1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church podcast, 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:05,080 where we are proclaiming the. 3 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,480 Truth to the world. 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 5 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 6 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 7 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 8 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,160 Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 9 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,440 for us here today. 10 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,840 We are going to forego our study in the Book of Joshua because 11 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,340 I thought it would be appropriate to speak on the why behind 12 00:00:30,340 --> 00:00:34,500 our missions program here at Middletown Baptist Church this Missions 13 00:00:34,500 --> 00:00:35,220 emphasis month. 14 00:00:35,220 --> 00:00:37,980 And there's a lot of opportunities to talk about missions, 15 00:00:37,980 --> 00:00:40,020 but the bigger question is, is why do we do this? 16 00:00:40,660 --> 00:00:43,140 Well, some might say, well, you know, churches should have a 17 00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:45,060 missions program, and so we should have a missions program. 18 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:47,300 Well, that's not a good answer. 19 00:00:47,860 --> 00:00:50,700 A good answer is not, well, other people do this, so we should 20 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:51,140 do this. 21 00:00:51,380 --> 00:00:54,260 A good answer is, what does the Bible have to say about missions? 22 00:00:54,830 --> 00:00:58,030 And I want to point just a few passages of scripture that fuels 23 00:00:58,750 --> 00:01:02,350 our desire to have a missions program here at Middletown Baptist 24 00:01:02,350 --> 00:01:02,590 Church. 25 00:01:02,590 --> 00:01:05,350 And so I want you to see a few passages of scripture that speak 26 00:01:05,350 --> 00:01:05,630 to this. 27 00:01:05,630 --> 00:01:08,830 If you have your Bibles, turn with me to the book of Mark. 28 00:01:09,630 --> 00:01:14,630 All the way at the end of the Book of Mark, we see a command, a 29 00:01:14,630 --> 00:01:16,110 command for believers. 30 00:01:17,070 --> 00:01:20,750 And for a lot of times, we think in our Christian life that 31 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:23,000 like. 32 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,440 Like, for example, the building that we're in, we're thankful 33 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:28,040 for this building. 34 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,920 But the reality is, is that God has called us to take what we 35 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,720 are learning here at our facilities and go with that into 36 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:37,320 the world. 37 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:40,760 Now, we know that in Acts, chapter eight, it speaks of where 38 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:41,480 we should go. 39 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,920 But the first step, I think, that we need to see here in Mark, 40 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,050 chapter 16, verse 15, is this. 41 00:01:48,370 --> 00:01:52,010 Jesus is speaking to his disciples and he says, hey, this 42 00:01:52,010 --> 00:01:53,370 is what you are supposed to do. 43 00:01:53,370 --> 00:01:55,090 This is your marching orders. 44 00:01:55,570 --> 00:01:59,890 This is the goal for you as a follower of me. 45 00:01:59,970 --> 00:02:03,970 And he says in verse 15, and he said unto them, go ye into all 46 00:02:03,970 --> 00:02:07,410 the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 47 00:02:08,530 --> 00:02:10,210 The command, the. 48 00:02:10,210 --> 00:02:13,880 The first directive of Jesus is to go and to. 49 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:14,640 What does it say there? 50 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:16,120 It says to preach the gospel. 51 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,880 If you go to other passages of scripture that speak of this, you 52 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,320 go to one of my favorite passages of scripture, which really 53 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,200 drives really the heart of all of what we've done this year with 54 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,760 our theme of go is Matthew, Matthew, chapter 28. 55 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:34,120 The last verses that we see in the book of Matthew, again is a reiteration 56 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,000 of the same truth to go into the world. 57 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:39,960 But there's more in the book of Matthew, and it tells us what 58 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,360 we're supposed to do when we go. 59 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:41,830 Now we. 60 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:45,740 We know where to preach the gospel, and, and that's important. 61 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:48,940 That's the initial priority. 62 00:02:49,500 --> 00:02:54,940 But there's more here In Matthew, chapter 28, it says in verse 63 00:02:55,100 --> 00:02:57,979 number 18, and Jesus came and spake unto them. 64 00:02:57,979 --> 00:03:01,740 Matthew, chapter 28, verse 18, all power is given unto me in heaven 65 00:03:01,740 --> 00:03:02,220 and earth. 66 00:03:02,220 --> 00:03:03,900 Go ye therefore. 67 00:03:05,340 --> 00:03:08,660 And so there's a reiteration of the going, go ye therefore, and 68 00:03:08,660 --> 00:03:11,940 teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and 69 00:03:11,940 --> 00:03:14,540 of the son and of the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all 70 00:03:14,540 --> 00:03:15,260 things whatsoever. 71 00:03:15,260 --> 00:03:17,660 I've commanded you, and lo, I am with you all. 72 00:03:17,660 --> 00:03:17,860 Wait. 73 00:03:17,860 --> 00:03:18,900 Even to the end of the world. 74 00:03:19,540 --> 00:03:22,580 And so there's a directive for us to go preach the gospel. 