1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,220 Kyle Lounsbury: Today is Mission Sunday, and we get to give together, but also 2 00:00:05,290 --> 00:00:07,889 celebrate the mission of Jesus together. 3 00:00:07,890 --> 00:00:08,300 Amen? 4 00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:08,899 Amen. 5 00:00:08,899 --> 00:00:12,920 And so I'm really excited to be able to, uh, share some scriptures with you 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,919 guys, to be able to share the Word, and be able to take this morning to 7 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,050 be able to celebrate all that God has done here, and how we're able to 8 00:00:20,050 --> 00:00:22,430 give to the, the mission of Christ. 9 00:00:22,430 --> 00:00:22,850 Amen? 10 00:00:22,850 --> 00:00:23,590 Amen. 11 00:00:23,590 --> 00:00:27,180 You know, Jesus launched a mission that continues through 12 00:00:27,180 --> 00:00:28,890 ordinary people like you and I. 13 00:00:29,649 --> 00:00:32,080 Uh, he launched the mission many, many years ago. 14 00:00:32,090 --> 00:00:32,110 Yeah. 15 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,290 And that mission is still alive and well today. 16 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:36,700 Amen? 17 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:37,200 Amen. 18 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,650 It's been over 2,000 years, and my wife and I lead our campus ministry, and I'm on 19 00:00:41,650 --> 00:00:43,910 campus and I see the mission alive, amen? 20 00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:44,379 Amen. 21 00:00:44,970 --> 00:00:49,199 I see the mission alive on the college campus in young people. 22 00:00:49,350 --> 00:00:51,069 Daniel sees it in our youth. 23 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:53,240 Jesus is still working. 24 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:54,189 He is still moving. 25 00:00:54,220 --> 00:00:58,210 And the title of today's message is The Mission Still Moves. 26 00:00:58,210 --> 00:00:58,730 Amen? 27 00:00:58,730 --> 00:00:59,250 Amen. 28 00:00:59,250 --> 00:01:01,960 The Mission Still Moves. 29 00:01:02,030 --> 00:01:03,020 Let's go to God in prayer. 30 00:01:03,910 --> 00:01:07,480 God, thank you so much for this morning and this time to worship you. 31 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,269 I pray, Lord, that you would inspire each and every one of us to remember 32 00:01:12,289 --> 00:01:14,340 that your mission still moves. 33 00:01:14,350 --> 00:01:14,390 Amen. 34 00:01:15,220 --> 00:01:19,490 That today we get to give a special missions offering, but ultimately, Lord, 35 00:01:19,490 --> 00:01:21,880 your mission is present everywhere. 36 00:01:21,890 --> 00:01:21,920 Yes. 37 00:01:22,910 --> 00:01:26,020 And we're so grateful and honored to be able to participate in it. 38 00:01:26,450 --> 00:01:29,050 I pray that this morning you would inspire us to remember 39 00:01:29,219 --> 00:01:32,630 that the m- that the mission of Christ is something so valuable. 40 00:01:32,630 --> 00:01:37,220 I believe the mission can solve so many problems in our lost world. 41 00:01:38,340 --> 00:01:42,919 And I pray that you would speak to whoever in here this morning maybe isn't 42 00:01:43,039 --> 00:01:46,160 feeling inspired by the mission, or maybe isn't connected with the mission. 43 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,840 That you would put on their heart something powerful, something 44 00:01:49,850 --> 00:01:53,509 s- just spiritually moving and stirring in their souls to wanna 45 00:01:53,509 --> 00:01:55,840 participate in your mission, Lord. 46 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,060 We love you. 47 00:01:57,210 --> 00:01:57,830 We thank you. 48 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:58,830 Please be with this time. 49 00:01:58,830 --> 00:01:59,890 In Jesus' name, amen. 50 00:01:59,890 --> 00:02:00,360 Amen. 51 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,310 You know, as we talk about this idea of the mission, I think it's 52 00:02:04,310 --> 00:02:07,410 important that we first start with this question right here. 53 00:02:08,590 --> 00:02:10,340 What is the mission? 54 00:02:12,155 --> 00:02:13,025 You ever thought about it? 55 00:02:13,405 --> 00:02:14,746 You ever asked yourself that? 56 00:02:15,645 --> 00:02:17,145 What is the mission? 57 00:02:17,766 --> 00:02:20,795 You know, in our church for a long time, and, and we still use 58 00:02:20,795 --> 00:02:25,325 this scripture to this day, we use the scripture Matthew 28:18-20. 59 00:02:25,326 --> 00:02:27,445 I'm sure many of you guys have this memorized. 60 00:02:28,405 --> 00:02:30,505 You probably can, can quote it to me right now. 61 00:02:30,505 --> 00:02:34,436 It's Jesus' final instructions on Earth before ascension, right? 62 00:02:35,025 --> 00:02:36,266 And I have it here on the screen. 63 00:02:36,266 --> 00:02:37,266 I think it's fitting to read it. 64 00:02:37,266 --> 00:02:42,385 Verse 19, "Therefore go and make disciples," just in Orange County. 65 00:02:42,385 --> 00:02:43,286 No. 66 00:02:43,286 --> 00:02:43,805 No. 67 00:02:43,846 --> 00:02:45,155 "Of all nations." 68 00:02:45,555 --> 00:02:45,585 Right. 69 00:02:45,585 --> 00:02:49,145 "Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the 70 00:02:49,155 --> 00:02:54,786 Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 71 00:02:55,226 --> 00:02:59,746 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." 72 00:03:00,085 --> 00:03:03,416 You know, I had to throw this scripture in here because coming up in the 73 00:03:03,416 --> 00:03:07,076 summertime, our campus ministry is going to what's called the ICMC, the 74 00:03:07,085 --> 00:03:09,525 International Campus Ministry Conference. 75 00:03:10,155 --> 00:03:10,166 Whoo. 76 00:03:10,166 --> 00:03:10,675 Amen. 77 00:03:10,936 --> 00:03:16,505 And our, our theme is to the very end of the age or to the end, and we're gonna 78 00:03:16,505 --> 00:03:18,645 be talking about this idea of Jesus, God. 79 00:03:18,655 --> 00:03:20,715 He will be with us to the end. 80 00:03:21,435 --> 00:03:21,475 Amen. 81 00:03:21,645 --> 00:03:24,006 The last day, Jesus is with us. 82 00:03:24,185 --> 00:03:24,625 Amen? 83 00:03:24,625 --> 00:03:25,916 Amen. 84 00:03:25,916 --> 00:03:30,666 But today, I actually don't really want to use this as our, as our main text. 85 00:03:31,405 --> 00:03:34,726 I think when we, when we talk about the mission, I think this is certainly 86 00:03:34,726 --> 00:03:36,485 a piece of the mission, right? 