WEBVTT 00:00:09.699 --> 00:00:13.300 Hello, and welcome to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:00:13.539 --> 00:00:14.839 Thank you so much for listening. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:16.199 We're startup church. 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:23.460 We just planted in September, 2020 and at the Kalamazoo church, we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. 00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:32.299 And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area, we would love to connect, be it coming to a Sunday service, one of our small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:36.439 You can visit kalamazoo.church in order to do that. 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:40.420 We pray that you are inspired by what you hear today. 00:00:46.929 --> 00:00:47.329 Amen. 00:00:48.469 --> 00:00:50.189 Well, it's good to see you all. 00:00:50.789 --> 00:00:52.490 Thank you so much for the warm welcome. 00:00:52.549 --> 00:00:57.409 I'm super grateful to, to be able to be here and to be able to preach to you all this morning. 00:00:57.810 --> 00:01:02.649 I'm, I, I personally am really grateful for my father and Devin and Nisa. 00:01:02.649 --> 00:01:06.670 I'm going to talk about them for a moment because I got, I got the stage. 00:01:06.790 --> 00:01:10.150 You know, I, I, I think it's such a, so cool. 00:01:10.189 --> 00:01:15.709 You know, the, the, one of the titles that I, that's an unexpected title. 00:01:15.709 --> 00:01:24.829 That's been, that's just such a cool, one of the great joys of my life is to be able to be called my dad's brother in the prayer, right before the priest service. 00:01:25.650 --> 00:01:29.310 The prayer was, you know, we're thankful for the Singh brothers. 00:01:29.310 --> 00:01:30.950 And right away I was like, no, that's wrong. 00:01:30.950 --> 00:01:32.450 And then I said, no, that's, that's right. 00:01:32.569 --> 00:01:39.090 You know, it's, it's such a great blessing to be in the faith with my father, to be able to learn. 00:01:39.230 --> 00:01:44.209 I learned so much from you over, over my 31 years on this earth. 00:01:44.209 --> 00:01:53.489 And then to be able to see, to be able to see you at every, at every stage, come out loving God more is it's just, it's so cool. 00:01:53.510 --> 00:01:55.290 It gives me a great inspiration. 00:01:55.290 --> 00:02:01.909 It puts a face to, to Caleb who said, you know, I'm 85, my dad's not 85 yet. 00:02:02.090 --> 00:02:05.909 But I'm 85 years old and I'm, I'm still as vigorous. 00:02:05.969 --> 00:02:07.189 I'm still ready to fight. 00:02:08.889 --> 00:02:16.330 You know, when I think about Devin and Nisa, I, I just, Nisa, firstly, I'm so impressed by you. 00:02:16.330 --> 00:02:23.750 I, I feel, I feel that, that one, your joy for life, your laugh lights up a room. 00:02:24.169 --> 00:02:27.110 There, nobody has, I'm laughing right now. 00:02:27.289 --> 00:02:36.430 Whenever Nisa laughs, you have to laugh with her because it, because whatever, whatever was said, it might not even be that funny, but her laugh amplifies it though, right? 00:02:37.830 --> 00:02:42.150 Nisa, you've gone through the ringer prior to becoming a Christian. 00:02:42.620 --> 00:02:44.289 You, you, you've gone through though. 00:02:44.389 --> 00:02:53.050 There's been so much growth that I've had the fortune of getting to have a front row seat over these last, over 10 years now, right? 00:02:53.530 --> 00:02:53.849 Yeah. 00:02:53.969 --> 00:02:58.509 It's so, it's just so cool to, to see your growth. 00:02:58.610 --> 00:03:01.710 It's, it's, it's so, you're going to be such a great mom. 00:03:01.930 --> 00:03:04.650 I, you've been such a great friend to my wife. 00:03:04.650 --> 00:03:07.729 And so it's, it's, it's just fun as, as what I would say, Devin. 00:03:10.289 --> 00:03:16.990 Devin is one of the, Devin's one of the most passionate people that, that I can, that I think about. 00:03:17.229 --> 00:03:20.289 Devin is, he is the loyal friend. 00:03:20.370 --> 00:03:24.009 If you think about who's going to be there for you, the answer is Devin. 00:03:24.270 --> 00:03:30.909 I know that you guys have felt that and Devin's loyalty, it transcends age. 00:03:31.090 --> 00:03:32.270 It transcends race. 00:03:32.430 --> 00:03:36.009 It transcends, you know, sports takes. 00:03:36.729 --> 00:03:39.650 We, you know, we have the same, the same teams we love, right? 00:03:39.710 --> 00:03:51.050 We're Bucks fans, we're Packers fans, but the individual players, we, we don't always see eye to eye on, you know, but, but, but Devin's, Devin's loyalty spans all of that. 00:03:51.069 --> 00:03:52.050 And you guys have felt that. 00:03:52.129 --> 00:03:56.449 I, I, I really believe you guys are the people for Racine. 00:03:56.650 --> 00:04:02.530 If you guys, you know, and so right now I just, if you guys can just give them a round of applause right now for the work they're doing. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:12.300 You know, so, so here is, here's a picture of my family. 00:04:12.500 --> 00:04:14.479 You guys, some of you have met Jordan already. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:16.560 She's on the, the left. 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:21.379 And then my wife is in between both of my daughters, Madison. 00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:26.399 She looks very tame there, but she's, she's, she's pretty wild most of the time. 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:28.300 That's a little bit of an old picture too. 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:32.839 So I mean old when, when you're a one feels crazy, the three, they're one. 00:04:33.259 --> 00:04:36.540 It's, it's like the most fun time that we have. 00:04:36.540 --> 00:04:39.699 Me and my wife, we've been married for nine years. 00:04:39.779 --> 00:04:50.459 We got married when I was, when we were both 22 and, and I do have to say that we're, we're just, we're grateful for the church and discipling works is what I would say. 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:56.040 I think anybody who feels like I don't need people in my marriage, I don't need people in my life. 00:04:56.339 --> 00:04:59.079 We are, we are a Testament that you absolutely do. 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:05.860 I believe that my marriage would either be totally on the rocks or gone entirely without the church. 00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:08.279 I was too foolish, too selfish. 00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:17.120 We, we just, we came from different backgrounds and upbringings and to be able to be married nine years in the world never would have happened. 00:05:17.220 --> 00:05:18.899 And so we are grateful for the church. 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:19.939 We're grateful for counseling. 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:21.720 We're grateful for discipling. 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:23.139 We're especially grateful for it. 00:05:23.139 --> 00:05:30.100 As we think about our daughters, the three year old and a one year old they're going to be, they're going to be older women. 00:05:30.100 --> 00:05:34.379 Once your son, you know, becomes of age there, but, but who knows, right? 00:05:34.379 --> 00:05:35.579 God, God can move. 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:41.899 Uh, you know, my, my daughter, this, uh, I, I want to brag on her just for a moment. 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:50.920 I was staying with one of my friends, uh, in Milwaukee who's agnostic and we were spending the night and this guy, you know, we, we were roommates growing up in college. 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:52.160 We've had great conversation. 00:05:52.220 --> 00:05:53.579 We were roommates for one year in the dorms. 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:58.600 We've had great conversations about God and, and it's always landed where, you know, it's just not for me. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:10.180 And so I don't know if you guys have been in this mode where sometimes, you know, when the food is served and there's somebody who's a nonbeliever or, you know, you just, you just, you know, pause a little bit, you take this moment and you pray to God, you connect with God. 00:06:10.379 --> 00:06:10.579 Sure. 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:13.279 But you're not a demonstrative maybe about it. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.540 I don't, I, that's, that's, that's my life. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:17.100 You know, my daughter doesn't understand that though. 00:06:17.139 --> 00:06:20.579 And so we, we sat down and I, I did this. 00:06:20.740 --> 00:06:21.360 I said, Jordan, let's pray. 00:06:21.420 --> 00:06:22.040 She said, no, no, no, no. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:23.699 Victor's not here. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:24.779 I said, okay. 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:30.079 And so then he, she, she, she made Victor sit down and this agnostic, uh, she made him pray. 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:32.160 And then we had, you know, we had three meals. 00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:37.759 So he prayed three times by the last time she said, no, dad, he's going to pray for us. 00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:43.899 And so this guy, we've been friends for 13 years. 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:45.819 I don't, I've never seen him pray. 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:47.220 And my daughter made him pray. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:48.639 I'm like, come on, Jordan. 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:48.939 Amen. 00:06:53.730 --> 00:06:54.410 Uh, yeah. 00:06:54.509 --> 00:06:56.689 What a, what a, what a great, uh, what a great blessing. 00:06:56.750 --> 00:06:58.009 So these are my, these are my daughters, right? 00:06:58.029 --> 00:07:00.689 So yeah, you've got, we just went sharing on campus. 00:07:00.689 --> 00:07:01.730 They love each other. 00:07:02.430 --> 00:07:03.750 Uh, yeah, they're a blast. 00:07:04.009 --> 00:07:06.389 Um, this is, this is the, the church. 00:07:06.470 --> 00:07:07.670 This is actually an old picture. 00:07:08.069 --> 00:07:11.389 Um, and it's a little bit, it's a little bit bigger than our church is. 00:07:11.529 --> 00:07:13.389 This was our second anniversary service. 00:07:13.589 --> 00:07:15.269 Our third is coming up soon. 00:07:15.610 --> 00:07:24.970 Uh, so the church was planted in October, 2020 with 14 faithful disciples from seven different churches, uh, who are just, we're just ordinary people. 00:07:25.449 --> 00:07:31.370 Uh, you know, as I think about, uh, you know, we're, we're not, we weren't the brightest or the most talented. 00:07:32.529 --> 00:07:33.509 We're still not. 00:07:33.810 --> 00:07:39.850 Uh, it was, it was my first time leading a church and this is the first church that I've ever led. 00:07:39.949 --> 00:07:44.629 Uh, we had a five month old when we first got to Kalamazoo and you know, what's going on in 2020. 00:07:44.629 --> 00:07:45.910 It's the middle of the pandemic. 00:07:46.470 --> 00:07:52.069 Um, right now we're a church of 32 disciples and there are more on the way in the next month. 00:07:52.509 --> 00:07:55.790 Um, you know, I, I really believe that God is moving and you know what? 00:07:55.829 --> 00:07:58.149 God's always moving, but it's, it's, it's so cool. 00:07:58.149 --> 00:07:59.649 And we get to sit first row to see it. 00:07:59.750 --> 00:07:59.889 Amen. 00:08:00.870 --> 00:08:05.589 I, we, we understand that what we set out to accomplish is not finished, but we're just grateful for your prayers. 00:08:05.629 --> 00:08:06.629 We're grateful for your thoughts. 00:08:06.670 --> 00:08:10.930 We're grateful for your guidance, uh, and your love throughout this entire time. 00:08:10.930 --> 00:08:23.709 If you, if you get a moment in your prayers, just, just shoot up Kalamazoo, Michigan, God love Kalamazoo, God, please pray for Kalamazoo, even just for 30 seconds, 30 seconds with, with, with 50 people that counts, you know what I'm saying? 00:08:24.170 --> 00:08:38.408 Uh, you know, one, one of the, one of the things that we really set out to do, and we just said that our prayer going into the church and our prayer is just that God works in such powerful ways that we never received credit for it. 00:08:38.750 --> 00:08:43.909 That he works in such an amazing way that nobody says you're doing an awesome job because you know what? 00:08:43.929 --> 00:08:45.090 It's, it's not us doing it. 00:08:45.210 --> 00:08:49.190 It's God moving that they don't, they'll say, I don't know how he's doing it, but he's doing it. 00:08:49.230 --> 00:08:52.710 And we have a chance to give glory and honor to God every step of the way. 00:08:53.149 --> 00:08:55.009 You guys can open up to Romans 12. 00:08:55.110 --> 00:09:11.850 We're going to be there, uh, the, the entire time, uh, for the, this, this morning, you know, we, we said that going into this church, everyone just made a commitment that we're, we're gonna, we're gonna, we just want to sit front row to see God work and you understand how, how amazing it is. 00:09:11.909 --> 00:09:16.590 And you have all experienced it when God has worked through you, right? 00:09:17.049 --> 00:09:23.389 When whatever happened, I don't, I don't even know how you, you said the exact right thing to change this person's heart. 00:09:23.570 --> 00:09:26.090 And we just give glory to God in that moment, right? 00:09:26.129 --> 00:09:27.210 You say, I don't know. 00:09:27.389 --> 00:09:35.289 I don't, it just came to me or you, you prayed something and, and then you texted the brother, you texted this sister and you said, wow, I really needed that. 00:09:35.450 --> 00:09:42.029 I was, I just, I just had a difficult time at work or there's a sickness in my family or, or you guys have felt that. 00:09:42.149 --> 00:09:45.649 And, and what an amazing feeling to be used by God. 00:09:45.669 --> 00:09:49.110 This is, this is what we're, we're, we're trying to do. 00:09:49.110 --> 00:09:53.929 I, I, I want to, uh, I want to share that the title of the lesson is the best way. 00:09:58.830 --> 00:10:04.210 You know, we believe that a life lived walking with Jesus is the best way to live, right? 00:10:05.230 --> 00:10:11.629 So, but if you believe that the walking with Jesus, if you believe it, that it's the best way to live, then, then let me, let me hear you say amen. 00:10:11.789 --> 00:10:13.230 If you believe it, say amen. 00:10:14.110 --> 00:10:14.730 That's right. 00:10:14.870 --> 00:10:15.409 That's right. 00:10:15.470 --> 00:10:17.090 This is, this is the best way. 00:10:17.830 --> 00:10:32.710 This, and we're going to look at three, three different, uh, parts of this passage that I believe communicate a little bit why and a little bit how we can, we can, uh, continue to make this the best way and, uh, and, and show it in the, in the best possible way. 00:10:33.029 --> 00:10:43.490 We, um, you know, in, in Kalamazoo, this passage of scripture gets brought up intermittently, probably about every, every few months, uh, there'll be a lesson on it, a communion on it. 00:10:43.509 --> 00:10:46.629 There'll be a little discipling group or a little discipling prompt. 00:10:46.649 --> 00:10:49.769 And we say, go ahead and, uh, you know, share this or pray through this. 00:10:49.769 --> 00:10:54.809 And because I just, I, I, one, I love it and I'm, I'm leading the church. 00:10:54.909 --> 00:10:58.870 So I have the opportunity to, to make people, uh, you know, learn, learn about it too. 00:10:58.929 --> 00:11:06.210 So that's one, but I think the second way is that we want to keep this at the forefront of our minds, uh, as we're, as we're going about our day to day. 00:11:06.269 --> 00:11:17.509 It just says, therefore in Romans 12, one, therefore I urge you brothers and sisters in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. 00:11:18.250 --> 00:11:20.549 This is your true and proper worship. 00:11:20.889 --> 00:11:26.289 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:11:26.909 --> 00:11:32.509 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:43.200 And we, we understand, uh, this is saying that that means that worship is not exclusive to Sunday. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:47.120 This is the entirety of our worship is not, is not just on Sunday, right? 00:11:47.139 --> 00:11:50.080 There's 168 hours of the day. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:12:02.059 And so that means if there's 168 hours of the day, if we're supposed to spend our lives, worshiping God throughout all of it, if giving our entirety is serving God, then I want to, I want to encourage you this morning and say that that means. 00:12:02.419 --> 00:12:06.000 That when you sleep, you can actually be a holy sacrifice to God. 00:12:06.019 --> 00:12:06.240 Right? 00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:09.759 So if you're like, man, I'm so tired, it's been a long week. 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.080 I can't, I got so much to do. 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:16.480 You go ahead and you take a nap and understand that's holy and pleasing to God in that moment. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:19.299 Now you can't live life, taking naps all the time. 00:12:19.299 --> 00:12:21.179 You know, five hour nap, whatever. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.419 But if you've got to do it, go ahead and do it. 00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:24.500 That's pleasing to God. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:28.100 It says, don't conform to the pattern of this world. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:33.379 We're going to look a little bit about what the pattern of this world is in just in the scripture. 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:38.139 It says, be transformed, not by your actions, but by the renewing of your mind. 00:12:38.179 --> 00:12:39.600 Then your actions are going to follow suit. 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:42.940 And it says, then you're going to be able to test and approve what God's will is. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:44.779 And you'd say, how could I test? 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:47.039 How could I approve what God's will is? 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:50.240 Other translations just say, you'll be able to understand it. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:13:00.519 Basically, you'll be able to, to prove it, to be true in, in your life and by how you live, you're going to show that what God says is the right way to live. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:05.600 And so we're going to look at just three points for, for us this morning. 00:13:05.700 --> 00:13:09.259 But the first is the best way is to give what you got. 00:13:09.820 --> 00:13:12.700 The best way to live is to give what you've got. 00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:17.279 It says in, uh, in, in verse three, we'll follow along here. 00:13:21.509 --> 00:13:33.590 It says for by the grace given me, I say to every one of you, don't consider yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:41.639 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function. 00:13:42.340 --> 00:13:47.700 So in Christ, we, though many form one body and each member belongs to all the others. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:51.179 We have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us. 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:56.460 If your gift is prophesying and prophesy in accordance with your faith, if it's serving, then serve. 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:58.299 If it is teaching, then teach. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:00.460 If it is to encourage, then give encouragement. 00:14:00.580 --> 00:14:02.080 If it is giving, then give generously. 00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:04.179 If it is to lead, do it diligently. 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:06.779 If it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 00:14:07.820 --> 00:14:08.600 We'll pause here. 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:14.179 And when Paul says to renew, he says, renew your minds. 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:17.320 And then he says, this is the next thing I'm going to talk about. 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:20.019 He says, don't think of yourself more highly than you are. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:28.600 And so, so what this would be to say is that, is that the world is trying to convince us that we are better than we really are, right? 00:14:29.179 --> 00:14:30.460 That's what the world, that's the world. 00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:39.399 The world's trying to get us to say that, but he says, no, rather think of yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the faith God has distributed to you. 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:46.580 When I hear the word distributed, you realize we didn't earn what's been distributed to us, right? 00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:51.600 It's, it seems in some ways, if it, if the word is distributed and it is, then it's just arbitrary. 00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:54.620 You're better at something than some, than someone else. 00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:56.360 That's, that's been given to you. 00:14:56.419 --> 00:15:06.419 You know, this is, this is one of the things, this is one of the, the, really the tenants that we just, we're committed to and we have to go back to all the time that we have to die to our egos. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:09.120 And I'll say in Kalamazoo, but I'll say it here as well. 00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:11.740 We just got to die to thinking we're better than we, than we really are. 00:15:12.419 --> 00:15:20.039 Now I was, I was praying this morning and I'm, God, I, I'm not, I'm not better than I, than I, I want to, I want to be humble. 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.419 I want to, to seek after you. 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.519 I want to remove myself entirely. 00:15:24.659 --> 00:15:29.059 And so you can be lifted up because the limiting factor in God moving is me, right? 00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:32.759 The limiting factor in God moving in your life is you, isn't it? 00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:43.779 If, if somehow you could just remove all of your bad stuff and just, if Jesus was just walking a day in your life, wouldn't it be entirely different? 00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:47.600 And so, so what that means though, is I'm the limiting factor in God moving. 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:48.679 He's not the limiting factor. 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:57.240 And so the more that I remove of myself, the more he's able to work powerfully through me, says, don't, don't think of yourself more highly than you want. 00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:01.500 You know, the, the world says, well, you're a self-made person. 00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:03.100 I've worked so hard for this. 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:04.100 Let me enjoy it. 00:16:05.379 --> 00:16:09.100 This is the first comment that renewing of our minds is saying, no way. 00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:11.460 It's, it's, it's not, I didn't earn it. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.700 I didn't do anything to get it. 00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:13.019 Certainly. 00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.480 I have a strong work ethic. 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:14.799 Certainly. 00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:15.860 I have business acumen. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:16.220 Certainly. 00:16:16.379 --> 00:16:18.860 I have fill in the blank or whatever you have. 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:19.840 I'm able to do this. 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:20.580 I'm able to do that. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:21.539 I can work with my hands. 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:22.379 That's great. 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:23.500 That's been given to God. 00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:23.940 Certainly. 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:24.159 Yeah. 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:25.220 You have you grown in it? 00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:25.740 Absolutely. 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:26.559 Have you gotten better? 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:27.179 Absolutely. 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:28.940 But God gave that to you. 00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:29.600 That's arbitrary. 00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:36.120 This is, this is the point at what I'm studying the Bible with, with a guy. 00:16:36.179 --> 00:16:38.740 He's, he's in college and I really believe he's going to make it. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:41.120 Uh, this is, this is his hangup though. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:47.320 He's, we, we had an hour and a half conversation talking about, I brought up the scripture and I said, you know what? 00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:50.120 I don't, I don't think you really believe this. 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:55.000 I'm not, I'm not positive that you're, that you're, that you're really sure this is true. 00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:55.700 He said, no way. 00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:56.940 He said, I've worked for this. 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:57.720 I've done this. 00:16:58.059 --> 00:16:59.039 He's a 19 year old. 