75 00:03:23,060 --> 00:03:25,220 But as we preach the gospel, the. 76 00:03:25,220 --> 00:03:27,980 The thought here would be to disciple folks that trust in the 77 00:03:27,980 --> 00:03:28,980 gospel of Jesus Christ. 78 00:03:29,860 --> 00:03:32,060 We just don't want to see people come to Christ, even though 79 00:03:32,060 --> 00:03:33,380 that's the prime directive. 80 00:03:33,780 --> 00:03:37,060 But also there's a secondary command in that, and that is to teach, 81 00:03:37,460 --> 00:03:41,860 to minister, to come alongside and teach people what it means to 82 00:03:41,860 --> 00:03:44,020 walk in relationship with Jesus Christ. 83 00:03:44,820 --> 00:03:48,660 And I know that's the goal for our church, I know that's the goal 84 00:03:48,820 --> 00:03:52,060 for our missions program, is to not just see folks come to Christ. 85 00:03:52,060 --> 00:03:53,140 That's the first goal. 86 00:03:53,220 --> 00:03:56,380 But there's more to that, and that is to see individuals come to 87 00:03:56,380 --> 00:03:59,660 know Jesus and to walk in obedience to him and know what it 88 00:03:59,660 --> 00:04:03,500 means to have the blessing of his presence and power in their life. 89 00:04:03,500 --> 00:04:05,860 And that's exactly what Jesus mentions there in Matthew, chapter 90 00:04:05,860 --> 00:04:06,300 28. 91 00:04:06,540 --> 00:04:09,500 He speaks of his power and he speaks of his presence. 92 00:04:09,500 --> 00:04:14,300 Remember there in verse 20, he says, and lo, I'm with you always, 93 00:04:14,380 --> 00:04:17,900 even to the end of the world, that God is with us in this process 94 00:04:17,980 --> 00:04:18,540 of going. 95 00:04:19,420 --> 00:04:20,500 Now, what does that look like? 96 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:22,460 Well, we go to acts, chapter one. 97 00:04:23,020 --> 00:04:24,700 Some of you know where we're going with this. 98 00:04:25,180 --> 00:04:26,540 Where are we supposed to go? 99 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:29,680 Well, initially, what does the bible say? 100 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,120 Well, he told his disciples to go to Jerusalem. 101 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:34,760 That was their immediate vicinity. 102 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,240 So all of us at middletown baptist church have a command. 103 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,920 And that is to take the gospel to our Jerusalem. 104 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:42,920 Where's our Jerusalem? 105 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,320 Well, if you live in Middletown, that's your Jerusalem. 106 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,760 If you live in bear, that's your Jerusalem. 107 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,280 And so we are to take the gospel to the people that are close 108 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:54,540 to us, our initial contacts. 109 00:04:54,700 --> 00:04:57,540 Verse 8 of Acts, chapter 1, he says, but you shall receive power 110 00:04:57,540 --> 00:04:59,420 after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. 111 00:05:00,620 --> 00:05:03,540 And so I. I want you to note that, that all of this is based off 112 00:05:03,540 --> 00:05:04,860 of the Holy Ghost indwelling. 113 00:05:04,860 --> 00:05:08,180 The Holy Spirit's indwelling and guidance says, and ye shall be 114 00:05:08,180 --> 00:05:11,180 witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem. 115 00:05:11,740 --> 00:05:13,340 And then, you know the next part. 116 00:05:13,420 --> 00:05:15,180 Judea, that's the surrounding area. 117 00:05:15,980 --> 00:05:17,100 And in Samaria. 118 00:05:18,220 --> 00:05:19,060 What's Samaria? 119 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:22,490 Samaria is the place that we're not comfortable going, right? 120 00:05:22,490 --> 00:05:22,810 We. 121 00:05:22,810 --> 00:05:23,610 We know that. 122 00:05:23,610 --> 00:05:26,130 We know Jerusalem, we know our Jerusalem. 123 00:05:26,130 --> 00:05:28,730 And that's where we probably feel comfortable. 124 00:05:29,050 --> 00:05:30,810 Judea is the surrounding area. 125 00:05:31,130 --> 00:05:34,170 But then he mentions here for these fellas, this group of people, 126 00:05:34,170 --> 00:05:35,290 to go to Samaria. 127 00:05:35,290 --> 00:05:38,330 Samaria was a place that they weren't comfortable going. 128 00:05:38,730 --> 00:05:41,970 Samaria was considered in their mind the enemy. 129 00:05:41,970 --> 00:05:42,730 They were different. 130 00:05:43,450 --> 00:05:44,570 They were pagans. 131 00:05:45,210 --> 00:05:47,690 They were people that did not receive them well and did not treat 132 00:05:47,690 --> 00:05:48,170 them well. 133 00:05:48,860 --> 00:05:51,700 But nonetheless, we are to go to those people that are difficult 134 00:05:51,700 --> 00:05:55,180 to those people that are different, to not complain about 135 00:05:55,180 --> 00:05:59,380 them, to not reject them, but to come to them with the love of 136 00:05:59,380 --> 00:06:01,180 the gospel and the truth of the Gospel. 137 00:06:01,740 --> 00:06:03,900 Love is not accepting someone's wrongdoing. 138 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:06,500 Love is not condoning someone and saying, you're okay the way you 139 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:06,780 are. 140 00:06:06,860 --> 00:06:10,580 Love is telling somebody the truth about how Jesus, and Jesus 141 00:06:10,580 --> 00:06:11,980 alone can change their life. 142 00:06:13,260 --> 00:06:16,650 We go a little bit further and he says, into the uttermost part 143 00:06:16,650 --> 00:06:17,250 of the earth. 144 00:06:18,450 --> 00:06:22,250 Now, all of us in this room have a directive in what we call 145 00:06:22,250 --> 00:06:23,090 the Great Commission. 146 00:06:23,890 --> 00:06:25,450 All of us can go to Jerusalem. 147 00:06:25,450 --> 00:06:28,330 Not all of us are necessarily able to go to the uttermost part 148 00:06:28,330 --> 00:06:28,850 of the earth. 149 00:06:28,850 --> 00:06:33,250 But we can support that mission by either sending individuals 150 00:06:33,250 --> 00:06:36,770 within our midst or finding other individuals of like faith and 151 00:06:36,770 --> 00:06:41,650 like practice to support and to ultimately pray for and give to. 152 00:06:42,220 --> 00:06:43,660 And so that's why we have a missions program. 