WEBVTT 00:00:09.939 --> 00:00:13.320 Hello, and welcome to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:00:13.519 --> 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. 00:00:23.600 --> 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. 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:36.439 You can visit kalamazoo.church in order to do that. 00:00:37.060 --> 00:00:40.399 We pray that you are inspired by what you hear today. 00:00:42.100 --> 00:00:42.579 Amen. 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:44.859 Uh, it's good to see you all. 00:00:44.979 --> 00:01:02.920 I'm grateful that you guys decided to brave the cold and, uh, and you know, I never, uh, it's just, it's, it just doesn't cease to amaze me the, the heart of disciples, uh, to decide that, okay, I'm going to, you could tune in online and there's no, no shade. 00:01:03.018 --> 00:01:05.719 Uh, if you're online with us, we're grateful you're here. 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:16.260 Uh, you could tune on online instead, uh, some of us decided to drive a one and a half on a good day, almost more like probably an hour 40 or two hours to be here with us. 00:01:16.260 --> 00:01:17.519 And so we're just, we're very grateful. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:24.500 Like it's not lost on, uh, on, on me that you guys are doing it because you love Jesus and not because you love, uh, my preaching. 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:24.780 Amen. 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:41.200 Um, so we, we've got, we've got a series that we've been, uh, it's, we've been going through and it's just gives us a chance to organize our thoughts as we look back and look at what happened over the last year, uh, this last Sunday. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:47.079 And then on Wednesday we looked at, uh, reflecting and we, we looked at a couple of components. 00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:53.760 One, it's important to reflect on what happened last year, what happened last week and it's valuable to do that. 00:01:54.299 --> 00:02:00.659 But the second component is it's, it's self help if we're not focused on ultimately reflecting God. 00:02:00.819 --> 00:02:00.959 Amen. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:02.000 For sure. 00:02:02.140 --> 00:02:02.459 For sure. 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:09.139 You know, simply reflecting, it's a valuable practice, but it's not going to, to leave you with a great understanding of where to go. 00:02:09.379 --> 00:02:16.060 Uh, you know, if we decide to make decisions, maybe you spent this last week and this was some of the, the heart that we're building this up. 00:02:16.099 --> 00:02:19.259 And so let's, let's reflect what happened on last year. 00:02:19.979 --> 00:02:23.800 If you, if you just look at what happened last year and then you decide, I'm not going to do anything. 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:25.639 I'm just going to go make a bunch of decisions. 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:30.360 What happens is we can quickly become those who have like a pendulum swinging, right? 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:34.919 And this is a, this would be somebody who says, man, my diet was so poor, uh, last year. 00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:45.159 This year I'm going to only eat this thing and I'm going to go from, uh, living a, uh, you know, a Wisconsin or Michigan lifestyle to living as a vegan. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:55.800 And you, you could do that for a little bit of time, but what would end up happening likely is, is you might decide after, uh, you know, by already right now, or maybe at the beginning of February, you know, it wasn't worth it. 00:02:55.819 --> 00:02:58.340 It was a good month, but I'm not, I'm not going to live that way. 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:06.740 We don't want to be those, we don't want to be those spiritually who live going from one way to the other way and one way to the other way. 00:03:06.740 --> 00:03:17.219 And so, uh, and so the, the heart though, is what I want to do, uh, the, the heart of this lesson is that, that once we reflect, we have to be those who become refreshed. 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:17.719 Okay. 00:03:18.099 --> 00:03:20.319 Um, and so, yeah, here we go. 00:03:20.500 --> 00:03:28.699 Uh, you guys can go to acts three, we're going to look into the concept of being refreshed and there's passages in the Bible to talk about it. 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:36.560 We're going to learn that refreshment comes through repentance, uh, that we have the opportunity to refresh others. 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:52.680 And then this is maybe the, the biggest concept that we understand that is true, but it's difficult to live out is that God already, if you are in Christ, if you, if you've been, uh, converted, if you have baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, you are in Christ. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:55.879 Then you are, God views you as fresh. 00:03:55.979 --> 00:03:59.180 Your, your identity is a new creation and you are fresh. 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:01.060 And so then we ought to live like it. 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:03.080 And so we're looking at being refreshed. 