← ArchiveResetReset Our LivesDateJanuary 11, 2021SpeakerDr Josh BurnhamText—Passages in this sermonActs 15:58John 1734:21Acts 1:1435:03TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00*Mario plays*0:30Okay, my name is Josh. For those who are just now tuning in, either online or some of you have been here for the last 30 minutes, but you're just now tuning in, my name is Josh, lead pastor here at Bethel, and we get to continue a sermon series called Reset, which I think is appropriate because many of us, all of us, want to reset what happened last week. And so I think today is a good day to reset our lives. I believe actually the Bible says every day we should reset our lives because as mercies are made new, not yearly, but every morning.0:59So what are we doing here? What is this? If you're just now figuring out what have I wandered into, this is a local church and we commit here at Bethel to bring the whole gospel to the whole person to the whole world. We live that out. We believe that everything in the Word of God is good for our souls. There's not a single word that God has spoken through His Spirit that is not right for our lives.1:29From Genesis to Revelation. We believe that Jesus Christ changes everything about you. There's not a single habit in your life that Jesus can't break. There's not a single difficulty that Jesus can't comfort. And there's not a single fear that you might have that Jesus can't relieve. The Word of God for everyone, for the whole person. And we believe that this good news needs to go out into the whole world.1:56There's not a single person in our country, in our country, in our country, in our world that does not need to hear the good news of Jesus. Until the Lord takes me home, I'm going to live my life to reach those that are far from Him.2:20And I'm thankful to serve a church where that's your heart and your desire to. And so I just want you to know that's what you're getting yourself into when you walked in here today, when you tuned in. For those of you who are new and we have friends, I just want to remind you, we have friends, dear friends, that have been watching online for nine months who have not yet come back. Can we just let our round of applause let them know we miss them and they're welcome. I know one day you will be back here soon and we can't wait to that day.2:49As great as online is, listen, virtual will never replace being face to face. It will never replace that. And so I'm thankful God has allowed this tool as a medium to get His word out. But we need each other. That's the sermon today. So let's do some word association. I don't know why I make you nervous. Okay, I'm going to say the word. Don't blurt it out just in your soul.3:18How does this word make you feel? Are you ready? Here we go. First word. Stay at home order. How about this one? Social distancing. How about this word? Safer at home. Apparently those people don't have my household. Because if I were in charge, I would say safer not at home.3:47But anyway, we digress. How about this? Six feet intervals. Most of us now walk like this on the ground because we're looking for the dot of where we need to stand. How about this? Quarantine. I've just learned this about my life. I've been quarantined for 14 days. You don't want to be quarantined with me for 14 days. I'm a miserable person when I'm quarantined.4:15Lastly, isolation. And even as I read these again, my heart sinks. I think there is something naturally unsettling about these words. And I don't know about you. I never want to get used to this. I never want to be okay being in isolation. I never want to be okay with just you guys.4:43You stay over there. I'll stay over here. Now the whole handshaking thing, I might be okay with. But mask. I think there is something natural unsettling. Why? Because we are made for community. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is the essential nature of togetherness. It's the necessity of we. The message today is going to be a reminder that we need each other.5:11This should be no surprise. The church should be the first one that says, "We told you this is not okay." Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews reminds us and says, "Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together." It's Jesus' way of saying you're not made to be alone. The writer of Timothy echoes this. The writer of Timothy said, "God has not given you a spirit of fear."5:37Now you didn't know that this was written in the southern dialect. It should be, "God has not given you all, y'all a spirit of fear." Because it's plural. But of power and love and sound mind. Acts chapter 1. What we are going to read today. God reminds us that prophetically he says that I have given y'all a spirit of power.6:02You'll be my witnesses to all of Jerusalem, to Judea, to the ends of the earth. What is God saying in this? He's reminding you and me that faith is not a solo adventure. It's a collective endeavor. So if you have ever heard or someone has told you and you believe that, "Well, I can believe on my own.6:30My faith is personal and I'm going to keep it under the little