 not the chairs that mean the most to us. 539 00:29:39,860 --> 00:29:46,860 Love thinks about the people we are trying to reach and how do we love and prepare for them, 540 00:29:46,860 --> 00:29:51,860 not just what we like or what's sentimental to us. 541 00:29:51,860 --> 00:29:59,860 Love asks us to set aside all kinds of things for the sake of the mission, for the sake of the gospel. 542 00:29:59,860 --> 00:30:04,860 That those who will have faith might hear the gospel and come to salvation. 543 00:30:04,860 --> 00:30:09,860 This is why Paul said in 2 Timothy, I'm in chains and I'm happy. 544 00:30:09,860 --> 00:30:12,860 I'm in chains and it's all good. 545 00:30:12,860 --> 00:30:20,860 I do it all so that those who might have faith will hear the gospel and come and experience salvation. 546 00:30:20,860 --> 00:30:27,860 We are the launch team and we have eight months, eight months, eight months since we had cast vision 547 00:30:27,860 --> 00:30:32,860 and we marked it with a name change and now we have eight months to make Village ready 548 00:30:32,860 --> 00:30:35,860 to swing wide the doors and see what God does. 549 00:30:35,860 --> 00:30:36,860 Swing wide the doors. 550 00:30:36,860 --> 00:30:38,860 So what is the ask? 551 00:30:38,860 --> 00:30:42,860 What's the ask, John? 552 00:30:42,860 --> 00:30:43,860 It's a big ask. 553 00:30:43,860 --> 00:30:44,860 I know, I'm looking out here. 554 00:30:44,860 --> 00:30:48,860 It's a big ask. 555 00:30:48,860 --> 00:30:52,860 The first ask is join a home group. 556 00:30:52,860 --> 00:30:55,860 Join a home group. 557 00:30:55,860 --> 00:31:01,860 Go be known and go know some folks in a genuine way. 558 00:31:01,860 --> 00:31:06,860 Join a home group. 559 00:31:06,860 --> 00:31:09,860 Home groups are where we care for one another. 560 00:31:09,860 --> 00:31:18,860 They are where you are cared for and where others will receive care from you and that's just as important. 561 00:31:18,860 --> 00:31:23,860 Don't deprive others of the care that you have to offer. 562 00:31:23,860 --> 00:31:29,860 They're a place where you will talk in a more casual dialogue about the message that's heard on Sunday morning 563 00:31:29,860 --> 00:31:30,860 that everyone is hearing. 564 00:31:30,860 --> 00:31:35,860 They're a place where neighbors and friends can easily be invited into. 565 00:31:35,860 --> 00:31:37,860 Hey, my neighbor wants to come over. 566 00:31:37,860 --> 00:31:38,860 Is that cool? 567 00:31:38,860 --> 00:31:39,860 Yeah. 568 00:31:39,860 --> 00:31:40,860 Home group, come on over. 569 00:31:40,860 --> 00:31:41,860 It's not a church building. 570 00:31:41,860 --> 00:31:43,860 Come on over. 571 00:31:43,860 --> 00:31:55,860 Little or no friction and where meals can be shared with one another and we can live the acts to life together. 572 00:31:55,860 --> 00:32:01,860 They will be the people who will check on you when you're out. 573 00:32:01,860 --> 00:32:05,860 They will become the people who visit you when you're sick. 574 00:32:05,860 --> 00:32:10,860 They will be the people who organize a meal train when tragedy strikes your family. 575 00:32:10,860 --> 00:32:14,860 They will pray for you and with you. 576 00:32:14,860 --> 00:32:17,860 Join a home group. 577 00:32:17,860 --> 00:32:23,860 And number two, join a service team. 578 00:32:23,860 --> 00:32:34,860 Service teams are where you take a small piece of ownership in the mission, where you become a partner in the mission. 579 00:32:34,860 --> 00:32:38,860 It's where you exchange the checkout counter mentality for the altar. 580 00:32:38,860 --> 00:32:46,860 It's a place where you serve this church, these people, these needs. 581 00:32:46,860 --> 00:32:47,860 I've heard it. 582 00:32:47,860 --> 00:32:49,860 I've heard it before. 583 00:32:49,860 --> 00:32:51,860 Oh, I'm really busy. 584 00:32:51,860 --> 00:32:56,860 With the 13000 people I meet with over here. 585 00:32:56,860 --> 00:32:58,860 Look around. 586 00:32:58,860 --> 00:33:02,860 These people, these needs. 