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:16.480 We're looking at repentance and we can say, well, this must mean a bunch of actions that we do in reality though, uh, that this is the concept that's difficult to embrace, that God already views Christians as being fresh and they said, so go ahead and live like it then. 00:04:16.660 --> 00:04:17.060 Yeah. 00:04:18.930 --> 00:04:23.750 First, uh, the first little, little part that we're going to look at is that it's a gift to be refreshed. 00:04:24.050 --> 00:04:29.029 Uh, this is an ax three and we're going to pick up, uh, we'll start in verse in verse 17. 00:04:29.389 --> 00:04:32.769 Uh, but then we're going to center in on, on 19 and 20. 00:04:32.769 --> 00:04:35.370 It says this is right now, this is Peter. 00:04:35.529 --> 00:04:47.269 He's talking, he, there's a bunch of new converts to Christianity and Peter and John, they, they heal a guy and then they're getting in trouble with some people, uh, who are, who are concerned. 00:04:47.790 --> 00:04:52.350 And, and so this is what, how he responds to the crowd after he addresses this group of people. 00:04:52.430 --> 00:04:53.949 Now he's going to respond to the crowd. 00:04:53.990 --> 00:05:10.589 It says now fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance as did your leaders, but this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets saying that his Messiah would suffer, repent then and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out. 00:05:10.889 --> 00:05:16.449 That times of refreshing may come from the Lord and that he may send the Messiah who has been appointed for you. 00:05:16.629 --> 00:05:25.269 Even Jesus, heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 00:05:25.269 --> 00:05:25.889 Okay. 00:05:26.649 --> 00:05:37.990 This is, this is the first church and you would understand that what's being communicated here that I know it's important what we say, but you guys can go, there's so many different lessons and sermons and stuff online. 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:43.350 We have to understand that, that when Peter's preaching right here, there's, there's not all of that. 00:05:43.430 --> 00:05:51.850 And so what he says, I think I just have to believe, I trust that I'm the speaking through the spirit, but I have to believe even more to a higher extent. 00:05:51.850 --> 00:05:54.930 Peter's speaking directly what God wants him to say. 00:05:55.230 --> 00:06:02.730 And he, and he says, he says this, this thing that he says, repent and turn to the Lord and then your sins may be wiped out. 00:06:02.870 --> 00:06:09.550 That times of refreshing may come from the Lord and that this, this Messiah might come back. 00:06:09.649 --> 00:06:20.490 Uh, we understand this in a couple of ways and there's, there's commentaries that would say that this refreshment is at the end of days when Jesus comes all the way back, everything is made new and fresh. 00:06:20.490 --> 00:06:37.910 And I believe that's true, but I, but I also think that, that there, I really believe that this is there, there's minor refreshment, there's little refreshments that come from us deciding to turn back on our sins and really repent, uh, walking with God brings the gift of refreshment through repentance. 00:06:38.250 --> 00:06:41.529 Uh, you know, we think about this, this turning to God, repentance. 00:06:41.709 --> 00:06:44.129 This is, this is, it's an extreme, it's a great gift. 00:06:44.529 --> 00:06:52.970 Uh, it's seen in a lot of ways, but I don't know if you would view it often as, as this gift, this opportunity to live a differently. 00:06:53.470 --> 00:06:54.629 Um, it's not just an apology. 00:06:54.769 --> 00:06:57.250 It's not just feeling, uh, it's not feeling bad. 00:06:57.410 --> 00:07:05.730 It's this full transformation of your mind and to decide to say, I'm going to live entirely different and this is my new mindset on it. 00:07:06.850 --> 00:07:18.689 You know, and, and speaking of gifts, uh, we, we just kind of got past a season of, of giving a lot or maybe a season if you're younger, a season of receiving a lot, uh, you know what? 00:07:18.689 --> 00:07:19.089 It was true. 00:07:19.209 --> 00:07:24.589 The older that you get, the more you realize the importance of gifts that have utility, right? 00:07:25.009 --> 00:07:30.790 Uh, you know, your, your focus goes from being these flash in the pan type of gifts to ones that are really valuable. 00:07:31.189 --> 00:07:41.790 Uh, maybe when you were growing up, your parent would take you and you're going on this and they say, if you really behave, we'll go to the dollar store and I'll get you this little, whatever this little trinket is from the dollar store. 00:07:41.949 --> 00:07:43.269 And that satisfied us. 00:07:43.269 --> 00:07:44.350 I mean, it was colorful. 00:07:44.689 --> 00:07:46.290 It didn't work that good. 00:07:46.290 --> 00:07:49.550 I mean, you got about 45 minutes of utility out of that thing. 00:07:49.689 --> 00:07:52.050 But as a parent, we, I do that now. 00:07:52.149 --> 00:07:56.509 We're like, Hey, if you behave, you can get, you got like a couple of bucks to spend. 00:07:56.569 --> 00:07:58.470 You know, like it's, it's worth it. 00:07:58.470 --> 00:08:02.910 Uh, if we're going to go for an hour out this, this little toy, it's worth it. 00:08:02.910 --> 00:08:03.050 Right? 00:08:03.089 --> 00:08:15.490 Whatever, whatever little amount of costs, uh, when you were growing up, maybe you don't view it this way, but this was my view is that clothes, whenever I get clothes, like, like you open it, those are a useless gift when you're young. 00:08:15.490 --> 00:08:20.050 Uh, because you're going to get clothes anyways. 00:08:20.209 --> 00:08:26.569 Like if, if, if my aunt doesn't give me clothes, then I know my mom and dad, like, I'm not going to be like unclothed. 00:08:26.629 --> 00:08:27.610 So they're going to buy me clothes. 00:08:27.610 --> 00:08:32.250 And so actually it's kind of a gift from my aunt to my parents in that way, right? 