bushel. I'm going to hide my light and it's for me." That is not what God wants for you. That's further than the truth. We're reminded that we are created by God, Yahweh, who is three in one. God himself demonstrates what community looks like. God has lived in eternal community from the foundations of the world.6:59Which means you and I need this. And so today's message is as simple as this. Last week we looked at resetting our lives individually. Today we look at resetting our lives corporately, together. Whether you like it or not, if you are a covenant member at Bethel Church, I am your problem. Right? And whether I like it or not, you are mine.7:28Because we are in this together. And so how do we reset our lives for the glory of God? Turn to me in Acts chapter 1. We are going to read a famous passage. And we are going to ask God to reset our lives this morning. Acts chapter 1, I am reading from the CSB beginning in verse 4.7:55"While Jesus, that's he, was with them, Jesus commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Father's promise. Which, he said, you have heard me speak about. For John baptized you with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days."8:19So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?" And Jesus said to them, "It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you all," right, you plural, "will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.8:44And you," plural, "will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth." And after he said this, verse 9, "Jesus was taken up as they were watching with a cloud which took him out of their sight. And while he was going, they were gazing into heaven. And suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.9:13And they said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven?' And that the same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven." And I don't know when that day will be, but I know he's coming back. And so I will worship today with expectancy and hope. So let's pray and then ask God to reset our lives.9:41Father, we live in a busy, chaotic world. Lord, would you help us rest and reset? Father, that the worries we brought here to this place today, we ask that we would give them to you. That our preconceived notions and our preconceived biases Lord, everything that can hinder us, our sin that so easily entangles.10:09Father, would you remove that? So we collectively can reset our lives and run with perseverance the race that you have set before us. Lord, we thank you again as a reminder that you hear our prayers. That you have not forgotten us, that you are with us. That you are watching and gazing upon us. Oh Lord, our Lord.10:38Move in your people right now, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen. And amen. So let's go back to verse 6. Here they are, the disciples, waiting for Jesus. They've been waiting for this moment. Jesus died on the cross. I love the song that we sang earlier. When we see a cross, God sees an empty tomb. And this crowd, they've seen this and they've experienced,11:07and now they're waiting for the return of Christ. And they're waiting in Jerusalem. The one astute disciple in the crowd says in verse 6. And I would imagine it's probably from the back. This voice says, "Hey, Jesus! Is it now? You said that you're going to restore the kingdom, so is it today?"11:33Have you ever wanted to ask God this question? God, you promised me all these things and God, is it right now? I think if we're honest, many of us want to ask this question. And we live in a time where knowledge, wanting to know and being able to know, is right at our fingertips. We live in the information age. If you want to know anything, Google it.12:01Or if you're too lazy to type, you can ask Siri. Or for you Android users, you can ask Alexa. Or for some of you, you're still asking Jeeves. And if all of that fails, here's what you can do. You can go down to your local Jack's, get a cup of coffee, and solve the world's problems. But we live in a world where information is everywhere, isn't it?12:29And I think there are times in our life where we want to ask God, "God, I know you're here. I know you're with me. But Lord, I need to know. I need to know the answer." And listen to Jesus' response to this person, the "they." Jesus in verse 7 says, "It's not for you to know the times or the periods that the Father has sent by His authority."12:54In a world that is dying to know everything. Here's how we're going to reset our lives collectively this year. Our first reset. We're going to be okay with not knowing everything. If you don't know everything, it's okay. Jesus reminds us, listen, you don't know everything and God does not want you to know everything.13:18There are some things that are only for Yahweh alone. You don't have it figured out. And so we're going to tell the world we're okay with saying we don't have it figured out. Why is this so important? Because sometimes only knowing half the answer is not enough. Listen, look at what the question was in verse 6. This crowd is asking, they say, "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom?"13:47So