WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.560 But now that you're standing, I'm going to invite 00:00:01.560 --> 00:00:04.360 you to join me in the word of the Lord, a book 00:00:04.360 --> 00:00:08.800 of Mark, chapter 13, book of Mark, chapter 13, 00:00:08.900 --> 00:00:12.640 as I begin a series this this month called called 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:18.839 called and someone say called called. And as 00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:21.960 we are in a time of consecration, prayer and 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:24.460 fasting, I believe there are some things that 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:27.100 God wants to speak to us as church. And today. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:30.920 We're gonna begin here, and I'm gonna begin with 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:33.420 Mark chapter three and verse 13. It says, and 00:00:33.420 --> 00:00:37.280 he went up on the mountain and called to him 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:43.579 those whom he himself wanted. And they came to 00:00:43.579 --> 00:00:48.259 him. Then he appointed 12 that they might be 00:00:48.259 --> 00:00:52.780 with him and that he might send them out to preach 00:00:52.780 --> 00:00:58.479 and to have power. to heal sicknesses and to 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:03.600 cast out demons but notice in verse 13 and he 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.079 went up to the mountain and called to him he 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:11.079 called to him those that he wanted amen today 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:13.620 with god's help i want to preach on the thought 00:01:13.620 --> 00:01:17.280 called to jesus called to jesus why don't we 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:20.219 pray one more time father we love you today we 00:01:20.219 --> 00:01:22.719 thank you for your blessings we thank you god 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:26.140 for your presence that abides in this place and 00:01:26.140 --> 00:01:29.219 we thank you god for all that you are doing but 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:31.620 now lord we're asking to that that you would 00:01:31.620 --> 00:01:34.079 speak to our lives we're praying god that this 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:36.920 word would penetrate the hearts of all who are 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:40.500 here today and listening god we're we're believing 00:01:40.500 --> 00:01:43.599 god that you're going to confirm this word god 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:46.159 with signs and wonders and that you're going 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:48.680 to continue to work in the lives of your church 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:51.120 god this is your church these are your people 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:54.200 lord and we know that you have called us for 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:58.439 such a time as this and i pray god that my lips 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:00.760 would be anointed today to deliver this message 00:02:00.760 --> 00:02:05.640 in jesus name we pray someone say amen Man, you 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:09.560 can be seated in the presence of the Lord. What 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:13.080 does it mean to be called? When we hear that 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:20.039 word, call or calling, we tend to picture someone 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:28.379 in ministry, perhaps a preacher or a missionary, 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:35.560 a song leader or song writer. Someone doing something 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:42.900 for God when we hear that word calling. But I 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:47.759 want to establish a fact in our minds, our spirits 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:52.680 today that to be called or our calling is much 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:58.180 more than just what we do. Amen? But it's who 00:02:58.180 --> 00:03:03.969 we are. Your first... and highest calling as 00:03:03.969 --> 00:03:10.430 an apostolic believer is to Jesus Christ himself. 00:03:11.610 --> 00:03:17.469 That is your primary calling in life, is to Jesus 00:03:17.469 --> 00:03:22.069 himself. Amen. We see this clearly in Mark chapter 00:03:22.069 --> 00:03:27.270 3 when Jesus calls his disciples. He wasn't just 00:03:27.270 --> 00:03:33.729 forming a team. It wasn't just building and assembling 00:03:33.729 --> 00:03:39.050 himself a coalition of people. He was laying 00:03:39.050 --> 00:03:44.389 out a pattern for discipleship and relationship. 00:03:44.430 --> 00:03:49.650 He was showing us what it means to be called. 00:03:51.430 --> 00:03:56.330 Up until this moment in our text, Jesus had been 00:03:56.330 --> 00:04:00.650 preaching healing. Performing miracles. You can 00:04:00.650 --> 00:04:05.590 read on your own in Mark chapters 1 and 2. His 00:04:05.590 --> 00:04:09.210 ministry had already began. He was already in 00:04:09.210 --> 00:04:13.849 full swing doing what God or what he had come 00:04:13.849 --> 00:04:17.829 to do. So he was about his father's business 00:04:17.829 --> 00:04:23.290 already. And so Jesus himself was the total and 00:04:23.290 --> 00:04:26.449 complete package. He didn't necessarily need 00:04:26.449 --> 00:04:31.120 anybody. to do what he was doing. But because 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:34.279 of the nature of his ministry, his popularity 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:39.079 was rising. Crowds were growing larger and larger. 