1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:21,800 Hey man, if you have your Bible at Nehemiah chapter 2 is where we're going to be this 2 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:22,800 morning. 3 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:28,400 I think it's around page 399, 400 around there if you don't have a Bible and want to grab 4 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,200 one of the ones around you. 5 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:37,760 Now as many of you know I have four children, my oldest daughter, my only daughter is 15 6 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:43,720 and then I have three boys, 13, 11 and 8, my daughter. 7 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:50,200 Everything when she was born, everything was magical for us because she was the first. 8 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:56,080 We have 3,000 pictures of her first year of life. 9 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:02,200 She had all of our attention until Asher came and that was fun too because he was our first 10 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,440 boy and we had one of each. 11 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:11,280 Then we had two more boys and the wonder wasn't as strong as it was because you come to know 12 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,520 what to expect as you have more children. 13 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,120 We knew when they should be holding their head up, right? 14 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,320 We knew when they should start crawling, we knew when they should start walking. 15 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:27,160 We saw the development of all of our children and they were all pretty much at the same 16 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:28,840 level as time went on. 17 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,640 There were some things that Adalie did quicker than her brothers but then there were some 18 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,240 things that her brothers did quicker than she did. 19 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:42,440 Adalie was later to walk than the rest of my boys because she simply didn't need to. 20 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:44,760 We would carry her wherever she wanted to go. 21 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:52,160 She was always being held by somebody but our fourth riker, I mean that kid was on his 22 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:53,160 own. 23 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,640 I think before he was two, he was going around the house on a hoverboard. 24 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,440 He was on his own. 25 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,800 They're all kind of on the same trajectory and when we say trajectory, we're really talking 26 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,440 maturity and they're maturing. 27 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:14,200 Really, we're all on the same track moving away from infancy toward adulthood. 28 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,800 In fact, if you are a parent in here, if you haven't thought of it this way, let me try 29 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,720 to help you and your child out. 30 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:29,640 Your job right now as a parent is to train them not to need you. 31 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:33,600 That will make it easier for you to let them go when the time comes. 32 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:38,680 Your job is literally to train them to no longer need you. 33 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:44,320 An aspect of parenting is participating in this developmental process so that we can 34 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,760 get them out of our house. 35 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:47,760 That's the goal. 36 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:54,560 In regard to development, if your kid is not reading like your neighbor's friend's kid, 37 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,280 there's no need to panic. 38 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:01,040 There's no need to plug them into a summer reading camp, give it some time. 39 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:02,280 We have different gifts. 40 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,200 We have different abilities but we're all on the track of development. 41 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:11,120 Unless it becomes apparent that you have some developmental issues. 42 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,200 Some developmental issues are nothing at all. 43 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,260 They just require a bit more time. 44 00:03:16,260 --> 00:03:18,600 Some kids are late bloomers. 45 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,240 Sometimes things click for them. 46 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,600 Maybe a little easier than other kids. 47 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:27,000 But sometimes there really are developmental issues. 48 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,320 When there are developmental issues, the more serious the developmental issues, the more 49 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,320 people get involved. 50 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,880 If you have some developmental issues, now all of a sudden maybe you have a physical 51 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:38,880 therapist. 52 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:40,280 Maybe you have a speech therapist. 53 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,800 Maybe you have to get doctors who are involved. 54 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,100 There are significant developmental issues. 55 00:03:48,100 --> 00:03:55,080 Other people get involved in order to help the maturity process move forward as it can 56 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,320 and as it continues to do so. 57 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:01,360 All of us are on the same trajectory. 58 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:08,440 This physically lines up and it parallels with what should be happening to us spiritually. 59 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:13,520 When God said to us via God in the flesh through Jesus in Matthew 28, He says, go therefore 60 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,960 and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son 61 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:23,160 and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. 62 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,880 We know that verse if you grew up in church. 63 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,920 But He didn't say go make converts. 64 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:34,800 The goal isn't just new birth, although new birth is spectacular, isn't it? 65 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:40,000 There are a few things like going to the hospital to visit a friend who just had a baby or having 66 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,440 a baby on your own. 67 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:43,800 Those are spectacular days. 68 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,680 Those are fun days. 69 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,960 They are strange days and beautiful days all together. 