they're asking for a political restoration. "God, our nation is falling apart. Are you going to restore us politically?" Sound familiar? But they say, "Are you going to restore the kingdom of Israel?" They want a political, they want a national reign. But there's also a third part of this question.14:16Lord, not only are you going to restore us politically, not only are you going to restore us nationally, but are you going to do it now? Lord, let us know. And Jesus' response is, "Listen, you don't have to know everything." And we live in a world that tells us you do have to know everything. And the response of the gospel is that you don't. And that we don't. There are things in life that you and I will never know.14:45And so, if you don't have it all together, let me just speak to you really quick. If you have walked in here and you don't have it all together, I want to say to you this. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to the team. No one here has it all together. And shame on us when we live as if we do. Sometimes we live in a way as if, "Well, I know your world is falling apart, but look at me.15:14I have it all together." No, you don't. None of us do. And I want to be a church where people who are in difficult places can walk in here and say, "You guys are messed up and I want to be with you because we just believe this. In a world that is chasing information and they want to chase answers, we're chasing the one who has the answers. And his name is Jesus.15:42And so, we're going to reset our lives. We don't know everything and I'm okay with that." I'm not an expert epidemiologist. I'm not. I don't have the answers to what's going on with this pandemic. But I do worship the one who does. And I'm not an expert economist. I can't tell you what your stock portfolio is going to do.16:09I can't tell you if bitcoin is going to crash because it's about at a bubble. Just FYI. Prophetic warning here. I'm not a political analyst. I don't know what's going to happen with the electric. I don't know what's going to happen with the new rain. I don't know. And I'm okay with that. Because I worship the one who knows everything. And there are times where God says, "Josh, don't worry.16:37It's not for you to know." And so, we're going to reset our lives this year as a church. When we don't know, we're going to simply say, "We don't know." But we know and we worship the one who does. And I'm content resting in Jesus Christ. That's freeing, guys. Because social media is going to tell you, "You should have an expert opinion on everything and you should be sharing it."17:06And Jesus says, "No, you don't." No, you don't. You're not an expert in everything. But we do know that our Creator has created all of us for His good and His glory. It's okay. We don't have it figured out. Reset number one. But Jesus continues and He tells them here. He says, "But," guys, it's okay. But's in Scripture are either really good things or really bad things.17:34So this, I believe Jesus is seeing the church. He's seeing the crowd and they're in turmoil and they're thinking, "Oh, no. We've asked a wrong question again and we're about to be reprimanded. We don't have everything figured out." And Jesus knows we don't have everything figured out. He says, "But, guys, come on." He says, "It'll be okay. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses."18:02Listen, for the Christian, "I don't know" is not virtue signaling. And it's not hopelessness. Really, saying "I don't know" is us sighing a huge sigh of relief and saying, "I don't have to know because I worship the one who does." But did you hear the promise that Jesus just made? Did you catch that? Let's read it again. Jesus says, "But you will."18:31He's not subjunctive. He doesn't say, "You might," if you're lucky. He says, "You will receive." Now, again, this is plural. You will receive what? You will receive power. Listen, Jesus wants us to remember this. God does not have an anemic church. God does not have a wimpy church. God does not have a wimpy church. And I believe a dying world needs to see the power of God working somewhere.19:01And God is working in His church. He's working in you. If you are a Christ follower, this is what Jesus says. You have His power. And I don't know how much of it, but I do know a sliver of the power of God in my life is infinitely greater than any wisdom that I might have on my own. So, our second reset is simply saying, God, we will remember.19:27We will remember your power in our lives. We will remember the "you will" statements. "You will receive power." Jack Packer said it this way. Church, he says, "Listen, our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God and the power of God for the glory of God."19:47Listen, here's the secret of the Gospel. You are a reminder to the world that Jesus is still working. You're thinking, "Who, me? Yes, you." Jesus has ascended and He has told His community,20:13"Listen, you are a visible reminder that I am still working." That's why the world needs to see the power of Christ in you. You are, the church is the visible reminder that God has not