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:43.279 He was the talk of the town. And everyone, it 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:47.060 seemed, wanted a piece of the action. Who is 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:51.920 this stranger from Galilee walking through our 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:55.569 city streets? raising the dead and opening up 00:04:55.569 --> 00:04:59.189 blinded eyes and causing the deaf and mute to 00:04:59.189 --> 00:05:03.110 speak and hear. Who is this man? And so news 00:05:03.110 --> 00:05:07.970 of Jesus began to spread as folks began to hear 00:05:07.970 --> 00:05:12.230 about what he was doing. And because of the rising 00:05:12.230 --> 00:05:16.089 popularity of what he was doing, all sorts of 00:05:16.089 --> 00:05:18.470 people were coming out. They were coming out 00:05:18.470 --> 00:05:21.089 of the woodwork, coming out from near and far. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:26.779 to catch a glimpse, to maybe even follow along 00:05:26.779 --> 00:05:31.839 with Jesus, perhaps ride his coattails, be among 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:36.579 those that are part of the fan club. Maybe I 00:05:36.579 --> 00:05:39.519 could be the president of the fan club. Maybe 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:43.779 I can rub shoulders with Jesus, you know, and 00:05:43.779 --> 00:05:47.759 walk on a red carpet somewhere and be treated 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:51.019 like Jesus. you know, whatever perceptions they 00:05:51.019 --> 00:05:53.860 had in their minds about what it might be like 00:05:53.860 --> 00:05:57.519 to be a part of his entourage. So Jesus is going 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:01.839 about it. It became very clear that among the 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:04.939 crowd, that not everyone there would have what 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:08.060 it takes. And so he wasn't just looking for fans. 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:12.560 He was looking for followers, not for crowds, 00:06:12.579 --> 00:06:16.779 but for committed disciples. And so he selected 00:06:16.779 --> 00:06:23.980 12 men. To follow him. But just before he called 00:06:23.980 --> 00:06:27.860 these 12 men, these disciples, notice in verse 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:33.540 13 it says that he went up a mountain. And I 00:06:33.540 --> 00:06:39.660 could preach on this one point. I could just 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:42.439 preach on this alone. But there was something 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:46.720 about before Jesus brought together his disciples, 00:06:46.899 --> 00:06:50.839 he went up a mountain. He went up to a place 00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:53.920 that was higher. He went up to a place that was 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.339 further from where they were. He could have called 00:06:57.339 --> 00:07:00.620 them from anywhere. Jesus could have met them 00:07:00.620 --> 00:07:04.279 really on their level, called them from the valley, 00:07:04.459 --> 00:07:06.879 called them from the marketplace, called them 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:09.180 from the city corner. He could have called them 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:14.180 from anywhere, but instead, Jesus moves to a 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:18.050 high place. away from the noise, away from the 00:07:18.050 --> 00:07:21.589 people, away from the crowd, away from the fans, 00:07:21.850 --> 00:07:24.949 away from all those looky -loos. Have you ever 00:07:24.949 --> 00:07:26.370 heard that term? You know, those are just kind 00:07:26.370 --> 00:07:30.170 of window shopping what Jesus is doing, and he 00:07:30.170 --> 00:07:33.129 goes to a high place. He says, because if I'm 00:07:33.129 --> 00:07:37.379 going to raise up... and make myself known among 00:07:37.379 --> 00:07:40.560 a select group of people, then I've got to, number 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:43.939 one, separate them from the crowds. I've got 00:07:43.939 --> 00:07:46.740 to separate them from the masses. I've got to 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:49.980 distinguish for myself a group of people who 00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:52.959 are going to be committed to me, going to be 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.759 committed to knowing me. And so he goes up a 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.240 mountain. And you see, when God calls you, he 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:02.569 will always pull you out from the crowd. Amen, 00:08:02.649 --> 00:08:06.769 somebody. Up to a higher place, to a higher standard, 00:08:07.149 --> 00:08:09.970 to a higher level. And what I mean by higher, 00:08:10.029 --> 00:08:13.310 I don't mean perched up. on a pedestal so everyone 00:08:13.310 --> 00:08:17.550 can see you, I mean to a place of higher service, 00:08:17.610 --> 00:08:21.389 to a place of higher consecration. And so you 00:08:21.389 --> 00:08:24.310 see the pattern in Scripture whenever God wants 00:08:24.310 --> 00:08:27.730 to do something profound and reveal himself in 00:08:27.730 --> 00:08:30.889 a mighty way to one of his servants, usually 00:08:30.889 --> 00:08:33.870 he will call him up to the mountain. Hello, Abraham. 00:08:34.149 --> 00:08:37.389 Come up to Mount Moriah where I can show you 00:08:37.389 --> 00:08:40.610 that I have provided a worthy sacrifice. Hello. 00:08:40.909 --> 00:08:44.090 Moses, come up to the Mount Zion. There's Mount 00:08:44.090 --> 00:08:47.590 Sinai where I can reveal myself to you in the 00:08:47.590 --> 00:08:51.789 glory cloud. Hello, Elijah, come up to Mount 00:08:51.789 --> 00:08:55.269 Horeb so that I can do a work and show you things 00:08:55.269 --> 00:08:58.490 that no other man can see. I've come to announce 00:08:58.490 --> 00:09:00.970 to you today that if you desire to know God in 00:09:00.970 --> 00:09:03.769 a greater way and you desire intimacy with Christ 00:09:03.769 --> 00:09:05.990 in a greater way, you're not going to be able 00:09:05.990 --> 00:09:09.129 to do it from the safe confines of where you 00:09:09.129 --> 00:09:11.320 are right now. You're not going to be able to 00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:13.779 do it doing what you've always done. You're not 00:09:13.779 --> 00:09:16.220 going to be able to do it within your safe parameter. 