1 00:00:02,660 --> 00:00:03,370 Speaker: Amen. 2 00:00:03,380 --> 00:00:04,840 Buenos dias church. 3 00:00:06,130 --> 00:00:08,189 It's great to be here before I jump in. 4 00:00:08,189 --> 00:00:09,640 Michelle just wants to say a word. 5 00:00:10,929 --> 00:00:16,309 Speaker 2: So after that, uh, wonderful communion lesson by Maurice, I felt 6 00:00:16,309 --> 00:00:17,939 like I should confess all my sins. 7 00:00:18,785 --> 00:00:22,935 And after that introduction, I felt like I was going to fall on the stairs, so. 8 00:00:24,055 --> 00:00:26,485 I just, I want to say I'm glad to be here. 9 00:00:26,665 --> 00:00:31,555 And um, I'm looking forward to getting to know people and um, and feel 10 00:00:31,565 --> 00:00:34,705 so honored to be able to be here. 11 00:00:35,255 --> 00:00:40,904 And also really excited because I feel like God has made this like 12 00:00:41,124 --> 00:00:43,865 the most precious time of our lives. 13 00:00:45,135 --> 00:00:48,085 And I'm seriously with Robert getting his doctorate. 14 00:00:48,115 --> 00:00:51,735 I didn't get anything and I read all those books too, but I feel 15 00:00:51,735 --> 00:00:55,175 like I should get up a teddy bear or something, you know, I don't know. 16 00:00:55,714 --> 00:01:02,044 But, um, I just feel so blessed, you know, because I mean, I have been a 17 00:01:02,044 --> 00:01:08,245 Christian for 40 plus years and I feel like this is the best time of my life. 18 00:01:08,630 --> 00:01:13,570 And this is the closest to God I've ever felt, ever been in my life. 19 00:01:13,620 --> 00:01:18,689 And I feel really happy to be able to share that, to live that with you, to 20 00:01:18,689 --> 00:01:21,910 walk with you and excited to be here. 21 00:01:21,910 --> 00:01:25,259 So I just wanted to say good morning and thank you for having us. 22 00:01:25,260 --> 00:01:29,179 Amen. 23 00:01:31,859 --> 00:01:35,030 Speaker: You know what they say behind every good leader, there's 24 00:01:35,030 --> 00:01:39,460 a woman rolling her eyes and that's my woman keeping me on the path. 25 00:01:40,805 --> 00:01:48,155 Uh, we are very honored to be here with you and to serve you. 26 00:01:48,685 --> 00:01:52,904 Uh, it's funny, I feel kind of emotional and even a little nervous, which I usually 27 00:01:52,904 --> 00:01:54,575 don't get nervous anymore, but I do. 28 00:01:55,194 --> 00:01:58,325 Uh, I think this is a very monumental moment. 29 00:01:58,975 --> 00:02:02,774 Uh, I think it's a sacred moment that we are starting a relationship. 30 00:02:03,435 --> 00:02:05,285 And we are your servants. 31 00:02:05,285 --> 00:02:12,155 We're here to serve Orange County, which is a a wonderful church and 32 00:02:12,305 --> 00:02:16,975 even I say that fully aware of all the problems and dysfunctions, but 33 00:02:17,185 --> 00:02:23,615 incredible people with incredible hearts and we are eager and happy to serve. 34 00:02:24,005 --> 00:02:26,285 Uh, technically, we're part time. 35 00:02:27,005 --> 00:02:32,204 Um, but emotionally, spiritually, we are a full time 100 percent as 36 00:02:32,204 --> 00:02:34,465 much as God will allow us to be. 37 00:02:34,885 --> 00:02:37,885 And, you know, we're also excited to share. 38 00:02:38,950 --> 00:02:42,530 Much of what God has given us and the experiences, the teaching, the 39 00:02:42,530 --> 00:02:46,630 training, and to just serve you with what we have, you know, what we 40 00:02:46,630 --> 00:02:49,280 can and to the best of our ability. 41 00:02:50,190 --> 00:02:54,489 I'm excited about where I see Orange County ministry going, where I see 42 00:02:54,489 --> 00:02:59,109 the church here going from, you know, the challenges and dysfunctions 43 00:02:59,359 --> 00:03:04,189 that you've had to deal with and struggle through to moving towards a 44 00:03:04,219 --> 00:03:06,019 functionally highly functioning church. 45 00:03:06,395 --> 00:03:11,655 Healthy, happy, excited church that can be a light to the world, which 46 00:03:11,655 --> 00:03:14,405 the world so desperately needs. 47 00:03:14,405 --> 00:03:17,934 And I know we have a long ways to go and we've got a lot of things to change 48 00:03:17,935 --> 00:03:20,114 and grow, but that's the journey. 49 00:03:20,115 --> 00:03:21,225 And we're all on the journey. 50 00:03:21,225 --> 00:03:26,315 And God is with us, though we walk through the valleys of dark shadows, 51 00:03:26,335 --> 00:03:32,055 we will fear no evil for he is with us and he will guide us through this. 52 00:03:32,095 --> 00:03:35,774 Um, I feel very grateful for all of you. 53 00:03:37,350 --> 00:03:38,420 Because you're here. 54 00:03:39,570 --> 00:03:40,380 You're here. 55 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:45,649 And you've persevered, and you've pushed, and you've persevered through many 56 00:03:45,649 --> 00:03:47,909 challenges, some of you for decades. 57 00:03:49,269 --> 00:03:49,990 And you're here. 58 00:03:49,990 --> 00:03:51,199 You're still here. 59 00:03:52,030 --> 00:03:52,520 Yeah. 60 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:54,840 You're still here. 61 00:03:55,470 --> 00:04:00,180 And I don't, and I don't mean that as any judgment on those who've left. 62 00:04:00,770 --> 00:04:02,030 They have their reasons. 63 00:04:02,030 --> 00:04:02,440 They have. 64 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:03,640 We don't know their pain. 65 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:04,830 We don't know their struggle. 66 00:04:04,950 --> 00:04:08,870 We don't know why they think the decisions and it's not our place to judge. 67 00:04:09,009 --> 00:04:10,310 It's our place to love. 68 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:10,870 Amen. 69 00:04:11,530 --> 00:04:12,760 It's our place to love. 70 00:04:12,770 --> 00:04:13,840 That's our calling. 71 00:04:14,540 --> 00:04:22,685 But I'm encouraged because you're here and we're here and God was, as I am 72 00:04:22,685 --> 00:04:26,191 confident, going to do great things. 73 00:04:26,191 --> 00:04:33,695 I am encouraged And I, and I'm so thankful for the leaders who have, uh, the staff 74 00:04:33,695 --> 00:04:39,065 you have that have submitted themselves to be tested, to be scrutinized, to, to 75 00:04:39,075 --> 00:04:44,064 be challenged to make changes and to see their weaknesses and to see their faults. 76 00:04:44,374 --> 00:04:47,174 I mean, you know, that's not easy for anybody. 77 00:04:47,954 --> 00:04:52,935 When somebody challenges how good of a spouse we are or how good of a parent 78 00:04:52,935 --> 00:04:57,439 we are, or we get job evaluations, those are tough things to go through. 79 00:04:57,900 --> 00:05:00,300 But those are things that we have to go through in order 80 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:02,690 to be our best for God, right? 81 00:05:03,140 --> 00:05:06,890 To be our best for our families, for our spouses, for our 82 00:05:06,890 --> 00:05:09,409 children, for our grandchildren. 83 00:05:09,949 --> 00:05:11,549 And I'm very grateful. 84 00:05:11,549 --> 00:05:14,899 And we're going to have some times where they're going to be able to share what 85 00:05:14,909 --> 00:05:16,880 they've learned in all this process. 86 00:05:17,050 --> 00:05:18,480 And I know you want to hear that. 87 00:05:19,055 --> 00:05:22,915 The lessons they've learned and seen, and we'll have time for that. 88 00:05:23,155 --> 00:05:27,145 I'm very grateful for Steve Staten, who devoted a big chunk 89 00:05:27,145 --> 00:05:29,125 of his life to just serving here. 90 00:05:29,125 --> 00:05:32,315 And truthfully, he's done this now in several regions, 91 00:05:32,755 --> 00:05:34,794 and been a great help for us. 92 00:05:34,794 --> 00:05:38,815 I know in Metro, he was instrumental to helping us get 93 00:05:38,815 --> 00:05:40,555 through a very difficult time. 94 00:05:40,735 --> 00:05:44,405 It was before I got here, but I've heard so much gratitude, 95 00:05:44,405 --> 00:05:45,834 because he really helped. 96 00:05:45,835 --> 00:05:47,865 And Pablo Nicole went through the middle of that. 97 00:05:48,310 --> 00:05:49,890 As well as some of the leaders here. 98 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:52,150 Very grateful for him. 99 00:05:52,150 --> 00:05:54,130 And I know he's sending out a report. 100 00:05:54,130 --> 00:05:55,960 I think it's going to be sent out tonight. 101 00:05:56,420 --> 00:05:58,558 Of just all that he learned, all that he saw. 102 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,650 And recommendations of how to help Orange County be the best that it can be. 103 00:06:03,660 --> 00:06:05,140 Because that's what we all want. 104 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:05,670 Amen? 105 00:06:06,510 --> 00:06:08,060 We want to be our best for God. 106 00:06:08,060 --> 00:06:10,010 Because we love God, we're grateful to God. 107 00:06:10,020 --> 00:06:10,950 He saved us. 108 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,730 What a powerful communion message today. 