87 00:03:36,605 --> 00:03:39,116 This is a big aspect of the mission of Christ, but I think 88 00:03:39,116 --> 00:03:43,135 the mission may be even a little bigger than just making disciples. 89 00:03:43,215 --> 00:03:43,805 All right? 90 00:03:44,266 --> 00:03:47,525 And today I actually wanna look at a passage I believe is so powerful 91 00:03:47,525 --> 00:03:52,135 and a few, uh, years ago in our campus internship program, we, we 92 00:03:52,135 --> 00:03:56,085 studied out the Book of Acts, and the Book of Acts is so amazing. 93 00:03:56,085 --> 00:03:56,655 It's the, the… 94 00:03:56,665 --> 00:03:59,295 Just, I know a lot of people call it the Acts of the Apostles, but 95 00:03:59,295 --> 00:04:00,965 it's the acts of the Holy Spirit. 96 00:04:00,976 --> 00:04:01,415 Amen? 97 00:04:01,415 --> 00:04:01,775 Amen. 98 00:04:01,775 --> 00:04:08,525 The Holy Spirit's just moving so powerfully, and in Acts 1:8, this is 99 00:04:08,525 --> 00:04:10,866 the main scripture I want us to look at. 100 00:04:11,505 --> 00:04:16,125 In Acts 1:8, Jesus says to his disciples, this is right… 101 00:04:16,135 --> 00:04:19,375 This is Luke's account of before he ascend, of before Jesus ascends, and 102 00:04:19,375 --> 00:04:25,346 he says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." 103 00:04:26,025 --> 00:04:26,096 That's right. 104 00:04:26,195 --> 00:04:31,536 "And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea 105 00:04:32,065 --> 00:04:34,615 and Samaria," and to what? 106 00:04:35,115 --> 00:04:36,726 The ends of the earth. 107 00:04:36,726 --> 00:04:36,776 The ends of the earth. 108 00:04:36,776 --> 00:04:36,786 Wow. 109 00:04:38,235 --> 00:04:38,586 To the end. 110 00:04:40,998 --> 00:04:45,328 Jesus says the mission is not gonna stay in Jerusalem. 111 00:04:45,957 --> 00:04:50,368 The mission's not gonna just stay here in this small little group of my disciples. 112 00:04:50,917 --> 00:04:52,318 You know, Jesus had his 12. 113 00:04:52,738 --> 00:04:56,388 It's not gonna just stay right here, is what Jesus is saying, because 114 00:04:56,388 --> 00:04:58,277 he gave them something powerful. 115 00:04:58,697 --> 00:04:59,607 What did he give them? 116 00:05:00,628 --> 00:05:01,938 He gave them the Holy Spirit. 117 00:05:01,948 --> 00:05:01,968 Yeah. 118 00:05:03,218 --> 00:05:03,958 And guess what? 119 00:05:04,898 --> 00:05:05,998 What do we have today? 120 00:05:06,468 --> 00:05:08,918 We have that same Holy Spirit. 121 00:05:08,928 --> 00:05:08,948 Yeah. 122 00:05:09,858 --> 00:05:15,847 The Holy Spirit that God gave us, and he gives us power- Yeah … to 123 00:05:15,847 --> 00:05:20,388 go, not just to Jerusalem or Judea or Samaria, but to where? 124 00:05:20,388 --> 00:05:21,588 The ends of the earth. 125 00:05:21,838 --> 00:05:24,888 The mission of Jesus, the Gospel of Jesus, has reached here. 126 00:05:24,968 --> 00:05:25,008 Amen. 127 00:05:25,898 --> 00:05:27,987 And we get to be a part of that mission. 128 00:05:27,988 --> 00:05:28,388 Amen? 129 00:05:28,388 --> 00:05:29,978 Amen. 130 00:05:29,978 --> 00:05:33,817 You see, Jesus did not build on top of the earthly kingdoms 131 00:05:33,998 --> 00:05:35,648 established here when he came. 132 00:05:35,648 --> 00:05:40,238 And this is a concept that, that for me, it took a long time to understand, but 133 00:05:40,238 --> 00:05:43,058 Jesus established his own new kingdom. 134 00:05:43,778 --> 00:05:47,038 And when we were baptized into Christ and we said, "Jesus is Lord, 135 00:05:47,038 --> 00:05:51,547 I'm gonna follow Jesus," we no longer were citizens of this earth. 136 00:05:52,088 --> 00:05:56,568 We were no longer citizens of earthly kingdoms- That's right … but 137 00:05:56,568 --> 00:05:58,418 we're truly citizens of heaven. 138 00:05:58,798 --> 00:05:58,868 That's right. 139 00:05:58,908 --> 00:06:01,707 Citizens of the kingdom of God. 140 00:06:02,098 --> 00:06:06,128 You see, Jesus started a movement called the Kingdom of God. 141 00:06:06,318 --> 00:06:06,338 Yeah. 142 00:06:07,078 --> 00:06:08,378 And we are a part of it today. 143 00:06:08,378 --> 00:06:08,807 Amen? 144 00:06:08,807 --> 00:06:09,728 Amen. 145 00:06:09,728 --> 00:06:13,348 Now, many of you may be citizens of America, amen? 146 00:06:13,358 --> 00:06:14,168 It's our country. 147 00:06:14,548 --> 00:06:18,658 But ultimately, we associate with the Kingdom of God. 148 00:06:18,798 --> 00:06:18,868 That's right. 149 00:06:18,878 --> 00:06:18,898 Yeah. 150 00:06:19,728 --> 00:06:21,987 The k- the disciples of Jesus. 151 00:06:22,118 --> 00:06:25,808 That's why we come together on Sunday, and that's why we give a missions offering 152 00:06:25,898 --> 00:06:28,347 to people we'll never meet- Yeah, yeah 153 00:06:28,347 --> 00:06:30,843 because we're citizens of something bigger- That's right … than 154 00:06:30,843 --> 00:06:32,218 what we can even understand. 155 00:06:32,228 --> 00:06:32,258 Yes. 156 00:06:32,848 --> 00:06:36,978 We're citizens of a kingdom beyond our understanding. 157 00:06:37,797 --> 00:06:40,508 It's a kingdom here on Earth, and it's a kingdom in heaven. 158 00:06:40,518 --> 00:06:40,928 Amen? 159 00:06:40,928 --> 00:06:41,948 Amen. 160 00:06:41,948 --> 00:06:46,157 And so before we jump into, to some, some scripture here, think about… 161 00:06:46,178 --> 00:06:46,718 Take a moment. 162 00:06:46,728 --> 00:06:47,858 Everyone just take a moment. 163 00:06:48,528 --> 00:06:50,138 Think of your own story for a second. 164 00:06:51,358 --> 00:06:53,278 Think of how you ended up here today. 165 00:06:54,298 --> 00:06:56,398 Obviously, you probably drove, maybe if you live close enough. 166 00:06:56,408 --> 00:06:57,938 I know Tim maybe could walk. 167 00:06:58,167 --> 00:06:58,668 Right, Tim? 168 00:06:59,797 --> 00:07:01,808 But how did you get here? 169 00:07:02,667 --> 00:07:05,488 How did you find the Kingdom of God? 170 00:07:06,127 --> 00:07:08,448 Who talked to you about Jesus? 171 00:07:08,978 --> 00:07:11,758 Who sat with you and shared the scriptures? 