00:09:16.539 --> 00:09:18.700 You're not going to be able to do it within and 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:21.379 among the crowds and among the masses. But if 00:09:21.379 --> 00:09:24.080 you desire to know Jesus like he wants you to 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.820 know him, if you desire more of his glory and 00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:29.100 more of his power, then you've got to make up 00:09:29.100 --> 00:09:31.779 in your mind today that if he says, come up to 00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:34.559 this mountain, then I've got to put my hiking 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.460 boots on and be willing to climb to wherever 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:41.200 Jesus is. calling of, can I preach like I feel 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:44.340 today? The calling of Jesus is never downward. 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:49.919 It's always upward. It's always upward. And this 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:53.820 is the reason why Paul said, I press toward the 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:58.340 goal for the prize of the upward call of God 00:09:58.340 --> 00:10:00.759 in Christ Jesus. Why don't we clap our hands 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:07.460 and give God some praise today. Hallelujah. There's 00:10:07.460 --> 00:10:13.730 always a call. And this is where Jesus begins 00:10:13.730 --> 00:10:21.470 to assemble this group of men who perhaps found 00:10:21.470 --> 00:10:25.610 themselves at a very odd place knowing that they 00:10:25.610 --> 00:10:30.429 did not have the pedigree, the background to 00:10:30.429 --> 00:10:34.330 be among those called to such a holy calling, 00:10:34.350 --> 00:10:37.750 called to know and to be around the Messiah. 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:42.440 God in flesh, but yet we see some powerful truths 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:46.919 about this upward call that God is calling every 00:10:46.919 --> 00:10:50.179 one of us today to himself. First thing I want 00:10:50.179 --> 00:10:53.600 to inject into your spirit today is that Jesus, 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:59.299 Jesus Christ wants you. Someone say, he wants 00:10:59.299 --> 00:11:07.220 me. Let's all say that again. He wants me. The 00:11:07.220 --> 00:11:12.419 word says he called to him those that he himself 00:11:12.419 --> 00:11:20.659 wanted. There is something very profound, deeply 00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:27.179 healing, deeply affirming about this fact. Just 00:11:27.179 --> 00:11:31.240 let that sink in for a moment. Let it sink into 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:34.220 your spirit, your heart right now. You see... 00:11:34.590 --> 00:11:37.649 What I want to point out and explain just momentarily 00:11:37.649 --> 00:11:42.129 is that there are levels of acceptance. And I'll 00:11:42.129 --> 00:11:45.529 use human relationships to explain this because 00:11:45.529 --> 00:11:48.450 it's going to help us better appreciate what 00:11:48.450 --> 00:11:51.909 God is doing in our lives. But there are levels, 00:11:52.009 --> 00:11:54.669 there are different levels of acceptance we experience 00:11:54.669 --> 00:11:59.110 in relationship. People are in your life. We 00:11:59.110 --> 00:12:01.549 all have people in our lives. And they're in 00:12:01.549 --> 00:12:06.490 your life based. on three basic reasons. Either 00:12:06.490 --> 00:12:17.190 because of tolerance, need, or want. Maybe this 00:12:17.190 --> 00:12:21.570 for you is a oversimplification or generalization, 00:12:21.809 --> 00:12:24.350 but I don't have time to get into all the weeds. 00:12:24.490 --> 00:12:28.110 So this is a simple way of understanding the 00:12:28.110 --> 00:12:31.549 levels of acceptance in our life. All right. 00:12:32.750 --> 00:12:37.230 Someone say tolerance. Tolerance is the lowest 00:12:37.230 --> 00:12:41.950 level of acceptance. The lowest level of connection 00:12:41.950 --> 00:12:45.750 is tolerance. You know what that is? That is 00:12:45.750 --> 00:12:47.730 that there are folks in your life, don't start 00:12:47.730 --> 00:12:54.190 looking around the church, hallelujah, that are 00:12:54.190 --> 00:12:57.549 in your life, there are folks for reasons beyond 00:12:57.549 --> 00:13:01.710 your control. In other words, there's absolutely 00:13:01.710 --> 00:13:04.549 nothing, like, For example, if you work and you 00:13:04.549 --> 00:13:07.370 have a place of work, you've got a coworker, 00:13:07.409 --> 00:13:11.929 hallelujah, and more than likely you have to 00:13:11.929 --> 00:13:14.509 work with, get along, whether you like it or 00:13:14.509 --> 00:13:17.509 not. Why? Because perhaps your job depends on 00:13:17.509 --> 00:13:21.690 it. And you're kind of stuck with that person. 00:13:21.990 --> 00:13:24.470 That's tolerance. Doesn't mean you're going to 00:13:24.470 --> 00:13:28.870 go hang out and go play golf after work. It doesn't 00:13:28.870 --> 00:13:30.820 mean you're going to invite them over. for this 00:13:30.820 --> 00:13:33.279 or that. You just, you tolerate them. And perhaps 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:36.220 they have behavior that you don't like, behavior 00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:39.139 that rubs you the wrong way. You tolerate those 00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:42.460 people. It's not a need thing. It's not a want 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:45.399 thing. You just simply have to tolerate. I can 00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:47.399 give you other examples, amen, but I don't want 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:50.519 to step on anybody's shoes today in that level. 