109 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:16,960 Thank you, Maurice, wherever you are. 110 00:06:17,485 --> 00:06:22,455 I think it just really set us up to have a great time in Bible study and even about 111 00:06:22,615 --> 00:06:24,115 the mission we're going to talk about. 112 00:06:24,905 --> 00:06:29,384 I'm very hopeful because we're taking a very important and 113 00:06:29,385 --> 00:06:32,284 significant step in the coming weeks. 114 00:06:32,564 --> 00:06:37,195 We've begun the process of building up our eldership and having a 115 00:06:37,205 --> 00:06:39,825 body of elders, a team of elders. 116 00:06:40,115 --> 00:06:42,905 Because if any of one of the bad lessons that we've learned 117 00:06:42,905 --> 00:06:46,724 or one of the tough lessons has been that one elder can't do it. 118 00:06:48,195 --> 00:06:49,245 It's not enough there. 119 00:06:49,255 --> 00:06:52,565 The ministry, the church needs to have a body of elders. 120 00:06:52,995 --> 00:06:55,955 There's a reason it's always plural in the Bible. 121 00:06:57,275 --> 00:06:58,075 It's needed. 122 00:06:58,084 --> 00:06:58,795 It's important. 123 00:06:58,845 --> 00:07:03,535 And we're taking that incredibly important step that I think is going to bring us 124 00:07:03,555 --> 00:07:06,734 towards a balance and a healthy church. 125 00:07:07,634 --> 00:07:11,244 We submitted two names several weeks ago. 126 00:07:11,674 --> 00:07:13,504 Ron Richmond and Kenny Barber. 127 00:07:14,130 --> 00:07:22,860 And we, and we put their names out there as part of round one, not the end. 128 00:07:22,860 --> 00:07:23,219 Okay. 129 00:07:23,219 --> 00:07:24,149 That's not it. 130 00:07:24,450 --> 00:07:26,389 And I know there's people say, well, what about the other guys? 131 00:07:26,390 --> 00:07:27,709 How come they're coming? 132 00:07:27,709 --> 00:07:30,210 That's coming, which we just, we have to be patient. 133 00:07:30,239 --> 00:07:32,699 It's going to be one step at a time. 134 00:07:33,330 --> 00:07:34,610 And we will get there. 135 00:07:34,610 --> 00:07:38,020 And the goal is to have elders in every ministry. 136 00:07:38,700 --> 00:07:40,950 Every ministry needs shepherds. 137 00:07:41,039 --> 00:07:42,650 That's a healthy setting. 138 00:07:43,220 --> 00:07:44,760 That's the way it should be. 139 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,370 Not that we're gonna rush the process. 140 00:07:47,890 --> 00:07:52,480 There's a reason the Bible warns us not to be quick to lay hands on people. 141 00:07:53,490 --> 00:07:55,110 Because that is a mistake. 142 00:07:55,139 --> 00:07:58,669 And I know sometimes when it's long overdue, we feel rushed. 143 00:07:58,670 --> 00:07:59,729 Like, we gotta do it now. 144 00:08:00,890 --> 00:08:02,249 And it's long overdue. 145 00:08:02,809 --> 00:08:05,640 But we can't make the mistake of rushing the process. 146 00:08:06,430 --> 00:08:10,629 And we have to be wise and spirit led and walk at the pace that Jesus 147 00:08:10,630 --> 00:08:12,150 walked and not run ahead of him. 148 00:08:12,775 --> 00:08:14,365 not run ahead of the spirit. 149 00:08:14,765 --> 00:08:17,775 And we asked, you know, for the we put those names out there. 150 00:08:17,775 --> 00:08:20,535 We also asked for everybody to give us feedback. 151 00:08:20,535 --> 00:08:24,405 There's any concerns, and there were several concerns raised, and we 152 00:08:24,405 --> 00:08:28,664 took those concerns very serious and investigated and had discussions to 153 00:08:28,664 --> 00:08:36,025 make sure that these men qualify and should be elders and they're ready. 154 00:08:36,405 --> 00:08:39,135 And so I'm very excited to announce that. 155 00:08:39,625 --> 00:08:44,295 That in one week, both Ron Richmond and Kenny Barber, Lord willing, 156 00:08:44,295 --> 00:08:47,694 will be appointed as elders in the Orange County Church of Christ. 157 00:08:51,475 --> 00:08:55,135 And again, I say, there are more coming. 158 00:08:55,955 --> 00:08:58,935 There's an elder coming to a town near you, okay? 159 00:08:59,845 --> 00:09:03,325 And again, we're not going to appoint somebody an elder just because they 160 00:09:03,325 --> 00:09:05,385 can represent a segment of the church. 161 00:09:05,765 --> 00:09:09,129 We're going to appoint elders because they are the godly men that want to serve. 162 00:09:09,510 --> 00:09:17,600 That God wants shepherding his church and that we want to fulfill as fast as we can, 163 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,020 as fast as the spirit will allow us to. 164 00:09:20,550 --> 00:09:22,030 So let's keep that in mind. 165 00:09:22,030 --> 00:09:23,629 We want elders. 166 00:09:23,670 --> 00:09:28,300 We pray for elders in the south, in the north, in the central, in the 167 00:09:28,310 --> 00:09:32,820 Spanish, in the Korean, in coastline, in all those ministries, with 168 00:09:32,820 --> 00:09:34,600 marrieds, with families, with singles. 169 00:09:34,955 --> 00:09:38,905 With teens, with campus, over the children's ministry, all of 170 00:09:38,905 --> 00:09:41,335 those ministries need shepherding. 171 00:09:42,335 --> 00:09:44,215 That's incredibly important to God. 172 00:09:44,865 --> 00:09:48,945 And that's part of our mission that we have. 173 00:09:48,955 --> 00:09:49,944 Let me see if I can get my 174 00:09:54,634 --> 00:09:55,094 There we go. 175 00:09:56,434 --> 00:09:59,615 Okay, so, oops, close your eyes, don't see that next slide. 176 00:10:01,205 --> 00:10:04,175 So today we're taking the mission, right? 177 00:10:06,814 --> 00:10:08,105 The mission collection. 178 00:10:09,435 --> 00:10:10,585 Incredibly important. 179 00:10:11,345 --> 00:10:15,605 How many of us have been given missions collections for more than 10 years? 180 00:10:17,285 --> 00:10:19,105 More than 20 years? 181 00:10:20,865 --> 00:10:21,375 Wow. 182 00:10:21,975 --> 00:10:23,564 More than 25 years? 183 00:10:25,075 --> 00:10:26,025 Years? 184 00:10:26,355 --> 00:10:27,235 Decades? 185 00:10:27,644 --> 00:10:29,264 By now you could have owned a boat. 186 00:10:31,625 --> 00:10:36,425 By now you could have bought two motorcycles, a jet ski, a snowmobile, 187 00:10:36,595 --> 00:10:38,135 all parked in your driveway. 188 00:10:38,135 --> 00:10:38,165 By 189 00:10:41,045 --> 00:10:42,555 But you chose not to. 190 00:10:44,875 --> 00:10:53,955 You chose to give it to God, to spread his kingdom, to spread his gospel. 191 00:10:55,115 --> 00:10:57,204 You chose to sacrifice. 192 00:10:58,975 --> 00:11:03,925 When Michelle and I in 1988 moved to Mexico City, we were a group 193 00:11:03,995 --> 00:11:10,865 of 18 people with a dream to plant churches in all the major cities. 194 00:11:12,325 --> 00:11:17,175 To have churches in all the Latin American countries that would make 195 00:11:17,175 --> 00:11:21,885 disciples that would spread the gospel to every city and village. 196 00:11:23,325 --> 00:11:26,825 And it's a crazy, it was a crazy dream and it had to take, it, 197 00:11:26,885 --> 00:11:29,235 people had to sacrifice for that. 198 00:11:31,005 --> 00:11:34,990 And it's so exciting, I just finished teaching a class, a course, With 199 00:11:34,990 --> 00:11:36,470 young leaders from Mexico city. 200 00:11:36,470 --> 00:11:41,080 And there's like 38 different churches just in Mexico alone. 201 00:11:42,550 --> 00:11:47,529 There's a church of over 3000 people in Mexico city alone. 202 00:11:48,369 --> 00:11:52,040 There are churches in nearly every Latin American country. 203 00:11:52,279 --> 00:11:54,329 All why, how did that happen? 204 00:11:54,449 --> 00:11:59,549 Well, clearly, and obviously that's the Holy spirit's work, but the Holy 205 00:11:59,549 --> 00:12:02,269 spirit prompted you to sacrifice. 206 00:12:03,855 --> 00:12:06,235 And that's what paid for all that to happen. 207 00:12:07,214 --> 00:12:11,974 And they can't all be here to thank you, but let me just say 208 00:12:11,974 --> 00:12:15,214 on their behalf, thank you. 209 00:12:17,355 --> 00:12:20,104 Thank you for sending people. 210 00:12:20,964 --> 00:12:22,785 Thank you for paying for it. 211 00:12:23,905 --> 00:12:26,255 Thank you for not buying that jet ski. 212 00:12:26,385 --> 00:12:29,945 And it's okay if you own a jet ski, but I'm sure you made sacrifices other ways. 213 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:40,369 Thank you for denying yourself and giving so that a people you may never know, 214 00:12:40,389 --> 00:12:46,209 may never see, may never hear a thank you from can have hope in their life, 215 00:12:48,739 --> 00:12:55,670 can have a future, can have hope for their children, hope for their grandchildren, 216 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,070 hope for the future of their life. 217 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:00,360 Spreading the gospel. 218 00:13:01,495 --> 00:13:03,145 It's no easy thing. 219 00:13:04,195 --> 00:13:04,995 It's tough. 