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:02.820 You know, when you're 19, you haven't worked for an awful lot. 00:17:02.899 --> 00:17:03.539 You know what I'm saying? 00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:10.799 But, but I said, I said, I said, friend, you, you have a strong work ethic. 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:11.980 That's, that's, that's objective. 00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:13.200 You, you're sharp. 00:17:13.338 --> 00:17:16.700 You're able to talk to people, but I want you to know God's given that to you. 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:18.559 And he's like, I don't know if I can believe that yet. 00:17:19.318 --> 00:17:41.579 This is the, this is, this is what's standing in the way of so many of our friends, but this is what can be standing in the way of our, of our, of our faith as well, this is what can be standing in the way though of us, uh, being able to be used powerfully by God, because then we said that the best way is to give what you've got, and so if you're not going to think of yourself more highly, then, then what we do have to think of ourself is with sober judgment. 00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:54.880 There's, there's talents and gifts that, that, that you all have that, that need to be employed for the church or deployed for the church, you know, that says if your gift is, is prophesying. 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:57.559 And so we can take, well, we, the prophecy doesn't happen. 00:17:57.619 --> 00:18:03.259 I think it's just speaking the words of God into somebody's life, speaking thoughtfully into somebody's life. 00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:08.559 You know, it's, it's, uh, if you say, well, service, what is serving this? 00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:17.740 This could be, it could be serving like as far as giving, or it could just be this office of service, like, like actually it used the word Deacon in different, in different points as well. 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:20.720 There's a skill that you possess that the church needs. 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:30.680 Uh, it says, if your gift is teaching, that's, you know, comprehending difficult comprehending, excuse me, difficult concepts and explaining them in a way that actually helps people. 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:44.819 It's not just understanding concepts and gaining knowledge, uh, because if, if you're, if you're learning and you love to learn and you, and you're doing a great job with it, if you're learning, but if you, if your character doesn't change and you're not giving it to other people, that's actually selfish. 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:45.940 All right. 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:53.279 It says, uh, if your gift is encouraging, if you just have a way about you, Nisa, I think her, one of her gifts is encouraging, right? 00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:56.460 That she just raises the spirit of everybody around her. 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:08.680 It says, if you're, if you're giving, so if you have the means you're giving without pretense or, or hypocrisy, I'm just going to give it, I don't expect anything in return and I'm not asking for it either. 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:10.480 Your gift is leading. 00:19:10.619 --> 00:19:11.440 People want to follow you. 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:12.599 You got to be thoughtful about it. 00:19:12.660 --> 00:19:24.220 If your gift, if you just have a natural tend towards, uh, compassion of others, all of these things ought to be fully deployed in our service of God's kingdom. 00:19:25.099 --> 00:19:28.059 That means your best energy, the most you can possibly give. 00:19:28.140 --> 00:19:30.740 Let it not be for your workplace. 00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:40.559 Let it not be for your, your, your, uh, the afterschool club, or let it not be for just, I'm just going to do it because out of the goodness of my heart. 00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:41.500 No, no, no. 00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:45.980 It, your best, certainly this is what I'm not saying is don't, don't try hard. 00:19:46.099 --> 00:19:53.640 The Bible's clear about that, but the best of what we, what we give, it ought to be used to glorify God and give entirely to him. 00:19:55.690 --> 00:19:58.430 They're his, uh, you know, we, we, we did. 00:19:58.509 --> 00:20:10.450 I feel like we realized this early on when we, when we set out to plant the church, when we were asked to plant the church, we said right away, you know, we, we're not really sure what to do. 00:20:10.589 --> 00:20:11.390 We, we have no idea. 00:20:11.430 --> 00:20:14.730 And we still, I still feel like I really don't know exactly what to do. 00:20:14.750 --> 00:20:21.430 Uh, almost always I like, I think I have an inclination, but the inclinations ends up being wrong sometimes. 00:20:21.849 --> 00:20:23.630 Uh, and, and sometimes that's okay. 00:20:23.670 --> 00:20:30.170 Other times I'm like, well, I should have just followed what, what some wiser men, uh, said, or I should have sought the council of wiser men. 00:20:30.589 --> 00:20:42.269 Um, but we realized our church right away was filled with those in their twenties, their thirties, their forties, their fifties, their sixties, and their seventies, uh, with the 14 people. 00:20:42.410 --> 00:21:06.029 Then we had three more joined shortly after they were part of a traditional church of Christ and they, uh, they placed membership with us and we, we just realized this wasn't the, this wasn't the church planting that we expected to, to go into, we, we gave this, you know, this charge to a bunch of young college students, young professionals, and we thought, man, we are going to grab 30, 20 something year olds. 00:21:06.230 --> 00:21:08.309 We're going to go and we are going to storm the campus. 00:21:08.470 --> 00:21:09.809 We're going to storm the grocery stores. 00:21:10.170 --> 00:21:11.190 We're going to make it happen. 00:21:11.690 --> 00:21:14.250 Uh, we, we, we write that and less, less so of God. 00:21:14.309 --> 00:21:15.490 And then COVID happened. 00:21:15.990 --> 00:21:19.410 And then, and then a few people bailed. 00:21:19.430 --> 00:21:20.869 They said, it's not the right time for my family. 00:21:20.910 --> 00:21:21.970 I understand that. 00:21:21.990 --> 00:21:33.349 I'm not, there's not, I'm not saying anything, but, but what happened pretty quickly is that we, we learned and everybody that joined, we just said, whatever skills we got with this team, we're giving them entirely to God. 00:21:33.809 --> 00:21:43.269 Uh, you know, I, I, I had this written in my notes, but I'm, so I'm going to, I want to lift up actually Laura Doherty is, is one of the members of our, of our church in, uh, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 00:21:43.549 --> 00:21:48.869 And I remember, uh, we, we sat down and we had, uh, just a time. 00:21:48.930 --> 00:21:53.509 We, I think we grabbed some lemonade when Laura thought, okay, maybe I could join this mission team. 00:21:53.529 --> 00:21:55.609 She'd been a disciple for five years at the time. 00:21:55.609 --> 00:21:55.789 Right. 00:21:55.910 --> 00:22:22.970 And, and, uh, had just recently retired from, from teaching and she was willing to, she was single and willing to get up and to uproot her whole life from the suburbs of Chicago, all the way over to Kalamazoo and, uh, and, and that's inspiring in and of itself, but I think the, maybe the more inspiring part is that Laura's decided that her gifts, she's going to use entirely for God's kingdom. 00:22:22.970 --> 00:22:28.309 She, she goes around and not because anybody asked her, but because she just decided to. 00:22:28.450 --> 00:22:31.670 She goes and there's a bunch of young families in our church. 00:22:31.730 --> 00:22:33.150 And so she contacts them. 00:22:33.230 --> 00:22:45.349 She has a schedule where every week she's seeing almost, if not all of the, the under three-year-olds in our entire church, she goes to the house and watches them while mom or dad get, get other stuff done in the house. 00:22:45.390 --> 00:22:47.410 She just decides I have free time. 00:22:47.609 --> 00:22:48.490 This is my gift. 00:22:48.630 --> 00:22:50.609 I'm going to use it for God's kingdom. 00:22:51.190 --> 00:22:52.849 What an amazing Testament, right? 