forgotten us. He is working in our lives. What a huge responsibility that is. And with great power comes great responsibility.20:40The power of God in you is tied to the witness of God in you. Did you catch that? Verse 8. We're going to remember this year the "you will" of Scripture. You will receive power. You will be His witnesses. The power of God in your life is tied to the witness of God in our lives. And to date, roughly 357,000 people have died with COVID-related issues.21:09And what you won't see on the news, and what should break our hearts, how many of these 357,000 people are in an eternal hell away from God right now? We should weep that there are people that have died among us,21:30that are spending eternity away from God because they have not said yes to Jesus Christ. I don't know about you, I have a friend here in this church whose family members passed away recently. And I know that their heart is heavy because they don't know if they were a believer. And I read this verse and I weep because I said, God, I want to be this witness.22:00God, I don't want anyone to die without hearing. I don't want anyone to die without knowing. I don't want anyone to die without believing that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. And how many of these 357,000 people in the United States were not followers of Jesus Christ. I believe we should live with this weight. But do not let the weight crush you because there's nothing that you can do, there's nothing that I can do.22:29We don't save people. But the good news of Jesus does. And I think of the 7,400 unreached people groups around the world that have never heard the name of Jesus. And I wonder, God, would you send me? Listen, if God says today, Josh, you go, you'll find a better pastor. Go find someone that loves the Lord.22:58Man, God's going to protect this place. But how many of us is God raising up to go? And I just want to be a person that if God says, Josh, go, I want you to go right now, that I would say yes. That I wouldn't say, God, but you know, I say, God, I'll go. God, I'll go across the street. God, I'll call my friend. God, I'll go to my neighbor. God, I'll go to the ends of earth. Lord, I want to be your witnesses.23:27And I think if we're honest, many of us don't witness because we know that our lives don't match what God wants. And so if that's you, if you're not sharing the hope of God like you should, because you're not living the hope of God like you should, today's a day to repent of that. And say, God, I want to live like you want to live us.23:54And I'm reminded that there are many hills that we can die on. But there's only one hill that's worth it, and that's the hill of Calvary. I never want my speech or my life to turn away someone from hearing that Jesus loves them. Church, it's not worth it. My opinion, your opinion is not worth losing your witness. And my opinion and our opinion is not worth this local church losing its witness that Jesus Christ saves.24:24So we commit to remember the you wills of Scripture. You will receive power if you are of the Lord and you will be his witness. That is his hope and his reminder. Never forget the power of Jesus is with you and upon you. I'm reminded of a young man who was 30 and the doctors told him that he had a terminal illness.24:52He would not make it. And he threw his life upon the Lord. He said, God, I have nothing but you. And in doing that at around the age of 30, God miraculously healed him. And when he remembered the promises of God, he wrote them down. And maybe you know these words. It goes like this. It's the hymn. It says, standing on the promises of Christ my King.25:21Through eternal ages let his praises ring. Glory in the highest I will shout and sing. Standing on the promises of God. This year I'm committing like never before to remember the you wills of Scripture. I'm going to live in 2021 as a church we commit to just live a life that says, Standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my King.25:48Through eternal ages let his praises ring. So we're going to live this way. Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior. Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God.26:12Can you imagine this man singing in the dark? God, I don't care if the world falls apart. I don't care if I lose my life. We will stand on your power and your strength. And we will be your witnesses. That's how we reset our lives. But it continues. This is after Jesus said this.26:42And they're thinking, yes, Lord, let's go. Let's fight this battle of faith. Jesus disappears into the clouds. Verse 9 clearly demonstrates what's happening. They were watching the cloud took him out of their sight. They were going, they were gazing into heaven. And as they see the cloud, I just wonder. I wonder if this crowd is thinking about the cloud that covered the tabernacle in the Old Testament.27:11When they were wandering and they thought they might die, they had nowhere else to turn. They could look to the tabernacle and they would see the cloud, the presence of God over the tabernacle reminding them that his glory was there. I wonder if they