220 00:13:05,035 --> 00:13:10,065 It's hard because not only do we have to fight the world and fight Satan, 221 00:13:10,335 --> 00:13:14,984 but we gotta deal with ourselves and our sinful natures and all the problems 222 00:13:14,984 --> 00:13:16,814 and and and it's a mission, right? 223 00:13:16,814 --> 00:13:18,364 But okay, now you can look at the slide. 224 00:13:18,714 --> 00:13:20,575 It's a mission impossible, right? 225 00:13:21,455 --> 00:13:22,925 It's a challenging mission. 226 00:13:23,505 --> 00:13:25,355 You guys remember the movie, right? 227 00:13:25,355 --> 00:13:26,964 You How many have you seen the movie? 228 00:13:26,965 --> 00:13:29,885 One of them because there's like eight of them, right? 229 00:13:32,030 --> 00:13:36,060 That it's always, they would go and they would get this, you know, 230 00:13:36,060 --> 00:13:38,980 remember he'd get the, the tape recorder or recording or something. 231 00:13:39,090 --> 00:13:42,100 And some of you guys remember the original mission impossible. 232 00:13:42,190 --> 00:13:43,819 Some of you are that old. 233 00:13:44,199 --> 00:13:45,510 You remember that one. 234 00:13:46,190 --> 00:13:49,370 And he'd get a tape recorder and then it would smoke and burn up. 235 00:13:49,370 --> 00:13:51,540 And, you know, do you accept this mission? 236 00:13:51,540 --> 00:13:54,270 You know, and, and he'd have to say yes or no or whatever. 237 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,840 God gave us this mission. 238 00:14:00,995 --> 00:14:02,115 God sent us. 239 00:14:02,115 --> 00:14:02,935 He didn't send a tape. 240 00:14:02,935 --> 00:14:03,785 He sent a text. 241 00:14:05,405 --> 00:14:06,374 He sent us a text. 242 00:14:06,374 --> 00:14:12,814 Here it is and gave us a mission to accomplish. 243 00:14:13,555 --> 00:14:17,374 And just like in those shows, it's not easy, and there's all kinds of things that 244 00:14:17,374 --> 00:14:21,385 go wrong, and they've got to be quick on their feet, and they've got to figure out 245 00:14:21,395 --> 00:14:26,314 how to solve the obstacles and all that stuff and still get the mission done. 246 00:14:28,215 --> 00:14:31,390 God sends us on missions. 247 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,500 It's a little obscure passage in Exodus 22 to, he says, and he said to them, you have 248 00:14:36,500 --> 00:14:41,190 done all that Moses, the servant of the Lord commanded and you have obeyed me and 249 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,079 everything I commanded for a long time. 250 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:51,640 Now to this very day, you guys have been obeying for a long time to this very day. 251 00:14:53,730 --> 00:14:56,540 You have not deserted your fellow Israelites. 252 00:14:56,829 --> 00:14:58,130 You're still here. 253 00:14:59,390 --> 00:15:01,300 But have carried out the mission. 254 00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:03,410 The Lord, your God gave you. 255 00:15:04,540 --> 00:15:05,680 And it's a tough mission. 256 00:15:05,750 --> 00:15:07,160 It's not easy. 257 00:15:10,260 --> 00:15:10,970 The mission. 258 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:13,560 The mission. 259 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:16,539 We all have a mission. 260 00:15:17,780 --> 00:15:18,820 You're what is his name? 261 00:15:18,860 --> 00:15:19,659 Ethan Hunt. 262 00:15:21,179 --> 00:15:23,020 You've received a mission. 263 00:15:24,250 --> 00:15:26,569 Now, I think sometimes it gets a little foggy. 264 00:15:26,569 --> 00:15:28,299 What exactly is our mission? 265 00:15:29,490 --> 00:15:30,850 What are we here for? 266 00:15:31,550 --> 00:15:32,610 What are we doing? 267 00:15:32,630 --> 00:15:36,110 I've had a number of people ask me, what's our purpose? 268 00:15:36,110 --> 00:15:37,470 What are we supposed to be doing? 269 00:15:37,470 --> 00:15:41,129 We, what's the future of the Orange County Church? 270 00:15:41,150 --> 00:15:42,369 Where are we going? 271 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:46,589 And trying to figure out and I think it's easy, but there's 272 00:15:46,590 --> 00:15:47,709 actually a technical term. 273 00:15:47,710 --> 00:15:48,860 It's called mission drift. 274 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,030 It happens in organizations all the time. 275 00:15:52,230 --> 00:15:53,814 They lose sight of the mission. 276 00:15:54,564 --> 00:15:57,385 Or they get caught up in the details of the mission, and 277 00:15:57,385 --> 00:16:00,224 the details end up becoming the mission instead of the mission. 278 00:16:00,974 --> 00:16:04,535 And they end up getting focused on fulfilling the details instead 279 00:16:04,545 --> 00:16:06,564 of fulfilling the mission. 280 00:16:06,675 --> 00:16:07,974 And that's called mission drift. 281 00:16:09,114 --> 00:16:11,194 And they lose heart, or they lose sight. 282 00:16:11,694 --> 00:16:15,954 And of course, the Bible's full of that story. 283 00:16:16,645 --> 00:16:20,645 Of God's people struggling to understand the mission. 284 00:16:20,645 --> 00:16:22,755 So what is our mission? 285 00:16:23,775 --> 00:16:28,504 Is the mission to baptize as many as possible. 286 00:16:29,384 --> 00:16:30,854 Is that our mission? 287 00:16:30,854 --> 00:16:35,234 I think for many years, that seemed to be the clear mission that 288 00:16:35,234 --> 00:16:37,114 ties as many people as possible. 289 00:16:37,854 --> 00:16:40,214 Is it to be the largest church? 290 00:16:41,175 --> 00:16:47,234 Is that our mission to be the mega, mega, mega church and pack the seats 291 00:16:47,234 --> 00:16:51,234 and pack the halls and have big church buildings and big church things. 292 00:16:52,165 --> 00:16:53,905 Is it to grow the most? 293 00:16:54,464 --> 00:16:59,125 Is it to outgrow everybody else and be the fastest growing? 294 00:16:59,704 --> 00:17:02,545 Or to offer the most services? 295 00:17:03,245 --> 00:17:05,364 To be better than the YMCA? 296 00:17:06,104 --> 00:17:10,243 To, to have everything, to have more on our little card of things that we 297 00:17:10,243 --> 00:17:12,605 provide in the committee than the YMCA. 298 00:17:12,835 --> 00:17:16,585 And certainly we know all those things have been part of our history. 299 00:17:17,700 --> 00:17:21,138 We know all those things have been part of us, but we know it's not just 300 00:17:21,148 --> 00:17:24,969 baptized because in that case you'd have to give the victory to the Mormons 301 00:17:25,010 --> 00:17:26,439 because they baptize even the dead. 302 00:17:26,439 --> 00:17:27,618 They baptize everybody. 303 00:17:28,169 --> 00:17:32,939 You don't have to be there, so it's not just baptizing as many people as possible. 304 00:17:32,939 --> 00:17:36,139 We know it's not to be the largest church because some of the largest 305 00:17:36,149 --> 00:17:40,810 churches, especially recently, have gone down in flames because of the 306 00:17:40,820 --> 00:17:42,980 challenges that large churches face. 307 00:17:43,705 --> 00:17:47,965 And the pressure that goes on leaders and how they fall and crash. 308 00:17:49,055 --> 00:17:52,315 And we know it's not just to grow the most because some of the weirdest movements 309 00:17:52,315 --> 00:17:53,845 are the ones that have grown the most. 310 00:17:56,665 --> 00:17:59,804 We know it's not just to offer the most services. 311 00:18:00,874 --> 00:18:02,825 Because we do look at the book of Acts. 312 00:18:02,825 --> 00:18:06,135 What are the services the church in the book of Acts gave? 313 00:18:06,805 --> 00:18:09,365 Not much beyond spirituality. 314 00:18:10,135 --> 00:18:12,105 Not that it's wrong to offer services. 315 00:18:12,375 --> 00:18:13,105 We serve. 316 00:18:13,105 --> 00:18:13,745 We're servants. 317 00:18:13,745 --> 00:18:14,135 Amen. 318 00:18:14,845 --> 00:18:17,034 So, of course, so what's the question? 319 00:18:17,034 --> 00:18:19,695 What is the mission today? 320 00:18:20,425 --> 00:18:22,504 To what are we sacrificing? 321 00:18:23,695 --> 00:18:26,004 For what cause are we giving money? 322 00:18:27,085 --> 00:18:34,274 For what motivation do we continue doing this year after year after year? 323 00:18:35,494 --> 00:18:40,895 And of course, we're disciples of Jesus, so we look to Jesus for our answers. 324 00:18:42,125 --> 00:18:42,764 We. 325 00:18:43,969 --> 00:18:49,459 Most of us here came to believe, repented and got baptized, and we 326 00:18:49,459 --> 00:18:51,530 got the gift of the Holy Spirit. 327 00:18:52,619 --> 00:18:53,739 What does he want? 328 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,070 What does he say the mission is? 329 00:18:58,220 --> 00:19:01,379 What does God say the mission? 330 00:19:01,380 --> 00:19:06,140 If we asked him, what is the definition of the mission? 331 00:19:06,730 --> 00:19:08,249 How would he answer it? 332 00:19:08,250 --> 00:19:10,530 If we ask Jesus, Jesus, what's the mission? 