70 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,480 But it's not over then, is it? 71 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,640 In fact, things are just getting started, are they not? 72 00:04:54,640 --> 00:05:01,720 Now unfortunately, I believe in large swatches of evangelicalism, the idea is birth. 73 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,040 You're born great. 74 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,280 New convert. 75 00:05:05,280 --> 00:05:11,960 Then you leave that person swaddling and sucking on a pass for the next 40 years when it is 76 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:17,140 the expectation of God that we continue to grow and mature. 77 00:05:17,140 --> 00:05:19,760 This is called discipleship. 78 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:27,480 Now really the end goal of the Christian faith is from the moment of your birth, you're ever 79 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,720 maturing and you're ever growing. 80 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:35,480 Now I want to be real honest with you, most of the time you grow spiritually like we grow 81 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:36,480 physically. 82 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,440 What I mean by that is you are unaware that you're actually growing. 83 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:45,080 In fact, if you have children, you never see them grow, do you? 84 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,720 They just come down the stairs one morning and they're two inches taller and none of 85 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,440 their clothes fit. 86 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,000 Spiritual growth is a lot like that. 87 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:58,120 You can't really see what you're doing when you're doing it, but there are ways for us 88 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:03,680 to look at ourselves and judge whether or not we are maturing or whether or not we have 89 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,320 some spiritual developmental issues. 90 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,720 So I want to skip that in mind as we look at our text this morning. 91 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,560 I'm going to invite Wesley, wherever Wesley is. 92 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,120 Wesley's going to come read our text this morning out of Nehemiah chapter 2, starting 93 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,280 in verse 15. 94 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:22,240 I'd encourage you as we read this together that you stand and honor the Lord's word together. 95 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:26,400 Wesley, I got you a mic right here. 96 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,840 Wesley is pumped up, right? 97 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:30,760 Come on up here, buddy. 98 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:31,760 Pumped up to read. 99 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:32,760 Here we go. 100 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,760 Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall. 101 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,760 And I turned back and entered by the valley gate. 102 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:41,760 And so returned. 103 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:47,360 And the official did not know where I'd gone or what I was doing. 104 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:52,880 And I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who 105 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:54,880 were to do the work. 106 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,440 Then I said to them, you see the trouble we are in. 107 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:05,760 Had Jerusalem lies in ruins, if its gates burned, come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem. 108 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:14,040 But we may no longer suffer the division, and I told them of the hand of my God that 109 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,440 had been upon me for good. 110 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:22,640 And also of the words that the king had spoken to me. 111 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,280 And they said, let us rise up and build. 112 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,800 So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 113 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:30,800 Amen. 114 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:31,800 Let's pray. 115 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:32,800 Father, we thank you for Wesley. 116 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,000 I thank you for his willingness to get out of his comfort zone. 117 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,040 I thank you for his willingness to read your word aloud. 118 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:42,360 I pray that you give him a strong desire to know you and your word the rest of his life. 119 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,000 Pray God that these words will seep into our hearts today. 120 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,000 We ask all these things in your name. 121 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,000 Amen. 122 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,000 Thanks, buddy. 123 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:56,360 Now, one of the reasons that I wanted to teach out of the book of Nehemiah is because there's 124 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,600 all these building blocks of development for the Christian faith. 125 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:02,600 There's all these building blocks for us. 126 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:09,240 There's all these kinds of pieces thematically in here for us to look at and go, okay, am 127 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,640 I maturing or do I have developmental issues? 128 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:18,680 So even if I could recap where we've already been, we watched that Nehemiah has this heart 129 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:25,120 of empathy and compassion for his brothers and sisters who belong to the covenant community 130 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:26,680 of faith with him. 131 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:33,920 We saw clearly in the Scriptures, it is God's expectation on you and on me that we would 132 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:41,200 interact with one another, especially in regard to our membership here at Cornerstone with 133 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,280 a great deal of compassion and empathy. 134 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,500 We do not avoid each other's troubles. 135 00:08:47,500 --> 00:08:49,760 We enter into each other's troubles. 136 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,480 We don't avoid each other's sorrows. 137 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,360 We enter into those sorrows. 