thought about the glory of God here. Maybe James and John and Peter were thinking about the cloud that engulfed the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus appeared with Elijah and Moses.27:35I mean, his clothes shone as the brightest white that they'd ever seen. I wonder if they saw five times in this passage right here. The word watching or gazing or sight was mentioned.28:00And as they're looking into heaven, like they're gazing up, a voice interrupts. And it says it this way, it says, guys, snap out of it. Why are you looking into heaven? And as I read this, I want to say, Lord, they were looking for Jesus. But listen to what the voice says in verse 11. Men of Galilee, Bethel Baptist Church, why do you stand looking into heaven?28:30Because this same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven. It's the reminder that doing for Christ is better than gazing for Christ. And our third reset is that we're going to believe even when we can't see. Even if we can't see Jesus, I believe he's seated at the right hand of God.28:58And even if I can't see him right now, I'm going to go out and look at the clouds because I believe he's coming back. And we're going to live a life by faith that when we can't see, we are going to live on mission for Christ. Listen, what this tells me is I do not want to be a rubbernecker for Jesus. I don't want to live a life where I just gaze into the heavens and watch the world, the hurting, broken world, die and go to hell.29:25I don't want to keep my eyes in heaven and not see the needs of people around us. And so we're going to commit to live a life that when we see others, we will not ignore the hurting and the broken in our world. But church, we're also going to commit this year to do something else.29:54We're going to live in a way that we don't believe this is our heaven. Not only are we going to live by faith and not sight, we're not going to live in a way by where we see and what we see is the end all be all. This is not heaven. So if you are living your life to get as much as you can, to do as much as you can, if you're trying to make your little heaven on earth, stop it. That's the most gentle way I can say it. Stop.30:24This is not heaven. And we need to live in a way that the world looks at us and says, you guys are different. Why are you living with such expectancy? Do you really believe this Jesus guy is going to come back? And we say, you can't see it, but we believe. Do you really think that things are going to get better? You can't see it.30:53But one day Jesus promises to make all things new. So I will not pursue what the world pursues. We are not going to do what the world does because we believe there is something far better and more beautiful than we can ever imagine. Church, what you see here is not heaven. It is so much beyond what we can think or see. And we're going to live in a way that the world sees that we desire something that is more beautiful than anything we could ever imagine.31:16But until the Lord comes, we will live by faith and not by sight. That is our third reset. Live by faith and not by sight. Because of the power of the resurrection and the power of the crucifixion and the reality of the ascension and the anticipation of the second coming, we're going to live this way.31:43This is our final reset of the day. We're going to live united. And so this passage ends in verse 14 in this way. They come back together after Jesus ascends into the heavens by a cloud. And they are reminded by the angels, "Get to work, guys. Do something for the Lord." They gather together and they are continually united in prayer along with the women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.32:08Listen, prayer unites our hearts. You show me a divisive person and I'll show you someone who has not experienced the beauty of being united with Christ and united in others in prayer. Have enemies? It's harder to hate my enemies when I pray for them. And so we're going to commit to be more united than ever.32:36I simply believe that a divided world needs a united church. And in case you haven't realized it yet, we live in a divided world. It's so much greater than our state. It's so much greater than our nation. The tremblings that we see in our nation are only symptoms of a greater spiritual division in the entire world. It's so much greater. Are we divided as a nation? Absolutely.33:06But we have been divided as a world since the fall of man. So what we're seeing is only God saying, I told you guys, I told you so. Trust me. Be united. And so we're going to commit to pray for our community. One way we're going to do that is that this month I'm going to ask you, we have packets on your way out later today. I'm going to ask each family or each person to grab a packet and to commit to pray for 15 people in our community for the next seven days.33:33You say, well, I don't know who they are. That's okay. I don't either. But we're going to commit to pray for them to intercede. So later today, would you grab one of those packets and would you commit to pray three times a day for seven days? And there for these unique 