172 00:07:12,708 --> 00:07:15,988 Who sacrificed their energy and their time and their maybe 173 00:07:16,118 --> 00:07:18,747 even finances to pour into you? 174 00:07:20,377 --> 00:07:21,897 How did you get here? 175 00:07:23,008 --> 00:07:24,798 You know, I wanna share how the mission reached me. 176 00:07:24,808 --> 00:07:24,848 Amen. 177 00:07:27,118 --> 00:07:27,168 Come on. 178 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:31,630 That's Steve and Carrie Lounsbury. 179 00:07:33,058 --> 00:07:39,050 And, you know, I was fortunate enough to have parents that came in contact 180 00:07:39,050 --> 00:07:42,690 with the Kingdom of God at young ages, before they were even married. 181 00:07:43,579 --> 00:07:47,229 And they got connected with our church, and studied the Bible, 182 00:07:47,230 --> 00:07:50,820 and learned what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus, and follow Jesus, 183 00:07:50,820 --> 00:07:53,190 and give their entire life to Jesus. 184 00:07:54,500 --> 00:07:56,610 And a few years later, they got married. 185 00:07:57,679 --> 00:07:58,360 They, uh… 186 00:07:58,389 --> 00:08:03,349 It's a long story, but basically, my, my mom came to a, a campus retreat, 187 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,320 and my dad showed up, and he was like, "Whoa, who's that, that girl?" 188 00:08:07,119 --> 00:08:10,889 And then, then the sisters were like, "Hey, she's not a Christian yet." 189 00:08:10,989 --> 00:08:12,860 He said, "Okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna back off." 190 00:08:13,539 --> 00:08:17,289 And then she ended up getting, uh, uh, studying the Bible. 191 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:22,230 And then on her baptism day, funny and oddly enough, uh, I wasn't around 192 00:08:22,230 --> 00:08:26,570 obviously, but back in that time, only Bible talk leaders baptized people, 193 00:08:26,940 --> 00:08:30,020 and my dad happened to be the only Bible talk leader at her baptism. 194 00:08:30,570 --> 00:08:34,659 So by default, my dad got to baptize his future wife 195 00:08:36,996 --> 00:08:39,775 And then he said right as he pulled her out of the water, he asked her on a date. 196 00:08:40,424 --> 00:08:44,685 No, I'm just kidding No, very soon after he did. 197 00:08:45,226 --> 00:08:47,235 Uh, and obviously, here I am. 198 00:08:47,246 --> 00:08:47,266 Wow. 199 00:08:48,286 --> 00:08:49,826 Few years later I was born. 200 00:08:49,835 --> 00:08:49,855 Wow. 201 00:08:50,665 --> 00:08:57,925 And, uh, you know, I, I share this because we all have a history. 202 00:08:58,366 --> 00:08:58,386 Yeah. 203 00:08:58,675 --> 00:08:59,016 Right? 204 00:08:59,625 --> 00:09:00,945 We all have a story. 205 00:09:01,485 --> 00:09:06,315 We all somehow, at some point in our lifetime, came in contact 206 00:09:06,795 --> 00:09:08,465 with the mission of Jesus. 207 00:09:09,185 --> 00:09:09,226 Amen. 208 00:09:09,925 --> 00:09:12,996 And fortunately enough, I studied the Bible, and at 15 209 00:09:12,996 --> 00:09:14,965 years old, I got baptized. 210 00:09:15,375 --> 00:09:15,865 There you go. 211 00:09:15,866 --> 00:09:17,025 There, there I am there. 212 00:09:18,125 --> 00:09:19,116 And I put this picture… 213 00:09:19,116 --> 00:09:21,346 I didn't put my actual baptism photo, but th- these are the 214 00:09:21,346 --> 00:09:23,685 guys that poured into me. 215 00:09:24,415 --> 00:09:28,025 That's Nick Anderson, Jake Rock, and Mike Bartels. 216 00:09:28,125 --> 00:09:28,145 Yeah. 217 00:09:29,076 --> 00:09:30,516 And those are my team leaders. 218 00:09:31,335 --> 00:09:34,516 And those are the guys that said, "We're gonna, we're gonna walk with you. 219 00:09:34,516 --> 00:09:35,505 We're gonna pour into you. 220 00:09:35,505 --> 00:09:37,596 We're gonna show you the mission of Jesus. 221 00:09:38,326 --> 00:09:40,505 We're gonna show you the love of Christ. 222 00:09:40,576 --> 00:09:42,105 We're gonna teach you what it means." 223 00:09:42,105 --> 00:09:45,476 You know, I did not inherit my faith by accident. 224 00:09:45,485 --> 00:09:45,505 Wow. 225 00:09:46,386 --> 00:09:47,576 And neither did you. 226 00:09:47,645 --> 00:09:47,665 Yeah. 227 00:09:48,065 --> 00:09:48,105 Amen. 228 00:09:49,406 --> 00:09:54,685 I may be what's called a kingdom kid, but God chose me to be that. 229 00:09:54,695 --> 00:09:54,735 Yeah. 230 00:09:55,036 --> 00:09:56,996 The same way He chose each and every one of you. 231 00:09:57,025 --> 00:10:01,766 No matter how you got here, He chose you because He loves 232 00:10:01,766 --> 00:10:02,846 you, like Brent said earlier. 233 00:10:02,855 --> 00:10:02,875 Yeah. 234 00:10:04,016 --> 00:10:06,225 And He chose you to be a part of His kingdom. 235 00:10:06,786 --> 00:10:06,925 Wow. 236 00:10:07,215 --> 00:10:12,255 And we're here because of the power of the Holy Spirit carrying the mission 237 00:10:12,255 --> 00:10:17,906 of Jesus through generations, through boundaries, to the ends of the earth. 238 00:10:18,875 --> 00:10:21,545 And here we are on Mission Sunday. 239 00:10:21,556 --> 00:10:21,596 Amen. 240 00:10:22,766 --> 00:10:25,795 And we get to participate today in that same mission. 241 00:10:25,806 --> 00:10:25,826 Yeah. 242 00:10:26,636 --> 00:10:30,755 We get to give to our churches in Mexico, in Central America, in 243 00:10:30,755 --> 00:10:33,915 places that need Jesus just like us. 244 00:10:34,476 --> 00:10:37,945 But maybe they just don't have as much privilege as we have. 245 00:10:38,485 --> 00:10:42,636 They don't have as much as we get to, to be blessed with materially. 246 00:10:43,455 --> 00:10:45,835 And we get to bless that, those churches. 247 00:10:45,886 --> 00:10:49,556 We also get to give to our non-profit organization, Hope Worldwide, and be 248 00:10:49,556 --> 00:10:53,346 able to give to the work being done in t- in Tijuana at our Center of Hope. 249 00:10:53,815 --> 00:10:57,175 And we also get to give to what's happening locally here. 250 00:10:57,735 --> 00:10:58,185 Amen? 251 00:10:58,185 --> 00:10:59,565 Amen. 252 00:10:59,565 --> 00:11:01,025 And a lot is taking place here. 253 00:11:01,025 --> 00:11:03,846 I know we've showed some videos the past couple Sundays that were awesome. 254 00:11:04,205 --> 00:11:07,976 And, and Jesus is moving in the midst of our congregation. 255 00:11:07,985 --> 00:11:08,005 Yeah. 256 00:11:08,306 --> 00:11:11,255 He's moving, not just in the youth, but in everybody. 