138 00:08:55,360 --> 00:09:01,120 Then we saw what he did with that empathy as he began to cry out to God and believe 139 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:09,120 God to solve what was causing the weight on his heart, the empathy on his heart, the sorrow 140 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,400 that he had for his brothers and sisters. 141 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:17,520 So we watched Nehemiah pray and we watched him pray in kind of big block prayers where 142 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:22,920 he's really devoting himself to a particular time of his day. 143 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:26,480 And then we watched him pray in these like shotgun style prayers. 144 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:33,400 Now if you're going to have a vibrant relationship with God, you need both types of prayers. 145 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,800 You can't just shotgun prayers throughout the day. 146 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:40,120 God, I think you're great, but God, you've got to get this guy in the left lane out of 147 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,640 the left lane. 148 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:43,640 Or you're going to bed at night. 149 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,240 God, thank you for being with me. 150 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,200 I hope to spend more time with you tomorrow. 151 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:49,640 It has to be more than that. 152 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,720 You have to have these times dedicated to God in prayer. 153 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:59,680 So you can see these kind of elementary ideas, building blocks of the Christian faith, empathy 154 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:02,640 and compassion, relationship with God. 155 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,720 Those are building blocks. 156 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,920 These are new birth developmental types of ideas. 157 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:14,040 Then from there, from those two ideas to this idea that we'll spend our time on today. 158 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,760 So let's look at Nehemiah chapter two. 159 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:21,560 I'm going to read verse six real quick and then we'll jump in. 160 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:24,240 Here's the king's response to Nehemiah's prayer. 161 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:28,240 Verse six, And the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, how long will you be gone 162 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,240 and when will you return? 163 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,760 So please the king to send me when I've given in a time. 164 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:38,680 And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, let letters be given to me, given me to the 165 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:42,320 governors of the province beyond the river, that they may let me pass through until I 166 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:47,040 come to Judah and a letter to ASAP, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber 167 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:51,600 to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple and for the wall of the city 168 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,880 and for the house that I shall occupy. 169 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:58,600 And the king granted me what I asked for the good hand of my God was upon me. 170 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:02,320 Now we read that and that's there's an understatement in that text. 171 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:09,360 Nehemiah just asked the reigning king of Persia to not only let him go back and re fortify 172 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:15,800 the city that has already been conquered, but that the king would actually provide the 173 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:22,080 timber and the tools necessary to re fortify a city that's been ransacked. 174 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:27,280 Now keep in mind, Persia's already conquered Jerusalem. 175 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:32,600 Nehemiah says, hey, let me re fortify a city under your authority and will you provide 176 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,480 the timber for it? 177 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,880 Will you pay for all this? 178 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,120 The king is like, sure, how long are you going to be gone? 179 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:43,440 How long is this going to take? 180 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,680 That's the favor of God. 181 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:50,520 Where did Nehemiah get this boldness? 182 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,480 We talked about it a couple of weeks ago. 183 00:11:52,480 --> 00:12:00,480 He got this boldness in the reality that the word of God said if the people of God turned 184 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:06,320 their faces back to God, he would reestablish the walls of Jerusalem. 185 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:11,600 So really, what brought about the confidence in Nehemiah's life are the promises of God 186 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:16,160 in the word of God toward Nehemiah and toward his house. 187 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:21,600 Now if you were to pick it up from there, now if you're not careful, the rest of chapter 188 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:27,080 two through verse five of chapter three, if you're not careful, you're going to get caught 189 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,960 up in a lot of names and a lot of wall building. 190 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,080 But here's the simple path I want to build for you. 191 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:40,640 And I want to once again affirm to you that this book is simply not descriptive. 192 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:47,480 This is not historically spanking, but it really, it is the expectation of God for you 193 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:52,520 and for me of really what the path of maturation looks like. 194 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:58,960 You have new birth that leads to compassion and empathy for a brother and sister, right? 195 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:04,240 That then leads to prayer that's rung out of the scriptures that then ultimately leads 196 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:05,240 to action. 197 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:06,560 That's where we are today. 198 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:11,520 So new birth creates empathy and compassion, which leads you to pray and then you pray 199 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,040 through the word of God. 200 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,100 And as you pray through the word of God, that leads to action. 201 00:13:16,100 --> 00:13:21,480 We are not people who feel empathy and pray. 202 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:27,160 We are people who act upon the prayers as our confidence builds in our prayers based 203 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:33,560 on the word of God, where action or any of this starts to break down. 204 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:36,400 You will begin to have developmental issues. 