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:53.240 But after tolerance, then there is need. Someone 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:57.139 say need. There's need. And so this is like a 00:13:57.139 --> 00:14:01.960 step above tolerance. Because you depend on that 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:05.799 person being in your life for some reason. They 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:09.840 provide emotional support, maybe financial help, 00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:13.799 physical assistance. So there's some kind of 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:17.440 need. There's a void that is filled by that person 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:21.919 being in your life. Sometimes it's mutual. They 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:24.659 have something you need, and you have something 00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:28.080 they need. And so... Everyone's happy because 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.779 you both need something. Amen? And so that can 00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:35.440 be a very beneficial thing when you have a need 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.320 and I need you in my life. I need or you need 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:42.720 me. You know, it's a need that you fulfill in 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:46.539 my life. But the highest level of acceptance 00:14:46.539 --> 00:14:52.320 is want. Someone say want. To be wanted. Means 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:55.980 that someone chooses you not because they have 00:14:55.980 --> 00:15:00.379 to, not because they benefit from it in some 00:15:00.379 --> 00:15:04.440 reason, but because they choose you for you. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:09.379 Not for what you can do, not for what you have, 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:12.460 not for who you know, not for anything that you 00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:14.899 bring to the table, anything that you offer. 00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:18.779 You are accepted completely and totally based 00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:22.909 on you. That's it. If you bring nothing, if you 00:15:22.909 --> 00:15:25.990 do nothing, if you just are, they still want 00:15:25.990 --> 00:15:30.470 you there. Want is the purest form of being chosen 00:15:30.470 --> 00:15:34.350 because it's not dependent upon what you have 00:15:34.350 --> 00:15:38.029 to offer or there being a need. Why am I explaining 00:15:38.029 --> 00:15:41.809 this? Because when Jesus was calling these men 00:15:41.809 --> 00:15:45.450 unto himself, it wasn't because he taught. God 00:15:45.450 --> 00:15:48.990 doesn't have to tolerate anything. Amen, somebody. 00:15:49.289 --> 00:15:51.710 I said, God doesn't have to tolerate anything, 00:15:51.970 --> 00:15:55.990 anyone. Hallelujah. He didn't tolerate Lucifer. 00:15:57.009 --> 00:16:00.950 Come on now, somebody. He didn't tolerate Lucifer. 00:16:01.049 --> 00:16:03.789 He kicked the boy out when he started acting 00:16:03.789 --> 00:16:09.889 up. Amen. Hallelujah. He doesn't need anything. 00:16:10.509 --> 00:16:14.149 He doesn't need you, need me. He doesn't need, 00:16:14.169 --> 00:16:19.360 because he is God all by himself. He is the all 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:22.159 -sufficient one, the all -knowing one, the all 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:25.700 -powerful one. God doesn't tolerate and he doesn't 00:16:25.700 --> 00:16:28.960 need, which means the only reason why you're 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:32.120 here today and I'm here today and the disciples 00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:36.799 were there today is because God wants us. Somebody 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.340 ought to give him praise today. God, I said you 00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:43.539 ought to give him praise today. God calls you 00:16:43.539 --> 00:16:50.700 because he wants you. He wants me. That means 00:16:50.700 --> 00:16:54.279 I don't have to perform for him. It doesn't mean 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:56.879 I won't sacrifice. It doesn't mean I'm not going 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:00.159 to do things out of generosity, out of love. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:04.400 Absolutely. But not because I want God to accept 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:08.180 me or love me. No. While we were yet sinners, 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:13.859 Christ died for us. And so he loves you for you. 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:17.019 And so the disciples, when Jesus called them, 00:17:17.140 --> 00:17:19.259 they were not the cream of the religious crop. 00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:22.460 They were not scribes. They were not Pharisees. 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:24.920 They were not teachers of the law. In fact, they 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:27.440 were just ordinary men. They were fishermen. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.339 They were tradesmen. One was a tax collector. 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:33.259 Another, a political activist or zealot. They 00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:36.680 came from all walks of life, but mostly just 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:41.019 everyday average men. They didn't show up on 00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:45.759 anybody's. radar. They weren't voted most likely 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:50.339 to succeed. They weren't popular among people, 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:54.000 but Jesus saw something in them like he sees 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:57.339 in you and I today. He saw something in them 00:17:57.339 --> 00:18:01.160 that society had overlooked and society had rejected. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.420 He saw something in them that was wonderful. 00:18:04.619 --> 00:18:07.460 He saw potential in them, and he saw a group 00:18:07.460 --> 00:18:11.200 of men that would come to him ready to know him. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:15.059 ready to follow him. Jesus is not doing a background 00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:17.759 check on you today, my friend. He's not rummaging 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:20.400 through your past today. He's not looking in 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:23.400 your file today to see if you're qualified and 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:26.359 if you're worthy. No, the blood of Jesus already 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:30.240 tells us how much he loves us, and he wants you 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:33.539 for you. I came to tell somebody today, stop 00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:36.779 living your life like God is tolerating you, 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:40.339 like you're barely accepted by God. No, you are. 00:18:40.490 --> 00:18:45.500 loved and you are wanted and I thank God. that 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:49.500 he loves me that way. And so these men had nothing 00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:52.440 to offer him. You're not here by accident. You're 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:55.859 not an afterthought. God wanted you here. Somebody 00:18:55.859 --> 00:19:00.019 say amen. And that ought to heal whatever insecurity 00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:03.039 you've been living with, whatever inferiority 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.819 complex has been rattling your mind. That ought 00:19:05.819 --> 00:19:09.000 to dispel and cancel every lie that the devil 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:11.799 has spoken about your worth and your value. That 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:14.640 ought to shatter those things to know that I 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:17.940 am. I'm loved and accepted in the beloved. Hallelujah. 00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:25.000 That God loves me and that God wants me. And 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:27.819 to know that God wants you here today. God's 00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:29.940 not like, oh, God, here they come again. No, 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.539 he wants you. He wants you. And not only does 00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:38.940 he want you, but secondly, Jesus calls us unto 00:19:38.940 --> 00:19:46.700 himself. My Lord. He said that they might be 00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:53.079 with him. With him. That they might be with him. 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:56.720 I'll say it again. Your highest calling in life, 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.720 hallelujah, is not what you do. It's not to preach, 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:05.220 not to heal, not to travel, not to build. Your 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:10.180 highest calling is to know Jesus. Somebody say 00:20:10.180 --> 00:20:15.029 amen today. Hallelujah. It's to know Jesus. But 00:20:15.029 --> 00:20:19.069 sadly, this is what many folks miss. They confuse 00:20:19.069 --> 00:20:22.369 their role with their relationship with Jesus. 00:20:22.890 --> 00:20:26.150 Oh, hallelujah. They believe that their worth 00:20:26.150 --> 00:20:30.630 in God is based off what they do and based off 00:20:30.630 --> 00:20:35.170 what they can provide for God. But the first 00:20:35.170 --> 00:20:37.950 thing you need to know is that God wants you. 00:20:38.589 --> 00:20:41.970 Not for what you have to offer, but he wants 00:20:41.970 --> 00:20:45.549 you unto himself. Can I tell you that your number 00:20:45.549 --> 00:20:49.569 one ministry is to minister to the Lord? Amen. 00:20:51.069 --> 00:20:56.069 It's to minister to Jesus. To minister to him 00:20:56.069 --> 00:20:58.910 is your number one ministry. I didn't say it 00:20:58.910 --> 00:21:00.829 was your only ministry. I said it's your number 00:21:00.829 --> 00:21:05.710 one ministry. It's the primary, high most, chief 00:21:05.710 --> 00:21:09.589 most reason. for being where you are today, is 00:21:09.589 --> 00:21:11.369 to know him. You know, I begin to think about 00:21:11.369 --> 00:21:14.950 the relationship that I have with me and my kids, 00:21:15.049 --> 00:21:17.849 and I thought about when they were really little, 00:21:17.930 --> 00:21:21.690 how I would ask them to help me do some chores, 00:21:21.789 --> 00:21:24.730 some things around the house. Sometimes I would 00:21:24.730 --> 00:21:27.269 ask them to come on out and, you know, help me 00:21:27.269 --> 00:21:30.210 wash the car. Any parent ever done that? Amen. 00:21:31.670 --> 00:21:35.910 Come out and help me wash the car. And they would 00:21:35.910 --> 00:21:38.829 come out and, And as we were washing the car, 00:21:39.029 --> 00:21:42.230 I knew that by asking them to come help me wash 00:21:42.230 --> 00:21:44.410 the car, it was going to take me twice as long 00:21:44.410 --> 00:21:50.529 to wash the car. You know why? Because they weren't 00:21:50.529 --> 00:21:52.430 really helping me. They were more in my way. 00:21:53.150 --> 00:21:55.650 They wanted me to squirt them with the hose. 00:21:56.349 --> 00:22:01.029 They wanted to play. And then I would have to 00:22:01.029 --> 00:22:03.289 stop and explain, you know, this is how you scrub 00:22:03.289 --> 00:22:09.380 that area. And so everything took longer. But 00:22:09.380 --> 00:22:13.660 can I tell you that my primary goal was not to 00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:17.599 have the cleanest car on the block. My primary 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:22.079 goal as a father was what could I use as a means 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:26.440 to bring me closer to my child. They see it as 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:29.279 we're just helping dad and we're working and 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:31.440 we're helping him and we're scrubbing over here. 00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:34.920 But I don't see it like that. What I see is quality 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:38.799 time. All I see is that, yeah, it's taking us 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:41.579 longer to get the job done. Yeah, it's taking 00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:44.460 us more to do what we're doing. And at the end, 00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:46.880 I'm going to probably see a few spots that we 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:49.079 missed on the car. It doesn't look the way it 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:51.480 would look if I had done it myself. But in the 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:55.569 end, what I wanted was them. And as I began to 00:22:55.569 --> 00:22:58.250 think about that, it reminded me of the way that 00:22:58.250 --> 00:23:01.349 God works in our own lives. You see, God doesn't 00:23:01.349 --> 00:23:05.630 need our help. God can save the world, and he 00:23:05.630 --> 00:23:10.509 can do it all by himself. He doesn't need our 00:23:10.509 --> 00:23:14.269 help for anything. So even when we have been 00:23:14.269 --> 00:23:18.130 enlisted, recruited, called to do something for 00:23:18.130 --> 00:23:21.349 God, understand that God is not calling us to 00:23:21.349 --> 00:23:24.730 do that because he needs our help to do anything. 