← ArchiveSunday, January 7, 2018DateJanuary 7, 2018Speaker—Text—Passages in this sermonMatthew 285:46Isaiah 625:112 Peter 1:329:16John 1532:40TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00"The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God"0:27"The Lord is the Son of God"0:54"The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God"1:23"The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God" "The Lord is the Son of God"1:52"The Lord is the Son of God"2:12"Yet we're here in 2018" "So I thought, youth, I thought that was an excuse" "I didn't have to do homework" "I was graduating in the year 2000" "in May" "If the year ends in 1999" "December 31st, no homework for me" "What's the point?" "But we're here" "I pray that this is a year" "that God overwhelmingly pours out His Spirit" "upon you and upon me" "that this would be a year like none other"2:40"and if that happens" "this state" "this county" "this world" "would not know what to do" "because the Spirit of the living God" "is consuming His people" "so we're going to spend time today" "looking at what that vision might be" "how that affects our church" "and how that affects you this year" "some of you have already started on 2018"3:08"wanting it to be a different year than last year" "anyone make New Year's resolutions?" "anyone bold enough?" "I have a couple hands" "the rest of you have not" "it's too late, we're already in 2018" "for those of you who have committed to go to church in 2018" "this is the first Sunday" "congratulations" "well done" "100%" "most people" "when they resolute" "are going to make these four commitments"3:37"and so if you've made a resolution" "I'm not going to ask you or call you out" "but this is what you've most likely done" "one" "I have committed to be healthy" "whether that's exercise, eat better" "whatever that might be" "the second is I'm going to commit to get organized" "so that was the second resolution this year in America" "I'm going to commit to get organized" "I'm like those people don't have kids" "I gave up"4:05"that's crazy" "the third is this" "most people have committed and resoluted" "to live a fuller life" "so I'm going to jump out of an airplane" "and I'm going to go on roller coasters" "and if you want to do that" "I have not ever been skydiving" "I would love to go" "so I will go with you" "I am crazy" "so if you want a crazy person strapped to your back" "I am your man" "and then the fourth one is this" "most people have resoluted a desire to have more hobbies"4:34"so if you don't" "if you have too much time on your hands" "and you've committed to have more hobbies" "whatever that might look like" "but wouldn't it be awesome" "if on the way out of this church today" "of this gathering of people" "we could give you a personalized" "detailed resolution for 2018" "with your name on it" "that has descended from heaven" "how awesome would that be" "if on the way out I said" "make sure you pick up your new commitment guide"5:03"God fresh from the heavenly presses" "presses last night for you" "if that was true" "would you not pick it up" "if I said this is what God wants from me" "in his word" "we have that" "God's word is living" "and it is active" "so my prayer today is that" "we open God's word" "and it impacts your soul" "to the deepest core of who you are" "and that this year will be the best year" "you have ever had"5:32"through God's spirit" "whatever that might look like" "that God is growing you" "and you are going on mission" "for his namesake this year" "that's my prayer" "so with that turn with me" "in Matthew chapter 28" "Matthew chapter 28" "one of the most famous verses in all of scripture" "you might know it as the great commission" "and these are not simply ancient words"6:02"these truly are God's words" "to you and to me" "and I know that God inspired this" "and if you have his spirit" "God is interpreting his word" "into your life right now" "and may we have a mind and a heart" "that is receptive to his glory and his honor" "this year may we resolve" "to know him and him more" "so what does that look like" "look at verse 18 of chapter 28"6:31"the book of Matthew in the New Testament" "Jesus said" "all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth" "go therefore and make disciples of all nations" "baptizing them in the name of the Father" "and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" "teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you" "and remember"6:59"and remember" "remember" "I am with you always" "to the end of the age" "the DNA of this church" "is that we will bring the gospel" "the good news" "to the whole earth" "to the whole person" "and you play a huge part in that" "so this year I want to give you three thoughts" "as we begin 2018" "and how we can grow in our faith" "that we can go on mission with Christ" "that we can grow in our faith" "and that we can show"7:27"that we are Christ followers" "let's pray" "Lord we eagerly, eagerly anticipate" "all that you are going to do in our life" "in the life of this