WEBVTT 00:00:00.330 --> 00:00:07.549 Luke chapter 15, we are, as a church, saying 00:00:07.549 --> 00:00:11.710 yes to the biblical mandate of our lives to expand 00:00:11.710 --> 00:00:15.029 the kingdom of heaven on the earth. Jesus, when 00:00:15.029 --> 00:00:17.609 he taught us to pray, he said, pray like this. 00:00:17.629 --> 00:00:21.030 Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed honor, 00:00:21.210 --> 00:00:24.489 praise be to your name. May your kingdom come 00:00:24.489 --> 00:00:31.750 on this earth as it is in heaven. Okay? We are, 00:00:31.910 --> 00:00:35.390 I'm not going to take the time to go over because 00:00:35.390 --> 00:00:39.350 it's been years and years. We have a mandate 00:00:39.350 --> 00:00:43.710 to operate in the kingdom of heaven and to expand 00:00:43.710 --> 00:00:45.750 it in advance. That's what Luke is saying yes 00:00:45.750 --> 00:00:48.409 to. He's saying yes, I will expand the kingdom 00:00:48.409 --> 00:00:51.710 of heaven and the college campuses in San Antonio. 00:00:51.829 --> 00:00:54.149 We each have spheres of influences, things in 00:00:54.149 --> 00:00:57.070 our world, which we're saying yes to expanding 00:00:57.070 --> 00:01:01.229 the kingdom of heaven. All right. So with that, 00:01:01.270 --> 00:01:03.649 we're looking at these parables about the kingdom 00:01:03.649 --> 00:01:07.670 in Luke chapter 14, 15, 16, and asking, Lord, 00:01:07.849 --> 00:01:11.310 what do you want to do in me, transform in me 00:01:11.310 --> 00:01:14.390 to make me more effective for your kingdom? All 00:01:14.390 --> 00:01:17.569 right. So today's message is titled Kingdom Expansion 00:01:17.569 --> 00:01:21.549 Principles from Luke chapter 15, verses 1 through 00:01:21.549 --> 00:01:27.170 7. So let's read Luke chapter 15, verse 1. Now 00:01:27.170 --> 00:01:29.829 the tax collectors and sinners were all gathered 00:01:29.829 --> 00:01:32.890 around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the 00:01:32.890 --> 00:01:36.049 teachers of the law muttered, This man welcomes 00:01:36.049 --> 00:01:39.609 sinners and eats with them. Then Jesus told them 00:01:39.609 --> 00:01:42.689 this parable, Suppose one of you has a hundred 00:01:42.689 --> 00:01:46.390 sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave 00:01:46.390 --> 00:01:49.310 the ninety -nine in the open country and go after 00:01:49.310 --> 00:01:52.849 the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he 00:01:52.849 --> 00:01:55.709 finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 00:01:55.709 --> 00:01:58.950 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and 00:01:58.950 --> 00:02:02.549 neighbors together and says, Rejoice with me, 00:02:02.629 --> 00:02:06.109 I have found my lost sheep. I tell you that in 00:02:06.109 --> 00:02:08.710 the same way, there will be more rejoicing in 00:02:08.710 --> 00:02:12.069 heaven over one sinner who repents than over 00:02:12.069 --> 00:02:15.909 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent. 00:02:16.250 --> 00:02:21.379 Okay? Such a good passage. Let's just... Ask 00:02:21.379 --> 00:02:23.780 the Lord. Let's surrender to the Lord our heart, 00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:26.719 mind, thoughts. Jesus, we thank you for your 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:29.680 words here in this passage. Once again, this 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:34.280 week we're pausing to say, we believe you, we 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.939 trust you, your word is true. It's more right 00:02:37.939 --> 00:02:41.000 than we are, what we think, our past experience, 00:02:41.060 --> 00:02:44.680 or our future hopes. And so we're asking for 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:47.819 a demonstration of Holy Spirit's power right 00:02:47.819 --> 00:02:52.599 now. Take these words. Permanently transform 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:55.219 our lives to become more like Jesus, we ask. 00:02:56.520 --> 00:02:59.639 Amen? You agree with that? Alright, let's take 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:01.360 a look at some kingdom principles. There's so 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:08.340 many good things in this passage. I'm going to 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:10.300 list some things out. I would encourage you to 00:03:10.300 --> 00:03:14.060 write them down. Take notes. Be helpful. It helps 00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:16.020 you to remember when you take notes. Use your 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:18.610 cognitive processes. It will help you. retain 00:03:18.610 --> 00:03:21.550 the information and it might be helpful to use 00:03:21.550 --> 00:03:25.629 the notes later on. So number one, kingdom expansion 00:03:25.629 --> 00:03:29.650 principle number one, the presence of Jesus in 00:03:29.650 --> 00:03:33.150 our daily lives should attract those who are 00:03:33.150 --> 00:03:37.150 rejected and bound by their sin. Say that again. 00:03:37.330 --> 00:03:40.969 The presence of Jesus in our daily lives should 00:03:40.969 --> 00:03:45.370 attract those who are rejected and bound by their 00:03:45.370 --> 00:03:47.860 sin. All right, we're looking at this passage, 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:50.580 seeing how Jesus operates in the kingdom, and 00:03:50.580 --> 00:03:53.000 we're saying, Jesus, we want to be like you in 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.280 bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. And 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:59.159 so this principle is really important. What we 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:02.060 see here in this passage, before Jesus even opens 00:04:02.060 --> 00:04:05.479 up his mouth, in chapter 15, verse 1, it says, 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:09.900 now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathered 00:04:09.900 --> 00:04:14.080 around to hear him. Before Jesus even begins 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:18.329 with the parable, He's there, Jesus is there, 00:04:18.430 --> 00:04:21.110 the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, they're 00:04:21.110 --> 00:04:26.269 there, and there's this crowd of sinners, tax 00:04:26.269 --> 00:04:28.410 collectors and sinners, and it says they're gathering 00:04:28.410 --> 00:04:37.170 around Jesus to listen to him, to hear him. Why 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:45.300 does the Son of God, God in flesh, Why is he 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:48.920 attracting sinners, tax collectors? Do you know 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.160 who tax collectors are in the New Testament? 