00:08:35.418 --> 00:08:39.899 These had great utility, but there's no, there's no use for, I didn't view it as valuable. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:44.759 Maybe when you got older, you got a little bit wiser and you decided what we ought to do. 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:54.580 Uh, this is what me and my sister decided, Hey, we'll let's pull our, our collective money together and let's just ask for money and then we'll pull it together and we're going to get an Xbox 360. 00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:59.879 That's going to be, that's going to be, and maybe, maybe you decided we're going to do that with an N64 or a PlayStation. 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:05.700 This is, this is you guys becoming older and a little bit wiser and saying these dollar store toys. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:11.019 I don't care that much about, let me pull the resources together and find something of a real utility. 00:09:11.139 --> 00:09:12.200 Yeah, exactly. 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:24.279 You know, I, I, on the topic of gifts though, I remember the first time that somebody gifted slash made me buy a jacket. 00:09:24.740 --> 00:09:30.759 I was in college, I mean I had jackets, but then when I'm, when I went to school, I was like, jackets are kind of pointless. 00:09:30.820 --> 00:09:34.220 Like if I put a couple of sweatshirts on, I'm going to be pretty okay. 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:41.659 If I, especially if I got a long sleeve, two sweatshirts, I'll be cold and I got to wait on the bus or for the, for the bus to come, but it's going to work out. 00:09:41.659 --> 00:09:42.899 They're, they're right on time. 00:09:42.899 --> 00:09:48.480 This, this, uh, this morning here, I just viewed it like this is there, there's no point. 00:09:48.539 --> 00:09:55.299 And then I remember my sister saying, Hey, you've got to get a jacket and or a full coat. 00:09:55.299 --> 00:09:56.559 And I'm like, there's, there's no point. 00:09:56.620 --> 00:09:57.399 She said, just trust me. 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:10.620 And so she bought me this $40 P coat that lasted me up until a couple of years ago that I, and I remember it was the first time that I ever was waiting on the, for the bus in, in Wisconsin in the winter and feel. 00:10:10.620 --> 00:10:13.539 And I felt like, wow, I could do this for longer than a few minutes. 00:10:13.700 --> 00:10:17.860 Like I'm, I'm, I'm not cold and I, I, it sounds foolish. 00:10:18.019 --> 00:10:22.059 I distinctly remember the feeling of, I'm not cold, although the wind is blowing. 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:24.740 What an incredible gift that was given to me. 00:10:27.139 --> 00:10:29.879 I think repentance is oftentimes this way though. 00:10:30.299 --> 00:10:31.519 I think it's irrelevant. 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:38.480 It's undesirable when we are less mature, but as we grow in maturity, we, we see it as something that galvanizes us. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:41.879 It gives us the opportunity to change and live and live a different life. 00:10:42.840 --> 00:11:18.000 And if you look back on and reflect on 2023, I bet you there's a lot of growth that you can look at, but I bet you that there's, there's areas where you feel, man, I feel, I feel a little bit of shame or I feel a little bit of embarrassment at maybe it's just this one area or maybe it's this one characteristic about you, or maybe it's something you said, or maybe it's one moment that you, man, if I could take that back, you know, the, the, the way to, to grow is not to feel the shame so much so that we just live a different life. 00:11:18.019 --> 00:11:23.659 The way to grow is, is to take the shame and decide I'm going to change my mind entirely about it. 00:11:23.700 --> 00:11:32.360 I'm, I'm worried about the action and the action is going to change, but more than the action changing, it's the heart behind the action that I'm determined and convinced that I have to change. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:34.019 This is, this is repentance. 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:47.220 And so the, the, the powerful thing is that repentance or rather refreshment is, it comes through repentance, but it's not, there, there's a way that we as a community can give a refreshment to others. 00:11:47.220 --> 00:11:49.519 We, we have the opportunity to refresh other people. 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:51.860 It's an amazing gift in that way as well. 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:56.360 Refreshment can be spread soon. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:01.179 There's a couple of, there's a couple of football games and then physical refreshment will be spread. 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:04.100 But this, this is talking about some spiritual refreshment. 00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:05.059 It's able to be spread. 00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:09.620 It's second Timothy one, you guys, you guys can just reference it and head over to Proverbs 11. 