local congregation" "Lord we have met here today to see you face to face" "to know your goodness" "to find your mercy" "and Lord I pray that you would wake us up" "and that you would" "Lord send your spirit"7:56"a fresh breath of your spirit upon us" "that you would awaken our minds" "and transform our hearts" "and that we would leave here" "differently because we have seen you" "Lord become real to us" "that we may go for you" "and I pray this in Jesus name" "amen and amen" "so how can we go for Christ this year" "how can we go" "so simply first is this" "would you resolve" "resolve means I commit to go"8:25"would you resolve to go" "to go for Christ" "look at verse 19" "very simply Jesus says" "go" "right go" "and so the Greek word" "very difficult word" "is prosuomai" "means to move" "and it means to go from one place to another" "with continuity and distance" "so if you are going"8:53"it means you are not doing what?" "staying" "right so God" "I believe God" "wants us and has created us" "not to be stationary" "now that gives me hope" "because that's a reminder" "that God does not want me" "God does not want you to be" "the same place today" "as he did last year" "like God wants us to be" "and to do something different" "God wants you to go" "Jesus says very clearly" "do what?"9:22"do what?" "go" "so if the only thing you do this year" "is one word" "Jesus says go" "go for me" "you say well where do I go?" "go" "what's the plan?" "go" "well how do I do that?" "go" "and you see the struggle" "we worry about all these things" "and Jesus says to us" "go" "move" "don't sit" "don't be stationary" "get up" "Baptists"9:51"Baptists" "wake up" "do something for the kingdom" "and when we do" "he will be glorified in us" "and I know what you're thinking" "well these are for the saints" "not me" "surely not me" "I'm just a regular old person" "I don't even know why I'm here today" "I want you to know this in Jesus Christ" "if you have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ" "you are a saint" "you are a saint"10:19"not with the little halo and the beams radiating from the back of your head" "as you see in the pictures" "but we are saints very clearly" "Paul addresses the saints of the churches" "you are a saint if you know Christ" "and every saint is sent" "so may we commit to go because if I know Christ" "I am a saint and I am sent" "you're thinking right now you've checked out" "I know some of you have checked out" "because you're thinking Mother Teresa" "great I'm going to Calcutta" "and I'm working with the indigents"10:48"I'm giving everything" "I don't even like curry" "I don't like Indian food" "and now God's called me there" "you're thinking well Saint Paul" "you know he got bit by a snake and he was shipwrecked" "and he was thrown in prison and he did all this" "I don't want to do that" "some of you are thinking of Saint Patrick" "you're like I don't wear, I don't like green" "and I like to be pinched" "Saint Patrick was one of the first to carry the gospel" "to Ireland" "what a glorious mission" "and I know you're thinking well I don't measure up"11:15"I have doubts" "I don't think I can go for Christ" "I have depression, I'm in a dark place" "and I don't think that I am qualified" "but I have fears" "and I have hurts" "and I have habits" "and I have patterns" "that are not exalting to God" "I cannot go" "I want you to know this morning" "that you are in good company" "you are in good company"11:44"look at verse 17" "I very specifically skipped this verse" "for this reason" "look at verse 17" "you're thinking well I'm not a saint" "how can I ever go" "verse 17" "when the disciples" "when the eleven apostles" "saw Jesus" "they worshiped" "right" "but" "but" "some" "doubted"12:13"doubted" "okay" "now get the picture" "now there are eleven disciples" "where is the twelfth disciple?" "Judas" "he hung himself" "because he was" "completely ashamed" "ashamed" "of the sin" "that he committed" "selling" "his" "merciful" "Jesus" "for 30 pieces of silver" "he is no longer here" "with them" "and they are on the mountain top" "here" "and they are seeing" "who?" "they are seeing" "Jesus" "and they worshiped" "and some doubted" "and some of us"12:42"here today" "are thinking" "I don't fully believe" "or I have these doubts" "or I have these struggles" "this" "is what Jesus says to you" "verse 19" "go" "the same Jesus" "that spoke this" "to the disciples" "who were doubting" "and who were worshiping" "in the midst of that doubt" "what does Jesus say" "to our doubt" "go" "move" "he has not created you" "to do nothing" "or to be the same" "he has created you"13:11"to grow" "and to move" "for his glory" "and his honor" "and as someone" "who doesn't have" "everything together" "that gives me hope" "because some of you" "are doubting" "right now" "you have worshiped" "and you have doubted" "in the same Sunday" "the first Sunday of the year" "and you already" "feel like a failure" "and Jesus is saying" "go" "I'm speaking to you" "go" "how does this work out" "how does this work out" "in our