00:22:59.549 --> 00:23:08.049 You know, the, the, the next thing that, that, you know, so we said right away, we said that, uh, the, the best way is to give what you got. 00:23:08.109 --> 00:23:32.490 And then the best way is realizing it's not about you says, uh, love must be sincere, hate what is evil, cling to what is good, be devoted to one another in love, honor one another above yourselves, never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord, be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, share with the Lord's people who are in need, practice hospitality. 00:23:33.450 --> 00:23:41.710 Bless those who persecute you bless and do not curse rejoice with those who rejoice mourn with those who mourn live in harmony with one another. 00:23:42.349 --> 00:23:48.789 Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position, do not be conceited. 00:23:51.400 --> 00:24:10.740 No, this, this scripture, if I bet you, if we had a conversation or if we just talked and we said, why did you, why were you intrigued to, to come to, to this church, maybe you got intrigued by God in a different way, but if I asked why, why did you want to come to this church or the church that you were converted into, why did you want to, to do that? 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.720 I bet you, you could point to some of the stuff in here, right? 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:17.720 I just saw the people decided they were going to honor one another above themselves. 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:19.900 I saw that it was genuine too. 00:24:20.660 --> 00:24:27.880 I saw that they, that they were going through difficult times, but they decided, you know what, although these times are difficult, I still have joy in the Lord. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:36.779 I bet you somebody early on invited you over to their house, practice hospitality, showed you, Hey, this is, this is what we're all about. 00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:38.720 We are trying to follow what the Bible teaches. 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:55.180 These are, these are things then that we realize when we say it's not about us, that, that it's, it doesn't, it doesn't, in some ways it doesn't matter what we do, but if we totally remove ourselves, then this is going to be out of the overflow is what we're going to do. 00:24:55.759 --> 00:25:02.240 Uh, Bible says to be devoted to one another, despite the differences, we're still going to connect with one another. 00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:06.220 It says to, to honor one another above yourselves. 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:12.839 Other, other passages say to outdo one another in showing honor, uh, or other rather other translations. 00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:15.559 This is trying to lift one another up. 00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:19.740 Like it's a competition that, you know, I'm, and we'd understand you can only lift somebody up so high. 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:20.319 So what does that mean? 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:24.119 We actually have to put ourselves under that person, right? 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:25.240 You're, you're good at this. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:32.480 And I want to learn from you in this way, but then it says this that I, I, I really appreciate. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:34.640 It says, do not be conceited. 00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:43.940 Um, you know, I think there's, there's a few things that, a few, a few ways that we can become conceited, but being conceited is just thinking about ourselves a lot. 00:25:44.539 --> 00:26:00.619 That's, uh, you know, maybe there's other connotations in, um, you know, in, in the English, but from what I understand, I don't know a lot, but, but from what I understand is looking at the Greek word, it's basically, it's just thinking and considering yourself a first, second, and third, and making that the lens through which you view everything else. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:02.539 Uh, it says, do not be conceited. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:05.759 And so there's a couple of ways I think we can be conceited then in this way. 00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:09.599 I think we can say, well, this is beneath me, so I'm not going to do it. 00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:13.099 This is, I'm, I'm too good for this. 00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:14.880 I'm too good for this church. 00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:17.599 How come this person tried to tell me to do this one thing? 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:18.799 No way. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:21.079 I, I, I, I'm not going to listen to them. 00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:22.779 That that's, that's one way. 00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:24.880 Uh, they don't know what they're talking about. 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:32.279 Whatever the other way, I think this weighs a little, it's much, it's much more deceitful actually, but it's still thinking of yourself too much as that. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:32.539 You know what? 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:33.660 I'm not good enough. 00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:35.799 So I'm, I, I'm not going to do this. 00:26:36.619 --> 00:26:38.039 I, I'm not good enough. 00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:45.380 And understand that when you say you're not good enough one, uh, I think the answer is usually you're right. 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:49.259 Um, I, I feel, I stick with me. 00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:51.579 I feel that, I feel that for myself. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:54.640 I feel like the leading in Kalamazoo. 00:26:54.779 --> 00:27:00.740 I just so frequently feel like, I, I don't, I don't know what, how am I going to lead this, this group of people? 00:27:00.839 --> 00:27:03.599 What I get, I get, I get stressed. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:05.779 I'm like, Oh, what if the group grows? 00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:10.220 I don't know how we can help this many Christians be stay faithful. 00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:12.279 And I'm like, well, what if the group shrinks? 00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:15.519 I don't know how we can bring people back to a space of encouragement. 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:23.140 And there's at every point, at every point we're like, I'm just, I don't feel like I'm good enough, but you know what that is though, that's thinking of yourself a lot. 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:26.180 And that's, that's a form of conceit because you're not focused on God. 00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:27.480 It's not about you. 00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:37.480 So we, we, we said that there's, there's these skills that you have, and maybe you saw that list and you thought, I don't fit any of those. 00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:39.079 Well, absolutely. 00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:39.940 You absolutely do. 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:44.880 Uh, talk to somebody, uh, talk to somebody and just ask, what do you think my gift is? 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:47.599 Uh, what do you think I'm, what do you think I'm good at? 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:49.539 Which of these, or is there another one? 00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:52.180 I want to, I want to honor God. 00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:53.000 I want to serve God. 00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:54.980 I just don't know how to do it the best way. 00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:55.720 What do you think? 00:27:56.420 --> 00:28:03.180 And I, I, when I, when I think about, uh, the idea that this is not be conceited, this isn't about you. 00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:05.779 I actually think about a couple who started coming out. 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:13.599 The picture that you saw was in October of 2022, and that was their first, uh, Sunday service coming out. 00:28:13.640 --> 00:28:16.339 Uh, but their name are Mark and Ruth McFannan. 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:19.660 Um, so there, there's a, there's some pictures of them. 00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:28.660 Uh, they're people who, for, we studied the Bible for three months and every Bible study, they were, they were really vulnerable from the beginning. 