00:04:51.420 --> 00:04:53.300 You know, tax collectors aren't real popular 00:04:53.300 --> 00:04:56.959 in Parker County, but, you know, even more not 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.439 so in the culture because these were people who 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.920 were Jews, Israelites, who had joined forces 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:07.399 with their Roman oppressors to tax their own 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:12.040 people, okay? And many times... you know, skimmed 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:14.300 off the top, increased their own wealth on the 00:05:14.300 --> 00:05:17.220 backs of their own people, right? So they were, 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:22.019 you know, hated and completely despised and rejected 00:05:22.019 --> 00:05:26.839 by their own people. So here Jesus is attracting 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.519 the traitors, the rejected, the outcasts, and 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:33.360 the sinners. All right, I believe this is going 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:36.839 to be kind of, I want to break this into two 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:43.050 principles, A and B of this number one. A, we 00:05:43.050 --> 00:05:46.230 have to start here. The goal of our lives is 00:05:46.230 --> 00:05:49.009 to be obedient, to become like Jesus. This has 00:05:49.009 --> 00:05:51.870 to be the basis that we understand as kingdom 00:05:51.870 --> 00:05:58.350 people. As long as you look at Jesus and say, 00:05:58.569 --> 00:06:02.389 oh, well, I could never be like him. He's Jesus. 00:06:03.009 --> 00:06:07.730 The kingdom is already defeated. Did you know 00:06:07.730 --> 00:06:11.279 that, yes, Jesus was fully God? but he became 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.920 a fully man to demonstrate what it looks like 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:18.860 for a real man, a real woman, to partner in relationship 00:06:18.860 --> 00:06:21.259 with God, be filled with his Holy Spirit, and 00:06:21.259 --> 00:06:23.000 to bring the kingdom of heaven to the earth. 00:06:24.300 --> 00:06:27.759 Can you believe that Satan has so hoodwinked 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:32.759 through religion that Christians, like you understand 00:06:32.759 --> 00:06:36.519 the word Christian, the suffix I -A -N, it means 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:39.810 to be like, to be like Christ. We have become 00:06:39.810 --> 00:06:43.069 so hoodwinked by religion that we say, oh, we 00:06:43.069 --> 00:06:44.889 want to be Christians, but we could never be 00:06:44.889 --> 00:06:49.670 like Christ. You get the irony of it? I'm a Christian 00:06:49.670 --> 00:06:52.850 to be like Christ, but I could never actually 00:06:52.850 --> 00:07:00.209 be like him. What a lie from the enemy. Our whole, 00:07:00.250 --> 00:07:04.110 the goal of our life is to become transformed 00:07:04.110 --> 00:07:08.350 by Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to 00:07:08.350 --> 00:07:11.660 be like Christ because the scripture says it's 00:07:11.660 --> 00:07:17.680 Christ in me that is the hope of glory it's Christ 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.100 in you that is the hope of glory for the earth 00:07:20.100 --> 00:07:28.180 we owe them a representation of Jesus on the 00:07:28.180 --> 00:07:31.480 earth I listed a bunch of scriptures just because 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:33.339 I don't want you to think I'm making this up 00:07:33.339 --> 00:07:36.720 so spend some time this is just a few of the 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:40.079 scriptures, the biblical commands for us to become 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:44.600 like Christ. It's very clear. Write those down. 00:07:44.660 --> 00:07:47.120 Take a picture with your phone and spend some 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:49.800 time meditating on them. They're extremely powerful. 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:54.759 Now, this transformation becoming like Christ, 00:07:54.980 --> 00:07:59.019 it must start with an event. And that event, 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:01.879 like Luke was talking about, is the event of 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:05.860 salvation in which a person realizes that the 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:08.319 debt of their sin is more than they could ever 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:12.740 pay. And they cry out to Jesus Christ and say, 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.379 Lord, I need you to save me. Would you please, 00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:17.980 by your death and resurrection, forgive all my 00:08:17.980 --> 00:08:21.480 sin? I surrender my life to you, and I receive 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:25.779 your Holy Spirit to dwell in me. Becoming Christ 00:08:25.779 --> 00:08:31.420 -like is not a process of osmosis and going to 00:08:31.420 --> 00:08:35.750 church. becoming Christ -like must start with 00:08:35.750 --> 00:08:39.090 the beginning point, and that's you receiving 00:08:39.090 --> 00:08:41.649 the salvation of Jesus Christ. Let me ask you 00:08:41.649 --> 00:08:47.649 today, like Luke asked, out of one to ten, how 00:08:47.649 --> 00:08:51.750 many of you are confident that you will be receiving 00:08:51.750 --> 00:08:57.110 entrance into the presence of God in heaven if 00:08:57.110 --> 00:09:03.000 you died right now? I hope that it is a 10 for 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:06.480 you because it's not based on anything that you've 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:10.340 done, but by receiving the gift of salvation 00:09:10.340 --> 00:09:15.820 by placing your faith in Jesus Christ. You're 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:19.799 never going to earn your way in. And it wasn't 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:26.059 meant to be like that. I feel like we could spend 00:09:26.059 --> 00:09:31.200 a lot of time on that. has to have a starting 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:36.559 point. Let me encourage you. I can't think of 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.200 anything more important for you to do this week 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:43.860 than to take five minutes alone with God and 00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:48.019 make sure you're in the family. Now some of you, 00:09:48.059 --> 00:09:49.879 you're like, I don't even, I don't need five 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:53.519 seconds. Okay, but maybe there's some of you 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:56.340 that you haven't actually walked. through that 00:09:56.340 --> 00:09:58.340 decision. You've heard a lot about it. You've 00:09:58.340 --> 00:09:59.980 known a lot of people that have done it. You've 00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:02.080 gone to church. Maybe you've even been baptized 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:05.120 and taken communion. But there's never been a 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.340 time in your life where you've cried out to Jesus 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:09.659 to save you, forgive your sin, and surrender 00:10:09.659 --> 00:10:13.139 your whole life to Him. Do that. If you need 00:10:13.139 --> 00:10:15.379 help with that, call me. Find any pastor, anybody 00:10:15.379 --> 00:10:18.519 on the ministry team wall, any elder, any staff 00:10:18.519 --> 00:10:21.200 member, and we'll help you with that. So it starts 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.279 at salvation, and then we allow the Holy Spirit 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:28.059 to use the Word of God to shape and refine us 00:10:28.059 --> 00:10:32.759 into the image of Jesus. This is the process 00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:37.860 of maturity, right? We get saved. We get baptized. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.519 The old man dies. The new man, the new life comes 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:43.720 up, and then we're in this process where we're... 00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:46.720 completely yielded to the Holy Spirit, and he's 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:48.779 using the Word of God and the teaching of the 00:10:48.779 --> 00:10:51.279 Scripture and the discipleship and the studying 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:53.399 of the Word and the house church and the Bible 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.039 studies. And those aren't things to make us smarter 00:10:56.039 --> 00:11:00.220 about Jesus. They're things in which the Holy 00:11:00.220 --> 00:11:03.860 Spirit uses to shape and refine and to knock 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:05.960 off what needs to be knocked off and to build 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:08.340 up what needs to be built up. Why? So that you 00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:11.360 can feel better about your life? No. So that 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:16.809 you can look like Jesus. So that you can become 00:11:16.809 --> 00:11:22.149 like Christ. So that the world can see Him. Because 00:11:22.149 --> 00:11:24.970 if they see Him and know Him, they will want 00:11:24.970 --> 00:11:28.269 Him and love Him. I want to encourage you in 00:11:28.269 --> 00:11:31.190 this process of becoming like Jesus. Don't give 00:11:31.190 --> 00:11:35.509 up. Don't give up. If you're like me, some days 00:11:35.509 --> 00:11:39.889 you wake up and you feel so far from an image 00:11:39.889 --> 00:11:42.110 of Jesus Christ that you just want to give up 00:11:42.110 --> 00:11:44.470 and go back to your life when it was fun and 00:11:44.470 --> 00:11:47.009 sinful. Does anybody else feel like that, or 00:11:47.009 --> 00:11:50.690 is it just me? Like, I mean, can we be honest? 00:11:50.909 --> 00:11:55.009 If sin isn't fun, nobody would do it. If you're 00:11:55.009 --> 00:11:57.309 not having fun sinning, you're not sinning right. 00:11:59.909 --> 00:12:03.470 Sin is fun for a season, but the wages are death. 00:12:03.970 --> 00:12:07.730 You understand, right? The devil's not an idiot. 00:12:08.309 --> 00:12:10.250 He's not going to tempt you with Brussels sprouts 00:12:10.250 --> 00:12:15.750 when you hate Brussels sprouts. Sin is fun for 00:12:15.750 --> 00:12:18.769 a season, but the Bible says the wages of sin 00:12:18.769 --> 00:12:26.470 is death. And I want to encourage you. I know 00:12:26.470 --> 00:12:30.210 that the tension of being shaped is not always 00:12:30.210 --> 00:12:35.929 pleasant. Don't give up. Don't give up. Don't 00:12:35.929 --> 00:12:38.230 go backwards. What else is there to live for? 00:12:39.389 --> 00:12:42.230 What else is there? We've tasted, like we sung 00:12:42.230 --> 00:12:44.370 earlier in that song, we've tasted everything 00:12:44.370 --> 00:12:47.590 that the world had to offer, and it did not fulfill 00:12:47.590 --> 00:12:51.289 us. It left us wanting, so we're pressing in 00:12:51.289 --> 00:12:55.649 to this image. I went to a revival meeting last 00:12:55.649 --> 00:12:58.769 week at Fort Worth, and as I was driving into 00:12:58.769 --> 00:13:02.590 the parking lot, this car was driving by me, 00:13:02.669 --> 00:13:05.710 and there was this lady in there waving. In fact, 00:13:05.809 --> 00:13:08.690 I'm at a church I've never been to in the middle 00:13:08.690 --> 00:13:11.559 of Fort Worth. And this lady waving emphatically 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:15.059 at me like she knew me. And I'm thinking, is 00:13:15.059 --> 00:13:17.539 she waving at somebody else? I'm looking around. 00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:20.580 I don't see anybody else. And, I mean, I'm not 00:13:20.580 --> 00:13:23.240 being rude, but I just keep driving because I'm 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.379 thinking, surely she's not waving at me. I don't 00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:29.240 even know this lady. So I go into the revival 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.360 meeting. It's early before the meeting starts, 00:13:32.419 --> 00:13:36.159 and I'm there. And this same lady from driving 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:39.539 in the parking lot walks up to me. And as she 00:13:39.539 --> 00:13:44.360 gets closer, I realize I do know her. And about 00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:47.120 10 years ago, she was here at the gathering. 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:50.320 And she was involved in a relationship with a 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:55.820 guy. They were not married. They were both struggling 00:13:55.820 --> 00:14:02.500 with addiction, depression, suicide. And we did 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:06.009 our best. I mean, we... We loved on them. We 00:14:06.009 --> 00:14:08.470 counseled them. We did deliverance ministry. 00:14:09.509 --> 00:14:12.710 I mean, we spent a lot of time investing in them. 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:15.629 And then from our perspective, it looked like 00:14:15.629 --> 00:14:19.250 it blew up and we never saw them again. And you're 00:14:19.250 --> 00:14:22.870 just like, Lord, what is that? So here, this 00:14:22.870 --> 00:14:26.769 is maybe 10 years later. Here's this lady. She's 00:14:26.769 --> 00:14:30.120 married. And as I'm talking to her, I'm like, 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:32.759 oh, it's so good to see you. The pastor of that 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:35.600 church walks up and says, hey, do you know this 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:38.220 person? I said, actually, I do. And this is her 00:14:38.220 --> 00:14:40.759 husband. He said, they are the most faithful, 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:47.860 powerful servants of my church. And I just walked 00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:52.480 away from that going, thank you, God. Thank you, 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:56.980 God, that you are patient in our process. Right? 