life" "we are not saved to maintain" "but we are saved to move"13:39"God does not save us" "to maintain what we have" "but to move" "and to go for his glory" "I think one thing" "that always holds us back" "is this" "I hear it's still football season" "I think there's a game" "tomorrow night" "that's what they tell me" "so" "I know the players are going" "I love football" "this is a sad season for me" "because you know" "pretty soon it's going to be over" "but for those of you" "for those of you who hate football" "just check out for the next minute"14:07"and then come back" "for those of you who love football" "when you hold in football" "what happens?" "if your team has a great play" "and they score a touchdown" "and someone on that team" "and on the field" "if they are holding on to what they have" "if they are trying to maintain" "what they have in that moment" "what happens?" "penalty" "here comes the flag" "and how often in our lives" "is God trying to move us forward" "and we are steadily holding on to what we had"14:35"and you know what the Bible" "the Bible doesn't call that a penalty flag" "you know what that's called?" "grieving or stifling the Holy Spirit" "we see in Thessalonians" "and I believe there's some of you right now" "are holding on to the past" "you're holding on to maybe" "something that happened last year" "maybe 2017 was a horrible year" "and you're struggling with letting that go" "maybe you've experienced death or hurt" "maybe you've been hurt by someone here in this church" "or someone here in this community"15:03"and you just think I cannot let that go" "God is saying I have saved you" "to move you so that you would go" "don't hold on" "don't maintain" "move for the glory of Christ" "some of you maybe 2017 was an awesome year" "you're thinking this is the best year ever" "I would hope it repeats itself" "God is still calling you to let go of what is behind" "and press on to what is ahead"15:32"would you let go" "what things are holding you back today" "what is keeping you from going for the glory of Christ" "right now in your life" "maybe you're holding on to the good old days" "Lord if we could just get back to what it used to be like" "before cell phones" "some of you like before Christ" "if we just had the horse and buggy" "if we just had these songs"16:00"Lord if I could just go back here" "when days were by all means" "this is what I feel like sometimes" "when days were more simpler" "we're so busy" "and God is saying Josh you need to let go of that" "because I have called to move you to my grace" "every day" "go" "go" "maybe you're holding on to a relationship" "that God has told you" "look you need to let go of that" "and it's comfortable" "and you feel like you're loved"16:28"and you're pursued" "but God is saying" "it is not healthy" "let go of that" "you need to move and move into my grace" "maybe God is calling you to let go of a habit" "or a pattern that's not honoring" "maybe you have been looking at things" "and listening to things in your mind" "that are by far not from his grace" "and not from his mercy" "and God is calling you to stop that"16:56"let go of that" "and move into his grace and his glory" "and his mercy today" "maybe God is just calling you to move into a new job" "that you've been holding on to something" "and God said let go of that" "or maybe this" "maybe this mentality of" "and I say it sometimes" "if you've ever said" "if I just had" "Lord, you know" "if I just had this" "then I could go"17:24"and God's response is" "Josh, don't you have me?" "am I not enough?" "what are you holding on to?" "what is holding you back today?" "you see, I know this" "sometimes the most difficult part" "is not this cognitive understanding" "I know many of you want to go for Christ" "you have a heart" "it's not the prayer that's a struggle" "the hardest part is actually taking that first step" "of actually saying Lord"17:52"not only do I think I'm going to go" "but I'm actually going to do it" "I remember growing up" "my parents tortured me" "because my dad had three trucks in my lifetime" "and they were all manual transmissions" "stick shift" "and my mom had a Mazda protege" "mid 1995 model" "they tell me it could go above the speed limit" "I don't know that by experience" "but I would assume that was true" "and I remember growing up in Oxford, Mississippi"18:19"when I was learning how to drive" "that on the University Boulevard" "there was this large long hill" "as you got on the University Boulevard" "which is awesome when you were going down" "but at the very top of the hill" "Satan himself had placed a stoplight" "and so get the picture" "so you have this hill" "so if you're going up this hill" "and here's a stoplight"18:48"right before the stoplight was a Sonic" "and so people were coming in and out" "and my greatest fear when I was learning to drive" "is Lord, I'm going to get stuck at this stoplight" "and you know first gear is tough" "God, you know, you know what's going to happen" "and then someone inevitably from Sonic" "was going to