00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:37.660 They're like, Hey, we're not, uh, everything you see, everything you see, that's who we are and the stuff that you don't see, ask us and we'll tell you. 00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:42.059 Their, their intention early on was we want to honor God. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:42.859 We want to serve God. 00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:44.779 And we're so impressed with what you guys are doing. 00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:47.000 Uh, they had, they had read the Bible. 00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:51.819 They had spent some time in the faith, but they weren't, uh, they were, they were struggling. 00:28:51.819 --> 00:28:54.819 I would say, uh, they, they weren't Christians at the time. 00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:04.039 Um, and so, but, but, but through this, this, these studies, uh, it started out and it was really cool. 00:29:04.039 --> 00:29:08.660 It started out because his statement was, you know, I want to be a great, I want to be a great leader. 00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:15.859 And then after a few, uh, you know, after a few times we sat down, he said, you know, this leadership stuff, I think I can use it to honor God. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.720 I think I can actually lead people to do what we're doing early on in the Bible. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:23.880 So they said, we want to do exactly what you guys are doing, but we don't know how to teach. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:28.680 And then, and then after a little bit, they said, Hey, I brought up the scripture with my sister. 00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:34.200 The same, the same Bible study I went through, I did it with my sister and, and she was actually excited about it too. 00:29:36.309 --> 00:29:37.049 He said, you know what? 00:29:37.069 --> 00:29:38.769 Our house is quite small. 00:29:38.849 --> 00:29:41.109 Uh, right now we have our sister living with us. 00:29:41.430 --> 00:29:42.509 There's no way we can host. 00:29:42.509 --> 00:29:54.210 And now if you were to go to church in Kalamazoo, you would see that they frequently have people over just about every Sunday they're inviting people and there's times when, uh, Mark, he'll go from person to person. 00:29:54.309 --> 00:29:55.269 Hey, you want to come over? 00:29:55.390 --> 00:29:56.109 No, I got plans. 00:29:56.150 --> 00:29:56.349 Okay. 00:29:56.609 --> 00:29:57.529 Hey, you want to come over? 00:29:57.589 --> 00:29:58.210 No, I got plans. 00:29:58.250 --> 00:30:01.490 And he's like, bro, somebody needs, somebody needs some fellowship. 00:30:01.549 --> 00:30:03.769 I know, I don't know who they are, but somebody needs it. 00:30:03.789 --> 00:30:05.130 And they're going to come to my house to do it. 00:30:06.369 --> 00:30:08.269 Uh, it's they, they realized early on. 00:30:08.289 --> 00:30:09.509 It's just not, it's not about them. 00:30:09.529 --> 00:30:11.549 It's not about, I don't have the, I'm not the smartest. 00:30:11.549 --> 00:30:12.390 That's okay. 00:30:12.589 --> 00:30:13.589 I, you can still teach. 00:30:14.210 --> 00:30:15.670 I don't have the biggest house. 00:30:15.750 --> 00:30:16.089 That's okay. 00:30:16.150 --> 00:30:17.849 You can still practice, practice hospitality. 00:30:17.849 --> 00:30:18.869 You can still serve. 00:30:18.970 --> 00:30:19.769 You can still encourage. 00:30:20.309 --> 00:30:32.210 Uh, you know, you know what, what's happened over this last year, uh, with them though, is that Mark decided I'm going to reach out to somebody in the gym, uh, Mark reached out to somebody in the gym and you can see on the far left. 00:30:32.210 --> 00:30:36.430 There, uh, that's his friend, Tony and Tony got baptized and he's your brother in Christ. 00:30:41.109 --> 00:30:44.269 Tony now is holding an impromptu. 00:30:44.269 --> 00:30:45.130 We didn't even know about it. 00:30:45.150 --> 00:30:46.210 Then he started, he just shared. 00:30:46.329 --> 00:30:47.930 He said, Hey, I had some people over at my house. 00:30:48.250 --> 00:30:49.609 There's this deep convictions packet. 00:30:49.970 --> 00:30:52.890 I just been doing this deep convictions packet with some other people in the gym. 00:30:53.410 --> 00:30:56.170 And so, so Tony's Tony's already leading the Bible talk. 00:30:56.230 --> 00:30:57.289 I'm like, I don't, amen. 00:30:59.210 --> 00:31:05.589 Uh, so right there in the middle, right there, you see Laura, you see there's a sister named Andrea and you see Ruth on the far right. 00:31:05.609 --> 00:31:09.990 But then on the, the far left, there's a, there's a sister named the, the right, that's the, whatever, right in between them is Natalia. 00:31:10.130 --> 00:31:12.630 And that's there, uh, she's 21 years old. 00:31:12.670 --> 00:31:18.009 It's Ruth's one of Ruth's sisters who became a disciple the day after ICMC. 00:31:18.589 --> 00:31:21.690 Um, initial Ruth, I think I'm going to share my faith with her. 00:31:21.710 --> 00:31:39.190 And then you can see on the far right is another one of Ruth's sisters who, uh, her name is Sarah and, uh, and, and she just, uh, saw Ruth saw Natalia, her younger sister living for God and was entirely inspiring and so cool Ruth. 00:31:39.269 --> 00:31:45.009 Uh, Ruth shared that she was in some ways, she was the sister that was never very spiritual. 00:31:45.009 --> 00:31:50.069 And so when she got spiritual, her entire family has taken notice. 00:31:50.549 --> 00:31:56.690 Uh, I think what a great Testament that I, I don't know that much, but I know enough to give to somebody else, right? 00:31:56.849 --> 00:31:58.170 Cause it's not about us. 00:32:00.049 --> 00:32:07.710 The, uh, the, the, the last point for us is that the best way we'll overcome. 00:32:14.619 --> 00:32:17.140 It says, do not repay anyone evil for evil. 00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:20.400 Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 00:32:20.539 --> 00:32:25.359 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone. 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:30.140 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. 00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:32.319 For it is written, it is mine to avenge. 00:32:32.380 --> 00:32:33.859 I will repay, says the Lord. 00:32:34.259 --> 00:32:35.019 On the contrary. 00:32:35.099 --> 00:32:36.740 If your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:32:37.160 --> 00:32:43.200 If he's thirsty, give him something to drink in doing this, you will heat burning coals on his head. 00:32:43.579 --> 00:32:46.859 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:53.299 This passage is also about renewing our minds, right? 00:32:53.319 --> 00:33:01.460 And it says that there is more going on than, than we can see that there's, there's more that's going on. 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:06.940 There's, there's a spiritual realm that, that we, that, that we can't see, but it's there. 00:33:07.339 --> 00:33:09.019 The world says, Hey, focus on the here and now. 00:33:09.019 --> 00:33:11.240 If somebody wrongs you go ahead and get them back. 00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:16.819 Or if somebody wrongs you, you know what, this is what the, the, the really smart people in the world, the really wise people in the world. 00:33:16.859 --> 00:33:17.839 Let's say someone wrongs you. 00:33:18.099 --> 00:33:18.960 Let's cut them off. 00:33:20.059 --> 00:33:20.680 What's the point? 00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:22.299 Don't know. 00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:25.299 Don't, don't retaliate, but just cut them off. 00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:26.480 You don't, you don't need that. 00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:27.579 You don't need that in your life. 00:33:29.339 --> 00:33:29.660 Certainly. 00:33:29.779 --> 00:33:32.140 I, again, there's a time and place for, for all of this. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:39.920 And there's, there's wisdom in it, but what the Bible says is if it's possible, as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone. 00:33:40.119 --> 00:33:42.880 Sometimes it's not possible for us. 00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:51.779 Uh, sometimes it doesn't depend on us to live at peace with people, but if it's possible, as far as it depends on us, our call is to live at peace with everyone. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:34:03.599 And then, and then it, but because it says there's, there's more going on that we don't understand and we don't see there's a spiritual realm that is, that is, there's a spiritual battle in a war that's taking place that we can't see. 00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:06.720 This is what, what's so powerful. 00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:18.480 It says, uh, that we have the opportunity to overcome evil with good because there's a spiritual battle that's taking place that you understand and I understand. 00:34:18.940 --> 00:34:22.519 And, and it can feel like, I don't know if you, you feel like this. 00:34:22.579 --> 00:34:25.940 I hope you don't stay feeling like this, but there's times when you feel like. 00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:28.340 That what is going good. 00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:36.960 Have you ever felt that you're like, well, there's, I, you sit down and you're like, well, you know, I don't, I don't even know what, what good is happening right now. 00:34:37.019 --> 00:34:45.219 My, my children aren't listening to me and my, my, me and my, my wife, we're in a little bit of a bump and this Bible study went so poorly. 00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:48.880 And when I went to go share my faith, they weren't, nobody was interested. 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:53.780 So I got laughed at by, by an 18 year old that had, you know, ugly facial hair. 00:34:53.820 --> 00:34:55.619 And I'm like, what, what, this is me. 00:34:55.699 --> 00:34:56.480 Maybe it's not you. 00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:56.820 Okay. 00:34:57.320 --> 00:35:01.380 But what, what am I doing with my life? 00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:04.159 Why, why am I subjecting myself to this? 00:35:04.699 --> 00:35:14.360 You know, maybe, maybe it's at work and you feel like there's nothing that's gone well for this series of time, or there's always something, or whenever you feel like I've got to that spot, it's going to be good. 00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:17.280 I don't know if you've ever felt like, well, life's going to slow down right now. 00:35:18.239 --> 00:35:19.900 And then it never slows down. 00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:25.800 I feel like there's nothing, there's nothing, what good is going on? 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:27.000 There's nothing good happening. 00:35:27.659 --> 00:35:31.460 The Bible says we have the opportunity to overcome evil with good. 00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:38.980 And so understand in those, even in those moments, mourn in those moments, talk to people in those moments that you don't have to live there forever. 00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:53.360 Uh, no, I just want to share just a couple of things in Kalamazoo, uh, that, that, that we are doing and have done and are just committed to engaging to in order to overcome evil with good. 00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:56.659 This has helped us to, uh, to just see the spiritual battle. 00:35:56.800 --> 00:36:00.219 I think I really believe that, that I know you guys love God. 00:36:00.219 --> 00:36:05.239 I believe if you guys see the spiritual battle, if we could see the spiritual battle, we would just run towards righteousness, right? 00:36:05.260 --> 00:36:11.460 If we could see the spiritual battle in its entirety and it made sense to us in some way, we would run away from sin. 00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:17.639 If we saw the depth and how evil sin is, we wouldn't want to create discord with anybody. 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:17.960 Right. 00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:21.780 We're doing everything we possibly can to love God if we can see it. 00:36:21.860 --> 00:36:24.760 And so this is, this is a couple of things we've done. 00:36:24.840 --> 00:36:41.059 You know, when we started the church for the first, we planted in, we got, we touched down in August and we, we had our inaugural service in October, that whole 2020 up until March, there were no conversions in this entire time. 00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:48.360 Uh, we, we were, we were just, we were just there and it just felt like, what, what are we, what are we doing here? 00:36:48.519 --> 00:36:50.360 You know, is this, is this right? 00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:51.900 I've started, am I the right person? 00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:54.900 Is it, maybe I should just bail out. 00:36:54.900 --> 00:37:00.019 Maybe I'll just start, I'll just get a job, a secular job and stay here. 00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:18.599 And, uh, but I'm like, man, these people, like they, they entrusted themselves to God, but in some ways they entrusted themselves, uh, for me to walk close to God and so God could work in this church and I, I know, again, I'm like, it's not about me, but I just got to feeling like I'm, I must be doing something wrong. 00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:22.280 Uh, one, uh, uh, one of my great friends, his name is Spencer Scholls. 00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:24.619 He moved from Milwaukee. 00:37:24.619 --> 00:37:28.980 He gave up a, uh, it was in his perfect career path, man. 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:33.820 This guy was on, on track to be the head coach at a, at a college basketball team. 00:37:33.820 --> 00:37:37.139 One of his great, uh, head basketball coach, one of the great dreams of his life. 00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:38.599 He was working hard. 00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:40.059 He was, he was sharing his faith. 00:37:40.119 --> 00:37:43.719 He was bringing people and I had asked him to come on the mission team and he said, no, I can't come. 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:51.860 And then round about November, he came and visited us and he said, Hey, I'm just so you know, I'm going to quit my job and I'm going to move here. 00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:53.440 I just need, I just need a job. 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:56.219 And I thought, I don't know how he's going to get a college coaching job. 00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:57.400 There's no way it's going to happen. 00:37:57.500 --> 00:38:00.820 And then he, uh, he, he sent me this job application. 00:38:00.820 --> 00:38:02.320 He said, Hey, I just sent it in. 00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:04.639 And it was a job for, to be a janitor. 00:38:05.039 --> 00:38:17.880 Uh, he decided I'm giving up my entire career, whatever dream, and I'm going to become a janitor in Kalamazoo, Michigan, uh, in order to, uh, to, to build up the church and, and I, I find that inspiring. 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:23.860 What I find more inspiring is this overcoming evil with good is that he, he noticed early on, he said, Hey, Jay, we got to do something. 00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:29.320 If we're going to be inspired for God, if we're going to really see fruit, we got to do something radical for God. 00:38:30.219 --> 00:38:36.000 Um, and so we, we talked to a couple of people and then we went on this, uh, well, we can talk about it. 00:38:36.019 --> 00:38:40.159 We went on this pretty intense month long fast, uh, and, and. 00:38:40.280 --> 00:38:41.380 Throughout the whole time. 00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:42.400 Again, there's no conversions. 00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:43.360 We're not seeing any fruit. 00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:44.099 I'll be honest with you. 00:38:44.119 --> 00:38:46.340 We barely had anybody that was even studying the Bible. 00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:48.599 There was like, there was virtually nothing happening. 00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:51.260 Um, we're calling out to God. 00:38:51.260 --> 00:38:54.179 We, me and him in the middle of this, he's living with me at the time. 00:38:54.199 --> 00:38:59.719 And so we got into, you understand, maybe you, maybe you do when, when you're fasting, sometimes you feel very close to God. 00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:00.760 Other times you feel like. 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:04.219 I just see more of my sin than I ever did before. 00:39:04.219 --> 00:39:06.099 And I feel more angry than I ever have before. 00:39:06.099 --> 00:39:09.519 And so we, we butted heads a couple of times in the middle of our fast. 00:39:09.579 --> 00:39:10.880 And we're calling, we just apologized. 