333 00:19:11,795 --> 00:19:17,625 Well, he did talk about it a lot, and he said a lot about it in John 3 16, the 334 00:19:17,625 --> 00:19:22,005 one we all know, if you've ever watched a football game for God, so love the 335 00:19:22,005 --> 00:19:26,624 world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall 336 00:19:26,624 --> 00:19:32,265 not perish, but have eternal life for God did not send the sun into the world 337 00:19:32,265 --> 00:19:38,465 to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him, his mission. 338 00:19:38,550 --> 00:19:45,960 It was to save the whole world, save all of us, save you and me. 339 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,060 That's his mission, right? 340 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,770 He said on hearing this in Mark two, we read on hearing this. 341 00:19:50,770 --> 00:19:55,149 Jesus said to them, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 342 00:19:55,540 --> 00:19:58,330 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. 343 00:20:01,610 --> 00:20:04,280 If you're a sinner, you're his mission. 344 00:20:05,959 --> 00:20:12,719 His mission was to help us get out of our own sin and rescue us from that. 345 00:20:13,539 --> 00:20:17,789 And Luke 4, 43 somebody said, I must proclaim the good news of the 346 00:20:17,789 --> 00:20:23,639 kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent. 347 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,019 So you want to know why Jesus came? 348 00:20:26,199 --> 00:20:29,629 To proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. 349 00:20:30,529 --> 00:20:31,659 That's why he came. 350 00:20:32,344 --> 00:20:33,665 That was his mission. 351 00:20:33,804 --> 00:20:35,395 And they try to stop his mission. 352 00:20:35,534 --> 00:20:36,925 They try to get him to stay in town. 353 00:20:36,955 --> 00:20:37,844 He just kept going. 354 00:20:38,014 --> 00:20:41,965 He said, I just got to keep preaching because that is exactly why I'm here. 355 00:20:43,094 --> 00:20:48,274 Paul told Timothy, he said, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 356 00:20:49,094 --> 00:20:53,425 So if you're a sinner today, you're the mission. 357 00:20:54,705 --> 00:20:55,635 You're his mission. 358 00:20:57,625 --> 00:21:00,175 Jesus, when he began his ministry. 359 00:21:00,735 --> 00:21:04,365 He said, the spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me 360 00:21:04,625 --> 00:21:06,475 to proclaim good news to the poor. 361 00:21:06,645 --> 00:21:11,245 He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the 362 00:21:11,245 --> 00:21:16,704 blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 363 00:21:17,504 --> 00:21:19,444 I mean, what a great mission statement. 364 00:21:20,834 --> 00:21:23,124 That was his first sermon, officially. 365 00:21:24,564 --> 00:21:26,544 So this is what my mission is. 366 00:21:27,204 --> 00:21:28,644 Here's his mission statement. 367 00:21:29,345 --> 00:21:38,015 To set you free, to bring you good news, to help you see, to heal you. 368 00:21:38,745 --> 00:21:45,045 And Jesus said, For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind 369 00:21:45,045 --> 00:21:50,285 will see, and those who will see will become, those who see will become blind. 370 00:21:50,335 --> 00:21:51,575 Whoa, that's a scary one. 371 00:21:53,995 --> 00:21:58,334 Some people who think they see are going to be blind. 372 00:21:59,594 --> 00:22:03,064 And some people who are blind, they're going to see it. 373 00:22:03,965 --> 00:22:05,225 They're going to get it. 374 00:22:06,374 --> 00:22:09,235 They're going to, they're going to understand this. 375 00:22:10,865 --> 00:22:15,675 And that's why Jesus came to help us understand the parable. 376 00:22:15,675 --> 00:22:19,474 The sower was not for non Christian visitors is for us. 377 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:28,450 Call us to listen, to understand, to let the word penetrate, let the word change 378 00:22:28,450 --> 00:22:32,379 us, grow roots in the word of God, get rid of the rocks and the weeds that 379 00:22:32,380 --> 00:22:37,859 try to tangle out our faith and to bear much fruit out of this in our lives. 380 00:22:38,369 --> 00:22:42,650 And right after he shared that, he said, but it, but it was said of Isaiah that 381 00:22:42,660 --> 00:22:46,440 they will be ever seeing, but never understanding, ever hearing, but never 382 00:22:46,830 --> 00:22:52,119 perceiving or the other way around, not perceiving, not understanding. 383 00:22:54,310 --> 00:23:01,070 His mission was to help us perceive and understand, help us to see and understand. 384 00:23:03,300 --> 00:23:07,549 John 10 10, the classic statement, Jesus said, I've come that they may 385 00:23:07,549 --> 00:23:10,970 have life and have it abundantly. 386 00:23:12,700 --> 00:23:14,720 He wants you to have life. 387 00:23:15,890 --> 00:23:18,890 And you know, it's that word sewing, not bios. 388 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,160 Not bios, which is just a living organism. 389 00:23:22,860 --> 00:23:29,570 But Zoe, the quality of life, the good life, La Pura Vida, to give us 390 00:23:29,570 --> 00:23:32,980 the life that we all want to have, that you want to have, I want to have. 391 00:23:33,729 --> 00:23:36,550 That we want for our children, that we want for our grandchildren, 392 00:23:36,559 --> 00:23:39,700 that we want for everybody we love. 393 00:23:41,039 --> 00:23:42,820 Life in abundance. 394 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:44,639 And that, he said, knowing 395 00:23:47,220 --> 00:23:52,339 that the Lord of this world is not Jesus, but the Lord of this world. 396 00:23:52,865 --> 00:23:53,995 It's Satan himself. 397 00:23:55,305 --> 00:23:59,855 He knew that he knew that in this world we would have troubles. 398 00:24:00,735 --> 00:24:02,305 It would be difficult. 399 00:24:02,915 --> 00:24:04,554 We would be challenged. 400 00:24:05,685 --> 00:24:12,565 And even with all that, we can have life in abundance. 401 00:24:13,805 --> 00:24:15,735 It's what Jesus's mission was. 402 00:24:16,355 --> 00:24:19,815 In first john three, eight, the son of God appeared for this purpose. 403 00:24:20,850 --> 00:24:22,270 It tells right there, straight up. 404 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:26,060 Here's why it came to destroy the works of the devil. 405 00:24:28,350 --> 00:24:34,679 And we know the works of the devil to deceive us, to lead us in the 406 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:40,760 wrong way, to undermine our trust in God, our trust in each other, to 407 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:46,360 divide us, to keep us separate and keep us from loving one another, to 408 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:49,799 cause us to distrust and not believe. 409 00:24:51,690 --> 00:24:55,720 And unfortunately, we constantly provide him with arrows to shoot at us 410 00:24:57,389 --> 00:24:59,469 because of our sin and our weaknesses. 411 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,690 But Jesus said, I came to undo his work. 412 00:25:03,690 --> 00:25:09,330 He challenged Satan for the hearts of women and men. 413 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:11,860 That's why he came. 414 00:25:13,010 --> 00:25:14,960 And then the big one in Luke 19. 415 00:25:15,470 --> 00:25:24,419 Jesus said, for the son of man has come to seek and save that which was lost, lost. 416 00:25:26,220 --> 00:25:29,540 It's where we get the term, the world is lost. 417 00:25:29,860 --> 00:25:30,870 People are lost. 418 00:25:31,810 --> 00:25:33,790 We are lost in this world. 419 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,149 What was lost? 420 00:25:38,150 --> 00:25:44,059 I mean, we know he came for all these reasons. 421 00:25:44,490 --> 00:25:45,540 This was his mission. 422 00:25:46,380 --> 00:25:53,490 To save us, to help us, to set us free, to rescue us, to heal us, which is, 423 00:25:53,820 --> 00:25:57,050 the older I get as a Christian, the more I see how much we need healing, 424 00:25:58,899 --> 00:26:03,009 to heal us, to recover what was lost. 425 00:26:03,030 --> 00:26:04,820 But what was lost? 426 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:12,870 What did we lose or what did he lose that he wanted back? 427 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,430 He told a whole chapter about that. 428 00:26:15,855 --> 00:26:20,074 Finding what was lost, describing what was lost. 429 00:26:20,074 --> 00:26:24,014 I've asked several groups what was lost. 430 00:26:24,034 --> 00:26:25,134 And it's amazing to me. 431 00:26:25,134 --> 00:26:26,294 People always know. 432 00:26:27,395 --> 00:26:29,685 Not everybody, but there's somebody that's always just nails it. 433 00:26:31,085 --> 00:26:40,445 What was lost that Jesus came back to recover in Genesis 1 when it all began. 434 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:41,879 Reread. 435 00:26:41,889 --> 00:26:42,810 We read. 436 00:26:42,830 --> 00:26:45,740 So God created mankind in his own image. 437 00:26:46,270 --> 00:26:49,110 In the image of God, he created them male and female. 