257 00:11:11,255 --> 00:11:15,905 I believe this, even this move here is creating the mission 258 00:11:15,906 --> 00:11:18,205 of Jesus in every one of us. 259 00:11:19,036 --> 00:11:19,065 Right. 260 00:11:19,136 --> 00:11:21,366 And so today, I actually wanna look at a scripture. 261 00:11:21,445 --> 00:11:24,485 If you wanna turn your Bibles with me to Romans chapter 15, and we're gonna 262 00:11:24,485 --> 00:11:32,136 look at really what happens when you see a church, a body of disciples, 263 00:11:32,195 --> 00:11:39,163 embody Acts 1:8, where they allow the power of the Holy Spirit- To 264 00:11:39,183 --> 00:11:42,094 influence this lost world for Jesus. 265 00:11:43,654 --> 00:11:44,933 So I'm gonna give you some context. 266 00:11:44,933 --> 00:11:49,094 In Romans 15:16, what, what we're picking up here is essentially what's 267 00:11:49,094 --> 00:11:52,784 going on is the Apostle Paul is writing to the church in Rome, and 268 00:11:52,784 --> 00:11:57,243 he's, uh, a missionary essentially going to all the Gentile cities to, 269 00:11:57,293 --> 00:11:59,284 to preach the good news of Jesus. 270 00:11:59,953 --> 00:12:03,694 And at that time, if you don't know Jews and Gentiles, Jews were, were sort of 271 00:12:03,694 --> 00:12:07,603 the religious ones, were the ones chosen by God, and the Gentiles were, were not. 272 00:12:07,603 --> 00:12:12,514 But Jesus comes and creates this pathway for all to encounter Christ. 273 00:12:12,824 --> 00:12:13,723 That's how we're here. 274 00:12:13,723 --> 00:12:14,183 Amen? 275 00:12:14,183 --> 00:12:14,683 Amen. 276 00:12:14,683 --> 00:12:16,043 That's how we exist. 277 00:12:16,344 --> 00:12:20,163 And in verse 16 he says, Paul says this here, he says, "He gave me the 278 00:12:20,183 --> 00:12:26,034 priestly duty of proclaiming the Gospel of God so that the Gentiles 279 00:12:26,163 --> 00:12:32,703 might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." 280 00:12:34,493 --> 00:12:37,433 You see, Paul had been carried along by the Holy Spirit, 281 00:12:37,473 --> 00:12:40,333 inspired by God, just convinced. 282 00:12:40,384 --> 00:12:40,833 He had been… 283 00:12:40,873 --> 00:12:44,393 It says he had been given this priestly duty to do what? 284 00:12:44,404 --> 00:12:49,243 To go and proclaim the Gospel to the places that had not heard it. 285 00:12:49,253 --> 00:12:49,273 Yeah. 286 00:12:50,733 --> 00:12:53,634 And then you see him say in verse 19, I love this verse. 287 00:12:53,663 --> 00:12:54,063 Oh, you know what? 288 00:12:54,264 --> 00:12:55,543 I don't have verse 19 up there yet. 289 00:12:55,543 --> 00:12:56,214 We're gonna get to that. 290 00:12:56,623 --> 00:13:01,643 But in verse 19, he says, "So from Jerusalem all the way 291 00:13:01,694 --> 00:13:06,983 around to Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ." 292 00:13:08,424 --> 00:13:10,253 You see, where did Paul start? 293 00:13:12,284 --> 00:13:13,044 In Jerusalem. 294 00:13:13,784 --> 00:13:14,924 Paul started where? 295 00:13:15,174 --> 00:13:18,764 Where Jesus said it would start in Acts 1:8, in Jerusalem. 296 00:13:19,273 --> 00:13:23,333 That you would start in Jerusalem, and it would be spread to Judea, Samaria, 297 00:13:23,334 --> 00:13:25,183 and to the ends of the earth, right? 298 00:13:25,994 --> 00:13:27,803 So he starts there, and where does he go? 299 00:13:28,343 --> 00:13:30,843 I don't even know if I'm pronouncing it right, but Illyricum. 300 00:13:31,844 --> 00:13:32,694 Maybe I'm saying it wrong. 301 00:13:33,563 --> 00:13:34,634 But I looked it up. 302 00:13:34,804 --> 00:13:36,254 You know what that, that is? 303 00:13:36,334 --> 00:13:40,853 Modern-day Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania 304 00:13:42,907 --> 00:13:47,788 You know, I know, uh, our Revive Eastern Europe team has been where the past year? 305 00:13:47,798 --> 00:13:51,367 They've been in Croatia, and Rocky and Betty's daughter, Kiana, has 306 00:13:51,367 --> 00:13:55,828 been on that mission team in Croatia evangelizing, spreading the gospel there. 307 00:13:56,057 --> 00:13:56,548 Amen? 308 00:13:57,197 --> 00:14:00,947 And one of my good friends and his family, Kyle Plumb, minister 309 00:14:00,947 --> 00:14:04,897 down in San Diego, is leading a mission team to Albania this summer. 310 00:14:06,197 --> 00:14:09,078 And the mission is still moving, brothers and sisters. 311 00:14:09,087 --> 00:14:09,127 Amen. 312 00:14:10,977 --> 00:14:12,057 So what was Paul doing? 313 00:14:12,067 --> 00:14:15,838 Paul was literally doing what Jesus said would happen. 314 00:14:16,667 --> 00:14:19,937 He's literally doing what Jesus said he would do in Acts 1:8. 315 00:14:19,937 --> 00:14:23,397 He's carrying the gospel to places that had not heard 316 00:14:23,397 --> 00:14:25,317 it, to the ends of the earth. 317 00:14:26,857 --> 00:14:29,697 Let's continue reading why Paul had this ambition. 318 00:14:30,757 --> 00:14:35,947 Verse 20: "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ 319 00:14:35,947 --> 00:14:40,668 was not known so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. 320 00:14:40,878 --> 00:14:46,428 Rather, as it is written: 'Those who are not told about him will see, and those 321 00:14:46,428 --> 00:14:48,928 who have not heard will understand.'" 322 00:14:49,917 --> 00:14:51,787 You see, what does Paul say here? 323 00:14:51,788 --> 00:14:54,137 He says, "It has always been my" what? 324 00:14:54,457 --> 00:14:55,727 My ambition 325 00:14:57,788 --> 00:15:01,458 You see, ambition can actually be a good thing. 326 00:15:01,468 --> 00:15:01,487 Yeah. 327 00:15:02,657 --> 00:15:05,367 Ambition can be a powerful thing, actually. 328 00:15:05,878 --> 00:15:09,787 And I know we read in Galatians 5:19, "selfish ambition." 329 00:15:10,487 --> 00:15:11,758 That's an act of the flesh. 330 00:15:11,767 --> 00:15:14,508 Selfish ambition, but that's not what he's talking about. 331 00:15:14,718 --> 00:15:16,267 This is a holy ambition. 332 00:15:16,478 --> 00:15:18,367 This is a missional ambition. 333 00:15:18,788 --> 00:15:21,937 This is an ambition to change the world for Jesus. 334 00:15:22,598 --> 00:15:22,617 Yeah. 335 00:15:23,008 --> 00:15:25,748 My first point is the mission creates holy ambition. 336 00:15:26,717 --> 00:15:29,388 When we're mission-minded, when we understand the Kingdom of God, when 337 00:15:29,388 --> 00:15:33,687 we understand that the mission is everywhere and it's working in our 338 00:15:33,687 --> 00:15:35,788 lives, we have a holy ambition. 