00:14:58.039 --> 00:15:03.200 all of us at some point were the mess. That the 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:06.700 rest of us were going, wow, what a mess. We were 00:15:06.700 --> 00:15:11.240 that. And maybe we are that now. But don't give 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:15.399 up. Because there's nothing more powerful than 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:18.879 the person of the Holy Spirit. And He, if you 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:23.440 will not give up, He will patiently, kindly, 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:29.100 gently. Shape you to become like Jesus. And it 00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:31.519 probably won't happen overnight. And there will 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:34.320 probably be a lot of repentance along the process. 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:37.879 Failures and getting back up again. And falling 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:40.519 and getting back up again. But if you don't give 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:50.299 up. He will shape you to become like Jesus. It's 00:15:50.299 --> 00:15:57.190 interesting. Jesus came. And the scripture says 00:15:57.190 --> 00:16:01.250 he was the image of the invisible God. Anybody 00:16:01.250 --> 00:16:04.049 glad Jesus came and showed us what God was like? 00:16:05.409 --> 00:16:10.250 This whole sacrificial system that God enacted 00:16:10.250 --> 00:16:14.090 to keep people's hearts close to him became so 00:16:14.090 --> 00:16:17.690 perverted and so added to that God says, you 00:16:17.690 --> 00:16:20.490 do all these things, but your heart is far from 00:16:20.490 --> 00:16:24.840 me. And he was a distant. invisible God. And 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:27.879 he said, no, no, I'm going to come in the flesh, 00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:32.100 Emmanuel, God with us. And the scripture says 00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:35.419 that Jesus became the image of the invisible 00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:39.179 God. We can look at him and say, that's what 00:16:39.179 --> 00:16:41.700 God looks like. That's what God sounds like. 00:16:41.740 --> 00:16:44.320 That's what God acts like. And that's such a 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:46.419 blessing that we don't have to guess anymore. 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:50.759 We don't have to feel like God's at such a distance. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:53.379 No, we've seen him in the flesh. Jesus said, 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:56.440 if you've seen me, you've seen him. If you know 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:00.820 me, you know him. Could I challenge you today 00:17:00.820 --> 00:17:05.240 that now Jesus, in the current state of the church, 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:08.299 has been resurrected. He sits at the right hand 00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:11.539 of the Father with a real human scarred body 00:17:11.539 --> 00:17:15.079 that is glorified and will be glorified again. 00:17:15.630 --> 00:17:18.089 And could I just, you take it to the Lord, but 00:17:18.089 --> 00:17:23.069 could I suggest that possibly you and I are meant 00:17:23.069 --> 00:17:27.049 to be now the image of the invisible God again? 00:17:28.789 --> 00:17:32.869 Because the world has forgotten or chosen not 00:17:32.869 --> 00:17:37.309 to look at or has been so... put off by religion 00:17:37.309 --> 00:17:41.170 that Jesus, the real Jesus, has become invisible, 00:17:41.609 --> 00:17:44.890 unknowable, foreign. They don't even have a clue 00:17:44.890 --> 00:17:47.730 who Jesus really is. And they're probably not 00:17:47.730 --> 00:17:49.869 going to pick up their New Testament this week, 00:17:49.930 --> 00:17:51.809 and they're probably not going to come into this 00:17:51.809 --> 00:17:54.349 church next Sunday. But what they will do is 00:17:54.349 --> 00:17:58.930 they'll work next to you. Their kids will play 00:17:58.930 --> 00:18:00.930 sports, and you'll sit on the bleachers next 00:18:00.930 --> 00:18:06.809 to them. Could it be? That like Christ, you now 00:18:06.809 --> 00:18:14.329 can be the image of Jesus to them. Have you received 00:18:14.329 --> 00:18:17.769 that mandate seriously? Do you take that seriously? 00:18:17.869 --> 00:18:20.829 If not, let's just stop right now. If you need 00:18:20.829 --> 00:18:22.930 to repent, the word repent means to change the 00:18:22.930 --> 00:18:26.529 way you think. Let's just pause right now. If 00:18:26.529 --> 00:18:29.390 you need to change the way you think and say, 00:18:29.410 --> 00:18:32.900 God. I'm sorry I have not taken this mandate 00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:38.720 seriously. And I surrender to the process of 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:52.000 being shaped into the image of Jesus. Good job. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:57.059 Part B. We have to understand that our job, the 00:18:57.059 --> 00:19:00.759 goal of our life is to become like Christ. And 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:04.019 then part B is Jesus' presence in our life. When 00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:06.519 we do that, when we're faithful to that, Jesus' 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:10.119 presence in our life will attract outcasts and 00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:13.400 broken sinners. This is the way the kingdom works. 00:19:13.619 --> 00:19:16.579 If our king, in all his glory and righteousness, 00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:20.579 walks among outcasts and sinners and they're 00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:23.500 drawn to him, then you and I, as we become more 00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:26.819 like Jesus, Jesus' presence in our life should 00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:30.410 attract the outcasts and the broken. and draw 00:19:30.410 --> 00:19:35.869 them to the presence of Jesus in us. Why did 00:19:35.869 --> 00:19:38.349 outcasts and habitual sinners, the Scripture 00:19:38.349 --> 00:19:41.990 says, draw near to Jesus? They were drawing near 00:19:41.990 --> 00:19:44.150 to Jesus when you look at the original language 00:19:44.150 --> 00:19:50.910 there. Why? Why were tax collectors and sinners 00:19:50.910 --> 00:19:56.450 drawing near to Jesus? It's a really good exercise 00:19:56.450 --> 00:20:02.970 to think about. Could I submit this from the 00:20:02.970 --> 00:20:05.789 Scriptures? I believe that they were drawn to 00:20:05.789 --> 00:20:08.630 Jesus, number one, because He operated in the 00:20:08.630 --> 00:20:11.049 power and authority of God and it drew their 00:20:11.049 --> 00:20:15.210 attention. And then secondly, He was a safe place 00:20:15.210 --> 00:20:20.630 of love and mercy versus condemnation. He operated 00:20:20.630 --> 00:20:24.890 in power and authority which drew their attention 00:20:24.890 --> 00:20:28.440 to the God that... he served and was the image 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:31.779 of. And then he so was filled with