438 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:50,030 He created them. 439 00:26:50,489 --> 00:26:54,519 God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number, 440 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,500 fill the earth and subdue it. 441 00:26:56,790 --> 00:27:00,629 Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky over the every live 442 00:27:00,690 --> 00:27:02,620 living creature that moves on the ground. 443 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:06,840 Then God said, I give you every seed bearing plant on the face 444 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:10,190 of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seeds in it. 445 00:27:10,594 --> 00:27:12,544 They will be yours for food. 446 00:27:13,145 --> 00:27:15,514 Vegetarians love this one, because they say, See, he said 447 00:27:15,514 --> 00:27:16,645 the plants, not the animals. 448 00:27:19,514 --> 00:27:23,735 And to all the beasts of the earth, and the birds in the sky, and all the 449 00:27:23,735 --> 00:27:27,745 creatures that move along the ground, everything that has breath of life in 450 00:27:27,745 --> 00:27:30,894 it, I give every green plant for food. 451 00:27:31,724 --> 00:27:32,484 And it was so. 452 00:27:32,744 --> 00:27:36,955 Thankfully, later on, he told Peter to kill and eat, so that you can have 453 00:27:36,955 --> 00:27:38,384 your steak with a clear conscience. 454 00:27:41,695 --> 00:27:49,475 But God saw all that he had made and it was very good. 455 00:27:50,664 --> 00:27:54,145 And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 456 00:27:54,914 --> 00:27:56,335 This is how it all began. 457 00:27:57,164 --> 00:27:58,905 We were with God. 458 00:28:00,175 --> 00:28:01,835 We were one with him. 459 00:28:02,825 --> 00:28:03,865 There was no pain. 460 00:28:03,865 --> 00:28:04,685 There was no suffering. 461 00:28:04,685 --> 00:28:05,905 There wasn't even death. 462 00:28:07,225 --> 00:28:09,315 We walked with God. 463 00:28:10,075 --> 00:28:11,865 In complete unity. 464 00:28:11,865 --> 00:28:13,504 It was a time of harmony. 465 00:28:14,205 --> 00:28:15,675 It was a time of being one. 466 00:28:15,675 --> 00:28:18,225 It was a continuous state of shalom. 467 00:28:18,865 --> 00:28:25,304 It was, it was that place that every single one of us wants in our heart to 468 00:28:25,314 --> 00:28:33,375 be confident, to be secure, to be happy, to be joyful, to be at peace, to be able 469 00:28:33,375 --> 00:28:36,635 to overcome whatever challenges we face. 470 00:28:38,270 --> 00:28:42,710 To be loved and to be able to love. 471 00:28:45,740 --> 00:28:46,850 That's where it all started 472 00:28:48,940 --> 00:28:49,690 and we lost it. 473 00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:51,960 We lost it. 474 00:28:53,280 --> 00:29:01,550 We lost that perfect unity with God and the entire Bible is the 475 00:29:01,550 --> 00:29:09,020 story of getting that back and getting back to that he said. 476 00:29:09,495 --> 00:29:11,535 When we were there, it was good. 477 00:29:11,585 --> 00:29:13,585 No, it was very good. 478 00:29:13,635 --> 00:29:15,395 Tov Me'od in Hebrew. 479 00:29:15,525 --> 00:29:18,225 Not just good, really good. 480 00:29:19,395 --> 00:29:20,805 That's the way it's supposed to be. 481 00:29:22,095 --> 00:29:23,765 That is the way it's supposed to be. 482 00:29:24,075 --> 00:29:26,154 I love how the message describes it. 483 00:29:27,454 --> 00:29:31,795 He says, God, in the message version, the translation says, God created 484 00:29:31,795 --> 00:29:33,995 human beings, He created them God like. 485 00:29:33,995 --> 00:29:35,025 He created them like Him. 486 00:29:35,135 --> 00:29:36,814 They're like, you look like me. 487 00:29:38,700 --> 00:29:44,480 Reflecting God's nature at peace and righteousness and purity 488 00:29:44,650 --> 00:29:49,109 and wholeness, healthy, happy. 489 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:51,430 He created them male and female. 490 00:29:51,450 --> 00:29:52,730 God blessed them. 491 00:29:53,029 --> 00:29:55,219 God looked over everything He had made. 492 00:29:55,420 --> 00:29:58,350 It was so good, so very good. 493 00:29:59,165 --> 00:30:00,825 It was evening and it was morning. 494 00:30:02,465 --> 00:30:03,205 It was awesome. 495 00:30:04,505 --> 00:30:08,765 You think about how hard it is to deal with death. 496 00:30:10,505 --> 00:30:12,135 When somebody we love dies. 497 00:30:13,255 --> 00:30:14,255 They don't have to deal with that. 498 00:30:15,195 --> 00:30:19,295 How hard it is when somebody we love is in sickness. 499 00:30:20,275 --> 00:30:21,155 In pain. 500 00:30:21,985 --> 00:30:22,965 In suffering. 501 00:30:23,745 --> 00:30:28,045 When somebody we care about is chained in an addiction. 502 00:30:29,445 --> 00:30:30,625 How hard it is. 503 00:30:31,295 --> 00:30:33,205 to watch the effects of sin. 504 00:30:35,285 --> 00:30:36,365 It wasn't happening then. 505 00:30:37,155 --> 00:30:42,405 We were in that place with God in perfect harmony with him. 506 00:30:43,235 --> 00:30:46,705 And I know that can sound kind of like a mythology or a story. 507 00:30:47,015 --> 00:30:48,275 It's real. 508 00:30:49,915 --> 00:30:52,965 It's where everything started out. 509 00:30:54,235 --> 00:30:55,595 And we all long for that. 510 00:30:56,625 --> 00:30:59,165 We all deep in our hearts want that. 511 00:30:59,975 --> 00:31:04,285 It's the story from Genesis to Revelation is getting back to that. 512 00:31:05,665 --> 00:31:08,345 Isaiah wrote, Seek the Lord while he may be found. 513 00:31:08,625 --> 00:31:10,245 Call on him while he is near. 514 00:31:10,415 --> 00:31:13,955 Let the wicked forsake their ways, and the unrighteous their thoughts. 515 00:31:14,145 --> 00:31:17,475 Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them. 516 00:31:18,055 --> 00:31:20,965 And to our God, for he will freely pardon. 517 00:31:22,395 --> 00:31:26,905 God is inviting us back into that relationship again. 518 00:31:27,735 --> 00:31:29,935 into that life again. 519 00:31:30,105 --> 00:31:32,415 Jesus said, I give you my peace. 520 00:31:32,765 --> 00:31:37,145 I have come that you may have life in abundance even. 521 00:31:37,145 --> 00:31:39,525 And you don't even have to wait till you die and go to heaven. 522 00:31:40,885 --> 00:31:43,355 You can have it now today. 523 00:31:45,185 --> 00:31:46,635 Yeah, but Robert, my life's hard. 524 00:31:46,635 --> 00:31:48,835 We got this problem, that problem, sickness, all this. 525 00:31:49,035 --> 00:31:55,135 Yes, but even in the midst of all that, God can heal us and strengthen 526 00:31:55,135 --> 00:31:57,275 us and help us in our weakness. 527 00:31:57,335 --> 00:32:02,705 This is what he is working towards. 528 00:32:03,015 --> 00:32:08,025 This is his mission to get us to be back with him. 529 00:32:08,515 --> 00:32:10,545 And we know how this story ends. 530 00:32:10,995 --> 00:32:13,205 Let's just jump to the last scene of the story. 531 00:32:13,835 --> 00:32:16,855 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven. 532 00:32:16,855 --> 00:32:19,685 And the first earth had passed away. 533 00:32:20,595 --> 00:32:22,015 And there was no longer any sea. 534 00:32:22,025 --> 00:32:26,020 And there was I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of 535 00:32:26,030 --> 00:32:30,230 heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. 536 00:32:30,530 --> 00:32:33,990 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! 537 00:32:34,620 --> 00:32:39,940 God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. 538 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:46,700 They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them, and be their God. 539 00:32:47,100 --> 00:32:52,240 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, There will be no more death, or 540 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:58,370 mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. 541 00:32:58,370 --> 00:33:04,730 He says, he who is seated in the throne said, I am making everything new. 542 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:11,790 And then he said, write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. 543 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:14,320 That's really gonna happen. 544 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:18,180 That is really gonna happen. 545 00:33:18,765 --> 00:33:21,955 And I know, you know, we, we might be like, yeah, of course. 546 00:33:21,985 --> 00:33:24,385 And then someone's like, I don't know, that sounds too good to 547 00:33:24,415 --> 00:33:31,015 be true, but it really is, these words are trustworthy and too true. 548 00:33:31,135 --> 00:33:38,035 And he says, we'll be with him and he'll be with us and he'll wipe away your tears. 549 00:33:39,395 --> 00:33:41,345 Who wipes your tears right now? 550 00:33:42,665 --> 00:33:45,955 Only people we are intimately close to, right? 