00:12:10.019 --> 00:12:17.399 It, this is, this is the second time in the whole Bible that this word refreshment or refresh comes up. 00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:19.960 The first time we just read about the second time. 00:12:20.100 --> 00:12:25.600 This is right now, Paul, he's in prison and he's, he's talking about this. 00:12:25.700 --> 00:12:27.559 This one guy really helped him out a lot. 00:12:28.220 --> 00:12:35.379 It says in verse 16, this is towards, this is widely considered to be the last letter that Paul wrote before he died. 00:12:35.860 --> 00:12:46.500 It says, may the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 00:12:47.019 --> 00:12:51.580 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:55.179 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day. 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:59.500 You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:12.259 It's Paul at the end of his life, he's in prison and now you, you could, uh, you can look up on whatever website you can find where, excuse me, you can find where somebody is, is in prison. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:21.379 You can actually find, I don't know if you guys know this, but you can find like where they are, you know, in the whole court proceedings and this is what's going on and this is what they got to go through and you can, you can do that now. 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:24.679 There wasn't that availability to people back in that day. 00:13:24.700 --> 00:13:33.899 And so this, this disciple found out, okay, one of my friends that I spent a lot of time with that I'm close to that we, we went through battles and wars together. 00:13:34.299 --> 00:13:38.220 He's somewhere where I am, I've got to find him. 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:43.860 What is, and it's, it's amazing to think what is on this syphilis, what is he going to really give? 00:13:43.899 --> 00:13:47.379 Like he can't give money to get the guy out of prison. 00:13:47.539 --> 00:13:50.720 He can't, uh, you can't, he's not going to sneak him out of prison. 00:13:50.740 --> 00:13:51.240 They're Christians. 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:52.460 They're not going to do that. 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:54.159 Uh, well, what can he really give? 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:56.759 He can, he can give his whole heart though. 00:13:56.779 --> 00:13:57.820 He can give something, right? 00:14:00.899 --> 00:14:09.360 You know, we all, you think about, uh, I don't know if you guys, you know, that we all have people in our lives who we consider, man, those guys are very refreshing. 00:14:09.860 --> 00:14:12.620 We have people who are, who are the opposite of refreshing. 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:16.879 Um, but we have people who you're like, man, I just get a lot of joy from seeing them. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:18.120 They just bring that. 00:14:18.179 --> 00:14:18.419 Why? 00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:22.100 Well, because they, it's not because they have the best word to say all the time. 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:24.840 It's just because of who they are and what they exude. 00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:25.059 Right. 00:14:25.100 --> 00:14:32.299 You know, I think it's, uh, I was just thinking about when Daniel was singing, I was like, you know, that there's, there's a bit of refreshment, right? 00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:40.759 We, we can sing, you know, when you were, excuse me, when you guys were seven, eight years old, I bet you, you were yelling songs that, uh, are not God is mighty to save, right? 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:49.220 Like we were yelling songs that have nonsense all over them and his classmates are yelling songs with so much nonsense and he's giving his whole heart to God and singing to God. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:49.519 Amen. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:51.659 That, that's, that's refreshing. 00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:58.299 When you sit back, you consider, but Daniel doesn't have any idea that he, that he helped that he, that he made us men. 00:14:58.500 --> 00:14:59.179 God is good. 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:05.769 When, when, when we listened to him saying, amen, maybe, maybe you felt, felt this going home. 00:15:05.889 --> 00:15:10.570 Uh, if you're, if you're in school going home for break, you felt like, man, I know, I know where to go. 00:15:10.669 --> 00:15:11.730 I know where things are. 00:15:11.789 --> 00:15:13.350 I know where my buddies are going to be at. 00:15:13.389 --> 00:15:16.450 There's, there's this refreshing that refreshment that can come. 00:15:16.610 --> 00:15:21.710 I remember going to my grandparents' house and Hey grandma, grandpa, it's good to see you. 00:15:21.970 --> 00:15:27.029 First thing I'm like, man, we better not eat food because I know there's going to be something made for us. 00:15:28.090 --> 00:15:29.450 I'm going in the pantry. 00:15:29.529 --> 00:15:30.509 Hey, what do you got to eat? 00:15:30.549 --> 00:15:31.350 And I, I'll do that. 00:15:31.690 --> 00:15:33.250 I'll do that with my dad still. 00:15:33.470 --> 00:15:35.710 Uh, like what, what's, what do you, what do you guys got going on? 00:15:35.750 --> 00:15:37.690 And that's not even, it's, it's understood. 00:15:37.750 --> 00:15:39.570 Like the first thing, Hey, good to see you. 00:15:39.909 --> 00:15:42.730 Hey, you know, I can cook something up or I can make something. 00:15:42.809 --> 00:15:43.789 I didn't know if you were hungry. 00:15:43.789 --> 00:15:45.610 And then that's, that's the communication. 00:15:45.809 --> 00:15:55.570 Uh, you know, I, I think on, uh, on Sunday through Wednesday, me and Bianca and Josh had the opportunity to go to Chicago, uh, for it's, it happens once a year. 00:15:55.570 --> 00:16:07.409 There, all of the, the churches that we're affiliated with in the Midwest, everyone who's on staff joins, um, at this, for this retreat conference, um, a lot of times there's stuff that's being shared. 