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:11.800 We gave each other a hug. 00:39:11.820 --> 00:39:12.400 We're like, we're fighting. 00:39:13.500 --> 00:39:26.860 And I believe from this fast, uh, what happened was somebody actually messaged, uh, somebody that had already been reached out to decided the message, the, the Facebook, uh, rather a text, a text that somebody got a phone number and said, Hey, I really need to follow God. 00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:28.380 I need to give up my entire life for God. 00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:30.699 Um, and he was at the low of the low. 00:39:30.780 --> 00:39:33.539 He had already been reached out to with my whole heart. 00:39:33.619 --> 00:39:39.360 I really believe that, that because of our fast in some way, shape or form, God decided to move. 00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:42.079 This is, I think, overcoming evil with good. 00:39:42.519 --> 00:39:48.199 Uh, this guy studied the Bible and in about three weeks or in about a month, maybe, or I think it was about a month. 00:39:48.539 --> 00:39:50.559 He became a, your brother, he became a disciple. 00:39:50.679 --> 00:40:01.519 Um, this guy has, uh, now he's moved to Springfield, Illinois to, uh, he's, he's the interim preacher basically in Springfield, Illinois. 00:40:02.039 --> 00:40:05.980 Uh, but he's, he's, his desire is to serve on staff. 00:40:06.019 --> 00:40:09.659 He's desires to go overseas and to, and to really love God. 00:40:09.659 --> 00:40:14.980 And I, I, I really believe that that stuff that no, we don't receive any credit for it. 00:40:15.019 --> 00:40:15.300 Right. 00:40:15.400 --> 00:40:17.579 That that's just God moving powerfully. 00:40:17.579 --> 00:40:20.079 This is overcoming evil with good as a church. 00:40:20.079 --> 00:40:28.079 Uh, this, this last, uh, it was, it was in April that we just, we said, there's not much, again, there's not much going on. 00:40:28.139 --> 00:40:30.280 There's not much, there's not much movement or activity. 00:40:30.280 --> 00:40:31.739 And I feel like what's, what's happening. 00:40:32.179 --> 00:40:35.420 And so we said, as a church, we just have to do something radical for God. 00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:36.760 It was Holy week coming up. 00:40:36.760 --> 00:40:43.019 And we said for this Holy week, everybody let's, let's go ahead and add something spiritual and let's take away something. 00:40:43.880 --> 00:40:46.920 Uh, that's, that's just an, an auxiliary thing. 00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:49.639 And some, some people took away media and they said, you know what? 00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:53.699 I'm not going to, uh, I'm not going to watch any TV or any, listen to anything. 00:40:53.780 --> 00:40:57.260 I'm just, if it's not spiritual, I'm not consuming it for a whole week. 00:40:57.260 --> 00:41:08.519 And other people decided, well, if, if I'm going to, you know, fast from food and other people decided, I'm going to take this away or I'm going to do this, or I'm going to give a little bit additionally in this way and then add something, I'm going to call more people. 00:41:08.699 --> 00:41:11.079 We just decided as a church, that's what we're going to do. 00:41:11.119 --> 00:41:12.079 Again, there's no movement. 00:41:12.139 --> 00:41:12.900 There's no activity. 00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:18.300 And, um, and our prayer though, was God let something happen. 00:41:18.300 --> 00:41:28.480 And that's my God, let something happen so that we can just point to you and say, you, you get all the glory for it and stuff that we didn't say we're going to go storm the campus and share out to share it to a hundred people a day. 00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:31.119 And we didn't say, get everybody in your text message. 00:41:31.199 --> 00:41:31.400 No, no. 00:41:31.420 --> 00:41:36.760 We just said, we're going to call out and try to be the people who God wants us to be and try to be, try to grow in our spirituality. 00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:42.460 And, and from that is, is where these baptisms have occurred and two more have occurred as well. 00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:48.420 And we just, this summer post that, that fast, there have been five baptisms in the Kalamazoo church. 00:41:49.179 --> 00:41:51.960 And, and, and we, we clap, we clap for God. 00:41:54.679 --> 00:42:10.219 I, I don't mean to say that, uh, that, that, that conversions is the metric of if God, if you're walking with God or not, that's not at all what I'm saying, but what we are saying is we want to be able to point to God and say, you did something that we never could have imagined. 00:42:10.690 --> 00:42:16.960 Um, so I, I want to, I want to challenge, I want to challenge you all this morning. 00:42:17.099 --> 00:42:24.480 Uh, I, I want you to, to take a moment and to assess, uh, just think for yourself. 00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:32.320 And maybe this is going to be a, you know, a Monday thing or a Sunday evening thing is, is what you can do to overcome evil with good in your life. 00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:39.460 Maybe, maybe what, what, what practically can you do to overcome evil with good? 00:42:40.519 --> 00:43:00.780 Uh, certainly I think it might be valuable to, uh, to use some of these gifts that God has given you, but, but, but maybe not, this can be any number of things, but if our mission is to overcome evil with good, uh, then you know, what's going to happen is God's going to work through us because that's, that's his ultimate plan, right? 00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:05.119 What we just talked about is, is Jesus in, in his entirety. 00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:08.300 At every point he decided I'm going to overcome evil with good. 00:43:08.300 --> 00:43:09.780 I'm not going to consider myself. 00:43:10.300 --> 00:43:11.599 Well, you know, this is the crazy thing. 00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:14.199 He considered himself lower than he actually was. 00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:14.460 Right. 00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:16.480 That he, he was way bigger, way higher. 00:43:16.579 --> 00:43:23.460 Wait, I was just considering for communion this, this morning when we, when we, I'm like, man, why think about at first, this is my thought. 00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:27.840 And I said, man, to think about Jesus, to say, Hey, think about me every week. 00:43:28.619 --> 00:43:30.800 That sounds like he, he deserves the praise. 00:43:30.820 --> 00:43:34.280 That sounds a little bit like if he's not God, that can be really arrogant. 00:43:34.699 --> 00:43:40.420 And then when I started to think, cause I was like, wait, if he's God, why would he just say, just think about me once a week? 00:43:40.519 --> 00:43:42.199 Shouldn't it be all the time every day? 00:43:42.239 --> 00:43:44.659 And he decided, no, just take this moment to consider me. 00:43:45.079 --> 00:43:49.280 Uh, you know, take the, and so I think Jesus considered himself way lower. 00:43:49.400 --> 00:43:52.019 He, he did all of these things perfectly. 00:43:52.019 --> 00:44:00.440 And so I would even challenge you in your personal Bible study this week to just look at where, where does Jesus perfectly emulate Romans 12? 00:44:00.519 --> 00:44:05.239 You know, if we do this, uh, you guys, whatever season of life this, this church is in, I understand. 00:44:05.400 --> 00:44:10.039 I listened to the sermon last Sunday, wherever you guys are at. 00:44:10.139 --> 00:44:11.239 I know again, there's, there's good. 00:44:11.360 --> 00:44:11.699 There's bad. 00:44:11.739 --> 00:44:14.820 I don't know the details of all of it, but I understand. 00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:18.559 And you guys do too, that you have an opportunity to overcome evil with good. 00:44:18.619 --> 00:44:23.199 You have an opportunity to partner with Jesus in, in his working and restoring of humanity. 00:44:23.599 --> 00:44:25.420 Let's do that with our entire hearts. 00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:30.139 Let's do that with our entire beings and just give all the glory and all the praise to God. 00:44:30.199 --> 00:44:30.400 Amen. 00:44:30.920 --> 00:44:31.280 Awesome. 00:44:42.070 --> 00:44:43.309 I don't want to turn it off. 00:44:50.340 --> 00:44:55.219 Thank you so much for listening to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:44:55.559 --> 00:44:58.880 If you're in the Kalamazoo area, we'd love to get connected. 00:44:59.119 --> 00:45:09.139 Please go to kalamazoo.church and fill in your information to come to a Sunday service or any other event that we have going on in any case, you'll be hearing from us next week.