00:23:25.109 --> 00:23:29.549 God invites us into a process of serving, doing, 00:23:29.650 --> 00:23:33.529 accomplishing so that we might know him better, 00:23:33.650 --> 00:23:36.990 not so that we might become a wonder among people. 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:40.519 God brings us into the fold. That's why we become, 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:44.539 when the Bible says, joint heirs and co -laborers 00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:47.420 with Christ. You think we're really helping God 00:23:47.420 --> 00:23:51.119 do it? God doesn't need us. In fact, like washing 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:54.099 the car, we make the process more complicated. 00:23:54.660 --> 00:23:57.700 We make things, if God wants, he can do a better 00:23:57.700 --> 00:24:01.779 job all by himself. It gets complicated involving 00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:05.500 you in the process of discipling somebody. It 00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:09.240 gets messy. involving us with the affairs of 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:11.940 this life and the ministry and everything else 00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:15.640 he's called us to do. But God is not calling 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:19.140 us because he needs us to accomplish things. 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:23.039 He is calling us because he wants us to know 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:31.779 him. God doesn't need your help. He wants your 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:36.569 heart. You say, well, what am I here for? Well, 00:24:36.769 --> 00:24:41.410 stay with us in this series and you'll see there 00:24:41.410 --> 00:24:43.549 are other things that God is calling us for. 00:24:44.009 --> 00:24:49.750 But primarily we are called to him. Every one 00:24:49.750 --> 00:24:52.450 of you is talented in some way. Every one of 00:24:52.450 --> 00:24:55.730 you. And we're not saying, and God's not saying 00:24:55.730 --> 00:25:00.450 that your talents are not useful. But God didn't 00:25:00.450 --> 00:25:03.549 call you because of your talent. Amen, somebody. 00:25:04.349 --> 00:25:06.769 He didn't call you because of your gift. He didn't 00:25:06.769 --> 00:25:09.329 call you because of what you can offer him. He 00:25:09.329 --> 00:25:12.369 called you because he wants you to know him. 00:25:13.670 --> 00:25:18.450 And he wants to be known, hallelujah, by you. 00:25:20.410 --> 00:25:23.970 You can do all those things, cast out devils, 00:25:24.049 --> 00:25:27.710 raise the dead, heal the sick, do all those things, 00:25:27.750 --> 00:25:31.329 and still arrive at heaven's gate and him say. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:36.000 I never knew. He's not going to ask you, how 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:38.799 many people did you heal? How many revivals did 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:42.279 you preach? How many songs did you sing? It's, 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:48.140 do you know me? Somebody say amen today. How 00:25:48.140 --> 00:25:50.559 many of you want to know him? I said, how many 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:54.000 of you want to know him? This was Paul's greatest 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.859 desire. Let me just be a few more moments here. 00:25:55.880 --> 00:25:58.680 This was Paul's greatest desire. The Apostle 00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:02.549 Paul, what a man. responsible for writing over 00:26:02.549 --> 00:26:06.410 half of the New Testament, a preacher of preachers, 00:26:06.529 --> 00:26:12.609 a scholar of scholars, a brilliant mind, not 00:26:12.609 --> 00:26:15.869 just in theology, but in many aspects of life, 00:26:15.950 --> 00:26:20.349 an intellectual. This man was, whew. If you want 00:26:20.349 --> 00:26:23.009 to talk about top of the class, cream of the 00:26:23.009 --> 00:26:25.829 crop, this was him. Studied under the right men. 00:26:26.630 --> 00:26:28.549 But I want you to look at the words. He said, 00:26:28.609 --> 00:26:31.420 so. Let's read this scripture together, amen? 00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:34.259 You can follow on the screen, but if you have 00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:37.339 your Bible, you can turn to that page right now, 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:39.279 but we're gonna be looking at Philippians chapter 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:42.680 three and verse four, and we're gonna be doing 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:45.140 some Bible reading. Is that all right? Amen. 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:49.799 Look at what he says here, starting in verse 00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:55.019 four. He said, if anyone else thinks that he 00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:58.599 may have confidence in the flesh, meaning, the 00:26:58.599 --> 00:27:02.880 carnal or the physical man, the material, the 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:08.779 intellectual. I, more so, circumcised on the 00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:15.960 eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe 00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:22.859 of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Can I put 00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:25.900 this in modern -day language? From the right 00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:31.920 church? A Christian of Christians. You don't 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:34.940 like that? Here's another one. An apostolic of 00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:39.119 apostolics. As the people say, they're apostolic, 00:27:39.160 --> 00:27:43.759 but I'm like, I'm really apostolic. Okay. He's 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:47.319 saying, I was really apostolic. All right. Concerning 00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:52.220 the law, a Pharisee. I didn't just obey the law. 