00:16:07.690 --> 00:16:09.909 That's, you know, kind of the direction of where we're going. 00:16:10.009 --> 00:16:15.289 Sometimes there's more, more intimate conversations about, Hey, there's this conflict that's happening. 00:16:15.509 --> 00:16:23.269 Uh, but, but more than ever, I think I'm learning and I'm feeling that going to these meetings, I, I leave feeling refreshed. 00:16:23.629 --> 00:16:25.590 Uh, but it's not, the lessons are amazing. 00:16:25.590 --> 00:16:29.690 Like the lessons are great, but it's kind of, it's the fellowship, right? 00:16:29.710 --> 00:16:32.590 It's the connection to other people and the feeling, man, we're doing this together. 00:16:33.029 --> 00:16:33.669 There's hope. 00:16:33.750 --> 00:16:34.289 There's hope. 00:16:34.389 --> 00:16:35.070 Not just for us. 00:16:35.090 --> 00:16:36.809 It's not going to die when we die. 00:16:36.830 --> 00:16:37.970 It's going to keep on going. 00:16:38.029 --> 00:16:38.230 Amen. 00:16:40.389 --> 00:16:47.450 I think, uh, in a lot of ways, it's, it's a great thing to remember is you don't have to have all the answers to, to refresh others. 00:16:47.450 --> 00:16:48.649 You just have to be present. 00:16:48.649 --> 00:16:55.070 Um, no Proverbs, uh, 11, 25, it says a generous person will prosper. 00:16:55.210 --> 00:16:58.649 Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. 00:17:00.029 --> 00:17:03.789 Now it's not, you're not saying I want to refresh in order to be refreshed. 00:17:03.809 --> 00:17:11.750 Like that's a selfish mindset, but we're saying my, I'm just trying to give faith, try to help other people where, where do people need? 00:17:11.890 --> 00:17:13.150 What's my role in their life. 00:17:13.170 --> 00:17:17.710 I'm going to step into my role in their life that of course someone, Oh, somebody else is going to do it. 00:17:17.710 --> 00:17:17.848 Yeah. 00:17:17.930 --> 00:17:18.068 Fine. 00:17:18.130 --> 00:17:19.230 Let somebody else do it too. 00:17:19.368 --> 00:17:20.568 But let me do it as well. 00:17:22.289 --> 00:17:24.068 It's not a means to an end. 00:17:27.338 --> 00:17:32.200 And so you would say, well, how, how can we do this practically then? 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:34.099 How do we refresh others? 00:17:34.140 --> 00:17:35.079 We know it's important. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:40.359 We know that it's a gift that we have the opportunity to give a little bit, how, how can we do this? 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:47.599 Well, there, there's a couple of ways that even that Paul shares, uh, and the reasons why he gives that, that this guy was very refreshing to him. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:51.119 Um, he said, he's, he's, this guy's not ashamed of my chains. 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:52.779 He's not ashamed of me. 00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:55.880 Um, you know, I, I think, um, what does that mean for us? 00:17:55.920 --> 00:18:01.539 We just can't be ashamed of someone's circumstances and we wouldn't use the word ashamed. 00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:07.400 Uh, but I don't think that the disciples that, that didn't join Paul would say, I'm ashamed of, of Paul's chains. 00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:11.099 I think they would say, well, I don't know what I can give to him. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.619 I don't really got, there's not really much there for me. 00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:20.160 I, he's got people in his life to take care of them and, and really this, this, this feeling shame. 00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:24.619 I think we can look at other people's, uh, maybe their health circumstances. 00:18:25.299 --> 00:18:30.680 There's family challenges, uh, that, that people that we say, well, somebody is going to help them with that. 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:42.539 And so I don't need to step into that role or we, we see even with, with spiritual matters and helping those, those in the areas of sin that we can say, I don't, it's not my role to step in. 00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:44.440 And so I'm not going to step in. 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:52.160 And, uh, what, uh, one of the, the, the big calls here for us is, is to not be ashamed. 00:18:52.180 --> 00:18:55.519 But that means that we have to engage, uh, we don't have to have all the right words. 00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:56.859 We just have to be there. 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:08.519 You know, I don't know how you guys feel, uh, in the moments, uh, I, I, in the moments of what someone has lost a loved one or there's a member in the family that's on the last days and you're like, what do I say? 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:09.299 I have nothing. 00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:11.900 There's nothing good that I can say. 00:19:11.900 --> 00:19:13.099 I don't have all of the answers. 00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:27.460 And, uh, one of, I, I remember taking a class in school and one of the best, uh, one of the best sentences that I've learned, uh, that was just given to me, that's proven to be really effective, uh, in the moments of losses, Hey, what was your best memory with, with that person? 