551 00:33:48,210 --> 00:33:55,270 People who love us, who are there for us, that we care about and care about us. 552 00:33:57,460 --> 00:33:58,790 That's who wipes our tears. 553 00:34:00,300 --> 00:34:01,480 Genesis to revelation. 554 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:02,470 What's the mission? 555 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,700 Everyone with God forever, 556 00:34:08,790 --> 00:34:09,929 but it has to happen now. 557 00:34:11,860 --> 00:34:13,989 Now is when we introduce ourselves to God. 558 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,360 Now is when we become one with God. 559 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:19,330 Nobody's going to meet God in heaven and be with him. 560 00:34:20,135 --> 00:34:21,284 We meet him now. 561 00:34:22,295 --> 00:34:23,614 We set it up now. 562 00:34:24,235 --> 00:34:25,235 We clear the path. 563 00:34:25,255 --> 00:34:26,215 We walk the walk. 564 00:34:26,225 --> 00:34:31,675 We live with him now, and we reap the benefits of that. 565 00:34:32,014 --> 00:34:34,315 Now, we are blessed. 566 00:34:35,775 --> 00:34:41,155 God's mission is that you be with him forever. 567 00:34:42,455 --> 00:34:43,215 Forever. 568 00:34:44,574 --> 00:34:45,495 That's his mission. 569 00:34:46,205 --> 00:34:47,864 And the person sitting next to you. 570 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:52,820 And the person behind you and your children who are here and your children 571 00:34:52,820 --> 00:34:57,890 who are not here and your grandchildren and your unborn grandchildren. 572 00:34:59,180 --> 00:35:04,260 God's mission is that they all be there with him because that is true 573 00:35:04,290 --> 00:35:06,100 and right and it's going to happen. 574 00:35:06,210 --> 00:35:10,160 And some of us, we come to church and we keep coming and we keep doing, but 575 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,420 we have doubts and we have struggles and we're still going to make it. 576 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:15,980 But on that day we're going to go, dang, this was true. 577 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,080 I think a lot of us are going to be at least a little bit shocked. 578 00:35:21,100 --> 00:35:23,420 Wow, thank God I didn't quit. 579 00:35:24,700 --> 00:35:26,780 Thank God I didn't walk away from the Lord. 580 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:29,560 Thank God I persevered. 581 00:35:31,290 --> 00:35:33,160 And it's going to be a great day. 582 00:35:33,990 --> 00:35:35,190 It's going to be awesome. 583 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:37,240 That's the mission. 584 00:35:37,950 --> 00:35:38,620 Do we get that? 585 00:35:39,810 --> 00:35:41,820 That's the mission. 586 00:35:43,530 --> 00:35:46,080 Everybody with God forever. 587 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:46,120 Amen. 588 00:35:47,700 --> 00:35:49,320 So that's an outrageous mission. 589 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:50,500 Is that realistic? 590 00:35:52,570 --> 00:35:53,420 By faith? 591 00:35:54,590 --> 00:35:55,610 Yes. 592 00:35:57,320 --> 00:35:59,230 Will everybody turn to God? 593 00:35:59,230 --> 00:35:59,580 No. 594 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:03,380 That doesn't mean he loves them any less. 595 00:36:05,740 --> 00:36:08,100 Jesus didn't die for the righteous. 596 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:10,050 He died for sinners. 597 00:36:11,070 --> 00:36:12,730 He came for all of us. 598 00:36:12,740 --> 00:36:14,760 So why would he do all this? 599 00:36:15,790 --> 00:36:20,320 Love, love, It's the greatest command. 600 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:21,800 It's the greatest attribute. 601 00:36:22,330 --> 00:36:24,130 It covers a multitude of sins. 602 00:36:24,330 --> 00:36:26,650 It never fails. 603 00:36:28,550 --> 00:36:30,220 It's what God is. 604 00:36:30,930 --> 00:36:32,690 God is love. 605 00:36:32,700 --> 00:36:37,000 That's why, why does he want to spend the day with you? 606 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,550 Why does he want to spend eternity with you? 607 00:36:41,790 --> 00:36:44,200 Because he loves you. 608 00:36:46,060 --> 00:36:51,260 With a love Honestly, we struggle to even begin to grasp that love. 609 00:36:53,310 --> 00:36:56,260 I think about, we have three kids. 610 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,900 I can remember the day every one of them was born. 611 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:04,850 You know that feeling, Kyle, when you first held your son. 612 00:37:05,740 --> 00:37:08,060 You just feel like, love. 613 00:37:09,970 --> 00:37:11,690 You just, wow. 614 00:37:13,050 --> 00:37:15,180 You just feel like you're going to explode with love. 615 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:17,910 That little teeny being. 616 00:37:18,805 --> 00:37:20,515 Who's not going to ever pay rent. 617 00:37:22,865 --> 00:37:29,855 Who's going to be years before he does any chores who may never contribute 618 00:37:29,885 --> 00:37:40,115 much economically to you and will cost you a lot, but you just love him. 619 00:37:40,975 --> 00:37:45,445 Even though he poops on you and pees on you and vomits. 620 00:37:45,445 --> 00:37:46,685 Well, I guess I'm not supposed to say that. 621 00:37:46,685 --> 00:37:46,925 Sorry. 622 00:37:49,140 --> 00:37:51,690 But you love him anyways, right? 623 00:37:53,770 --> 00:37:55,510 Would you not lay down your life for him? 624 00:37:57,930 --> 00:38:00,140 We know many of us who've had children. 625 00:38:00,790 --> 00:38:04,560 Our grandson was born three weeks ago. 626 00:38:08,550 --> 00:38:12,340 He was born with some pretty serious health issues. 627 00:38:13,310 --> 00:38:18,000 He's going to be facing major surgeries in the next few months. 628 00:38:20,015 --> 00:38:26,235 And I remember when we found out, first of all, how painful it was to 629 00:38:26,235 --> 00:38:31,475 think that little guy's going to suffer so much in his first year of life. 630 00:38:32,595 --> 00:38:36,405 And you know, as a parent, you don't want to see your kids suffer. 631 00:38:37,395 --> 00:38:43,265 And what was equally, equally painful was seeing my son and daughter 632 00:38:43,265 --> 00:38:47,635 in law weep over his suffering. 633 00:38:48,865 --> 00:38:50,265 And what he would be going through. 634 00:38:51,595 --> 00:39:01,355 I thought about God, where his Children, how much it hurts him when we suffer, 635 00:39:02,495 --> 00:39:09,115 when we go through hardships, when things are not going well for us. 636 00:39:10,145 --> 00:39:13,915 And he's a far better father than I'll ever be than any of us will ever be. 637 00:39:15,495 --> 00:39:20,505 And he loves us more Then we could ever even capable of loving anyone. 638 00:39:22,505 --> 00:39:28,985 But I know how hard that is to see somebody you love so much. 639 00:39:30,125 --> 00:39:38,955 When I was serving hope worldwide, it was a very spiritually impacting time because 640 00:39:38,955 --> 00:39:47,205 God took me to the poorest villages on the planet in India, Africa, and Asia. 641 00:39:48,045 --> 00:39:53,295 In Latin America, all over the world, in the Middle East, I sat in refugee 642 00:39:53,295 --> 00:39:58,475 camps and broke bread with people who gave me their last piece of bread 643 00:39:59,315 --> 00:40:01,025 because they wanted to give to me. 644 00:40:02,025 --> 00:40:06,865 And I saw them weeping, I wept with women who buried their children 645 00:40:07,935 --> 00:40:11,335 because they couldn't afford the medicine that any of us could run 646 00:40:11,335 --> 00:40:13,315 down to Walgreens and buy on any day. 647 00:40:15,475 --> 00:40:16,865 And the amount of pain and suffering. 648 00:40:18,165 --> 00:40:23,415 And I kept thinking about God because I would get on a plane and come home to 649 00:40:23,415 --> 00:40:26,345 my beautiful city and my beautiful home. 650 00:40:27,435 --> 00:40:32,485 But God would still be there with them holding their hand, hurting 651 00:40:32,485 --> 00:40:35,005 over them, hurting over them. 652 00:40:36,065 --> 00:40:42,275 And even as I've studied spirituality and the effects on humans when 653 00:40:42,275 --> 00:40:47,555 we're not spiritual and seeing the connection It's just, it's not third 654 00:40:47,555 --> 00:40:49,235 world countries alone that suffer. 655 00:40:49,925 --> 00:40:51,275 We suffer right here. 656 00:40:52,205 --> 00:40:54,335 We have lots of suffering around us. 657 00:40:54,875 --> 00:40:56,735 We have lots of pain around us. 658 00:40:57,185 --> 00:41:03,125 You know that Orange County divorce rate is 72%, 72%. 659 00:41:03,125 --> 00:41:11,465 Seven out of every 10 marriages within 10 years will be divorced, 20% higher. 660 00:41:11,465 --> 00:41:14,555 And this is one of the wealthiest parts of the of the world. 661 00:41:15,530 --> 00:41:16,650 And yet we suffer. 662 00:41:17,420 --> 00:41:18,850 We suffer. 