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:57.340 I taught the law. I enforced the law. concerning 00:27:57.340 --> 00:28:01.819 zeal, passion. Man, I was persecuting the church. 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:07.099 I was so zealous about my way of thinking and 00:28:07.099 --> 00:28:10.700 the course that I was on. When the church began, 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:13.420 I came against it with everything that I had. 00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:17.359 That's how zealous I was concerning my faith, 00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:23.180 my view. I persecuted concerning the righteousness 00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:27.029 which is in the law. In other words, the upkeeping 00:28:27.029 --> 00:28:32.809 of the law, blameless. Wow. I don't know if Paul 00:28:32.809 --> 00:28:36.150 is bragging. It almost sounds like he is, right? 00:28:36.289 --> 00:28:39.289 I think he's just being transparent. He's saying, 00:28:39.309 --> 00:28:42.430 look, if you want to look for a model believer, 00:28:42.670 --> 00:28:46.750 I hate to say it, but I'm in. I'm blameless. 00:28:48.630 --> 00:28:53.190 I'm blameless. In other words, I have followed 00:28:53.190 --> 00:28:56.910 the doctrine. I have crossed every I. I have 00:28:56.910 --> 00:28:59.569 dotted, or excuse me, I have dotted every I, 00:28:59.609 --> 00:29:03.430 crossed every T. I have perfected it. Blameless. 00:29:04.150 --> 00:29:10.690 Wow. Okay, so he is laying out for us his resume, 00:29:11.009 --> 00:29:15.069 his background, qualifications. Let's keep reading. 00:29:15.170 --> 00:29:20.730 Verse 7. But what things were gained to me, these 00:29:20.730 --> 00:29:27.380 I have counted. Everyone say loss. For Christ. 00:29:28.059 --> 00:29:33.539 Yet, indeed, I also count all things loss. Everyone 00:29:33.539 --> 00:29:39.380 say loss. For the excellence of the knowledge 00:29:39.380 --> 00:29:44.680 of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:49.279 the loss, he says it again, of all things and 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:56.349 count them as rubbish. As trash. That I might 00:29:56.349 --> 00:30:00.750 gain Christ. He said, I had all of these things. 00:30:00.849 --> 00:30:05.450 Go back to the other slide. I had it all. I was 00:30:05.450 --> 00:30:11.190 of the stock. I was blameless, and I was a Hebrew 00:30:11.190 --> 00:30:14.829 of here. I was an apostolic of apostolic. I had 00:30:14.829 --> 00:30:17.450 it going for me. I was at the top, and, you know, 00:30:17.490 --> 00:30:20.670 nobody perfected it like I did. But he said, 00:30:20.750 --> 00:30:24.029 but I counted all that's lost because you can 00:30:24.029 --> 00:30:27.690 have all of that stuff. You can have all of those 00:30:27.690 --> 00:30:34.670 things and still not know him. You can perfect 00:30:34.670 --> 00:30:39.190 the outward. You can perfect the law and even 00:30:39.190 --> 00:30:46.990 be a teacher of it and still not know him. Don't 00:30:46.990 --> 00:30:48.789 talk to me about your pedigree, your background, 00:30:48.970 --> 00:30:52.190 and how long you've been perfect. He said, I... 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:55.819 Counted in all a loss. Why? Because the one thing 00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:59.339 that I wanted is I wanted to know Christ. And 00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:02.279 I have suffered all things. Let's continue to 00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:05.420 read. I feel the Holy Ghost. And verse 9. And 00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:08.299 be found in him, not having my own righteousness, 00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:11.559 which is from the law, but that which is through 00:31:11.559 --> 00:31:14.839 faith in Christ. God's looking not at how perfect 00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:18.480 I am, but he's looking at my faith, the sincerity 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:22.049 of my faith, which, hallelujah, which is. from 00:31:22.049 --> 00:31:25.109 the law, but which is through faith in Christ, 00:31:25.230 --> 00:31:29.470 the righteousness which is from God by faith. 00:31:29.630 --> 00:31:34.809 Watch verse 10. That I may know him and the power 00:31:34.809 --> 00:31:38.690 of his resurrection and in the fellowship of 00:31:38.690 --> 00:31:41.670 his suffering, being conformed to his death. 00:31:41.769 --> 00:31:44.950 Paul said, you can do everything else right, 00:31:45.130 --> 00:31:47.789 but if you don't know him, friend, you've got 00:31:47.789 --> 00:31:55.849 it wrong. You can know the song. You can know 00:31:55.849 --> 00:32:00.109 the routine. You can be an expert. Hallelujah. 00:32:01.950 --> 00:32:05.869 You could have those things down pat. We're not 00:32:05.869 --> 00:32:09.869 saying that it's bad to go on to perfection and 00:32:09.869 --> 00:32:12.630 to work on those things. Hallelujah. We're called 00:32:12.630 --> 00:32:14.670 to these things. Just hang out in this series. 