pull right out behind me" "and I'm like Lord" "I hope that hamburger tastes nasty right now" "how dare them" "those tater tots" "and I remember thinking"19:17"some of you have driven a stick shift before" "you know on a hill" "it's like if they get too close I'm bumping them" "because I'm going to slide back" "or I'm going to kill it" "because I'm going to try to rev it up" "and the hardest part of driving a stick shift" "is what?" "first gear" "getting started" "second gear" "fine" "third gear" "we got it" "my dad had three speed transmission" "on the column four truck" "once you got into third gear you are done" "but first gear was the most difficult"19:48"and in our life spiritually" "often times the most difficult part of us going for Christ" "is first gear" "and you're on that hill right now" "and you're thinking Lord this is the hardest part" "and God says just go" "take that step" "trust me" "you say Lord I'm worshiping and I'm doubting" "go" "because all authority has been given to me" "it's been the same in my life" "I remember going to my senior year of high school" "praying a prayer"20:17"my summer" "my summer" "I had my summer mapped out" "you know I was going to enjoy it" "I had to work" "but I ended up going to a camp" "a Christian camp" "and I loved the camp" "I remember praying the first night" "because the pastor told me" "so you know everyone needs to pray this prayer" "like okay I'll pray it" "the prayer should be Lord whatever you want for my life" "is what I want" "okay I'll pray it" "he tells me to" "and I prayed it" "you know what happened to my prayer?" "God listened"20:45"God listened" "God listened" "and I tell you as soon as I said amen" "God directly spoke to me and said" "I want you to pastor" "and I was like no" "that's not what I want" "that's the furthest thing" "and I remember wrestling physically with God for days" "miserable" "I was angry at God" "I was angry at the world" "it was as if this was the worst thing" "that God could have asked me to do" "after three days I realized"21:14"Lord" "if you have called me to go" "I don't need to know the plan" "I don't need to know where" "I just need to take the first step" "God first gear is tough" "and I doubt and I have fears" "but if you call me to go" "God I will go" "I remember after that" "God let me go to the best university that the world has ever known" "and I remember graduating said university"21:46"I don't know how I graduated" "but they let me graduate" "I remember going to New Orleans in the year 2005" "I remember God calling me to New Orleans" "and full disclosure" "there was a lady friend in the area" "that I am now married to" "that was also part of that package deal" "and after I moved to New Orleans" "two weeks later" "I met another woman" "her name was Katrina" "and I remember thinking" "God you have called me here"22:14"and this hurricane has devastated New Orleans" "it will never be" "it's still trying to get back to what it once was" "and I remember thinking" "God why would you call me" "God why would you call me here" "and ask me to go somewhere" "and you knew this hurricane was coming" "God I have not" "I don't have anything" "I couldn't go back in my apartment for months" "Lord why would you call me" "and God says" "don't you worry about that" "go"22:43"go" "I remember God calling me to a small church" "in the Mississippi River" "South Louisiana" "culture I had never experienced before" "nothing like it in the world" "people who loved tradition" "but did not know Christ" "I remember thinking" "I look nothing and I sound nothing like these people" "I'm not a Gautreaux" "or a Thibodeaux" "or a Robichaux" "or a Fontenot" "or a Gautreaux" "Lord I don't even like French food"23:11"escargot" "and I remember again God telling us" "Josh I didn't ask you to know the plan" "I asked you to go" "I remember many many years later" "two years later now in fact" "getting a phone call" "and someone from Alabama saying" "look we feel like God is stirring our hearts" "and we feel like you should come up here and preach" "and again I said Lord" "I'm comfortable"23:41"I'm comfortable" "Lord you're moving" "Lord I'm doubting" "Lord you know we can't do that" "and God again saying" "I don't care about your doubts" "I don't care about your fears" "I don't care about your weaknesses" "don't you think I can overcome that" "and this year God is calling us again" "to renew and resolve to be people that go"24:10"that go" "and maybe you are 10 in here today" "and you're thinking I don't know if I can do that" "and maybe you're 99 thinking" "I struggle every day to get up" "and I am in pain every day" "I will take that pain and use it for my glory" "go" "go" "go" "that we would be people" "in a church who is not worried about our seating capacity" "but that we would be a church that is more concerned about our sending capacity" "that we send people out to the Dominican Republic"24:40"to go for his name" "that we send people out to Boston" "that we send people out to Zambia" "that we send people out to effect the