339 00:15:36,237 --> 00:15:37,817 Paul had a holy ambition. 340 00:15:37,828 --> 00:15:38,237 Amen? 341 00:15:38,248 --> 00:15:38,267 Yeah. 342 00:15:38,647 --> 00:15:40,657 Paul uses that word ambition. 343 00:15:40,657 --> 00:15:44,947 So I said, "Okay, what is, what does this am- or what is the Greek of that ambition? 344 00:15:44,947 --> 00:15:45,827 What does this really mean?" 345 00:15:45,828 --> 00:15:48,468 'Cause I was struggling with the idea of selfish ambition. 346 00:15:48,887 --> 00:15:53,237 And I looked it up, and what I, what I found is it's the word philotimeomai, 347 00:15:54,078 --> 00:15:56,647 and what this means is a holy aspiration. 348 00:15:57,267 --> 00:16:01,808 It's, it's to make it one's aim, and it's a loving honor 349 00:16:04,188 --> 00:16:08,068 Paul's ambition, I believe, came from the Holy Spirit. 350 00:16:09,638 --> 00:16:11,988 Paul's ambition was holy. 351 00:16:11,988 --> 00:16:12,977 It was righteous. 352 00:16:13,037 --> 00:16:16,068 It was, "I just want to be used by Jesus." 353 00:16:16,077 --> 00:16:16,097 Yeah. 354 00:16:16,107 --> 00:16:16,127 Yeah. 355 00:16:17,358 --> 00:16:20,397 Don't you wanna just be used by Jesus, OC Church? 356 00:16:22,364 --> 00:16:28,404 See, Paul had ambition, but not for comfort, not for success, 357 00:16:28,803 --> 00:16:33,363 not for his own name's sake, not for building his own kingdom. 358 00:16:34,634 --> 00:16:38,674 His ambition was that more people would know Christ. 359 00:16:38,674 --> 00:16:38,870 Right. 360 00:16:38,870 --> 00:16:39,067 Amen. 361 00:16:39,067 --> 00:16:40,446 Paul's ambition was simply make Christ known. 362 00:16:40,446 --> 00:16:41,423 So I ask you this 363 00:16:45,353 --> 00:16:46,503 morning, what is your ambition? 364 00:16:47,183 --> 00:16:52,583 As you show up this morning, we all have different ambitions, right? 365 00:16:52,593 --> 00:16:55,364 For those, we, we had our graduation Sunday last week, 366 00:16:55,523 --> 00:16:57,763 and we celebrated all our grads. 367 00:16:58,103 --> 00:16:59,533 They probably have some ambition. 368 00:17:00,013 --> 00:17:01,084 I wanna go get a job. 369 00:17:01,084 --> 00:17:02,233 I wanna go start a career. 370 00:17:02,374 --> 00:17:07,704 Those are good ambitions, but is that your main ambition, graduates? 371 00:17:09,522 --> 00:17:09,574 Come on. 372 00:17:09,574 --> 00:17:11,614 Church, what is our ambition? 373 00:17:11,723 --> 00:17:13,884 What is our goal as a church? 374 00:17:13,893 --> 00:17:13,943 Come on. 375 00:17:15,694 --> 00:17:17,173 Do we wanna make Christ known? 376 00:17:17,714 --> 00:17:20,853 Don't you wanna make Christ known the way that w- He was known to 377 00:17:20,853 --> 00:17:23,243 you, the way that you found Christ? 378 00:17:23,893 --> 00:17:29,203 Don't you want to help many more find Christ- Oh, yeah … and make Him known? 379 00:17:29,563 --> 00:17:32,433 You see, the mission, I believe, it changes what we live for. 380 00:17:32,433 --> 00:17:33,453 It's like a paradigm shift. 381 00:17:33,683 --> 00:17:38,074 It, it, the mission of Jesus changes how we want to live. 382 00:17:38,084 --> 00:17:38,103 Yeah. 383 00:17:40,063 --> 00:17:43,254 Don't you wanna just be a good person? 384 00:17:43,263 --> 00:17:45,214 Like, most time I study the Bible with people, they say, "I 385 00:17:45,214 --> 00:17:45,893 just wanna be a good person." 386 00:17:45,893 --> 00:17:45,914 Yeah. 387 00:17:46,954 --> 00:17:47,703 Okay, amen. 388 00:17:48,454 --> 00:17:50,693 Earlier, Brent said, "Look, none of us are good." 389 00:17:50,933 --> 00:17:51,534 Amen. 390 00:17:51,643 --> 00:17:52,723 We need the cross. 391 00:17:53,593 --> 00:17:53,614 Yeah. 392 00:17:53,714 --> 00:17:53,734 Yeah. 393 00:17:53,914 --> 00:17:55,034 We need Jesus. 394 00:17:56,763 --> 00:18:00,683 But I really believe if the entire world participated in the mission of Christ, 395 00:18:00,683 --> 00:18:02,134 we'd have a lot better of a world. 396 00:18:02,173 --> 00:18:02,193 Yeah. 397 00:18:02,193 --> 00:18:03,473 Yeah. 398 00:18:03,473 --> 00:18:04,183 We really would. 399 00:18:04,373 --> 00:18:04,413 Amen. 400 00:18:04,713 --> 00:18:05,904 We'd have people who forgive. 401 00:18:05,913 --> 00:18:05,933 Yeah. 402 00:18:06,673 --> 00:18:08,244 We'd have people who don't hold grudges. 403 00:18:08,244 --> 00:18:11,723 We'd have people who want to, to invest in each other and walk with each other, 404 00:18:11,723 --> 00:18:13,223 and, "Oh, I have this gift and skill. 405 00:18:13,233 --> 00:18:14,334 Let me teach you how to do…" 406 00:18:14,904 --> 00:18:16,544 You would just see the world. 407 00:18:17,593 --> 00:18:18,563 Guys, guess what? 408 00:18:19,043 --> 00:18:20,003 We have that right here. 409 00:18:20,013 --> 00:18:20,034 Yeah. 410 00:18:21,164 --> 00:18:23,454 We have that mission right here. 411 00:18:24,303 --> 00:18:24,343 Amen. 412 00:18:24,484 --> 00:18:29,214 And we get to live it out and spread it to Orange County. 413 00:18:29,853 --> 00:18:29,893 Amen. 414 00:18:30,114 --> 00:18:34,893 The mission, I believe, gives ambition a different purpose. 415 00:18:35,303 --> 00:18:36,223 It's no longer selfish. 416 00:18:36,244 --> 00:18:37,393 No longer about you. 417 00:18:38,124 --> 00:18:41,924 We're trying to give and build God's kingdom together. 418 00:18:41,933 --> 00:18:42,353 Amen? 419 00:18:42,414 --> 00:18:42,454 Amen. 420 00:18:43,833 --> 00:18:46,783 So is your ambition to make Christ known? 421 00:18:47,153 --> 00:18:51,843 You know, today's mission offering plays a role in making Christ known- 422 00:18:51,853 --> 00:18:53,544 Right … in Mexico and Central America. 423 00:18:53,553 --> 00:18:53,584 Right. 424 00:18:53,853 --> 00:18:57,244 It plays a role in making Christ known here in Orange County. 425 00:18:57,253 --> 00:18:57,283 Right. 426 00:18:58,994 --> 00:19:01,504 Is our ambition to make Christ known? 427 00:19:01,973 --> 00:19:02,803 You guys still with me? 428 00:19:02,813 --> 00:19:02,833 Yeah. 429 00:19:03,544 --> 00:19:06,943 Second point: Everyone participates. 430 00:19:07,123 --> 00:19:07,593 Is this working? 431 00:19:07,903 --> 00:19:08,273 There we go. 432 00:19:08,753 --> 00:19:11,404 Everyone participates in the mission. 