205 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:42,400 You will not be developing spiritually where you have to begin is to build this type of 206 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:48,200 empathy and build this type of compassion for your brothers and sisters that leads you 207 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:53,760 to prayerfulness and glad submission to the scriptures. 208 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:54,760 How do we get there? 209 00:13:54,760 --> 00:14:00,240 How do we feel compassion and empathy and then pray for them? 210 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,160 Well I want to answer it very, very simply. 211 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:11,280 The foundation of all discipleship, when all is said and done, is not gathering in a big 212 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,440 room like this. 213 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:22,120 The traction of live transformation occurs in smaller rooms, not larger rooms. 214 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:24,600 Because you can hide in larger rooms. 215 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,160 It's harder to hide in smaller rooms. 216 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:28,560 Can it be done? 217 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:29,640 Yes. 218 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,120 And some of you are great. 219 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:37,240 Some of you are like the Jason Bourne of Christians. 220 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,280 You just hide your identity embedded in with people who you walk with day in and day out. 221 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:49,600 But by and large, really, one of the baselines of maturity is in being known and in knowing 222 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:50,600 others. 223 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:56,720 Really, you and I grow and begin to mature when we enter into gospel-centered community. 224 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:01,600 And when we're talking about gospel-centered community, it is by the lens in which you 225 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:03,120 see your community. 226 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,560 Here's what I mean by that. 227 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:12,600 The people of God, Christians, will always be a gritty group of people to be around. 228 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,040 It's always going to be a little bit grimy. 229 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:21,960 And let me tell you why, because you and I, by our nature, rebel against God Almighty. 230 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:29,000 Even upon our salvation, even in our new birth, we are still going to wrestle and battle with 231 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,080 our flesh. 232 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,920 The gospel understands that. 233 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:37,400 Since the baseline of community should be that all have fallen short of the glory of 234 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:39,000 God. 235 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:43,280 We have to come to terms with the fact that all of us have fallen short of the glory of 236 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:44,280 God. 237 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:45,440 And we understand that. 238 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,360 That frees us to not pretend. 239 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:54,440 We don't have to pretend that we are more than we are because the gospel messages is 240 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,120 you're less than you think you are. 241 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:02,800 Since that's the root, then I don't have to fool anyone. 242 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,920 God has already said, this kid's jacked up. 243 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:07,920 He's messed up. 244 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:14,400 He has already declared about me and about you that you have fallen short. 245 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:21,400 Why would you pretend to not have fallen short when the Scriptures make it painfully clear 246 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:25,160 that you have absolutely fallen short? 247 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:31,240 See if you get this, then I don't have to perform for you. 248 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,640 I don't have to impress you. 249 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,760 I don't need you to think that I'm the greatest or I'm the worst. 250 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:41,240 I just get to be free in the Lord. 251 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:42,720 Why? 252 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,760 Because the gospel is the lens by which I see the world. 253 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,560 God has already told you that I'm messed up. 254 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,280 He's already told me that you're messed up. 255 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:58,360 I don't have to pretend I'm more of a mess than I am. 256 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,480 See it frees me up. 257 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,680 The gospel frees us to stop pretending. 258 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,560 Which is why it's so baffling to me. 259 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:15,800 Why it's so that so many of us continue to try to pretend that we are godly instead of 260 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,440 just pursuing godliness. 261 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,800 I mean isn't that absurd? 262 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:25,800 Surely you yourself know that that's absurd. 263 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:32,560 I'd really like to be godly, but instead I think I'll just pretend to be. 264 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:38,000 I'm going to learn some things and I'm going to rethink them things and I'm going to regurgitate 265 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:43,400 some really beautiful stuff that I've never experienced. 266 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:46,520 But at least people are going to think I'm godly. 267 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,920 At least people are going to think that I have my stuff together. 268 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,640 Well, you know you're going to die, right? 269 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,800 I mean I hate to be the bearer of bad news. 270 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:58,920 But we all know that we're going to die. 271 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,520 Do you think you're tricking God? 272 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,840 Do you think you're going to get to heaven and God is going to be like you and I were 273 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:09,080 like that down there. 