schools for Christ" "that we send people out to reach those that are hungry" "and we send people out to care for the orphans and the widows and those in foster care" "that we're sending and going and doing" "and that we don't grow weary because God has gifted us" "that we bring the whole gospel to the whole person to the whole world"25:07"that you and I would be people like Isaiah 6" "where we hear the Lord saying whom shall we send and who shall go for us" "and we like Isaiah say this" "Lord, here I am" "send me" "are you willing to go?" "are you willing to go?" "may that be our hearts" "may we resolve to go" "and God would renew us in that"25:37"the second way I want to encourage you is this" "not only should we go" "not only should we go but we should grow" "we should grow" "look at verse 19" "go therefore and make disciples" "make disciples" "this is one word in the Greek" "I'm not going to try to give you the Greek word again" "but it means" "it's one word meaning "discipling" "discipler" "so it's not make disciples as if I have a sword" "or a gun and I'm going to force you"26:06"and this is not you knocking on someone's door and saying" "look I'm going to make you believe in Jesus right now" "yes or no" "take it or leave it" "heaven or hell" "no this is we are living in such a way" "that they are convinced of the goodness of Christ in my life" "so is your life convincing?" "I pray that in 2018 that we would be convinced of his goodness" "and that we would live in a way that the world has no choice"26:34"but to see God's grace upon us" "are you willing to grow?" "look at verse 19 again" "that we should go make disciples" "and we've already seen that God is gracious" "and he commands those that have doubts to go for his namesake" "but what about growing in the Lord?" "because sometimes we struggle with growing spiritually" "and it has implications for the way that we live" "how do we grow? How can we become disciplers?"27:03"well I want you to know this" "that the growth of the Holy Spirit and righteousness in your life" "when you believe in Jesus is instant and immediate" "think about that" "when we put our faith" "if you have ever trusted in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior" "do you know how long it takes for you to become righteous like Jesus Christ?" "I love this" "Jesus doesn't say well Josh you need to wait"27:31"you're really messed up right now and it's going to take a lot of cleaning dude" "do you know when we become righteous?" "right now" "when I put my faith" "you know what sins that the blood of Christ covers when I trust in him?" "every sin" "every sin that I know about" "every sin that I have committed" "every sin that I will commit" "and everything that I don't know about"28:00"the blood of Christ has covered me" "so if I were to die right now" "with sin that I don't even know and I have not had the chance to confess" "I am immediately made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ" "that is freeing for me" "that is his promise" "we are righteous" "we are not yet perfected" "but we are righteous" "fully righteous" "you don't have to wait for God's righteousness" "as we talk about growing"28:29"this growth of the spirit" "his righteousness is instant" "and yet at the same time ongoing" "listen to the words of Peter" "Peter was a man that sinned boldly" "if you're going to sin" "I'm just going to be forthright about it" "he's the man" "Peter's the man" "that when Jesus told him about his future sin" "that you were one day were going to mock me and disown me" "before the rooster crowed"28:59"Peter said not me Lord" "almost as if telling Jesus" "you need to know your role Jesus" "you don't know what you're talking about" "Peter is the same man that was called Satan" "by Jesus Christ" "so you think you've had a bad day" "Jesus hasn't called you Satan" "listen to the words of Peter in 2 Peter 1:3" "by his divine power" "he has given us everything required" "for life and godliness" "through the knowledge of him who has called us"29:29"by his own glory and his goodness" "by his divine power" "Jesus has given us what?" "everything we need for life and godliness" "so if I am following Christ I am perfectly righteous" "and he has given me a new nature" "and part of that new nature" "is that we are disciplers" "that we are growing in a way that other people see God's grace" "and they have no" "no other way but to be attracted to that grace"29:57"now is the gospel a stumbling block?" "absolutely" "but are others seeing God's grace and righteous?" "are they looking at us?" "we see this truth in scripture here" "that disciple making is not a professional class" "God didn't say" "well if you go to seminary then you can make disciples" "if you go to this lecture then you can make disciples" "if you become a pastor you can make disciples"30:26"who is this given to?" "who are the disciplers?" "the ones who are doubting?" "the ones who are worshiping?" "the saints" "who's the saint?" "those who say that Jesus Christ is Lord" "will you commit your life again