433 00:19:12,704 --> 00:19:12,754 Come on. 434 00:19:12,754 --> 00:19:14,483 Romans 15 verse 22 435 00:19:18,299 --> 00:19:22,739 This is why I have been, I have often been hindered from coming to you. 436 00:19:23,350 --> 00:19:27,129 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I 437 00:19:27,139 --> 00:19:32,139 have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. 438 00:19:32,909 --> 00:19:36,919 I hope to see you while passing through, and to have you assist me 439 00:19:36,949 --> 00:19:41,499 on my journey there after I have enjoyed your company for a while 440 00:19:44,860 --> 00:19:48,210 The mission is a call for all of us. 441 00:19:49,139 --> 00:19:50,790 Everyone participates. 442 00:19:51,589 --> 00:19:55,110 You see, Paul continues being hindered from actually getting 443 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:59,150 back to Rome and going to Rome because he is busy doing what? 444 00:19:59,409 --> 00:20:03,190 Making Christ known, planting churches, going to all these other places. 445 00:20:03,499 --> 00:20:06,250 And Rome isn't actually the destination for him. 446 00:20:06,420 --> 00:20:08,530 He ends up writing here that Spain is. 447 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:14,429 And Rome, I believe, then bec- in Paul's mind, Rome becomes what's called 448 00:20:14,429 --> 00:20:19,209 a sending church, a church that can give, a church that can send, a church 449 00:20:19,210 --> 00:20:21,499 that can build other churches up. 450 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,170 And I believe that really changes everything. 451 00:20:24,740 --> 00:20:28,700 Because one of the things I wanna share with us this morning is that I think Paul 452 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:34,499 saw Rome as a sending church the same way that we as OC are a sending church. 453 00:20:34,509 --> 00:20:34,530 Yeah. 454 00:20:35,770 --> 00:20:36,769 Like, let's just say it. 455 00:20:36,780 --> 00:20:39,029 We are a sending church. 456 00:20:39,319 --> 00:20:41,589 We have done amazing things on the mission. 457 00:20:42,030 --> 00:20:46,190 About a month or two ago, Steve was up here, and he had pages of notes 458 00:20:46,410 --> 00:20:50,199 talking about all the good things we have done, all the things we have 459 00:20:50,389 --> 00:20:53,750 shared- Yeah … and the way that we have participated in the mission. 460 00:20:54,469 --> 00:20:54,490 Yeah. 461 00:20:54,639 --> 00:20:57,469 We're a sending church, and I think, brothers and sisters, 462 00:20:57,469 --> 00:20:58,629 we've gotta embrace this. 463 00:20:59,639 --> 00:20:59,669 Right. 464 00:20:59,679 --> 00:20:59,699 Yeah. 465 00:21:00,089 --> 00:21:03,320 I mean, we have to embrace that we are a sending church. 466 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:08,570 That is the reality we face, that we are fortunate to be full of this 467 00:21:08,570 --> 00:21:11,509 opportunity to be a sending, giving church 468 00:21:14,236 --> 00:21:17,646 And I think Paul is also hinting at something here. 469 00:21:17,646 --> 00:21:20,216 I think he's talking about this idea of the mission was never 470 00:21:20,216 --> 00:21:22,596 designed for your own glory. 471 00:21:23,606 --> 00:21:27,076 The mission was never designed for, like, the superstar Christian 472 00:21:27,776 --> 00:21:29,436 or independent Christianity. 473 00:21:29,436 --> 00:21:31,425 It was meant to be a partnership. 474 00:21:32,265 --> 00:21:32,295 Right. 475 00:21:33,056 --> 00:21:37,026 That's one of the things I love about our family of churches, that we have 476 00:21:37,036 --> 00:21:42,066 over 700 churches worldwide that we are connected to, that we get to 477 00:21:42,266 --> 00:21:44,335 give to and support and connect with. 478 00:21:44,346 --> 00:21:46,816 And when you go to a different country to visit and it's Sunday morning, 479 00:21:46,816 --> 00:21:48,675 you're like, "Well, let me look it up. 480 00:21:48,886 --> 00:21:51,066 Oh, I can go to a church that's 10 minutes away," because 481 00:21:51,076 --> 00:21:52,746 we have a global fellowship. 482 00:21:53,616 --> 00:21:53,636 Yeah. 483 00:21:53,646 --> 00:21:54,716 Isn't that amazing? 484 00:21:54,726 --> 00:21:54,746 Yeah. 485 00:21:55,106 --> 00:21:56,296 We are so fortunate. 486 00:21:56,296 --> 00:21:57,836 We can't take that for granted 487 00:22:01,766 --> 00:22:01,936 We have 488 00:22:05,495 --> 00:22:06,596 a partnership, and Paul expected partnership from the 489 00:22:06,596 --> 00:22:07,705 Roman church That's right. 490 00:22:08,306 --> 00:22:12,356 Yeah Paul expected, we are partnering 'cause our ambition is what? 491 00:22:12,365 --> 00:22:13,495 To make Christ known. 492 00:22:13,596 --> 00:22:16,056 So we're gonna give, we're gonna serve, we're gonna, we're gonna 493 00:22:16,065 --> 00:22:20,516 give to whoever we can and whoever needs it because our goal is not for 494 00:22:20,516 --> 00:22:24,665 us, it's for the mission of Jesus That's right Everyone participates. 495 00:22:25,255 --> 00:22:29,396 And I wanna say, many of you, longtime members, have participated 496 00:22:29,645 --> 00:22:31,825 in the mission of Christ for years. 497 00:22:31,825 --> 00:22:36,605 You're faithful saints, and I'm just so grateful to be a part of a 498 00:22:36,606 --> 00:22:38,795 kingdom, a part of a church like this. 499 00:22:39,485 --> 00:22:45,615 As a young man leading other young people, that they get to see faithful saints 500 00:22:45,905 --> 00:22:47,426 participate in the mission of Christ. 501 00:22:47,455 --> 00:22:48,856 Let's give ourselves a round of applause. 502 00:22:49,505 --> 00:22:50,215 I'm serious. 503 00:22:50,685 --> 00:22:51,455 Many of you 504 00:22:53,742 --> 00:22:56,662 We can't take it for granted, the mission of Christ. 505 00:22:57,192 --> 00:23:00,662 What you guys have poured in, I'm so encouraged by this church. 506 00:23:01,402 --> 00:23:04,882 You've served, you've stayed, you've given, you remain faithful. 507 00:23:06,532 --> 00:23:08,712 And because of that, others are here. 508 00:23:09,632 --> 00:23:13,072 People in this room are here because of your faith, because of 509 00:23:13,072 --> 00:23:15,722 your obedience to following Jesus. 