153 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:44,060 Now. 154 00:06:44,460 --> 00:06:48,260 My desire, and I believe the Lord's desire, is to see folks leave 155 00:06:48,260 --> 00:06:51,900 Middletown Baptist Church that are members to go into the field. 156 00:06:52,220 --> 00:06:55,180 And that's a difficult thing to say as a pastor because American 157 00:06:55,260 --> 00:06:57,100 Christianity is hoarding people. 158 00:06:57,100 --> 00:06:59,860 You want to have multiple people staying here and building 159 00:06:59,860 --> 00:07:00,420 our buildings. 160 00:07:00,420 --> 00:07:01,020 And that's great. 161 00:07:01,260 --> 00:07:04,860 But, you know, what would be even greater is that we would find 162 00:07:04,860 --> 00:07:07,780 individuals in our church that feel the call to go somewhere and 163 00:07:07,780 --> 00:07:10,100 to preach the gospel short term or long term. 164 00:07:11,620 --> 00:07:13,940 But then we see that there are some limitations. 165 00:07:14,580 --> 00:07:17,420 But there's other aspects in Scripture that call us to do some 166 00:07:17,420 --> 00:07:18,580 things when it comes to the gospel. 167 00:07:18,580 --> 00:07:21,420 I want you to see another passage of scripture that I think 168 00:07:21,420 --> 00:07:22,020 would be important. 169 00:07:22,100 --> 00:07:27,460 To note in this case we have the command to go, but we also have 170 00:07:27,460 --> 00:07:28,380 the command to give. 171 00:07:28,380 --> 00:07:31,100 If you have your Bibles again, turn to Second Corinthians chapter 172 00:07:31,100 --> 00:07:31,780 9 with me. 173 00:07:32,180 --> 00:07:35,740 The Bible speaks of the fact that even though we are limited in 174 00:07:35,740 --> 00:07:38,640 our vicinity, we might you know, I don't know about you, but 175 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,320 I want to be in like 10 places at once. 176 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:41,040 But I can't be. 177 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:42,960 I can only be in one place at one time. 178 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,000 And we're ministering where we're ministering. 179 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,280 But the beauty is, is that we can give. 180 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,760 Second Corinthians chapter 8 is is a whole lesson on the blessings 181 00:07:52,159 --> 00:07:54,960 of the Macedonian church as they give and invest into another 182 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:55,600 church there. 183 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,440 And so we see here in Second Corinthians chapter 9 that there 184 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,760 is a call to not only go, but also to give. 185 00:08:03,530 --> 00:08:07,450 Says in verse number five of Second Corinthians chapter nine. 186 00:08:07,450 --> 00:08:10,050 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren 187 00:08:10,050 --> 00:08:15,730 that they would go before you, before unto you, and make up beforehand 188 00:08:15,730 --> 00:08:18,690 your bounty whereof ye have noticed before the same might be 189 00:08:18,690 --> 00:08:20,970 ready as a matter of bounty, and not as covetous. 190 00:08:21,130 --> 00:08:25,570 But I but this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall also reap 191 00:08:25,570 --> 00:08:29,450 sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 192 00:08:30,350 --> 00:08:31,750 Every man now he's speaking of giving here. 193 00:08:31,750 --> 00:08:35,310 He says every man according as he purposeth in his heart. 194 00:08:36,030 --> 00:08:37,190 Now what does that mean? 195 00:08:37,190 --> 00:08:40,110 That means this, not everyone is able to give the same amount. 196 00:08:41,070 --> 00:08:43,310 And, and I don't think there is a command for everyone to give 197 00:08:43,310 --> 00:08:43,830 the same amount. 198 00:08:43,830 --> 00:08:46,070 It says here specifically that this is a private thing. 199 00:08:46,070 --> 00:08:50,190 This is a personal thing as God purposes in this individual's 200 00:08:50,190 --> 00:08:50,430 heart. 201 00:08:50,510 --> 00:08:52,350 So let him give not grudgingly. 202 00:08:53,470 --> 00:08:55,990 You know, the challenge for many of us is to give, as it says 203 00:08:55,990 --> 00:08:59,290 here, cheerfully, sometimes, like I could use that for other things. 204 00:09:00,010 --> 00:09:02,850 I, I, I could save that I, I could have some more comfort. 205 00:09:02,850 --> 00:09:07,610 But he says, no, don't give grudgingly or out of necessity, meaning 206 00:09:08,010 --> 00:09:09,130 I've got to give again. 207 00:09:09,370 --> 00:09:10,930 But no out of joy, says why? 208 00:09:10,930 --> 00:09:14,930 Because for God loveth a cheerful giver, and God is able to 209 00:09:14,930 --> 00:09:19,690 make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency 210 00:09:19,690 --> 00:09:22,410 in all things, may abound to every good work. 211 00:09:23,300 --> 00:09:25,860 So he speaks here specifically of the fact that we give out of the 212 00:09:25,860 --> 00:09:29,620 abundance that God has blessed us with, and it goes on and talks 213 00:09:29,620 --> 00:09:31,540 more about the blessing that it is to give. 214 00:09:31,540 --> 00:09:33,820 But I would challenge you to say, you know what, I'm not Able 215 00:09:33,820 --> 00:09:34,180 to go. 216 00:09:34,180 --> 00:09:36,660 Pastor Josh I'm not able to go to a mission strip. 217 00:09:36,740 --> 00:09:38,580 I'm not able to be a full time missionary. 218 00:09:38,580 --> 00:09:40,900 And God has not called me to be a full time missionary. 219 00:09:41,060 --> 00:09:43,860 But God has called you to the Great Commission in which you can 220 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:50,230 go and then you can give, you can pray, you can support, you can 221 00:09:50,230 --> 00:09:50,990 encourage. 222 00:09:51,310 --> 00:09:53,790 One of the things that we forget about within the ministry 223 00:09:53,790 --> 00:09:58,110 of missionaries is exhorting them, encouraging them. 224 00:09:58,910 --> 00:09:59,470 You know what? 225 00:09:59,470 --> 00:10:02,230 I know that as a pastor here at Middletown Baptist Church, when 226 00:10:02,230 --> 00:10:05,790 I'm encouraged by other believers, it is such a motivation 227 00:10:05,790 --> 00:10:06,270 for me. 228 00:10:06,670 --> 00:10:09,310 And the Bible speaks of the importance for us to exhort those 229 00:10:09,310 --> 00:10:10,310 in our fellowship. 