00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:35.019 Um, just listening and being curious and asking, asking questions that, that are, people are going to engage. 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:36.819 You would ask that person, do you want to talk about it? 00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:39.460 And they might say, I don't know, whatever, you know? 00:19:39.460 --> 00:19:45.920 But in reality, uh, being there with somebody and not being ashamed is one of the calls to bring refreshment. 00:19:47.380 --> 00:19:49.859 The other thing is it says he searched hard for me. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:52.539 It cost him something in order to give to me. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.799 It wasn't, it wasn't free. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:57.440 This is, this is our hearts then, right? 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.799 That we have to be those who are willing to meet people where they are at. 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:05.640 And it will cost us more than if we were going to allow them to come to us. 00:20:06.579 --> 00:20:07.460 Can be physical. 00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:12.019 Like, I'm going to, I'm going to go out of my way to go, uh, be where somebody is. 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:19.380 Uh, you know, this can, there's great encouragement that I get when somebody decides I'm going to just do what this person likes to do. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:22.119 I'm not very good at pickleball, but I'm going to play pickleball. 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:24.339 I don't like, not a great basketball player. 00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:25.619 I'm going to go play basketball. 00:20:25.619 --> 00:20:36.779 And I know for myself, I'm a, I'm horrible at video games, but I understand if there's, there's somebody who just needs, you know, a little bit of refreshment, man, you can go ahead and work me in FIFA or 2k. 00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:38.759 Like I'll be there and I'll be present. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:42.400 And there's, there's, there's refreshment that it comes from that. 00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:47.319 I believe that somebody is willing to do something I enjoy doing just to connect with me. 00:20:47.420 --> 00:20:51.619 They're bad at it and they know they're bad at it and they're not going to play it again, but it's just to connect with me. 00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:52.339 They really care. 00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:58.059 There was one of the, one of the guys in our campus ministry, he was an excellent ping pong player. 00:20:58.059 --> 00:21:04.279 Like he, he would show up to devotionals like about half the time you'd show up to church about half the time. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:10.480 But he would, he would always be on the ping pong tables and he would just, I mean, he was just putting in work all the time. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:11.740 That was how we could connect with him. 00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:15.660 We're like, Hey, my friend, you want to play ping pong? 00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.240 Yeah, sure. 00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:16.660 Let's play. 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:18.279 Hey, you want to come to devotional this Friday? 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:20.000 We're going to, I don't know if I can make it. 00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:20.180 Okay. 00:21:20.180 --> 00:21:23.019 Well, we're going to play ping pong and play ping pong and play ping pong. 00:21:23.539 --> 00:21:25.059 The guy's faithful to this day. 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:32.960 And I'm not saying it's because of any one of us, but I'm saying that all of us, we decided as a group of young men, we're going to search hard for him. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:34.500 We're going to meet him where he's at. 00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:35.519 We're going to help him. 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:41.359 We're going to feed him when he needs to get fed and when he's in a frustrated mood and we're just going to bear with him because, because that's the call. 00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:43.480 This is, this is what the Bible teaches us to do. 00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:57.940 Another area is that if we're going to meet somebody where, where they're at, then we can't be those who are expecting things that are, that are unrealistic for people and then look down on them when they don't meet that. 00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:04.980 We can have great expectations, but if they're not met, then we, we, Jesus meets us wherever we are at. 00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:10.640 And when we mess up, Jesus decides to love us anyways, any, any, any, he says, you can do it. 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:11.579 And he walks with us. 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.339 We ought to be the same for others. 00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:13.579 Amen. 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:31.279 And so as you reflect and get refreshed, uh, going into 2024 there, there ought to be a component where you consider, how am I going to be a great refreshing, uh, refreshing glass of water on a hot day or warm cup of coffee or tea on a cold day to other people. 