love, mercy, 00:20:31.819 --> 00:20:35.059 and compassion that he was a safe place for them 00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:37.640 to gather around and he didn't condemn them because 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:39.619 Jesus had not come into the world to condemn 00:20:39.619 --> 00:20:45.319 the world, but to save the world. And this is 00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:48.720 so important if we're going to become powerful 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:53.059 and effective kingdom people. Yes, we are submitting 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:56.019 to the process of becoming like Christ. And I 00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:58.400 would encourage you that the world is still, 00:20:58.440 --> 00:21:01.480 the outcast and the sinners are still looking 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:04.119 for somebody that walks in the power of God and 00:21:04.119 --> 00:21:07.440 the compassion of God. That's still what they're 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:12.640 looking for. They don't need religion that has 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:22.900 no power. Are we in agreement? I mean, when we 00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:26.650 read this New Testament, Do we see an apathetic, 00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:30.029 powerful church? I mean, powerless church that 00:21:30.029 --> 00:21:33.210 just goes to services and gives tithe checks 00:21:33.210 --> 00:21:35.569 and tries not to be a sinner? That's not what 00:21:35.569 --> 00:21:38.509 we read in the book of Acts and Romans and Corinthians 00:21:38.509 --> 00:21:42.089 and Ephesians. What we see is a church that is 00:21:42.089 --> 00:21:47.329 full of the power of God. And I would submit 00:21:47.329 --> 00:21:50.230 to you that part of becoming like Christ is not 00:21:50.230 --> 00:21:54.170 just loving like He loves, but also releasing 00:21:54.170 --> 00:21:57.269 heavenly answers to worldly problems like He 00:21:57.269 --> 00:22:05.309 does. I don't know about you, I'm never giving 00:22:05.309 --> 00:22:11.190 up on this. I'm not there. I'm not walking like 00:22:11.190 --> 00:22:16.990 Jesus in so many ways. But I will not lower the 00:22:16.990 --> 00:22:22.049 bar. I'm not going to change Him to look like 00:22:22.049 --> 00:22:24.690 me. I'm going to let Him change me to look like 00:22:24.690 --> 00:22:46.990 Him. Power and love. Power and love. Power and 00:22:46.990 --> 00:22:49.150 authority that's real, that actually changes 00:22:49.150 --> 00:22:53.849 people's lives, that changes... and compassion 00:22:53.849 --> 00:22:56.430 and love in a safe place that doesn't condemn 00:22:56.430 --> 00:22:59.269 people in their sin, but welcomes them. That's 00:22:59.269 --> 00:23:01.930 what they said about Jesus. Religious people 00:23:01.930 --> 00:23:05.869 grumbling, says muttering, who is this guy that 00:23:05.869 --> 00:23:14.930 welcomes sinners and eats with them? Oh, that 00:23:14.930 --> 00:23:20.619 we would have their reputation. Are we living 00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:27.220 in power and love? And if not, why not? Are we 00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:29.900 operating in the power and authority of God and 00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:32.660 walking in the love and mercy of God in such 00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:34.799 a way that people who have been rejected by the 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:37.160 culture and are completely bound up in their 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:40.240 sin are drawn near to us? And if not, why not? 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.819 Because I don't believe there's a good biblical 00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:48.500 reason for why not. So let's press into that. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:52.019 Let's not give up. Let's not lower the bar. Let's 00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:56.500 keep going. Let's keep laying our hands on the 00:23:56.500 --> 00:24:00.119 sick, like the Gospel of Mark says, and expecting 00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:05.019 them to recover. Let's keep speaking life into 00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:08.180 the depressed, fearful, and suicidal, and the 00:24:08.180 --> 00:24:11.059 people that would come, and expect with faith 00:24:11.059 --> 00:24:13.839 God to touch them in a way that radically changes 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:23.849 their lives. We cannot lower the bar. See if 00:24:23.849 --> 00:24:28.609 you can go with me in this conviction. I honestly 00:24:28.609 --> 00:24:33.269 believe that each of us should be the most Christ 00:24:33.269 --> 00:24:37.529 -like person people know in our sphere. Haas, 00:24:37.650 --> 00:24:42.690 you ought to be the most Christ -like air conditioning 00:24:42.690 --> 00:24:47.130 guy and cowboy that anybody in your sphere knows. 00:24:47.730 --> 00:24:50.569 They should. And when they're at a roping, they're 00:24:50.569 --> 00:24:53.440 like... That hoss is the most Christ -like guy 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:58.480 I know. I mean, you just go around the room, 00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:05.539 you know, and say whatever. Jonathan, you should 00:25:05.539 --> 00:25:08.299 be the most Christ -like SWAT commander that 00:25:08.299 --> 00:25:13.940 anybody's ever known. The most Christ -like private 00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:16.400 chef that anybody has ever encountered and ate 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:19.880 their food. We could just go around the room, 00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:21.700 right? It doesn't matter what your occupation 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:23.539 is. It doesn't matter what your sphere of influence 00:25:23.539 --> 00:25:28.500 is. In that area, we should be the most Christ 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:34.319 -like person that sphere knows. Why? So we can 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:37.039 boast. Are you kidding me? We know nothing. We 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:41.140 are nothing apart from him. But so they can see 00:25:41.140 --> 00:25:55.960 who Jesus is. I guess my greatest dream is that 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:59.039 one day the gathering could be known as the church 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:02.240 that produces the most Christ -like people in 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:06.640 their sphere of influence. And I want to be that. 00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:09.319 I want to be the most Christ -like part -time 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:18.579 cop anybody's ever known. I believe He's worthy 00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:25.230 of that. And I'm telling you, these are not magnets 00:26:25.230 --> 00:26:27.869 with names and initials so we can have a cool 00:26:27.869 --> 00:26:31.170 thing to look at on Sunday mornings. These are 00:26:31.170 --> 00:26:33.950 names of people going to hell without Christ. 