274 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,080 You and I had this vibrant relationship. 275 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:12,080 You were so legit. 276 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,800 I am so lucky to have you on my team. 277 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:15,800 Come on in. 278 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:16,800 Come on. 279 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:17,800 Here's your reward. 280 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,880 Do you think we're tricking God? 281 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:24,200 We have to understand that all of us have fallen short. 282 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,640 I understand that about myself. 283 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:28,960 I understand that about you. 284 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:34,480 But do we understand that about each other that we've all fallen short? 285 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,280 I mean do you really believe what's happening here? 286 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:45,600 It's understanding that you fall short of the glory of God. 287 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:51,800 And then the next step is you let people know that are close to you that you are aware of 288 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,440 that reality. 289 00:18:54,440 --> 00:19:01,760 Then marks the life of a believer because we see through gospel lenses. 290 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:07,680 And our community is built around that we have all fallen short of the glory of God. 291 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,040 Yet, Christ has delivered us. 292 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,720 Christ has saved us. 293 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:16,240 So then the celebration isn't how good we are. 294 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,400 The celebration is Jesus. 295 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:23,880 The celebration isn't us because the Christian context is so grimy. 296 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:26,360 And this is what I mean by grimy. 297 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:32,320 If the gospel message is going out and the gospel message is being declared, it's drawing 298 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,200 people out of darkness. 299 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:39,440 Then even upon our conversion, we're going to wrestle in our flesh. 300 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:46,160 In fact, in 1 John chapter 1 says, you want to know for sure if Christ lives in you. 301 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:50,560 You want to know how the Holy Spirit is sealed in you. 302 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,520 You'll be aware of your sinfulness. 303 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:56,080 I mean think about that. 304 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:57,480 You want to know if you're a believer? 305 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,560 Have you ever had that wrestling doubt? 306 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:01,560 Am I really a believer? 307 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,640 If you want to know, you're aware of your sinfulness. 308 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:09,960 In 1 John chapter 1 verse 6 it says, if we say we have fellowship with Him, yet we walk 309 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:13,680 in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 310 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:18,520 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one 311 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:23,160 another and the blood of Jesus, His Son cleanses us from all sin. 312 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:30,400 If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 313 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:39,680 So if you are saying, I have no need for confession, what the Bible just said is the truth is not 314 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:41,920 in you. 315 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,920 So what is the mark of having the truth in you? 316 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:50,680 You're aware of your need to confess your sins. 317 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:57,000 The Gospel says the church of Jesus Christ is a safe place to confess your sins because 318 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:03,000 we see through the lenses of all falling short of the glory of God and yet Christ loving 319 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,360 us rescued us anyway. 320 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:10,160 So then we can enter into group life. 321 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:11,960 Then we can enter into relationship. 322 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:18,840 We can enter into smaller rooms like life with men and women in proximity, seeing each 323 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:23,720 other often, checking in continually. 324 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:28,320 And we can walk into a room like that and go, man, here's what's really going on in 325 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,360 my mind this week. 326 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:35,440 Here's what I've had some dark thoughts this week. 327 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,240 And whatever those are. 328 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:44,680 Like I've walked into rooms and said, I really just don't like my kids. 329 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,440 I mean, I love them. 330 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,640 Nobody's getting hit. 331 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:54,160 But I really don't like my kids right now. 332 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:59,880 I've walked into rooms with people who know me and say, I am running on fumes with my 333 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:02,840 wife. 334 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:10,040 She's walked into rooms many times and said, I'm running on fumes with my husband. 335 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,640 I mean, that should be a safe place to go. 336 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,320 I have questions about how God is going to work this out. 337 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:17,480 I have some doubts. 338 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:18,680 I have some struggles. 339 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,800 I have concerns. 340 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,560 It's a place where we can confess these things to the Lord. 341 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:28,640 In fact, when Luther started the Protestant Reformation, he said, the Christian life is 342 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,160 marked by repentance. 343 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:36,040 All of life is repentance for the believer. 344 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:44,040 All of life is being in tune with our hearts and being willing to share that with our brothers 345 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:48,120 and sisters because of gospel-centered community. 