and renew a commitment to say" "God I want to be a discipler" "as you are growing me I want to grow others" "you see I believe that we don't grow in isolation"30:54"and I also believe this that the grace of Christ" "is best caught not taught" "the grace of Christ is best caught not taught" "for those of you who know Jesus" "think about the moment that you that you're what you had heard about him" "became what you knew about him" "think about the day the moment that you put your faith in Christ" "the day that you took that first step" "I remember this this rural church in Mississippi"31:24"the day that I went from hearing about the gospel to" "it being part of who now I was in Christ" "I didn't come to Christ because someone sat me down and lectured me" "you know why I came to faith in Jesus Christ?" "because I had parents who when I was in the womb" "were discipling me whether I knew it or not" "they were discipling me" "I had faithful friends and men and women who had poured into my life for years"31:52"who were discipling me and I was seeing God's grace in their life" "I had teachers in school that were modeling the grace" "and you know what they were doing for me?" "little by little I was catching the gospel" "I was catching the grace" "so the pastor didn't sit me down and lecture me and I said" "there it is, I understand now" "God was working in my heart and tearing down those bricks"32:21"brick by brick by brick" "until I realized, Lord, I have no other way" "but to know you" "are you modeling disciple making for others?" "You see, Jesus gives us a beautiful picture of what that looks like" "in John 15" "Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven in our lives to a vine and a branch" "from the vine and my father is the gardener"32:48"every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes" "and he prunes every branch that produces fruit" "so that it will produce more fruit" "I begin to think of that in our lives as disciple makers" "the world needs to see God pruning branches from us" "that's okay" "so if you're stuck here and you're thinking" "well I can't disciple others because I'm not yet where God wants me to be" "it's okay, let them see God prune you"33:17"let them see the dead branches and you can point them and say" "look, that wasn't good for me" "God has removed that, it's okay" "no tree grows in the dark" "and so why do we think that God is going to prune us in the closet in the darkness?" "we need to grow in a way that others see God working within us" "we need to live in a way that people say" "man, that's only the grace of God, it's not you" "and we should be okay with saying" "you know what, it's not me"33:46"I am a vessel of clay" "and look at the cracks, but I want you to know" "you know what's inside here?" "there is a treasure" "and his name is Jesus" "are you committed to being a disciple maker?" "a discipler?" "are you committed to showing the world that God is continually gracious?" "are you committed to grow for the glory of the Lord?" "go church, go" "go for his name with new passion" "grow in a way that other people see God's grace lived out in your life"34:15"constantly discipling" "and lastly, will you commit this year?" "will you be resolute, New Year's resolution to show" "to show the world that he is good?" "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father" "and the Son and the Holy Spirit" "and what?" "teaching them" "so now there's an aspect that we have to model God's grace in a way that they see it"34:43"we have to be evangelistic" "by nature" "by nature" "God's people are confessional people" "God's people are not mutes" "read Revelation" "you know how the enemy is overcome?" "by the testimony of the word of God" "I love that" "what does the enemy overcome?" "if I open my mouth and the word of God is coming forth"35:12"the enemy shakes" "when I open my mouth and Josh's words come out" "the devil's like" "good word pastor" "but it's the word of God" "that is living and active" "are you committed to sharing your faith?" "what does that look like?" "I believe that healthy things grow" "so how do we share Christ in a way that other people see?" "be it in us"35:41"because that's the struggle" "well one, I believe this" "evangelism is simply" "this teaching others" "evangelism is simply one beggar" "as a pastor said" "one beggar" "telling another beggar where to find bread" "it's one beggar saying" "look I found bread here" "it's one" "using the image of Christ in John 15" "it's one dead tree" "telling another dead tree" "look there's living water" "right here" "will be the root that you need"36:10"that is evangelism" "it is not a lecture" "it is not necessarily a presentation" "it's an ongoing conversation" "it is saying look at God's grace in me" "he is constantly perfecting me" "but I am righteous in Christ" "I am made whole in Christ" "and I believe there are two extremes" "that hinder us from sharing our faith" "the first is this" "the reason we do not teach the goodness of Christ"36:38"often tomorrow" "and on