00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:31.539 Amen. 00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:31.640 Amen. 00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:32.079 Amen. 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:40.279 The last component that we're going to look at, and then we're going to, we're going to take a communion is that God already views you as fresh. 00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:41.640 So then live like it. 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:50.519 Uh, it's in second Corinthians five, this is the passage of scripture that we oftentimes will use to, to share that our role is meant. 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:54.240 Jesus loves us that we have to, we have to give that love to others. 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.019 It says that we're Christ ambassadors. 00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:58.460 That's that's absolutely true. 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:02.920 But there's a, there's a greater component that talks about how we are different. 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:06.299 Um, it says we're going to pick up in verse 16. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:15.660 So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view, though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:19.700 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:21.059 The old has gone. 00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:22.180 The new is here. 00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:35.880 All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. 00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:39.220 And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 00:23:40.619 --> 00:23:41.640 I'll keep reading. 00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:48.259 If you guys turned and you can follow along and says, we are therefore Christ's ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us. 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:51.819 We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:58.440 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God. 00:24:00.420 --> 00:24:08.380 This scripture is used to communicate well, we've, we've got it, we've got a responsibility, we have a job to do before it, it says Christ love compels us. 00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:10.859 And so then we ought to live a new life. 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:14.319 And then we ought to help other people live a new life as well. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:34.460 Uh, the focus that I want to sit with is that what it says is that if you are in Christ, the new creation has come, the old is gone, the new is here, this, this, it says in Christ or rather, if you are in Christ, then you become a new creation. 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:37.740 And then once you're a new creation, then you become the ambassador. 00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:39.519 You live out the ambassadorship. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:49.720 When you think about an ambassador for Christ, consider somebody who, who their whole responsibility is to project and promote what they are, what they are, you know, behind or what's behind them basically. 00:24:49.859 --> 00:24:54.779 And so you're saying as a Christian or as an ambassador of Christ, I'm doing everything to follow God. 00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:56.799 And what he says is you are a new creation. 00:24:57.059 --> 00:24:59.359 And then you act like an ambassador. 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:03.599 It's not that I'm going to act like an ambassador and I'm going to do everything. 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.619 And then if I do a good enough job, then I'll become a new creation. 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:14.859 The Bible is saying what, what Paul is saying, the whole message of the cross is that I've decided you're worthy. 00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:15.880 So you are. 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:17.099 So live like it. 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:25.279 Now, this is, this is a much more difficult, I don't know what your background with, with God is. 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:42.000 I found that the, the more time that people have spent living as, as disciples or Christians or the more time they've even grown up with Christianity, the more difficult of a concept this is to really internalize because we're taught there's an appropriate way to act. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:44.700 There's an appropriate way to live and there's truth to it. 00:25:44.700 --> 00:25:55.740 But, but then there's a, there's a maturity that we ought to come to that says, I have to live like a new creation, but it's because he's already given me the responsibility that you're a new creation. 00:25:58.650 --> 00:26:05.049 There's a, there's a, the quote here, there's a book that I've quoted a few times and it's kind of making its way around our fellowship. 00:26:05.190 --> 00:26:11.269 I've actually got like, I think five or six copies when I'm like, I might be the only one that buys used copies of this book. 00:26:11.869 --> 00:26:16.890 But there, I've got, I've got a few of them in my, in, in, you know, our little library thing. 