230 00:10:10,310 --> 00:10:12,750 And so that means we should exhort those that are around us and 231 00:10:12,750 --> 00:10:15,100 we should exhort those that we're sending out and that we're 232 00:10:15,100 --> 00:10:18,500 purposing in our hearts to support as a missionary. 233 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:19,580 So I would think about this. 234 00:10:19,740 --> 00:10:23,740 How can you, as an individual living in Delaware or Maryland, depending 235 00:10:23,740 --> 00:10:27,540 on where you're at, how can you as an individual find ways not 236 00:10:27,540 --> 00:10:30,819 only that you can support financially, but how you can support 237 00:10:30,819 --> 00:10:34,380 with prayers, how you can support with letters of encouragement, 238 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:37,260 how you can find different opportunities to meet different needs 239 00:10:37,260 --> 00:10:38,300 in different capacities? 240 00:10:38,940 --> 00:10:41,140 And so here at Middletown Baptist Church, one of the calls 241 00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:42,940 that we have is to support, to give. 242 00:10:44,690 --> 00:10:47,370 And I think about that and I think about sometimes, often we think 243 00:10:47,370 --> 00:10:50,730 about what we can give to get, you know, and I think we should give 244 00:10:50,730 --> 00:10:51,930 to the local ministry here. 245 00:10:51,930 --> 00:10:53,090 That's part of missions, right? 246 00:10:53,090 --> 00:10:54,690 That's the local, that's Jerusalem. 247 00:10:54,930 --> 00:10:57,330 But at the same time, we should think about how we can give 248 00:10:57,330 --> 00:10:59,090 to the foreign mission field. 249 00:10:59,970 --> 00:11:02,970 And, and I would encourage you to think about that, really, with 250 00:11:02,970 --> 00:11:04,930 the nuts and bolts of it we have. 251 00:11:04,930 --> 00:11:07,570 And I'm just going to kind of break off script here and talk about 252 00:11:07,570 --> 00:11:08,770 specifically how it works. 253 00:11:09,510 --> 00:11:11,870 So we give to the general fund of Middletown Baptist Church. 254 00:11:11,870 --> 00:11:14,910 When you give of your tithes and offerings, that goes to the work 255 00:11:14,910 --> 00:11:15,910 here in Middletown. 256 00:11:15,910 --> 00:11:16,830 And that's fantastic. 257 00:11:16,830 --> 00:11:17,590 We need that. 258 00:11:17,590 --> 00:11:18,870 We can't let that go. 259 00:11:19,190 --> 00:11:21,150 But one of the other things that we do at the church is that 260 00:11:21,150 --> 00:11:23,990 we designate money towards specifically towards missions. 261 00:11:24,949 --> 00:11:27,550 And I would encourage you to pray about how God blesses you in 262 00:11:27,550 --> 00:11:27,670 that. 263 00:11:27,670 --> 00:11:30,030 And we have done something over the years called faith, promise, 264 00:11:30,030 --> 00:11:30,310 giving. 265 00:11:30,310 --> 00:11:33,190 And what God has laid upon your heart, there is a purpose and 266 00:11:33,190 --> 00:11:33,870 there's a reason for that. 267 00:11:33,870 --> 00:11:36,440 And if God lays upon your heart to give to missions, it's not 268 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,800 about giving to missions and then forgetting about it and thinking, 269 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:40,200 well, maybe that will affect someone. 270 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,960 No Specifically at Middletown Baptist Church, we want you to know 271 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,760 that every dollar that you give is going either to the gospel 272 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,440 here in Jerusalem, or in Judea, or in Samaria and into the 273 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:50,400 uttermost part of the earth. 274 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,440 And so it's a cause worth supporting. 275 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:55,760 It's a cause of partnership. 276 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,160 One day, when we get to heaven, we're not going to know specifically 277 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,440 all the people that we have affected, either through what we 278 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:02,590 say and what we do, or. 279 00:12:02,660 --> 00:12:03,700 And also where we give. 280 00:12:04,980 --> 00:12:08,140 Who knows what a dollar given to a missionary will eventually do? 281 00:12:08,140 --> 00:12:10,580 I mean, we're hearing these wonderful stories of people getting 282 00:12:10,660 --> 00:12:14,100 saved and people getting pulled out of a life of sin and into 283 00:12:14,100 --> 00:12:16,180 the life of obedience in Jesus Christ. 284 00:12:16,260 --> 00:12:17,740 That is such an exciting thing. 285 00:12:17,740 --> 00:12:20,100 And you can be a part of that through our missions program here 286 00:12:20,260 --> 00:12:21,860 at Middletown Baptist Church. 287 00:12:22,100 --> 00:12:23,620 And so I want you to think about our. 288 00:12:23,620 --> 00:12:28,700 Our goal for the whole year is to go, to go with our physical bodies, 289 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:32,650 to go with the gospel, to go with our finances, to go with our 290 00:12:32,650 --> 00:12:33,210 talents. 291 00:12:33,450 --> 00:12:36,730 God has gifted each and every one of you with specific talents. 292 00:12:37,210 --> 00:12:38,530 See, how do you know that, Pastor? 293 00:12:38,530 --> 00:12:39,170 You never know. 294 00:12:39,170 --> 00:12:40,970 I. I know that because the Bible tells me that. 295 00:12:41,130 --> 00:12:45,370 The Bible tells me that God has gifted each believer with at 296 00:12:45,370 --> 00:12:48,490 least a spiritual gift, maybe multiple spiritual gifts. 297 00:12:48,970 --> 00:12:52,170 And God has gifted you with those gifts not to keep for yourself. 298 00:12:52,490 --> 00:12:55,450 Those gifts are always to invest into the kingdom of God. 299 00:12:56,010 --> 00:12:59,210 And so think about how God has specifically gifted you. 300 00:12:59,910 --> 00:13:02,270 And if you don't know how God has gifted you, I would encourage 301 00:13:02,270 --> 00:13:04,710 you to get into a study about the spiritual gifts. 302 00:13:05,030 --> 00:13:06,950 Specifically, start with Romans, chapter 12. 303 00:13:07,590 --> 00:13:10,790 Because God has given you a specific gift for a specific cause 304 00:13:10,790 --> 00:13:13,710 within the context of missions, within the context of the 305 00:13:13,710 --> 00:13:14,230 gospel. 