587 00:33:02,860 --> 00:33:05,860 They need to be cared for. 588 00:33:05,860 --> 00:33:11,860 This is the instrument God has chosen to reach the world. 589 00:33:11,860 --> 00:33:17,860 The service team is where we buy in to the mission and we serve a little bit. 590 00:33:17,860 --> 00:33:25,860 This might mean joining a team of folks who disciple and teach the next generation of believers in our kids team. 591 00:33:25,860 --> 00:33:27,860 They're always looking for folks. 592 00:33:27,860 --> 00:33:33,860 Any church you've ever been to is always looking for folks to volunteer to train the next generation of disciples. 593 00:33:33,860 --> 00:33:37,860 And it is a noble task that is necessary. 594 00:33:37,860 --> 00:33:46,860 Right now, as we speak in here, we're sitting in here, our kids are being trained by the next generation being trained to be disciples of Jesus Christ. 595 00:33:46,860 --> 00:33:48,860 In his word right now. 596 00:33:48,860 --> 00:33:51,860 And that team can always use folks. 597 00:33:51,860 --> 00:33:56,860 It might be our worship team who faithfully lead us in songs with rich doctrine and praise of our God. 598 00:33:56,860 --> 00:34:04,860 It might be our guest services team who aim to make everyone feel welcome and who help new folks navigate life at Village. 599 00:34:04,860 --> 00:34:11,860 It might be joining a prayer team or committing to pray for the people and the work of the ministry. 600 00:34:11,860 --> 00:34:16,860 Facilities, maintenance, men's, women's, youth take ownership. 601 00:34:16,860 --> 00:34:19,860 Take ownership. 602 00:34:19,860 --> 00:34:23,860 Battleship, not cruise ship. 603 00:34:23,860 --> 00:34:36,860 As a part of this, one of the ways one of the ways that you you form culture as as any organization, it's in the way that you celebrate things. 604 00:34:36,860 --> 00:34:39,860 You communicate. 605 00:34:39,860 --> 00:34:42,860 It's in the way that you embody. 606 00:34:42,860 --> 00:34:45,860 And it's in what you tolerate. 607 00:34:45,860 --> 00:34:51,860 What you tolerate, what you celebrate, what you communicate, what you emulate. 608 00:34:51,860 --> 00:34:55,860 That's how you set culture in any organization. 609 00:34:55,860 --> 00:35:03,860 And one of the ways that we want to celebrate where we're heading and what the Lord is doing is we're launching what's called a team night. 610 00:35:03,860 --> 00:35:05,860 We have the graphic for that team night. 611 00:35:05,860 --> 00:35:11,860 It will be the fourth Saturday of each month from four p.m. to six p.m. 612 00:35:11,860 --> 00:35:13,860 What is team night for? 613 00:35:13,860 --> 00:35:23,860 It's for anyone who's on a service team, anyone who's bought in, anyone who's an owner, anyone who's bought in can come to team night. 614 00:35:23,860 --> 00:35:27,860 It's for them and it's for their family, their whole family, kids and all. 615 00:35:27,860 --> 00:35:29,860 We celebrate a team night. 616 00:35:29,860 --> 00:35:32,860 We're going to celebrate the God wins from that past month. 617 00:35:32,860 --> 00:35:34,860 We're going to look at what God is doing. 618 00:35:34,860 --> 00:35:37,860 We're going to talk about how he's moving and we'll celebrate those things. 619 00:35:37,860 --> 00:35:46,860 We will also be re-energized around mission and vision through some talks and some opportunities to communicate about leadership and where we're heading. 620 00:35:46,860 --> 00:35:53,860 We will have fun together by eating good food and providing you unique fun experiences for our kids. 621 00:35:53,860 --> 00:35:55,860 And we'll also have a time. 622 00:35:55,860 --> 00:35:58,860 Any of you guys, any office fans out there, you watch the show Office? 623 00:35:58,860 --> 00:36:01,860 Remember the, was it called the Dundee's? 624 00:36:01,860 --> 00:36:05,860 We have the Dundee's for Village, haven't figured out a name yet. 625 00:36:05,860 --> 00:36:11,860 But we're going to honor the standout servants, those who have given of their time through our mutual voting. 626 00:36:11,860 --> 00:36:16,860 We're going to honor the servants and give them a traveling trophy that comes back each month. 