00:26:16.930 --> 00:26:21.210 And so if you guys, if you guys want a copy of this book, just holler at me. 00:26:21.910 --> 00:26:22.990 I'll get you one. 00:26:23.450 --> 00:26:37.210 It says this though, it says, the author says, it's not the, the great, it's not the great fear of losing God's favor that takes us to the depth of fellowship with him and transforms our lives with his holiness. 00:26:37.849 --> 00:26:48.450 It is our certainty of knowing his unrelenting love for us, even in the midst of our weakness and failure that leads us to the fullness of his life. 00:26:50.710 --> 00:26:51.650 It's not this fear. 00:26:51.670 --> 00:26:52.369 Oh, I'm going to lose. 00:26:56.190 --> 00:26:56.549 Instead. 00:26:56.630 --> 00:26:57.089 It's understanding. 00:26:57.190 --> 00:26:58.029 He loves you so much. 00:26:58.049 --> 00:27:00.430 And because he loves you so much, then you're going to live a different life. 00:27:00.450 --> 00:27:05.849 This is, it's a, it's a much more difficult thing, I think for us to embrace and live like it. 00:27:05.849 --> 00:27:13.829 And I, I, cause I feel like we have to trust God's love so much that just based on how he loves me, I'm going to live differently. 00:27:14.269 --> 00:27:18.609 And that's, that's something that it necessitates a lot of energy on our end. 00:27:18.609 --> 00:27:18.809 Right. 00:27:18.849 --> 00:27:24.250 That I, I know that I have to change the way that I view God's love in order for me to live only based on his love. 00:27:24.490 --> 00:27:24.670 Yeah. 00:27:25.549 --> 00:27:25.789 Yeah. 00:27:28.900 --> 00:27:36.359 This, this, this love, this is going to be the way that we continue to be refreshed as we look at our lives in 2024. 00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:47.000 This is going to be the way that, that we're able to not just make this a temporary fix, but something that, that can transform our lives, even as we go into 2024. 00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:58.339 And so there's, there's a, we're going to close here pretty soon and there's going to be a, there's going to be a song and it's going to be, we're going to prepare our hearts for communion. 00:27:58.460 --> 00:28:05.859 It's going to be a little bit longer and maybe even a little bit louder of a song than we usually do during this time of communion. 00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:12.359 And oftentimes the somber reflection on, on Jesus and the cross, uh, right now. 00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:16.640 Uh, but this, this quote I think is, it's, it pertains so much. 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:21.599 It's just the, it's, it's from the song, holy water by, by we, the kingdom. 00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:26.700 It says, and it says it a few times and you'll see, it said about the two and a half minute mark as we listen. 00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:32.740 Uh, but, but it says, I don't want to abuse your grace, God, I need it every day. 00:28:33.380 --> 00:28:37.339 It's the only thing that ever really makes me want to change. 00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:40.299 What an amazing truth. 00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:55.799 It's the only thing you, as you look at your motivation for reflection and your motivation for changing and you, your motivation, even to be refreshed, uh, there are things that, that last, they're flashing the pan, they last for a short time, then they go away. 00:28:56.220 --> 00:29:03.299 This, uh, this grace is going to be what really is the motor behind making us want to do everything else for God. 00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:03.579 Amen. 00:29:03.819 --> 00:29:04.160 Amen. 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:26.569 Right now, we're going to pray and then I'm going to, I'm going to play the song and feel free if you guys want to, you can sing along a little bit, um, or just connect with God in this, uh, in this time, uh, please bow with me, dear God, Lord, we come to you and we're grateful for the opportunity to be refreshed. 00:29:26.710 --> 00:29:30.450 We're grateful for the opportunity to, to live new lives. 00:29:30.450 --> 00:29:36.190 Lord, we, we realize that repentance brings refreshment and we're grateful for that. 00:29:37.190 --> 00:29:44.589 Lord, we realize that we have the potential, we have the opportunity, we have the responsibility to refresh other people. 00:29:44.910 --> 00:29:57.170 Lord, and we realize ultimately that the only way that we are going to be new, that we are going to be refreshed, that we are going to be new creations is through viewing your love for us and really understanding it. 00:29:57.170 --> 00:30:06.589 Father, I pray that we will, uh, that we will, we'll grow every day in the, in the call to understand and embrace and follow you according to your love. 00:30:06.849 --> 00:30:24.230 Uh, Jesus, I pray that as we look at the cross this morning that we can, we can feel a sense of gratitude, a sense of, of even ownership for what you went through for us, Lord, just as a sense of, uh, I pray even this morning we'll make decisions to live new lives. 00:30:24.750 --> 00:30:26.829 This is in your name, Jesus that we pray. 00:30:26.970 --> 00:30:27.109 Amen. 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:38.380 Thank you so much for listening to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:42.039 If you're in the Kalamazoo area, we'd love to get connected. 00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:49.660 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. 00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:52.299 In any case, you'll be hearing from us next week.