306 00:13:14,870 --> 00:13:16,150 So I want you to think about that. 307 00:13:16,470 --> 00:13:18,070 I want you to meditate upon that. 308 00:13:18,790 --> 00:13:21,550 I know a lot of Christians that are frustrated with their own 309 00:13:21,550 --> 00:13:23,630 service within the church because they really don't know where 310 00:13:23,630 --> 00:13:26,150 God has called them to serve or how God has called them to serve. 311 00:13:26,830 --> 00:13:29,910 And I would encourage you to pray about how God can reveal to 312 00:13:29,910 --> 00:13:32,190 you how he has gifted you so that you can feel that. 313 00:13:32,270 --> 00:13:34,550 That sufficiency in serving in Jesus Christ. 314 00:13:34,550 --> 00:13:36,270 Now, all of us are to serve in the gospel. 315 00:13:36,510 --> 00:13:40,350 All of us are to serve with the truth of the word of God. 316 00:13:40,350 --> 00:13:42,910 But there are different avenues in which we can do that. 317 00:13:43,470 --> 00:13:45,710 And so, as we conclude here this evening, I want you to think 318 00:13:45,710 --> 00:13:46,030 about that. 319 00:13:46,030 --> 00:13:48,710 I want you to pray over how you can be involved. 320 00:13:48,710 --> 00:13:51,990 And specifically, you know, sometimes in my life, I'll do this. 321 00:13:51,990 --> 00:13:53,910 Lord, bring me something that I can Invest into. 322 00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:55,390 Bring me something that I can serve in. 323 00:13:55,900 --> 00:13:57,980 And I go, well, where are you going to bring that? 324 00:13:58,060 --> 00:13:59,300 I don't know where to go with this. 325 00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:00,300 I don't know where to support. 326 00:14:00,460 --> 00:14:01,540 All right, here this evening. 327 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:04,260 God has opened a door for an opportunity for you to support a 328 00:14:04,260 --> 00:14:05,740 church across the world. 329 00:14:05,820 --> 00:14:08,860 Actually way more south than us down in South America. 330 00:14:08,940 --> 00:14:12,300 And we see that there's a financial need and it's not a need 331 00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:15,900 of selfishness, it's a need of necessity out of growth for the gospel. 332 00:14:16,380 --> 00:14:19,060 And what better thing can we do and then invest in people that 333 00:14:19,060 --> 00:14:21,500 are loving Jesus Christ, that are sharing Jesus Christ? 334 00:14:22,550 --> 00:14:24,430 And I encourage you to think about that here this evening. 335 00:14:24,430 --> 00:14:26,910 If God's pressing upon your heart to give specifically to the 336 00:14:26,910 --> 00:14:30,430 Turins and specifically to this building project, hey, don't 337 00:14:30,430 --> 00:14:31,030 hesitate. 338 00:14:32,150 --> 00:14:32,630 I'm gonna. 339 00:14:32,630 --> 00:14:33,790 I'm gonna challenge you here this evening. 340 00:14:33,790 --> 00:14:33,990 This. 341 00:14:33,990 --> 00:14:36,950 I'm gonna speak from my heart and my experience. 342 00:14:37,829 --> 00:14:43,470 I can find every reason not to give to the work of the Lord in my 343 00:14:43,470 --> 00:14:43,910 flesh. 344 00:14:44,470 --> 00:14:45,430 Well, I need that. 345 00:14:46,150 --> 00:14:47,190 My kids need that. 346 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:48,840 We're really tight this month. 347 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:50,600 I don't know if I can pay all my bills. 348 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:51,200 I don't know. 349 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:52,440 Well, the reality is this. 350 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:53,720 We can't out give God. 351 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,480 And the goodness of God is this, that he doesn't expect us to 352 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,400 give and then bless us, he's already abundantly blessed us. 353 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,280 We're supposed to give out of the abundance. 354 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,920 I was talking to our Sunday school class a little while back 355 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:06,840 and I was saying this. 356 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:07,560 And. 357 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,920 And by the way, when I'm preaching or teaching, I'm speaking 358 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:11,560 to myself. 359 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:12,920 This is not so. 360 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:14,760 I'm not preaching from a perch of perfection. 361 00:15:15,130 --> 00:15:16,650 This is where I struggle sometimes. 362 00:15:16,970 --> 00:15:18,810 I think about all the things that I could complain about. 363 00:15:18,810 --> 00:15:20,330 Well, look at that person's house across town. 364 00:15:20,330 --> 00:15:21,290 Look how nice that is. 365 00:15:21,450 --> 00:15:22,810 Look at that vehicle they're driving. 366 00:15:23,210 --> 00:15:24,970 You know, I could be this or I could be that. 367 00:15:25,050 --> 00:15:25,610 You know what? 368 00:15:25,610 --> 00:15:25,930 In. 369 00:15:25,930 --> 00:15:26,890 In perspective. 370 00:15:27,370 --> 00:15:28,850 I don't know if these statistics are right. 371 00:15:28,850 --> 00:15:30,010 Someone can correct me later. 372 00:15:30,170 --> 00:15:34,810 But I'm pretty sure that us in this room tonight are probably more 373 00:15:35,690 --> 00:15:38,490 wealthy than like 99% of the world. 374 00:15:39,290 --> 00:15:41,410 Because the reality is, is like, look at, look, we. 375 00:15:41,410 --> 00:15:46,150 We all rode a vehicle in, we're all wearing nice clothes, we're 376 00:15:46,150 --> 00:15:47,230 all well fed. 377 00:15:47,950 --> 00:15:49,790 The reality is that there's a lot of people in this world that 378 00:15:49,790 --> 00:15:50,510 don't have that. 379 00:15:51,070 --> 00:15:53,870 And they need that nourishment, they need that, that 380 00:15:53,870 --> 00:15:54,550 clothing, they. 381 00:15:54,550 --> 00:15:55,790 They need those resources. 382 00:15:55,790 --> 00:15:56,710 And hey, we're blessed. 383 00:15:56,710 --> 00:15:57,750 We can turn around and Give that. 384 00:15:57,750 --> 00:15:58,910 How much do we really need? 385 00:15:59,390 --> 00:16:01,710 But then I would venture to say that that's not enough. 386 00:16:02,270 --> 00:16:06,550 We can feed an individual, we can clothe an individual, we can 387 00:16:06,550 --> 00:16:07,870 give housing to an individual. 