346 00:22:48,120 --> 00:22:52,560 And there's a key cog of confession that leads to accountability. 347 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,560 Now we're starting to move in the maturation process, right? 348 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:58,480 We're in gospel community. 349 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,560 We're confessing our sins. 350 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,040 We're repenting of where we have fallen short, right? 351 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:05,400 And then we have accountability. 352 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,920 Now I believe the gospel, right? 353 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:13,040 So if I believe the gospel, then I'm able to confess my weaknesses. 354 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:19,160 Now that I've confessed my weaknesses among others who understand the gospel message, 355 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:22,400 then now I have some accountability. 356 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:28,360 So if a man comes to me and says, hey man, my marriage is not in a good spot right now, 357 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:34,320 I have to put in the hard work of going after my wife's heart, of romancing her, of encouraging 358 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:40,760 her, of edifying her, of her gifting, of creating a pathway in which she can have time to really 359 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:44,760 grow and how God has gifted her. 360 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,360 And I just need to confess that to you guys. 361 00:23:48,360 --> 00:23:50,680 Just help keep me accountable. 362 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,720 Now that's an invitation, right? 363 00:23:53,720 --> 00:24:00,240 That's an invitation that they will probably regret because if they tell me, then I'm 364 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:04,320 freed up to call and be like, yo, what are you doing this week? 365 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:06,720 What are you doing with your wife this week? 366 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:08,360 How are you pursuing her? 367 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:10,920 How are you showing her the risk, right? 368 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:12,320 Like that frees me up. 369 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,240 It's an invitation. 370 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:21,000 And then the response is, I just booked a 10 day trip to Hawaii. 371 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:22,440 We got this planned getaway. 372 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,320 Then I'm like, oh, let's slow down. 373 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,200 You've done nothing for 10 years. 374 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,480 Let's not go into debt on some massive vacation. 375 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,280 How about you just write her a letter? 376 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,200 How about you just take her out to dinner? 377 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,920 How about you just ask her to forgive you where you've fallen short? 378 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,960 How about you take these smaller steps instead of going into debt over this, over the top 379 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:44,240 vacation, right? 380 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:45,240 Write her a note. 381 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:46,520 Own your sins. 382 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,240 Take her to a nice dinner. 383 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,640 Now all of a sudden there's accountability. 384 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:52,480 Now all of a sudden there's discipleship. 385 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,360 Now all of a sudden we are growing and getting better. 386 00:24:56,360 --> 00:25:00,240 We're moving down that path. 387 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,880 And so I just want to be completely fair. 388 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,920 Because some of you right now might be raising your hand going, do you know what? 389 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,840 I don't buy it. 390 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:16,640 I don't buy what you're saying. 391 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:20,120 We tried to do this gospel centered community thing. 392 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:21,960 We've tried groups. 393 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,160 We've tried connecting like this. 394 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:25,400 It's messy Daniel. 395 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,840 It's not easy. 396 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,000 I left hurt. 397 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,360 You are over romanticizing this reality. 398 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:40,640 Whatever your argument is towards me, let me just say this, community is unbelievably 399 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,000 difficult work. 400 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:45,960 It's not natural. 401 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,880 Our culture doesn't even know how to do it. 402 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,520 We are a back porch private fence culture. 403 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:54,520 Are we not? 404 00:25:54,520 --> 00:26:01,400 I mean not only that, we don't even really know how to enter into actual deep relationships. 405 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:02,760 Let me prove a point to you. 406 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:04,960 I want you to say this after me. 407 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,160 I do not have 800 friends. 408 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,040 Okay, say it. 409 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:12,400 I do not have 800 friends. 410 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:13,400 Listen to me. 411 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,280 Your Facebook friends are not your friends. 412 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:18,400 They're not really. 413 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,480 Their encouragement rings a bit empty. 414 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,640 And their congratulations ring a bit empty. 415 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:27,440 And I'll tell you why. 416 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,840 Because they're not in the mud with you. 417 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,960 My preference is actual relationships. 418 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:39,440 So cyber stalking somebody is not a relationship. 419 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,520 I'm not telling you to get rid of your account. 420 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,560 I'm not telling you to ban social media. 421 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:48,360 I'm telling you, you don't have 800 friends. 