Tuesday" "the first that we just assume that we are already made perfect" "scripture says that very clearly that we are made righteous in Christ" "you are not supposed to be and I am not supposed to be self-righteous" "there's a very large jump" "and if we're not careful" "we will live a life in a way that we think"37:05"well because I know Christ and I'm righteous" "I can't let other people see me struggle" "I know I'm not yet perfected" "I'm righteous but I can't let the world not know that" "so many people do not share Christ" "because they feel like they either are perfect or need to portray the perfect image" "and the world sees right through our mask" "that's hypocrisy"37:34"that's hypocrisy" "hypocrisy is wearing a mask that is not the real you" "and the world sees right through that" "and that prevents us" "Lord I have to be something I'm not" "no if you are not an extrovert and bold" "maybe going to the corner of the crossroads of the bullhorn" "and a sign that says repent for the kingdom of God is near" "maybe that's not your thing" "but God is using your personality" "your God-given personality"38:04"to share Christ in a way that is glorifying to him" "do not be self-righteous" "and we have this opposite extreme" "what keeps us from showing the glory of God and sharing Christ" "it is thinking well I am sinful" "and so God can never use me" "that is there's no nothing further from the truth" "there's nothing further from the truth" "the truth is we are sinful" "but Satan is the prince, the king of half-truths"38:33"the half-truth is a whole lie" "and Satan wants to say well Josh you're a sinner so you are worthless" "Jesus says Josh you're a sinner but because of Christ you are mine" "that's the beauty of the gospel" "and so don't feel like you are worthless and therefore you cannot share and model God's grace" "no we are called to share and to show"39:03"so will you resolve today" "in 2018 to be someone who shares Christ" "who shows that" "you will not and I will not show the love of Christ" "if we are not praying regularly and purposely for others" "are you intentional about showing the love of God" "God I will go" "God I intend to grow this year like never before" "and God I will show God's grace"39:32"so I ask you very simply" "in 2018" "because God has already asked us and told us" "the Great Commission go" "will you go or will you say no?" "will you stand here today and say God I will go" "I don't know what that looks like" "but I will go" "are you right now saying no I'm not going to do it" "I just I'm too comfortable where I am" "I'm not willing to let go of this"40:00"I can never forgive this person" "or God could never forgive me" "God is saying right now if you would take the first step" "he will send you on mission for his glory" "in his name" "will you go" "that should be our purpose" "that should be our heart" "very simply to go for his glory" "maybe you're here right now and you cannot go for Christ" "because you don't know him"40:29"you simply don't know him" "and everything that's been talked about has gone right over your head" "because I don't know Christ personally" "I want you to look very simply at this verse" "in verse 18" "why can we go?" "why can we disciple?" "why can we teach?" "there's a very small word in verse 19" "it's the word therefore" "you know what the word therefore means?" "it means because of this"40:56"so we can go, we can disciple, we can share the love of the hope within us" "because of what?" "look at verse 18" "it says all authority has been given to me in heaven and upon earth" "you know what worship is?" "worship is bending our knee and recognizing the authority of God" "it's the authority that he already has" "I don't give God authority, he has it"41:25"but true worship is saying God I will live for you because I recognize you have authority in my life" "and as we have already heard today" "there will be a day where every knee bows, every tongue confesses, and every tribe speaks that Jesus Christ is Lord" "so I ask you, are you bowing your knee in worship and submission today?" "because if not, there will be a day where you will bow because of the righteous judgment of God" "you will be too late"41:55"because you have said no and rejected his grace that he is inviting you today" "so I ask you, are you willing to take the first step?" "maybe today you're saying Lord, I want to go for you, I need this Christ" "the Jesus who was sent by a holy God to take our place in our sin" "that died on the cross, in three days he rose again because he loves you" "this is the way that God proves his love for you that he sent his son while I was still a sinner" "and the invitation to you right now, is that if you would take the first step"42:25"the step that he's already taken towards you, that you will be saved" "you will be saved" "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord, is that you right now?" "do you need to trust him?" "I pray that you will not leave here without following Christ, without going on mission for him this year" pray.