663 00:41:19,460 --> 00:41:26,560 Why is it that over 700 people have died from drug overdose right here 664 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:28,020 in Orange County in the last year? 665 00:41:29,510 --> 00:41:36,330 What was so painful in their lives that they had to escape and had no solution 666 00:41:36,890 --> 00:41:41,160 but to numb themselves out to the point, literally to the point of death? 667 00:41:42,375 --> 00:41:48,375 Why have 7, 000 people in the last three years taken their 668 00:41:48,375 --> 00:41:51,795 lives, committed suicide? 669 00:41:52,985 --> 00:41:55,045 And I know the pain of suicide. 670 00:41:55,605 --> 00:41:57,295 My mother committed suicide. 671 00:41:58,105 --> 00:42:01,875 And I know that she reached a point that was so low, so hopeless, so 672 00:42:01,875 --> 00:42:05,085 painful, she couldn't endure it anymore. 673 00:42:06,455 --> 00:42:09,484 What drives people to that level? 674 00:42:10,315 --> 00:42:13,675 That's, that's twice as many people has died in 9 11. 675 00:42:14,775 --> 00:42:18,255 They took their own lives in despair. 676 00:42:19,715 --> 00:42:20,895 God's watching. 677 00:42:21,715 --> 00:42:26,315 You know, you can, you know, well, that's not me, that's not my family, who cares? 678 00:42:27,475 --> 00:42:28,705 God cares. 679 00:42:29,475 --> 00:42:30,865 And God's people care. 680 00:42:33,405 --> 00:42:37,575 God cares because He loves us all. 681 00:42:38,955 --> 00:42:40,529 He cares when you're hurting. 682 00:42:41,460 --> 00:42:47,910 When you're in pain and he's there, even when we don't acknowledge him, even when 683 00:42:47,910 --> 00:42:50,940 we don't turn to him, he's always there. 684 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:56,530 Even when we're in darkness, God can see in the dark and he is 685 00:42:56,530 --> 00:43:05,830 there and the mission, the mission is to save everybody, to bring us 686 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:10,570 all into his presence and heal us. 687 00:43:11,165 --> 00:43:13,185 And give us hope and give us life. 688 00:43:15,065 --> 00:43:15,955 That's his mission. 689 00:43:16,905 --> 00:43:18,395 That's the mission of God. 690 00:43:18,905 --> 00:43:20,495 But things get in the way, don't they? 691 00:43:21,515 --> 00:43:23,145 Things get in the way of the mission. 692 00:43:23,675 --> 00:43:24,685 What gets in the way? 693 00:43:24,685 --> 00:43:25,975 Well, we got obstacles. 694 00:43:26,505 --> 00:43:28,075 Our sin gets in the way. 695 00:43:28,895 --> 00:43:30,385 Our own sin gets in the way. 696 00:43:30,835 --> 00:43:32,805 We get caught up in sin. 697 00:43:32,805 --> 00:43:35,485 We, we, sin blocks us from God. 698 00:43:35,605 --> 00:43:36,445 It gets in the way. 699 00:43:36,445 --> 00:43:37,485 It creates walls. 700 00:43:37,890 --> 00:43:41,550 And even when he gives us solutions like baptism, where all our sins 701 00:43:41,550 --> 00:43:44,640 are washed away, it's very easy to get back right back into trouble. 702 00:43:45,780 --> 00:43:47,050 Sin gets in the way. 703 00:43:47,390 --> 00:43:48,270 Our weaknesses. 704 00:43:48,270 --> 00:43:49,340 We're all weak. 705 00:43:49,410 --> 00:43:50,450 Every one of us. 706 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:53,310 We all have our weaknesses. 707 00:43:54,490 --> 00:43:55,730 And that gets in the way. 708 00:43:56,830 --> 00:43:59,640 The evil one gets in the way. 709 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:01,520 He's trying. 710 00:44:02,120 --> 00:44:08,780 To divide us and fill us with despair and, and rob us of our faith and 711 00:44:08,780 --> 00:44:10,570 turn us to hate rather than love. 712 00:44:11,750 --> 00:44:17,640 I appreciate so much that communion, compassion, that is 713 00:44:17,640 --> 00:44:22,300 God having compassion, ignorance. 714 00:44:23,130 --> 00:44:24,550 People don't know who God is. 715 00:44:24,550 --> 00:44:25,760 They don't know how loving is. 716 00:44:25,940 --> 00:44:28,000 They don't know how good God is. 717 00:44:29,840 --> 00:44:34,820 And so many of us Have gotten a just terrible theology over 718 00:44:34,820 --> 00:44:36,990 the years that's not healthy. 719 00:44:36,990 --> 00:44:37,830 It's not helpful. 720 00:44:38,620 --> 00:44:40,280 And he uses that ignorance. 721 00:44:41,220 --> 00:44:47,070 Everything that separates us is what gets in the way this world gets in the way. 722 00:44:47,430 --> 00:44:48,830 We live a hurried life. 723 00:44:48,830 --> 00:44:51,850 We have so much to do, so many places to go. 724 00:44:51,930 --> 00:44:56,650 There's so much traffic and we have so many distractions and 725 00:44:56,660 --> 00:44:58,260 things getting our attention. 726 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:00,460 Attention is the new currency. 727 00:45:01,005 --> 00:45:04,865 Everything is trying to get your attention and get you to focus on it. 728 00:45:06,015 --> 00:45:07,485 Instead of on Jesus. 729 00:45:08,435 --> 00:45:09,935 Instead of on the scriptures. 730 00:45:09,965 --> 00:45:12,125 Instead of on the spirit of God. 731 00:45:13,035 --> 00:45:16,145 That will build us up and make us healthy and help us to overcome 732 00:45:16,375 --> 00:45:21,255 things that will tear us down, make us depressed, angry, upset, and hopeless. 733 00:45:22,175 --> 00:45:26,105 Distractions, and social pressure, and social conflict, and global 734 00:45:26,105 --> 00:45:30,085 conflicts, and isolation, and all of this junk that's happening. 735 00:45:30,145 --> 00:45:33,965 And these are terrible times. 736 00:45:36,525 --> 00:45:37,525 We live in it. 737 00:45:38,485 --> 00:45:41,885 And even all the beauty of nice cars and beautiful homes and 738 00:45:41,885 --> 00:45:44,195 palm trees doesn't cover it up. 739 00:45:45,255 --> 00:45:46,155 It's still there. 740 00:45:46,215 --> 00:45:47,305 And we know it, right? 741 00:45:47,935 --> 00:45:48,575 We know it. 742 00:45:48,675 --> 00:45:49,405 We're living it. 743 00:45:50,315 --> 00:45:51,735 We know it. 744 00:45:53,345 --> 00:45:56,825 Augustine of Hipple, one of my favorite quotes, he said, You 745 00:45:56,825 --> 00:45:58,725 have made us for yourself, O Lord. 746 00:46:00,175 --> 00:46:03,295 And our hearts are restless until they rest in you. 747 00:46:04,335 --> 00:46:06,805 We have this big hole inside us. 748 00:46:08,085 --> 00:46:09,575 Only God can fill. 749 00:46:10,615 --> 00:46:11,665 Everybody does. 750 00:46:12,195 --> 00:46:17,635 And everybody tries to fill it with money and looks and things and material goods 751 00:46:17,665 --> 00:46:20,145 and prestige and power and all this stuff. 752 00:46:21,175 --> 00:46:23,165 And they're just as unhappy as everybody else. 753 00:46:23,225 --> 00:46:27,195 I shared before there, they did. 754 00:46:27,285 --> 00:46:29,585 There was a study, the Allied Times did. 755 00:46:29,585 --> 00:46:35,375 They analyzed an interview in Beverly, a neighborhood in Beverly Hills, and 756 00:46:35,375 --> 00:46:37,075 compared it to a neighborhood in Compton. 757 00:46:39,525 --> 00:46:42,045 And there were a few things worse in Compton, and there were some 758 00:46:42,045 --> 00:46:44,055 things way worse in Beverly Hills. 759 00:46:45,795 --> 00:46:46,595 We all struggle. 760 00:46:48,025 --> 00:46:51,245 Money, we know, is not the solution. 761 00:46:51,615 --> 00:46:52,215 God is. 762 00:46:53,415 --> 00:46:56,830 His mission Is to bring us back into that. 763 00:46:57,930 --> 00:47:00,620 Jesus said, what good will it be for someone to gain the whole 764 00:47:00,620 --> 00:47:03,440 world and yet forfeit their soul? 765 00:47:03,880 --> 00:47:06,610 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 766 00:47:09,340 --> 00:47:11,980 We have to understand what really matters here. 767 00:47:12,860 --> 00:47:15,770 What is most important and live according to that. 768 00:47:16,720 --> 00:47:21,440 That's the mission and God provides the way. 769 00:47:22,375 --> 00:47:27,215 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through 770 00:47:27,215 --> 00:47:30,795 our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 771 00:47:31,385 --> 00:47:35,345 Through these, he has given us his very great and precious promises 772 00:47:35,355 --> 00:47:40,275 so that through them, you may participate in the divine nature. 773 00:47:41,065 --> 00:47:42,455 There's that God likeness. 774 00:47:43,875 --> 00:47:50,445 Having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil. 775 00:47:50,810 --> 00:47:52,040 desires. 776 00:47:53,260 --> 00:47:56,500 He gives us everything we need. 777 00:47:56,500 --> 00:47:57,680 So what's the mission? 778 00:47:59,140 --> 00:48:00,200 Free us of sin. 779 00:48:01,780 --> 00:48:05,440 Free us of fear so we can be confident. 780 00:48:05,870 --> 00:48:07,210 No slavery to sin. 781 00:48:07,900 --> 00:48:09,720 Set us free. 782 00:48:12,260 --> 00:48:15,410 Able to love, which we all want, right? 783 00:48:16,060 --> 00:48:17,410 We want to love our spouses. 