422 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:55,480 So someone who would say congratulations on the new baby will always ring hollow next to 423 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:59,200 the person who was with you in the hospital waiting room. 424 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:04,640 It will always ring hollow to the person who walked with you through your pregnancy, who 425 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:09,960 cried with you when you struggled to get pregnant, and prayed with you when there were complications 426 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:11,720 during that pregnancy. 427 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,240 This is life on life. 428 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,240 This is how transformation begins to occur. 429 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,840 Even then, it's messy and it's hard. 430 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,600 And our friend Dietrich Bonhoeffer will help us with this. 431 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:28,600 Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor theologian. 432 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:29,600 Okay? 433 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:36,640 And so Bonhoeffer, who was a guy who was in his head, I mean unbelievably smart. 434 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,600 He came over to the United States. 435 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,920 He went to an African American church in Harlem. 436 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:48,280 He watched them, that church, get after the Lord in a way that's celebratory. 437 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:49,360 We've seen it. 438 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:50,960 Some of us have experienced it. 439 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:57,960 It's so stirred his heart that he wanted not just the mind, but he wanted the heart. 440 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:03,760 And then Dietrich was actually part of an assassination attempt on Hitler during World 441 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,640 War II to kill the, but he was killed by the Nazis. 442 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:17,360 So a pastor theologian with an inflamed heart who wants to worship boldly, proclaim truthfully, 443 00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:21,360 and kill dictators is my kind of guy. 444 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:25,360 Like I feel like him and I could be good friends. 445 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:29,080 So Dietrich writes of the Christian community like this. 446 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:34,120 He says, if we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have 447 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:40,880 been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much 448 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,040 weakness, small faith and difficulty. 449 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:49,680 If on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty 450 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:55,460 so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according 451 00:28:55,460 --> 00:29:01,740 to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ. 452 00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:06,280 Oh, he's just saying here, yes, it's hard. 453 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,240 There's sinners involved. 454 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,120 Will at times be paltry. 455 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,080 It will at times be petty. 456 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:16,280 It will at times disappoint you. 457 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,040 And you shouldn't be surprised when that happens. 458 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:22,000 You're there. 459 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:28,960 You're a sinner trying to connect with sinners for the purpose of sanctification. 460 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:34,080 It is at times lovely and at times ugly. 461 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,160 Iron sharpening iron is the biblical perspective. 462 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:38,920 And how are we sharpened? 463 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,520 How do you sharpen a blade? 464 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,280 You nick parts off of it, don't you? 465 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:45,560 Sparks begin to fly. 466 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,560 I mean, isn't that the process of sharpening? 467 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:50,880 That's what discipleship is. 468 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:56,040 And Dietrich here is saying, is all you're ever going to do, if all you're ever going 469 00:29:56,040 --> 00:30:03,040 to do is complain about it, you're really going to inhibit the Lord's ability to sharpen 470 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:07,040 you and mature you. 471 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:13,240 If you're refusing to enter into gospel-centered community, you're having some spiritual developmental 472 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:14,800 issues. 473 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:18,520 Discipleship is hard, but we need to fight for it. 474 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:19,840 We need to invest in it. 475 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:21,720 And here's what I know about Cornerstone. 476 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:23,120 Many of you are plugged in. 477 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,280 Many of you are doing life deeply with one another. 478 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:26,600 I'm going to group myself. 479 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,360 We try to meet a few times a month as best we can. 480 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:33,000 And some of you do this well. 481 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:34,760 But here's what I know. 482 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:38,160 A lot of you are just mere participants here. 483 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:42,960 You go here, but you don't belong here. 484 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:47,480 You rob only you of what Christ has for you. 485 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:54,640 You're here because you either like the music or you like how I preach, but look at me. 486 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:59,560 That will not sustain you on your day of trouble. 487 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:00,680 It won't. 488 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:05,760 What you'll need in that moment on that day of trouble is a room full of people who know 489 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,400 you and you know them. 490 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:12,760 The words that come out of their mouths are not empty because they have blood with you 491 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:16,720 and they've been in the mud with you and they have cried with you and they feel the weight 492 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:18,480 with you. 493 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,000 How easy is empathy? 