00:32:14.789 --> 00:32:17.230 We'll get to some of that stuff. But don't miss 00:32:17.230 --> 00:32:22.519 the main thing. The main thing. is that all those 00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:26.319 things could be right, but if I don't really 00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:31.180 know him, if I don't really know him, why do 00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:36.480 you, you see, people tend to, in the parable 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:40.019 of the prodigal son, they tend to misunderstand 00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:44.559 his older brother in the story. He gets kind 00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:47.680 of lost in the story because all the attention 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:50.440 is on the celebration. the receptance of the 00:32:50.440 --> 00:32:53.019 father and his wayward son and so that's beautiful 00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:55.940 but in the background there is an older brother 00:32:55.940 --> 00:32:58.579 and you know the older brother's problem he was 00:32:58.579 --> 00:33:00.339 of the house but he wasn't really in the house 00:33:00.339 --> 00:33:06.799 he was he was in proximity physically close to 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:09.059 his father but he wasn't spiritually close to 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:15.660 him he was in oh hallelujah he was in but he 00:33:15.660 --> 00:33:19.119 wasn't of And so when his brother came back, 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:25.740 he had a fit. He said, excuse me, why are you 00:33:25.740 --> 00:33:28.000 throwing this guy a party? I've been here the 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:32.740 whole time. Just throw me a party. I've been 00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:36.220 doing everything I'm supposed to do. I didn't 00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:40.259 get into that trouble. I've been a good son here. 00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:48.519 And he had been. In the story, his heart gets 00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:56.079 exposed. How so? Because instead of participating 00:33:56.079 --> 00:34:02.700 in the rejoicing of his brother's life, he sat 00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:08.960 back and he criticized it all. Criticized it 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:12.360 all. Why? You say, well, because he was jealous. 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:15.949 No, it wasn't because he was jealous. He was 00:34:15.949 --> 00:34:18.670 jealous. He was envious of it. He wanted it to 00:34:18.670 --> 00:34:20.889 be him. No, that's not what it was. It's because 00:34:20.889 --> 00:34:25.869 he didn't know his father. If he knew his father, 00:34:26.010 --> 00:34:28.909 he would have been the one putting up balloons 00:34:28.909 --> 00:34:33.349 in the fellowship hall. Hello, it's getting quiet 00:34:33.349 --> 00:34:35.989 here. If he knew his father, he would have been 00:34:35.989 --> 00:34:40.530 the one, hallelujah, cutting the cake. If he 00:34:40.530 --> 00:34:42.909 knew his father, he would have been the one. 00:34:44.039 --> 00:34:46.840 sacrificing the fatted calf and saying, Dad, 00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:49.940 whatever we can do to help because I know what 00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:52.599 this means to you. I'm close to your heart enough 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:56.099 to know that this is all part of it as well. 00:34:56.219 --> 00:34:58.440 It's not just about you and me. It's about your 00:34:58.440 --> 00:35:00.380 heart and everything that you're doing among 00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:04.079 your people. Can I ask you today, do you really 00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:10.219 know him? Close your eyes. I have more in my 00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:12.579 notes, but the Holy Ghost is going to stop me 00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:18.119 right here. Do you really know him today? Do 00:35:18.119 --> 00:35:20.940 you really know him? I feel conviction in the 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:26.059 house of God today. Don't tell me he said, Paul 00:35:26.059 --> 00:35:29.079 didn't say, he didn't say that I may serve him. 00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:33.980 No! He didn't say that I may do great things 00:35:33.980 --> 00:35:38.230 in his name. No! That my name will be on a plaque 00:35:38.230 --> 00:35:41.989 on a wall somewhere. No. He said that I may know 00:35:41.989 --> 00:35:48.130 him. Oh, God. That I may know him. That's what 00:35:48.130 --> 00:35:51.969 I want. I want him. I want intimacy. I want to 00:35:51.969 --> 00:35:55.130 be in his arms. I want to be wrapped up in his 00:35:55.130 --> 00:35:59.389 arms. I want intimacy with him. Hallelujah. I 00:35:59.389 --> 00:36:01.769 want to know his heart. I want to be like the 00:36:01.769 --> 00:36:04.510 beloved disciple. I want to lean on the bosom 00:36:04.510 --> 00:36:08.010 of Jesus. I want to be like the woman who washed 00:36:08.010 --> 00:36:10.889 his feet with her tears and dried them with her 00:36:10.889 --> 00:36:13.650 hair and not one of the others that are criticizing 00:36:13.650 --> 00:36:16.369 the whole thing. No, I want to be in the middle 00:36:16.369 --> 00:36:19.250 of it. I want to know him. I want to know his 00:36:19.250 --> 00:36:22.349 forgiveness. I want to know his mercy. I want 00:36:22.349 --> 00:36:24.909 to know his grace. I want to know his holiness. 00:36:25.110 --> 00:36:28.969 I want to know his glory. Oh, I want to be like 00:36:28.969 --> 00:36:33.579 Moses. He said, show me your glory. God, show 00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:36.719 me your face. Oh, God, is anybody here today 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:39.300 who's willing to say, God, show me your face. 00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:42.460 Show me your glory. I feel the Holy Ghost in 00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:45.900 this place right now. Who is he? He's the bread 00:36:45.900 --> 00:36:49.519 of life. Who is he? He's the living water. Who 00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:53.079 is he? He's the Word made flesh. He's the light 00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:56.440 of the world. He's the door of doors. He's the 00:36:56.440 --> 00:37:00.159 good shepherd. He's the true vine, the Lamb of 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:04.010 God, the Lion from the tribe of Judah. The rock 00:37:04.010 --> 00:37:08.050 of ages. The prince of peace. The chief cornerstone. 00:37:08.389 --> 00:37:12.610 The alpha and omega. The beginning and the end. 00:37:12.889 --> 00:37:17.309 The first and the last. The king of kings. And 00:37:17.309 --> 00:37:18.710 the Lord of lords.