388 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:08,980 But you know what? 389 00:16:08,980 --> 00:16:11,540 They're still lacking the gospel of Jesus Christ. 390 00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:14,500 And just as much as there's people that are hungry all over the 391 00:16:14,500 --> 00:16:18,100 world for physical food, there's people even more hungry, 392 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:20,660 whether they know it or not, for the nourishment of God's word 393 00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:23,620 and the sufficiency that is Jesus Christ and his salvation. 394 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:26,500 So the greatest message that we could give the world, if we love 395 00:16:26,500 --> 00:16:30,940 the world, we give them the truth of Jesus Christ and Middletown 396 00:16:30,940 --> 00:16:31,540 Baptist Church. 397 00:16:31,540 --> 00:16:33,860 We have to understand the times that we live in. 398 00:16:34,180 --> 00:16:35,540 Folks, church is not a game. 399 00:16:36,020 --> 00:16:36,420 It's. 400 00:16:36,420 --> 00:16:36,860 It's not a. 401 00:16:36,860 --> 00:16:39,300 It's not a club that we come to and just have a good time. 402 00:16:39,460 --> 00:16:40,540 We have a mission. 403 00:16:40,540 --> 00:16:41,940 We're on the battlefield. 404 00:16:42,740 --> 00:16:43,060 Actually. 405 00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:46,260 The Bible compares us to warriors wearing spiritual armor 406 00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:48,500 in a battle for the cause of the truth. 407 00:16:49,140 --> 00:16:52,020 And if we really believe that, we would say, okay, let's get serious 408 00:16:52,020 --> 00:16:52,660 about this. 409 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:55,220 Let's get serious about where my role is in that. 410 00:16:55,780 --> 00:16:57,700 And I'm saying all this because, folks, this is something 411 00:16:57,700 --> 00:17:00,140 that's stirring in my heart, stirring in. 412 00:17:00,140 --> 00:17:03,150 In my world of, like, what am I doing? 413 00:17:03,310 --> 00:17:04,430 What am I truly doing? 414 00:17:04,430 --> 00:17:07,990 Do I really, truly care for these folks when I say that I pray 415 00:17:07,990 --> 00:17:08,510 for somebody? 416 00:17:08,510 --> 00:17:09,390 Are we praying? 417 00:17:09,470 --> 00:17:10,510 How are we praying? 418 00:17:11,230 --> 00:17:14,390 If God has blessed us here this evening, let's show that blessing 419 00:17:14,390 --> 00:17:14,990 to other people. 420 00:17:15,710 --> 00:17:18,110 And so, again, I'm not going to go too much farther with that, 421 00:17:18,830 --> 00:17:21,390 but what I will see there in Second Corinthians, chapter nine, 422 00:17:21,390 --> 00:17:25,070 I don't think that this is a name it and claim it prosperity gospel. 423 00:17:25,870 --> 00:17:28,470 Now, like, well, if I give a bunch of money to a bunch of people, 424 00:17:28,470 --> 00:17:30,670 he'll just come back and give me a bunch of riches. 425 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:32,240 It's not necessarily what it's saying. 426 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,840 I think that specifically speaking of the spiritual blessings, 427 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:36,960 when we sow into the spirit, guess what? 428 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:38,440 We're going to reap spiritual blessings. 429 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,400 You know, me and my family, we've had a lot of times in our life 430 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:43,960 where we're like, I don't know how we're going to make it. 431 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:45,480 I don't know what he's going to do. 432 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,120 I don't know how we're going to get through this. 433 00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:48,720 But you know what? 434 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,880 Every time he gets us through it, every time he provides just what 435 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,840 we need, even if it's not in the way that we need it, we thought 436 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:55,560 we needed it. 437 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,920 And I'm going to tell you here this evening that the challenge is 438 00:17:58,920 --> 00:17:59,080 this. 439 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,960 We need to, we need to give, we need to go, we need to pray, we 440 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:02,640 need to serve. 441 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,720 But I would also say this, and in closing, it's this, we need to 442 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:10,120 grow when we understand what's at stake. 443 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:14,800 The spiritual maturity that we, that I lack in many ways in my 444 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:15,920 life, I need to grow in that. 445 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,560 Because when I grow in my spiritual maturity, I'm not focused 446 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:20,160 just on me. 447 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:21,840 I've used this analogy before. 448 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,900 Silas is not even two years old. 449 00:18:25,300 --> 00:18:26,340 But, but he is. 450 00:18:26,820 --> 00:18:28,300 And I don't think I'm going on a stretch here. 451 00:18:28,300 --> 00:18:28,580 He's. 452 00:18:28,580 --> 00:18:30,180 He's selfish, right? 453 00:18:30,180 --> 00:18:30,980 He wants what he wants. 454 00:18:30,980 --> 00:18:31,140 He's. 455 00:18:31,140 --> 00:18:32,660 Hell, he's hungry, he wants to eat. 456 00:18:32,900 --> 00:18:35,020 He's not sitting there considering now he's a little bit 457 00:18:35,020 --> 00:18:35,620 better at this. 458 00:18:35,780 --> 00:18:38,220 Like if his sister, brother gets hurt, he'll come up and hug 459 00:18:38,220 --> 00:18:40,460 them and you know, rub them on their heads or whatever. 460 00:18:40,460 --> 00:18:41,540 He's kind and caring. 461 00:18:41,540 --> 00:18:43,460 But, but we all know what we mean by that. 462 00:18:43,540 --> 00:18:47,900 A child in his or her younger years is, is selfish. 