510 00:23:16,562 --> 00:23:16,602 Amen. 511 00:23:17,562 --> 00:23:21,371 And for, for some of us that may be newer, or maybe for those of you who are 512 00:23:21,371 --> 00:23:25,802 younger and maybe haven't participated as long in the mission of Christ, you 513 00:23:25,802 --> 00:23:30,021 know, maybe you can sometimes feel like, "Well, I don't know how big of an impact 514 00:23:30,022 --> 00:23:31,542 I really am having on the mission. 515 00:23:32,142 --> 00:23:35,262 I don't really know if I'm really even a part of this mission. 516 00:23:35,272 --> 00:23:38,392 Like, am I really doing anything impactful here?" 517 00:23:39,062 --> 00:23:43,472 And for me, I'm a sports fan, and so I wanna bring in a sports analogy. 518 00:23:43,472 --> 00:23:44,002 Can I do that? 519 00:23:44,032 --> 00:23:44,112 Yeah. 520 00:23:44,531 --> 00:23:47,291 Right now that's going on is the NBA Finals. 521 00:23:47,331 --> 00:23:47,652 All right? 522 00:23:47,652 --> 00:23:48,762 Who's watching the NBA Finals? 523 00:23:48,762 --> 00:23:49,222 Anybody? 524 00:23:49,232 --> 00:23:49,252 Yeah. 525 00:23:49,742 --> 00:23:50,122 All right. 526 00:23:50,682 --> 00:23:53,152 I know in, in probably, you know, about a week we're gonna start talking all 527 00:23:53,152 --> 00:23:56,262 about the World Cup, so I had to get the NBA in here real quick, all right? 528 00:23:56,572 --> 00:23:58,472 But the NBA Finals are going on. 529 00:23:58,472 --> 00:24:00,961 It's the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. 530 00:24:00,962 --> 00:24:03,402 I don't have a dog in the fight, I just want a good series, all right? 531 00:24:03,731 --> 00:24:08,082 But one of the things I wanna share is that everyone on the team, 532 00:24:08,632 --> 00:24:11,722 if you're on one of these teams, every single player is important. 533 00:24:12,912 --> 00:24:12,942 Right. 534 00:24:12,952 --> 00:24:17,711 Doesn't matter where, whether you're the 7'4" Victor Wembanyama or you are a bench 535 00:24:17,712 --> 00:24:20,071 player that never sees time on the floor. 536 00:24:21,062 --> 00:24:22,811 Everyone is important. 537 00:24:23,161 --> 00:24:23,491 Why? 538 00:24:23,501 --> 00:24:24,392 I played sports. 539 00:24:24,962 --> 00:24:28,012 Because if you don't have a full team, you can't practice, right? 540 00:24:28,312 --> 00:24:31,952 If you don't have these players pushing you, fighting for every minute that 541 00:24:31,962 --> 00:24:35,152 they can try to get on the court, trying to make your stars better, then 542 00:24:35,152 --> 00:24:37,231 your team will not be as good, right? 543 00:24:38,022 --> 00:24:41,802 So it's a unified team effort that takes all hands on deck 544 00:24:41,852 --> 00:24:43,862 to participate in the mission. 545 00:24:44,472 --> 00:24:48,282 And sometimes I think we, we may discount our impact. 546 00:24:48,452 --> 00:24:50,281 If maybe you feel like, "I'm just a bench player. 547 00:24:50,282 --> 00:24:51,342 I don't have much impact. 548 00:24:51,342 --> 00:24:52,351 I don't really do much. 549 00:24:52,552 --> 00:24:54,371 I don't really have that great of an impact." 550 00:24:54,852 --> 00:24:58,391 Maybe you think you can't really participate because you don't have as 551 00:24:58,391 --> 00:25:01,882 much skill or maybe you don't have as much money or you don't have as much ability to 552 00:25:01,932 --> 00:25:04,042 speak or, or y- you're not trained enough. 553 00:25:04,052 --> 00:25:05,032 Whatever it is. 554 00:25:05,582 --> 00:25:07,442 Maybe you feel that you can't have that impact. 555 00:25:07,482 --> 00:25:11,952 I wanna remind you, you can make an impact, and you are needed. 556 00:25:12,041 --> 00:25:13,342 Everyone participates. 557 00:25:13,462 --> 00:25:14,482 Everyone is valuable. 558 00:25:14,482 --> 00:25:18,782 And I wanna show this video here of an NBA player from about 20 years 559 00:25:18,782 --> 00:25:22,342 ago, and this is his, this 50-second clip of his press conference. 560 00:25:22,342 --> 00:25:23,252 Are you guys, you guys ready? 561 00:25:23,252 --> 00:25:24,142 Yeah. 562 00:25:26,770 --> 00:25:28,250 Speaker 17: Last question here before we finish up with the 563 00:25:28,250 --> 00:25:30,780 Lakers Brian, uh, congratulations. 564 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:32,890 I'm from Europe, from the Netherlands- Oh, okay, okay … a country where 565 00:25:32,890 --> 00:25:34,370 we're all interested in soccer. 566 00:25:34,370 --> 00:25:37,640 But I enjoyed the finals so much, and this gr- game was very great. 567 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:42,980 But how is it for you, um, watching it from the sideline, uh, not, not able to 568 00:25:42,980 --> 00:25:45,210 play even one little second in the finals? 569 00:25:45,220 --> 00:25:46,030 Is that hard? 570 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:48,300 Speaker 18: Why would you think that's funny? 571 00:25:48,650 --> 00:25:51,060 I'll tell you, it's not that difficult to do because guess what? 572 00:25:51,070 --> 00:25:56,560 In, like, maybe now you could say y- I didn't play a second, but in five 573 00:25:56,590 --> 00:25:58,360 years you guys are gonna forget. 574 00:25:58,389 --> 00:26:00,140 In 10 years I'll still be a champ. 575 00:26:00,190 --> 00:26:03,620 In 20 years I'll tell my kids I probably started, and in 30 years 576 00:26:03,620 --> 00:26:04,970 I'll probably tell them I got the MVP. 577 00:26:04,980 --> 00:26:06,960 So I'm really not too worried about it. 578 00:26:07,430 --> 00:26:08,090 Speaker 17: Okay. 579 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:08,450 Great. 580 00:26:08,450 --> 00:26:08,730 All right. 581 00:26:08,730 --> 00:26:09,380 Speaker 18: Congratulations. 582 00:26:09,790 --> 00:26:10,610 We'll see you guys later. 583 00:26:10,610 --> 00:26:11,230 Thank you, Brian. 584 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:12,529 All right. 585 00:26:12,780 --> 00:26:14,250 Kobe Bryant will be up shortly. 586 00:26:15,599 --> 00:26:15,819 All 587 00:26:15,820 --> 00:26:16,170 Kyle Lounsbury: right. 588 00:26:17,860 --> 00:26:19,150 Everyone participates. 589 00:26:19,599 --> 00:26:22,889 He said, "Look, I, it doesn't matter I didn't play a second in the finals. 590 00:26:23,340 --> 00:26:24,090 I'm a champion." 591 00:26:26,182 --> 00:26:29,071 Guys, we're all in God's kingdom. 592 00:26:29,081 --> 00:26:30,022 What does that make us? 593 00:26:30,111 --> 00:26:30,712 We're champions. 594 00:26:30,712 --> 00:26:30,781 Yeah. 595 00:26:31,502 --> 00:26:33,951 We participate in the mission together. 