00:26:35.150 --> 00:26:40.289 And they're not coming into the church. They're 00:26:40.289 --> 00:26:42.809 not reading their Bibles. They're living next 00:26:42.809 --> 00:26:53.660 to us. And they need to see Jesus. The presence 00:26:53.660 --> 00:26:56.259 of Jesus in our daily lives should attract those 00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:59.960 who are rejected and bound by their sin. Amen? 00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:05.079 It's important. We have this kingdom mindset 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:09.980 thinking. Adam, you ought to be the most Christ 00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:12.880 -like corpsman that the Navy has ever experienced. 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:20.400 That has to become our mindset. The reason I 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:23.029 exist on the earth is to be like Christ. And 00:27:23.029 --> 00:27:28.650 offer His kingdom to the world around me. Does 00:27:28.650 --> 00:27:32.930 that make sense? I hope it does. Could we just 00:27:32.930 --> 00:27:38.289 pause right here? And could we just take a moment 00:27:38.289 --> 00:27:45.210 to hear the Lord through the Scripture? And just 00:27:45.210 --> 00:27:48.329 adjust our lives accordingly. If you need to 00:27:48.329 --> 00:27:51.029 repent, would you do that? Change the way you 00:27:51.029 --> 00:27:57.819 think? You need to commit to becoming the most 00:27:57.819 --> 00:28:13.039 Christ -like person in your sphere. Amen. This 00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:17.779 is why I surround myself with the giants in the 00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:22.349 faith that I'm around. Because right now, I'm 00:28:22.349 --> 00:28:24.650 not even the most Christ -like pastor on staff 00:28:24.650 --> 00:28:28.809 in this church. Because I'm surrounded by people 00:28:28.809 --> 00:28:32.930 that are amazing. You know what I'm saying? Like, 00:28:32.950 --> 00:28:35.529 get linked up with people who are pursuing the 00:28:35.529 --> 00:28:37.690 kingdom of heaven. Get linked up with people 00:28:37.690 --> 00:28:39.869 who are committed to be Christ -like. Because 00:28:39.869 --> 00:28:42.710 those people, you'll look beside you and go, 00:28:42.769 --> 00:28:45.630 oh man, God, do what you're doing in them and 00:28:45.630 --> 00:28:52.380 me. I need that. Number two, if you're taking 00:28:52.380 --> 00:28:57.559 notes, we had number one, A and B kind of cheated 00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:59.680 on you. There's a couple of extra ones there, 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:03.119 I know, but they kind of fit in together. Number 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:06.859 two, this is all we're going to get to today, 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:10.099 so have no fear if you're worried. You'll be 00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:14.359 all right. All right? So just relax because we're 00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:17.359 going to close with this one. The kingdom person 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:20.910 welcomes the rejected and broken. and invites 00:29:20.910 --> 00:29:24.009 them into genuine fellowship with the desire 00:29:24.009 --> 00:29:28.390 for their salvation and transformation. The kingdom 00:29:28.390 --> 00:29:32.529 person welcomes the rejected and broken and invites 00:29:32.529 --> 00:29:35.089 them into genuine fellowship with the desire 00:29:35.089 --> 00:29:38.210 for their salvation and transformation. I know 00:29:38.210 --> 00:29:42.210 that's a lot. That's a lot of words. And really, 00:29:42.230 --> 00:29:45.569 when I sit down with the Lord, I really try not 00:29:45.569 --> 00:29:50.839 to be religiously wordy. And I strike out, But 00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:55.700 I feel like this is what God asked me to present. 00:29:58.380 --> 00:30:02.299 Because when we read the scripture here, it says, 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:05.119 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering 00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:07.460 around to hear him, but the Pharisees and teachers 00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:10.819 of the law muttered, This man welcomes sinners 00:30:10.819 --> 00:30:16.859 and eats with them. This man welcomes sinners 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:20.900 and eats with them. The word welcome here that 00:30:20.900 --> 00:30:24.980 we read in English is a Greek word originally. 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:29.180 This may be up there. It means to receive into 00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:38.019 companionship. To accept. To look for. You got 00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:45.619 tax collectors and sinners. Can we do context 00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:50.009 here? Jesus is operating still in the old covenant. 00:30:50.049 --> 00:30:52.750 You understand that? The new covenant has not 00:30:52.750 --> 00:30:55.990 yet come. He has not died, been crucified and 00:30:55.990 --> 00:30:58.089 resurrected and ascended. The Holy Spirit has 00:30:58.089 --> 00:31:02.109 not been poured out. He's teaching the kingdom 00:31:02.109 --> 00:31:05.750 of God to the old covenant people of Israel. 00:31:06.450 --> 00:31:11.650 And when you have tax collectors and you have 00:31:11.650 --> 00:31:15.700 those that are known to be sinners, They are 00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:19.279 no longer clean and welcomed in corporate worship 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:23.759 in the culture. And it's not like the United 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:26.200 States in which we have our political system 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:29.640 and our religious system and the two rarely meet. 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:31.220 And I'm not saying that's right, but I'm just 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:34.319 saying the two. It's not like that in the Israeli 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:36.799 culture and the Jewish culture. It's all together. 