463 00:18:47,900 --> 00:18:50,910 And some, some adults, physical adults, have not gotten 464 00:18:50,910 --> 00:18:53,070 to the place of understanding that it's not all about them. 465 00:18:54,510 --> 00:18:57,910 And as a Christian, the more we grow in the truth of God, the 466 00:18:57,910 --> 00:19:01,510 more we realize that this world, this ministry, everything 467 00:19:01,510 --> 00:19:04,190 that we do, is not just about us, us, us, us, us. 468 00:19:04,190 --> 00:19:06,390 It's about going and saying, lord, what do you want me to give 469 00:19:06,390 --> 00:19:06,830 to others? 470 00:19:08,590 --> 00:19:14,070 Jesus is one of his last acts of service and leadership was taking 471 00:19:14,070 --> 00:19:17,360 his disciples and washing their feet. 472 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:24,000 Peter, the guy who was about to deny him, washes his feet. 473 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,440 Judas, the one who was about to betray him, washes his feet. 474 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,720 And that's a amazing act of service. 475 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,320 Just Jesus didn't need to do that. 476 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,320 He didn't have to do that to prove anything. 477 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:34,960 He. 478 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,000 He could have done many different things, but he said, I 479 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:37,400 do this. 480 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:38,080 John 13. 481 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,560 I do this for an example to you. 482 00:19:41,700 --> 00:19:44,540 And so I want you to think about how that can look in our lives. 483 00:19:44,540 --> 00:19:47,380 How can we wash those around us and their feet? 484 00:19:47,860 --> 00:19:50,300 Now, I don't believe in a literal foot washing ministry. 485 00:19:50,300 --> 00:19:52,340 Even though if you wanted to do that, I don't think that's wrong. 486 00:19:52,580 --> 00:19:54,180 But we're not there yet. 487 00:19:54,180 --> 00:19:56,939 But what I am saying is, spiritually speaking, what does it 488 00:19:56,939 --> 00:20:01,060 mean for me to come alongside a brother and wash his or her feet? 489 00:20:01,860 --> 00:20:05,140 What does that mean for me to invest into the kingdom of God financially? 490 00:20:05,860 --> 00:20:07,020 So this isn't a big ploy. 491 00:20:07,020 --> 00:20:07,300 To. 492 00:20:07,940 --> 00:20:08,660 To get your money. 493 00:20:08,980 --> 00:20:10,500 So ultimately, where's your heart? 494 00:20:11,060 --> 00:20:12,540 And that's where our missions program is. 495 00:20:12,540 --> 00:20:13,780 Our missions program is the support. 496 00:20:13,860 --> 00:20:16,420 We don't want to sit here and go, wow, we've got 50 missionaries. 497 00:20:16,580 --> 00:20:17,700 Look how great we are. 498 00:20:18,260 --> 00:20:19,460 It's God's blessed us. 499 00:20:19,460 --> 00:20:20,260 So we want more. 500 00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:21,860 We want to bless more people. 501 00:20:22,180 --> 00:20:23,340 We want to reach more people. 502 00:20:23,340 --> 00:20:24,740 It's my vision that we have. 503 00:20:25,700 --> 00:20:26,540 Hey, who knows? 504 00:20:26,540 --> 00:20:29,380 Maybe God could double our missions program within the next 505 00:20:29,380 --> 00:20:29,780 few years. 506 00:20:29,780 --> 00:20:30,900 We have 31 people. 507 00:20:31,460 --> 00:20:32,980 How about we just say, let's, let's. 508 00:20:32,980 --> 00:20:35,740 Let's go for 60 or possibly here. 509 00:20:35,740 --> 00:20:37,020 I'm just speaking on the fly here. 510 00:20:37,020 --> 00:20:40,260 Or maybe let's just talk about how we could support our current 511 00:20:40,260 --> 00:20:41,220 missionaries more. 512 00:20:42,340 --> 00:20:44,820 And so that's something that we can think about when we come to 513 00:20:44,820 --> 00:20:46,740 this time of missions, emphasis month. 514 00:20:46,980 --> 00:20:48,580 And so, number one, what does it mean for me? 515 00:20:48,580 --> 00:20:50,820 Number two, what does it mean for my actions? 516 00:20:50,820 --> 00:20:53,140 Number three, what does it mean for me supporting those around 517 00:20:53,140 --> 00:20:53,620 the world? 518 00:20:53,860 --> 00:20:56,420 And so if you've never given to missions or you've never supported 519 00:20:56,420 --> 00:20:59,460 missions, or you've never even thought about going yourself and 520 00:20:59,460 --> 00:21:02,110 doing something within the missions field, hey, here's an opportunity 521 00:21:02,110 --> 00:21:04,550 for you to think about it this month, just to at least think about 522 00:21:04,550 --> 00:21:04,870 it. 523 00:21:05,190 --> 00:21:06,910 And here tonight, it's right before us. 524 00:21:06,910 --> 00:21:07,590 There's a need. 525 00:21:08,230 --> 00:21:10,870 There's a need in South America for a new building. 526 00:21:11,110 --> 00:21:12,710 And, hey, we can be a part of that. 527 00:21:13,750 --> 00:21:15,910 God might not have us support everything, right? 528 00:21:15,910 --> 00:21:18,510 That might not be realistic, but what it can be is we can do our 529 00:21:18,510 --> 00:21:18,790 part. 530 00:21:19,590 --> 00:21:22,190 And that would be a blessing to the Turins, it would be a blessing 531 00:21:22,190 --> 00:21:22,750 to their church. 532 00:21:22,750 --> 00:21:25,630 It would be a blessing to the country and ultimately be honoring 533 00:21:25,630 --> 00:21:25,990 God. 534 00:21:26,230 --> 00:21:29,330 And so if God's laying that upon your heart this evening, you 535 00:21:29,330 --> 00:21:31,290 can mark it down, you can put it in an envelope, and you can put 536 00:21:31,290 --> 00:21:33,210 it in there, and we'll make sure that it gets to the right place. 537 00:21:33,610 --> 00:21:35,890 And so I wanted to share that here this evening with you. 538 00:21:35,890 --> 00:21:38,090 Why we do missions at Middletown Baptist Church. 539 00:21:39,130 --> 00:21:39,530 So. 540 00:21:39,530 --> 00:21:42,210 Well, with that being said here this evening as you head on 541 00:21:42,210 --> 00:21:44,170 out, I know that the Turins are going to be having. 542 00:21:44,250 --> 00:21:45,450 They have a table out there already. 543 00:21:45,450 --> 00:21:47,250 Stop by the table, grab a prayer card. 544 00:21:47,250 --> 00:21:50,890 I always encourage people to grab a prayer card and put it where 545 00:21:50,890 --> 00:21:55,420 you look at something frequently, you know, you know where 546 00:21:55,420 --> 00:21:57,140 we sometimes put our prayer cards. 