784 00:48:17,410 --> 00:48:18,350 We want to love our kids. 785 00:48:18,350 --> 00:48:19,530 We want to love our roommates. 786 00:48:19,945 --> 00:48:21,865 Sometimes that's hard, but we want to love them. 787 00:48:23,315 --> 00:48:25,385 We want to love our children, love our parents. 788 00:48:25,455 --> 00:48:27,765 Sometimes that's hard, but we want to love them. 789 00:48:29,525 --> 00:48:30,645 We want to love each other. 790 00:48:30,645 --> 00:48:31,185 Amen? 791 00:48:32,155 --> 00:48:33,565 Sometimes that's really hard. 792 00:48:37,575 --> 00:48:38,875 But it came to set us free. 793 00:48:39,745 --> 00:48:40,965 To be able to be pure. 794 00:48:41,755 --> 00:48:43,585 And not be slaves to pornography. 795 00:48:45,255 --> 00:48:45,905 Or any sin. 796 00:48:47,185 --> 00:48:49,795 Able to follow Jesus. 797 00:48:51,905 --> 00:48:52,315 Jesus. 798 00:48:53,485 --> 00:48:56,915 Able to live the life he has given us. 799 00:48:57,805 --> 00:48:59,645 This is the mission. 800 00:49:03,785 --> 00:49:08,145 Because of this sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured 801 00:49:08,145 --> 00:49:09,575 out on the altar of the cross. 802 00:49:10,025 --> 00:49:11,025 We're a free people. 803 00:49:11,995 --> 00:49:14,655 Free of penalties and punishments. 804 00:49:15,165 --> 00:49:17,075 Chalked up by all our misdeeds. 805 00:49:17,555 --> 00:49:19,485 And not just barely free either. 806 00:49:19,925 --> 00:49:21,235 Abundantly free. 807 00:49:21,835 --> 00:49:23,895 He thought of everything, provided for everything. 808 00:49:24,355 --> 00:49:28,435 We could possibly need the Lord is my shepherd. 809 00:49:29,255 --> 00:49:30,075 I lack nothing. 810 00:49:31,105 --> 00:49:32,095 He set us 811 00:49:34,565 --> 00:49:36,475 letting us in on the plans. 812 00:49:36,475 --> 00:49:38,385 He took such delight in making. 813 00:49:38,845 --> 00:49:43,295 He said it all out before us in Christ, a long range plan in which 814 00:49:43,335 --> 00:49:49,965 everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in 815 00:49:49,975 --> 00:49:54,045 deepest heaven and everything on. 816 00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:55,480 Planet Earth. 817 00:49:56,510 --> 00:49:56,780 Okay. 818 00:49:57,160 --> 00:49:58,370 I know, you know, it's not the NIV. 819 00:49:58,390 --> 00:49:59,240 That's the message. 820 00:50:01,100 --> 00:50:01,400 What? 821 00:50:01,510 --> 00:50:03,020 What a great vision. 822 00:50:03,830 --> 00:50:05,310 What a great mission. 823 00:50:06,260 --> 00:50:07,190 His mission. 824 00:50:09,340 --> 00:50:10,450 That's our mission, guys. 825 00:50:11,410 --> 00:50:12,340 That's our mission. 826 00:50:13,610 --> 00:50:14,490 That's our mission. 827 00:50:14,940 --> 00:50:17,720 First to save me. 828 00:50:19,820 --> 00:50:20,970 That's the one time you could be. 829 00:50:22,320 --> 00:50:23,140 It's all about me. 830 00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:30,410 Cause, you know, just like when you get an airplane, they say if, if the oxygen mass 831 00:50:30,410 --> 00:50:32,920 drops, put it on you, then you're a kid. 832 00:50:33,450 --> 00:50:35,810 Doesn't do you any good if you give it to a kid and then you pass out. 833 00:50:37,380 --> 00:50:39,630 So, doesn't do any good if we're doing terrible, how are 834 00:50:39,630 --> 00:50:40,890 we gonna save everybody else? 835 00:50:41,910 --> 00:50:45,150 If we're all struggling with all this junk and garbage and fear 836 00:50:45,150 --> 00:50:48,410 and anger and hatred and, and how are we gonna help anybody else? 837 00:50:49,670 --> 00:50:51,000 We gotta get it right. 838 00:50:53,180 --> 00:50:54,100 We gotta get on the mission. 839 00:50:55,405 --> 00:50:56,905 Know that we're God's mission. 840 00:50:57,595 --> 00:51:02,945 But then my family, my family, the Bible says anybody that doesn't take care of 841 00:51:02,945 --> 00:51:04,965 their family is worse than a non believer. 842 00:51:06,935 --> 00:51:08,755 Who is next generation? 843 00:51:09,805 --> 00:51:11,725 Your kids are next generation. 844 00:51:12,475 --> 00:51:16,125 Your babies, that little bambino is next generation. 845 00:51:19,085 --> 00:51:20,525 And God is concerned about them. 846 00:51:21,270 --> 00:51:24,240 And the teens and the preteens and the young teens and the old teens 847 00:51:24,240 --> 00:51:30,480 and the middle aged teens, all of them, the campus, our future, the 848 00:51:30,530 --> 00:51:40,120 singles, the thirties, the forties, the fifties, even old guys like me, where 849 00:51:40,190 --> 00:51:43,390 the mission, because I can lose it. 850 00:51:45,810 --> 00:51:48,240 God trying to keep me on point. 851 00:51:50,865 --> 00:51:51,905 Our families. 852 00:51:52,855 --> 00:51:53,745 The church. 853 00:51:54,665 --> 00:51:55,645 God help us. 854 00:51:56,925 --> 00:51:58,245 We're his rescue plan. 855 00:51:59,575 --> 00:52:02,605 I sat in a high level meeting in the United Nations in New York. 856 00:52:04,185 --> 00:52:07,355 Where they handed out, where they had all these organizations present 857 00:52:07,815 --> 00:52:10,065 solutions to the problems of the world. 858 00:52:11,545 --> 00:52:15,035 Sat there for three hours, didn't hear one good solution. 859 00:52:16,415 --> 00:52:19,405 I walked out, I know the solution. 860 00:52:20,455 --> 00:52:24,315 More disciples of Jesus because I've seen it. 861 00:52:25,495 --> 00:52:31,145 I've seen it in these impoverished areas, disaster areas and bad areas, rough areas. 862 00:52:31,335 --> 00:52:38,185 You inject a group of disciples and bam, everything changes because they're loving 863 00:52:38,225 --> 00:52:40,325 and serving and giving and sacrificing. 864 00:52:40,505 --> 00:52:41,985 They are being a light to the world. 865 00:52:42,045 --> 00:52:46,325 That's the beauty of these whole projects is you get to see a microcosm of how 866 00:52:46,325 --> 00:52:48,125 the whole plan is supposed to work. 867 00:52:49,020 --> 00:52:53,300 That the church is supposed to be the light of the world that helps everybody 868 00:52:53,300 --> 00:52:55,880 connect with God that shows everybody. 869 00:52:57,120 --> 00:53:01,510 So yes, the church is really important because that's God's plan. 870 00:53:01,510 --> 00:53:02,310 We're the rescue. 871 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:04,610 We're the, we're the first responders guys. 872 00:53:05,840 --> 00:53:06,560 We're the firemen. 873 00:53:06,560 --> 00:53:07,190 We're the police. 874 00:53:07,190 --> 00:53:08,340 We're the rescue squad. 875 00:53:09,060 --> 00:53:10,080 That's us. 876 00:53:12,350 --> 00:53:13,820 And the world desperately needs it. 877 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:16,520 Our families desperately need it. 878 00:53:17,345 --> 00:53:19,135 Our children desperately need it. 879 00:53:19,315 --> 00:53:22,025 Those in the church and even more so those not in the church. 880 00:53:23,505 --> 00:53:25,615 They need to see a church that loves. 881 00:53:26,775 --> 00:53:29,125 They need to see a church that has compassion and 882 00:53:29,125 --> 00:53:31,465 grace and presents the truth 883 00:53:34,145 --> 00:53:35,415 to give hope to this world. 884 00:53:36,545 --> 00:53:40,925 And of course the community needs this. 885 00:53:40,965 --> 00:53:42,465 The community is his mission. 886 00:53:43,335 --> 00:53:46,055 The world is his mission. 887 00:53:47,200 --> 00:53:52,020 It's why we gave, it's why we're about to give, it's why we're gonna 888 00:53:52,020 --> 00:53:54,570 dump money into this thing again, 889 00:53:57,130 --> 00:53:58,180 to advance that mission. 890 00:53:59,610 --> 00:54:01,580 Not to have the most baptisms. 891 00:54:04,240 --> 00:54:08,290 Jesus said, go and make disciples of all nations. 892 00:54:09,010 --> 00:54:11,550 Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. 893 00:54:12,540 --> 00:54:14,674 And he said, teach them. 894 00:54:17,465 --> 00:54:18,925 Didn't end at baptism, does it? 895 00:54:20,705 --> 00:54:24,445 Teach them, and the NIV says to obey everything I have commanded you. 896 00:54:25,265 --> 00:54:30,885 But in the Greek, it's, it could be teach, it could be train, it could be hold onto. 897 00:54:31,925 --> 00:54:35,815 Everything I showed you, that's spiritual formation. 898 00:54:37,445 --> 00:54:38,475 And then what does he say? 899 00:54:39,235 --> 00:54:41,625 And I will be with you forever. 900 00:54:43,075 --> 00:54:44,115 That's the mission. 901 00:54:45,885 --> 00:54:46,795 That's the mission. 902 00:54:47,055 --> 00:54:48,495 Baptism, that's the easy part. 903 00:54:50,855 --> 00:54:53,645 Hanging in there for 20, 30, 40 years, that's the hard part. 904 00:54:54,695 --> 00:54:56,825 All the way to the end. 905 00:54:58,105 --> 00:55:00,965 So we are the mission. 906 00:55:01,745 --> 00:55:04,715 And Jesus is the way, right? 907 00:55:05,465 --> 00:55:07,385 He's the way. 908 00:55:08,435 --> 00:55:11,585 It's not mission impossible, it's mission possible. 909 00:55:11,745 --> 00:55:12,275 God bless you.