627 00:36:16,860 --> 00:36:21,860 And so maybe that trophy could sit on your mantle for a month. 628 00:36:21,860 --> 00:36:26,860 Our service teams. 629 00:36:26,860 --> 00:36:27,860 Join a home group. 630 00:36:27,860 --> 00:36:28,860 Join a service team. 631 00:36:28,860 --> 00:36:39,860 Come out to team nights where we will continue to put gas in the tank to move this thing forward over the next eight months. 632 00:36:39,860 --> 00:36:48,860 Next week, we have a very special announcement in regard to our ministry partners in Guatemala, Village of Hope. 633 00:36:48,860 --> 00:36:49,860 Don't miss next week. 634 00:36:49,860 --> 00:36:51,860 That's all you get. 635 00:36:51,860 --> 00:36:59,860 The week after that, we're going to be sharing about our next step in our connection with Alternatives Pregnancy Center. 636 00:36:59,860 --> 00:37:01,860 Alternatives Pregnancy Center here in Sacramento. 637 00:37:01,860 --> 00:37:05,860 So you don't want to miss that either. 638 00:37:05,860 --> 00:37:08,860 I'm going to end with this. 639 00:37:08,860 --> 00:37:12,860 I hope you guys can hear the heart behind what I'm saying. 640 00:37:12,860 --> 00:37:17,860 I hope it doesn't come off too harsh, too heavy. 641 00:37:17,860 --> 00:37:23,860 But I hope that you can see that the field of opportunity before us is great. 642 00:37:23,860 --> 00:37:28,860 Maybe you don't know this, but I went into this year with this knowledge. 643 00:37:28,860 --> 00:37:37,860 This year marks the 110th anniversary of the gospel ministry through this congregation. 644 00:37:37,860 --> 00:37:43,860 110 faithfully years of preaching Jesus. 645 00:37:43,860 --> 00:37:50,860 It also marks the 70th anniversary of the dedication of the sanctuary. 646 00:37:50,860 --> 00:38:00,860 70 years ago, the sanctuary was dedicated for gospel ministry at 4,458th Street. 647 00:38:00,860 --> 00:38:10,860 And so we stand on the shoulders of men and women who have faithfully pledged their lives, their time, and their riches to see the kingdom come in Sacramento. 648 00:38:10,860 --> 00:38:15,860 And my friends, the ball, like I said, we're over in the corner waving. 649 00:38:15,860 --> 00:38:19,860 We're open. We're open. And the ball gets passed to us. 650 00:38:19,860 --> 00:38:26,860 Basketball. Yeah. Sorry. Inside joke. 651 00:38:26,860 --> 00:38:29,860 The ball's passed to us. 652 00:38:29,860 --> 00:38:34,860 Time to take a shot. Time to take a shot. 653 00:38:34,860 --> 00:38:39,860 I've got faith. You got faith. He's got strength. He'll give it. 654 00:38:39,860 --> 00:38:43,860 Let's go. Let's take the shot. 655 00:38:43,860 --> 00:38:47,860 It's time to risk it all for God's glory. 656 00:38:47,860 --> 00:38:51,860 There's an author by the name of Beth Moore. She posted this at the very beginning of the new year. 657 00:38:51,860 --> 00:38:55,860 Caught my attention and I'll read it to you. 658 00:38:55,860 --> 00:39:08,860 Whatever the Lord's will for each of us in 2024, it will exceed our natural strength, skills, talents, levels of experience, 659 00:39:08,860 --> 00:39:13,860 areas of expertise, intellectual acumen, and worldly wisdom. 660 00:39:13,860 --> 00:39:16,860 It will exceed it. 661 00:39:16,860 --> 00:39:25,860 But the beautiful way Jesus set this faith thing up is that we can't serve Jesus without Jesus. 662 00:39:25,860 --> 00:39:29,860 And we need more Jesus this year. 663 00:39:29,860 --> 00:39:31,860 And so do our neighbors and so do our friends. 664 00:39:31,860 --> 00:39:37,860 And if we can believe it and we can begin to act, if we can prepare, we can act. 665 00:39:37,860 --> 00:39:46,860 Right? We can begin to move toward that, leading with our own self and nourishing our love for one another than we. 666 00:39:46,860 --> 00:39:49,860 We just might see something extraordinary in our time. 667 00:39:49,860 --> 00:39:58,860 We just might see something to talk about. 668 00:39:58,860 --> 00:40:00,860 We ought not be wishful people. 669 00:40:00,860 --> 00:40:07,860 Just challenge us that we would be faithful people.