547 00:21:57,860 --> 00:22:00,300 I go to the fridge a lot, so I put it up on the fridge right as 548 00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:01,020 I was getting a snack. 549 00:22:01,020 --> 00:22:01,980 I'll see, like, oh, there it is. 550 00:22:01,980 --> 00:22:02,260 Yep. 551 00:22:02,260 --> 00:22:03,140 I'm gonna pray for them. 552 00:22:03,220 --> 00:22:03,740 I have. 553 00:22:03,740 --> 00:22:08,100 I. I have missions cards in front of my desk at work, right. 554 00:22:08,100 --> 00:22:11,020 And every so often, I don't pray for them every second of every 555 00:22:11,020 --> 00:22:13,140 day, but when my eye catches them, I pray for them. 556 00:22:13,540 --> 00:22:15,580 And I want to make sure that we do that within the church. 557 00:22:15,580 --> 00:22:18,180 So stop by the table, let them know that you're praying for them, 558 00:22:18,420 --> 00:22:21,580 then pray for them, and then find maybe how God is leading you 559 00:22:21,580 --> 00:22:25,420 to support the terrains here this evening. 560 00:22:25,740 --> 00:22:29,180 Well, I'm going to go ahead and close in a word of prayer. 561 00:22:29,820 --> 00:22:32,620 And if you have any questions about the missions program, how you 562 00:22:32,620 --> 00:22:35,420 can give to missions, maybe you missed the meeting earlier today 563 00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:39,340 and you say, I want to know more about taking our trip to Rwanda. 564 00:22:39,580 --> 00:22:42,620 I have a lot of information, and if you want to know more about 565 00:22:42,620 --> 00:22:46,460 that, I can fill you in on all that here, and that would be great. 566 00:22:46,540 --> 00:22:48,620 Well, I'm going to go ahead and close with a word of prayer, 567 00:22:48,620 --> 00:22:50,940 and then after that, you guys will be dismissed. 568 00:22:51,020 --> 00:22:53,100 Lord, I just thank you for the time that you've given us. 569 00:22:53,100 --> 00:22:54,900 I thank you for the opportunity to come together this 570 00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:59,460 evening and hear wonderful report of how your work is being 571 00:22:59,460 --> 00:23:04,020 seen in the life of the Tyn through their lives and through their 572 00:23:04,020 --> 00:23:04,420 example. 573 00:23:04,420 --> 00:23:05,700 Lord, I just pray that you protect them. 574 00:23:05,700 --> 00:23:07,500 I pray that you continue to provide for them. 575 00:23:07,740 --> 00:23:10,580 I pray that you impart power and provisions to them in the midst 576 00:23:10,580 --> 00:23:11,620 of their ministry, Lord. 577 00:23:11,620 --> 00:23:16,080 And we pray that this building is provided through whatever capacity 578 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,400 you see fit, Lord, in the timing that you see fit. 579 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:20,720 And, Lord, we pray for great blessings through that. 580 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:22,480 And we believe that you can do it. 581 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,000 We believe that it is something that could cause a great 582 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,160 impact in the country. 583 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,040 Lord, I pray that you be with us within our own missions program 584 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:31,760 here at the church. 585 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,160 Help us to individually see where we can go, where we can give, 586 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:39,600 where we can pray, where we can serve, Lord, where we can invest 587 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,920 into the kingdom of God, Lord, in our Jerusalem, here in Middletown, 588 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,440 in our Judea, in our Samaria, and into the uttermost part of the 589 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:46,760 earth. 590 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,400 So, Lord, we love you and we thank you for all the blessings you've 591 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:49,880 given us. 592 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:50,320 Lord. 593 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:53,280 Help us to, out of cheerfulness and out of gratitude, 594 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,840 reciprocate that back to those in need of the truth of the gospel 595 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:57,400 of Jesus Christ. 596 00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:58,840 And so we just thank you and we love you. 597 00:23:59,400 --> 00:23:59,760 We. 598 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,960 We ask that you bless us as we go our separate ways and in our fellowship 599 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:03,360 to follow. 600 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:04,200 In Jesus name. 601 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:04,840 Amen. 602 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,160 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 603 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:09,720 podcast. 604 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:11,440 I hope that this sermon has been. 605 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:12,360 A blessing for you. 606 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,280 If you would like to find out more information about our church 607 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,760 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 608 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,640 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 609 00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:26,800 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 610 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:31,280 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 611 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,040 along for future podcast and updates. 612 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:35,720 Thank you so much. 613 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:36,680 God Bless. 614 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:38,200 Have a wonderful day.