15 families and names. Because we believe that when we unite in prayer, God works.34:01He works and He hears from heaven and He changes lives. And if you don't think this is important, I want us to listen to the last prayer of Jesus. The last thing that Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane is this. It's found in John chapter 17. Jesus prayed. He says, Lord, I pray not only for these as the disciples, but also for those who believe in me through their word.34:26Listen, if you're a Christ follower, that's you. This is God's desire. This is Jesus' desire for your life. He says, Father, may they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me.34:56And as I read this, my heart broke because it was a picture of Acts 1:14. For that our unity is a reminder to the world that Jesus saves. And we're not one so people will think we have it all figured out. We're one because we just tell the world, listen, we have a hundred different backgrounds in this room.35:21And for some of us, the only thing that unites us is the blood of Jesus. But you know, that's okay. Because if there is only one thing that could unite me with you, may it be the blood of Jesus Christ. Because we are all one, the foot of the cross. A united church is a powerful demonstration so that the world might believe.35:51May we be more unified than ever. That's our commitment. We're going to be more unified as a people of God this year than we ever have been. I want us to live in a way that the world and our community and our state and our county says, "What's with you guys? You don't look anything like them." We'll say, "That's okay." "You don't speak like each other." "That's okay."36:21"That's okay." "You come from different economic backgrounds and different educational backgrounds." "How can people who fight each other on Saturdays on the football field love each other on Sundays?" And we'll say, "We can't explain it other than it's Jesus." And we want you to know that if you give your life to Jesus, you can be united with us. And that one day in heaven, every nation, every tribe, every tongue will be united.36:46That's our commitment. And that's what Jesus wanted for us when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said, "Lord, may they be one as Jesus and His Father are one." We commit to reset our lives. And maybe you hear all this and you feel like you are guilty.37:13Maybe you feel like me and you say, "God, I'm guilty of just staring off into the clouds sometimes." Because if we're honest, sometimes I would rather not look at our world and just stare into heaven. Sometimes it's easier to say, "God, I don't see no one here. Nothing going on here. No smoke." But that's not God's will for us. I believe, if anything, the church should run into the fire.37:42I believe, if anything, the church should run into the chaos. Should run into the self-serving and the self-seeking and we tell the world there's a better way. The name is Jesus. And if you've been here and you've been stargazing for far too long, would you reset your life? Would you commit with me this year to reset and say, "We don't have it figured out and that's okay." I'm going to remember the promises of God, the power and the witness that He has called me to believe.38:08Would you commit with me this year to reset your life and say, "God, I will believe even when I can't see." I believe, and I expect great things. And would you commit again with me this year to reset our lives?38:38Say, "God, we will be one more than any year, than any day." God, may we be one as you and I are one. And I'm so thankful for a Savior who prayed for me in the garden. I'm so thankful for a God, when He looked down from heaven, He didn't turn a blind eye to my knee, but He sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, to save a sinner like me. And we're reminded in the Word,39:10if Jesus Christ is not your Lord and your Savior, you are not one with God. And my prayer is that today you will be reconciled. Reconciliation comes through the blood of Jesus Christ. And it comes from recognition by faith, of just simply saying, "God, I believe today that I am a sinner." I believe today that I don't have it figured out.39:37But I believe Jesus came and died on the cross for my sins. And I believe that your power will live in me to be your witness to a world who needs you. Father, that's what I want. May today be the day of your salvation. I believe that if you are not a Christ follower, God has brought you here. He's brought you online to hear this message that Jesus loves you. And that He wants to save you by faith.40:06If that's you, would you run to Jesus today? Would you say, "I want this." That is the reset. That is the power. That is the hope that we have. And church, let me tell you. I don't know when, because it's none of my business. But I do know how. I do know that in the same way Jesus ascended into heaven, He will return. And if that is today, Lord, I am ready.40:34But if the Lord tarries, may we do the work and may we reset our lives like never before. And may He find us faithful. Let's pray.← Previous in ResetReset Your Life