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:40.539 Church, worship, politics, position, everything 00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:44.910 is one unit. And so when you're rejected by that 00:31:44.910 --> 00:31:49.269 unit, you become an outcast of all culture. Every 00:31:49.269 --> 00:31:56.390 area of culture. And here Jesus is welcoming 00:31:56.390 --> 00:32:01.789 the outcasts and the sinners. Welcoming them. 00:32:01.849 --> 00:32:05.170 He is, according to the word, he's receiving 00:32:05.170 --> 00:32:08.549 them into companionship. He accepts them. He 00:32:08.549 --> 00:32:12.009 looks for them. He awaits for them. in studying 00:32:12.009 --> 00:32:19.349 out that word. Like surely, surely we perceive 00:32:19.349 --> 00:32:28.269 this. The world, the lost, the broken, and the 00:32:28.269 --> 00:32:31.930 Christians who are backslidden, the ones who 00:32:31.930 --> 00:32:34.150 have given up the faith, have walked away from 00:32:34.150 --> 00:32:47.680 Jesus. I'm trying to be... They do not need our 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:54.480 online opinions about why they are wrong. They 00:32:54.480 --> 00:33:00.140 need to be accepted. We don't have to compromise. 00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:04.180 We have to compromise who Jesus is, who He's 00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:07.089 called us to be. It's interesting, people are 00:33:07.089 --> 00:33:10.329 so worried that, man, if I become a friend and 00:33:10.329 --> 00:33:12.950 I welcome sinners in my life, the rest of the 00:33:12.950 --> 00:33:15.089 church is going to think I'm compromised. Well, 00:33:15.250 --> 00:33:18.089 join the club, because the Pharisees looked at 00:33:18.089 --> 00:33:21.190 Jesus and said, who is this guy, the friend who 00:33:21.190 --> 00:33:27.650 eats with sinners? And this is really important 00:33:27.650 --> 00:33:32.150 in breaking out of the religious box of Christianity 00:33:32.150 --> 00:33:35.940 into the kingdom. Because there's a big difference 00:33:35.940 --> 00:33:40.380 in a lot of ways. Because the kingdom, we're 00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:42.759 living like Jesus. We're walking in the power 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:46.119 of Jesus. We're loving compassion of Jesus. People 00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:50.079 are being drawn to Jesus in us. And now we're 00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:53.380 expanding the kingdom by saying, I accept you. 00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:57.220 I want you. I've been looking for you. Come in. 00:33:57.259 --> 00:34:00.250 I welcome you in my life. How many of you know 00:34:00.250 --> 00:34:03.609 when you welcome outcasts and people known for 00:34:03.609 --> 00:34:05.730 their sins, it might be a little inconvenient? 00:34:08.170 --> 00:34:14.849 It's messy. It's going to cost you. It doesn't 00:34:14.849 --> 00:34:18.289 change that it's the purpose of our lives. Right? 00:34:20.590 --> 00:34:27.429 I think what's hard for us to get is in Jesus' 00:34:27.590 --> 00:34:30.659 culture, And we've talked about it before, but 00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:33.840 when he says, come eat with me, it's not some 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:37.079 random interaction at Jack in the Box, right? 00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:41.820 Let's just grab some tacos together. When Jesus 00:34:41.820 --> 00:34:46.000 dines with someone, he's inviting them into full 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:48.860 acceptance, into an intimate encounter with him. 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:51.940 That's the culture. When you eat with somebody, 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:55.440 it's real, it's genuine, it's intimate. You're 00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:58.369 in their home, they're with you. It says to the 00:34:58.369 --> 00:35:01.389 culture in Jesus' day, if I invite you to eat, 00:35:01.489 --> 00:35:10.110 then I accept you for who you are. I'm just going 00:35:10.110 --> 00:35:13.670 to close with this. I don't need a pity party. 00:35:13.829 --> 00:35:16.429 I don't need you to feel sorry for me. This is 00:35:16.429 --> 00:35:20.110 just part of my testimony. But my entire life, 00:35:20.309 --> 00:35:24.300 I never felt like I fit in. Ask Jill. When I 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:27.280 was in high school, when I graduated high school, 00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:31.420 I looked like I was 11. I don't know. I was a 00:35:31.420 --> 00:35:33.880 late bloomer. I looked like an 11 -year -old 00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:37.159 graduating high school. I'm a tiny, scrawny guy. 00:35:37.619 --> 00:35:40.579 I was never wealthy enough to fit in with the 00:35:40.579 --> 00:35:44.300 people that wore the cool clothes. As much as 00:35:44.300 --> 00:35:47.539 I tried, I got the hustle of war, but I was horrible 00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:50.159 at sports, even though my mom thought it was 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:51.860 all the coach and I should have been starting. 00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:57.769 I love her. God bless her. Fuck, that's not coach. 00:35:58.130 --> 00:36:01.849 You should be starting. You know, I just never, 00:36:01.989 --> 00:36:05.829 I was never witty enough to fit in with the people 00:36:05.829 --> 00:36:08.309 that could just give the comebacks. I don't know, 00:36:08.309 --> 00:36:12.650 just growing up, I never fit in. I went to college. 00:36:12.670 --> 00:36:15.110 I had to work three jobs going through college. 00:36:15.190 --> 00:36:19.250 I didn't just have the kind of lifestyle. I didn't 00:36:19.250 --> 00:36:23.670 feel like I fit in. I got out of college, I went 00:36:23.670 --> 00:36:27.170 into the army, and I'm here, I'm, you know, 23 00:36:27.170 --> 00:36:29.690 years old with a bunch of 18 -year -olds, and 00:36:29.690 --> 00:36:32.030 I'm trying to follow Christ, and there are heathens 00:36:32.030 --> 00:36:35.030 in the infantry, and immediately they call me 00:36:35.030 --> 00:36:37.170 the professor because I'm old and I've been to 00:36:37.170 --> 00:36:39.570 college, you know, at their point, and I never 00:36:39.570 --> 00:36:42.809 fit in. I got into the infantry, and I was just 00:36:42.809 --> 00:36:46.639 ready to shoot guns and all the stuff. and I 00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:49.039 was picked out because of the college degree 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:51.159 or whatever, and I got plucked out to work for 00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:53.559 a colonel of the brigade commander, and I just 00:36:53.559 --> 00:36:59.039 didn't fit in. This is my whole life right now. 00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:02.079 I'm a part -time cop. I love my world, but I'll 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:04.679 never fit in with the rest of the guys because 00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:06.739 I do it one day a week, and it's their life. 00:37:08.280 --> 00:37:10.699 Today, I'm going to go visit my family. I'm the 00:37:10.699 --> 00:37:12.980 only person in my family who's not a Southern 00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:17.159 Baptist right now. I'm the black sheep that left 00:37:17.159 --> 00:37:19.820 the Southern Baptist Church. And it's nothing, 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:23.599 I love the Southern Baptist Church. But I'm just 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:27.079 saying, I feel like my whole life, I've never 00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:31.420 fit in anywhere God sent me. Except for one place. 