596 00:26:33,951 --> 00:26:36,921 No, no matter how small we may think our contribution is, no 597 00:26:36,922 --> 00:26:40,611 matter how great it is, we all participate in the mission of Jesus. 598 00:26:40,611 --> 00:26:41,022 Amen? 599 00:26:41,022 --> 00:26:41,962 Amen. 600 00:26:41,962 --> 00:26:42,292 Amen. 601 00:26:42,342 --> 00:26:45,922 The last point I wanna share here with you guys is generosity fuels the mission. 602 00:26:46,212 --> 00:26:47,012 It fuels it. 603 00:26:47,012 --> 00:26:49,852 And in Romans 15:25, Paul gets to this point where he 604 00:26:49,852 --> 00:26:51,732 talks about an, an offering. 605 00:26:51,732 --> 00:26:55,012 He says, "Now, however, I'm on my way to Jerusalem in the service 606 00:26:55,012 --> 00:26:56,092 of the Lord's people there. 607 00:26:56,292 --> 00:27:01,161 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor 608 00:27:01,352 --> 00:27:03,182 among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. 609 00:27:03,512 --> 00:27:06,361 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. 610 00:27:06,371 --> 00:27:11,382 For the Gent- for if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, 611 00:27:11,701 --> 00:27:16,272 they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 612 00:27:17,132 --> 00:27:21,482 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have 613 00:27:21,482 --> 00:27:25,752 received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 614 00:27:26,022 --> 00:27:29,621 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure 615 00:27:29,621 --> 00:27:32,262 of the blessing of Christ." 616 00:27:32,962 --> 00:27:36,691 There's a contribution that happens here, that takes place, and, and Paul 617 00:27:37,031 --> 00:27:40,342 says, "Look, it's not an obligation. 618 00:27:41,462 --> 00:27:42,392 You don't have to." 619 00:27:43,552 --> 00:27:44,812 But what is the response of the church? 620 00:27:44,842 --> 00:27:45,661 They're like, "Pff. 621 00:27:46,111 --> 00:27:46,852 We want to. 622 00:27:47,271 --> 00:27:48,252 We want to give." 623 00:27:48,262 --> 00:27:48,281 Yeah. 624 00:27:49,281 --> 00:27:52,821 You see, generosity is not an obligation. 625 00:27:53,451 --> 00:27:54,631 Generosity isn't… 626 00:27:54,741 --> 00:27:59,111 You know, he doesn't treat this as, as fundraising or as, as this idea 627 00:27:59,111 --> 00:28:00,781 of, like, "We just need money." 628 00:28:00,802 --> 00:28:01,111 No. 629 00:28:01,592 --> 00:28:03,401 He, he treats it as ministry. 630 00:28:03,411 --> 00:28:03,442 Right. 631 00:28:03,982 --> 00:28:06,951 There's this reciprocating ministry taking place here. 632 00:28:06,951 --> 00:28:07,502 Right. 633 00:28:07,502 --> 00:28:10,161 This idea of like, "Man, we are the kingdom of God, so we're gonna give. 634 00:28:10,231 --> 00:28:11,201 Our brother's in need? 635 00:28:11,271 --> 00:28:12,111 Let's give to them. 636 00:28:12,471 --> 00:28:13,571 Our sisters need this? 637 00:28:13,612 --> 00:28:14,311 Let's help them." 638 00:28:14,321 --> 00:28:14,352 Right. 639 00:28:15,531 --> 00:28:16,701 It's like, of course we would. 640 00:28:16,701 --> 00:28:17,651 Just like your family. 641 00:28:17,651 --> 00:28:22,831 If, if, if your daughter or your son said, "Hey, uh, you know, I, I work 642 00:28:22,831 --> 00:28:25,081 with college students, so if they're off in college, 'I got no money. 643 00:28:25,081 --> 00:28:27,692 I can't get groceries'" Of course we're gonna help them. 644 00:28:28,111 --> 00:28:29,781 Of cour- "Oh, let me get you some groceries. 645 00:28:29,781 --> 00:28:30,291 Let me help you." 646 00:28:32,232 --> 00:28:33,682 Generosity fuels the mission. 647 00:28:33,692 --> 00:28:33,712 Yeah. 648 00:28:35,142 --> 00:28:36,821 It's not an obligation, brothers and sisters. 649 00:28:36,821 --> 00:28:39,562 That's why we call this a free will offering, but the heart 650 00:28:39,592 --> 00:28:41,461 is, of course we're gonna give. 651 00:28:41,972 --> 00:28:43,232 Why wouldn't we give? 652 00:28:43,462 --> 00:28:45,632 We want to see the mission spread. 653 00:28:46,761 --> 00:28:49,132 You know, not everybody was traveling with Paul. 654 00:28:49,661 --> 00:28:53,522 Not everybody was preaching in these different cities like Paul 655 00:28:53,522 --> 00:28:55,212 was, but what could they do? 656 00:28:55,241 --> 00:28:59,731 Through their generosity, they were able to participate in the mission of Christ. 657 00:28:59,741 --> 00:28:59,762 Yeah. 658 00:29:00,281 --> 00:29:00,762 Amen? 659 00:29:01,102 --> 00:29:01,142 Amen. 660 00:29:01,581 --> 00:29:06,542 And so we're gonna transition here to our time here in a little bit of special 661 00:29:06,542 --> 00:29:12,012 contribution and how we get to participate in the mission of Jesus together. 662 00:29:13,252 --> 00:29:15,031 That's what today represents, amen? 663 00:29:15,411 --> 00:29:15,451 Amen. 664 00:29:15,861 --> 00:29:17,592 And one last thing I say. 665 00:29:18,182 --> 00:29:19,861 In Acts 1:8- 666 00:29:22,620 --> 00:29:24,580 The Holy Spirit's in every one of us. 667 00:29:25,830 --> 00:29:30,960 Let's help join in the mission of Jesus and see the gospel 668 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:32,360 spread to the ends of the earth. 669 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:32,750 Amen? 670 00:29:33,850 --> 00:29:35,600 We have the power of the Holy Spirit. 671 00:29:35,610 --> 00:29:36,930 You can be a witness 672 00:29:39,100 --> 00:29:40,410 You can share the gospel. 673 00:29:41,389 --> 00:29:43,900 You can help spread the mission through your presence, through your 674 00:29:43,900 --> 00:29:48,370 love, through your hospitality, through your character at work. 675 00:29:49,219 --> 00:29:50,099 That's the mission. 676 00:29:50,810 --> 00:29:52,379 It's who we are as disciples. 677 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:54,169 It's who we are as followers of Jesus. 678 00:29:54,169 --> 00:29:54,770 We're different. 679 00:29:54,779 --> 00:29:55,229 Amen? 680 00:29:55,809 --> 00:29:55,849 Amen. 681 00:29:56,009 --> 00:30:01,160 And so as we close out, the mission of Jesus advances when ordinary people 682 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:08,449 like us, when we say the Kingdom of God matters more than my comfort. 683 00:30:09,129 --> 00:30:11,419 The Kingdom matters more than this world. 684 00:30:11,859 --> 00:30:12,959 Let's build it together.