494 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,760 Because cancer is not that person over there. 495 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:30,480 But cancer is that person you meet with week in and week out. 496 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:32,200 That you have cups of coffee with. 497 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,340 That you're doing life deeply with one another. 498 00:31:35,340 --> 00:31:40,160 You know their weaknesses and they know yours. 499 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:44,620 What about when their kid goes wayward and that breaks your heart? 500 00:31:44,620 --> 00:31:49,000 What about when their marriage is on the rocks that's devastating to you as well? 501 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:50,280 That leads you to pray. 502 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,840 That leads you to search the Scriptures. 503 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:56,320 That leads you to encourage. 504 00:31:56,320 --> 00:32:01,340 If you're detached and this is all you know on a Sunday morning, do you know a type of 505 00:32:01,340 --> 00:32:07,640 impotent, weak, pathetic version of Christianity you're living out? 506 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:09,520 It's not the one in the Bible. 507 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:18,720 It will not sustain you on the day of trouble. 508 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:23,480 And here real quick, what you're looking for is not people who are just like you. 509 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:32,120 If someone gets on your nerves in a group, that's a sanctifying experience. 510 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:37,160 I'm guessing they're probably not big fans of you either. 511 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,680 You see how sanctification begins to occur? 512 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,960 It's iron sharpening iron. 513 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:50,840 If you're not walking with people that deeply, then that's a developmental issue. 514 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:54,760 And you should not be surprised that you struggle with sin like you do. 515 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:58,240 You should not be surprised that you feel distant from God like you do. 516 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,580 That you don't know the Scriptures like you would like to. 517 00:33:01,580 --> 00:33:07,360 Because if you want to like the Scriptures, if you want to know the Scriptures, get in 518 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:10,960 a group of people who value the Scriptures. 519 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:15,600 If you want to learn them, get around people who love them. 520 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:21,360 You shouldn't be surprised if you're not walking deeply with others that you still wrestle 521 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,140 with the flesh like you do. 522 00:33:24,140 --> 00:33:28,020 You shouldn't be surprised that you have the marital issues that you do. 523 00:33:28,020 --> 00:33:34,640 You shouldn't be surprised that you're walking in loneliness and anxiety like you do. 524 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,960 It shouldn't surprise you because you're still in diapers. 525 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:41,160 And we need to get you out of the diapers. 526 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:47,880 It will always take one courageous person and a group of friends to be the first to go, 527 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:52,320 I'm struggling. 528 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:56,680 I'm doubting. 529 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:03,640 And you'll be surprised how much more your weaknesses compel people to godliness than 530 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:06,680 your strengths. 531 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:12,360 I mean we all want to be known as the guy that has the Bible memorized. 532 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:15,520 We all want to be known as the woman who has it all together, right? 533 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:18,840 Superwife, supermom, or super single woman. 534 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:20,320 I don't need no man. 535 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,480 Like we want to be known like that. 536 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:30,440 We want to be known as these kind of fake mirages instead of who we really are. 537 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:36,080 When we enter into who we really are then all of a sudden a group has a real shot, 538 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:40,440 a genuine empathy and compassion. 539 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:45,520 Because there's no need to have empathy and compassion when everybody's awesome. 540 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:51,360 There's no reason to feel for people when everybody has their stuff together. 541 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:59,720 So no way does everyone being awesome lead you to prayer in the Word of God. 542 00:34:59,720 --> 00:35:02,080 Show your weaknesses. 543 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:07,800 So gospel center community leads to empathy and compassion that leads to prayerfulness. 544 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:14,320 It leads to seriousness of the Word of God and then that leads to action. 545 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:19,360 And this is how we are going to do life here at Cornerstone. 546 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:26,480 Get involved in a community of faith. 547 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:30,360 Not just with people you like, not just with people you get along with. 548 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:41,560 If you want to grow, if you really want to grow, get around people you just can't stand. 549 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:50,840 And understand that all of us have fallen short of the glory of God. 550 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:52,720 This is Nehemiah. 551 00:35:52,720 --> 00:36:03,560 He has a heart for his people which leads him to pray. 552 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:09,160 Which gives him this boldness to ask for things that he probably wouldn't ask for. 553 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:13,000 Which then leads him to action. 554 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:17,880 Which leads him back to Jerusalem where he's doing life with these people and he's proclaiming 555 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:24,080 the goodness of God in his life. 556 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:30,760 That wall got built pretty quickly because of God was doing in the hearts of the people. 557 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:36,320 Can't wait to see what God does in the hearts of our church. 558 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:43,600 And there's no greater way for that to occur than to celebrate communion together. 559 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:48,560 So I'm going to invite the elders and deacons to come forward as we remember what he has 560 00:36:48,560 --> 00:37:17,520 done for us.