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:40.559 I have always felt at home with Him. There's 00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:45.429 something... About being welcomed at the table 00:37:45.429 --> 00:37:50.050 with Jesus. That so fortifies who you are as 00:37:50.050 --> 00:37:53.369 a person. You can endure being rejected by anyone 00:37:53.369 --> 00:37:58.269 else. You know what I'm saying? It's not a pity 00:37:58.269 --> 00:37:59.909 part. I'm just telling you the way I feel. And 00:37:59.909 --> 00:38:03.269 that could be misleading on my insecurities. 00:38:03.489 --> 00:38:05.969 I mean, it's just the way I felt. But I have 00:38:05.969 --> 00:38:17.670 always been accepted by God. Always. The world 00:38:17.670 --> 00:38:23.909 needs to feel from us what Jesus radiated when 00:38:23.909 --> 00:38:27.610 he walked the earth. And that's the ones that 00:38:27.610 --> 00:38:31.110 don't fit in. And the ones bound up with sin 00:38:31.110 --> 00:38:36.389 are welcome. And not welcome at a church as an 00:38:36.389 --> 00:38:40.210 entity, but welcomed at a church as in you. As 00:38:40.210 --> 00:38:43.530 in me. We're the church. This building ain't 00:38:43.530 --> 00:38:49.530 it. It's us. You and me living our lives, welcoming 00:38:49.530 --> 00:38:55.869 in the broken, loving them, fellowshipping with, 00:38:56.050 --> 00:38:59.469 building friendships. When we first came out 00:38:59.469 --> 00:39:01.530 and said, I need you to come up with a list of 00:39:01.530 --> 00:39:03.809 10 people that are unsaved, I can't tell you 00:39:03.809 --> 00:39:06.260 how many people came up to me and said, I don't 00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:08.679 have ten, I might have one. And there was a lot 00:39:08.679 --> 00:39:10.320 of people in this church that struggled to come 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:13.159 up with one friend in their life that was unsaved. 00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:18.039 In one way, that's glorious. Because you're surrounded 00:39:18.039 --> 00:39:20.699 by godly people and they're rocking your world 00:39:20.699 --> 00:39:22.860 and you're rocking their world. But in another 00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:28.900 way, it's kind of sad. Right? Because light goes 00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:38.219 into darkness. Are you with me? Have we become 00:39:38.219 --> 00:39:41.039 so insulated by the church and our safe Christian 00:39:41.039 --> 00:39:44.239 circle that we are no longer welcoming and fellowshipping 00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:51.860 with outcasts and sinners? Here's a really cool 00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:55.260 part. Guess who's hanging out with Jesus that's 00:39:55.260 --> 00:39:59.900 welcoming tax collectors? A former tax collector. 00:40:02.340 --> 00:40:06.349 Matthew. It was the tax collector rejected by 00:40:06.349 --> 00:40:10.469 culture, hated by his people, was welcomed and 00:40:10.469 --> 00:40:14.010 received by Jesus. His identity is transformed 00:40:14.010 --> 00:40:17.590 and now he's standing with Jesus welcoming in 00:40:17.590 --> 00:40:21.309 other tax collectors. I want to encourage you 00:40:21.309 --> 00:40:26.130 that your story is more powerful than a lot of 00:40:26.130 --> 00:40:29.329 sermons that a preacher is going to preach. Who 00:40:29.329 --> 00:40:33.579 you used to be. God will use to bring in the 00:40:33.579 --> 00:40:37.320 people who are bound up with the things He set 00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:41.960 you free from. Does that make sense? This is 00:40:41.960 --> 00:40:47.380 so important for kingdom living. And you know 00:40:47.380 --> 00:40:50.679 what? Matthew wasn't Christ -like yet and he 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:53.099 was still inviting other tax collectors to be 00:40:53.099 --> 00:40:55.880 with Jesus. That ought to encourage you. It encourages 00:40:55.880 --> 00:40:58.920 me because I haven't arrived. I'm not like Christ. 00:40:59.480 --> 00:41:01.840 But it's not going to keep, not yet, but it's 00:41:01.840 --> 00:41:03.980 not going to keep me from inviting people into 00:41:03.980 --> 00:41:07.179 being welcomed and transformed and loved by God. 00:41:08.739 --> 00:41:10.980 Don't use the fact that you're not Christ -like 00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:14.039 enough as a cop -out for why you're not out there 00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:17.599 welcoming outcasts and sinners. I think Matthew, 00:41:17.699 --> 00:41:20.739 you see that, right? He proves that. He's had 00:41:20.739 --> 00:41:22.920 an encounter with Jesus. He's not that far into 00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:24.960 it. They only had three years together on the 00:41:24.960 --> 00:41:27.739 earth. He's not that far into his discipleship. 00:41:28.119 --> 00:41:31.000 And he's already inviting tax collectors in to 00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:34.920 meet the Jesus that touched him. And we ought 00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:39.119 to be doing the same. Amen? Alright. Would it 00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:41.659 be okay if we just stand together and respond 00:41:41.659 --> 00:41:47.460 to the Lord? I'm going to ask Jen and Crystal 00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:56.909 to come. Jesus, we love you. Thank you for inviting 00:41:56.909 --> 00:41:59.530 us into your kingdom. Thank you for inviting 00:41:59.530 --> 00:42:04.170 us to be your kingdom representatives. And as 00:42:04.170 --> 00:42:07.050 we read how you treated people, we want to be 00:42:07.050 --> 00:42:09.829 more like you, God. Jesus, we want to be more 00:42:09.829 --> 00:42:12.489 like you. And so today we're surrendering ourselves 00:42:12.489 --> 00:42:16.829 again. May you fill us with your spirit in such 00:42:16.829 --> 00:42:19.309 a way that we would be powerful and authoritative 00:42:19.309 --> 00:42:22.409 on the earth like you, Jesus. And may we be filled 00:42:22.409 --> 00:42:25.900 with love and compassion. And Lord, we ask that 00:42:25.900 --> 00:42:28.059 if there's anybody in our life right now that 00:42:28.059 --> 00:42:30.900 needs to be accepted and not rejected and received, 00:42:31.260 --> 00:42:33.739 would you open our eyes to see it and we say 00:42:33.739 --> 00:42:37.679 yes. Help us, empower us, that in the moment 00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:40.539 that we need to reach out and receive. And may 00:42:40.539 --> 00:42:43.139 those people see you in us and you get all the 00:42:43.139 --> 00:42:46.739 glory. And may revival continue to roll in our 00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:50.099 lives until we see you face to face, Jesus. And 00:42:50.099 --> 00:42:53.139 hear you say, well done, good and faithful servant. 00:42:53.759 --> 00:42:55.760 That's our desire. So we pray it in your name. 00:42:56.300 --> 00:42:56.599 Amen.