WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.040 Thanks for checking out this podcast from Carterville Christian Church. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:04.160 We're so glad you're here. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:09.679 Our hope is that through these messages you'll grow deeper in your faith and experience the life-changing hope of Jesus. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:12.320 Now let's jump into this week's teaching. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:14.640 Well, good morning, C3. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:16.160 Good to be with you this morning. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.960 Um, I want you to want you to think back on the last time that you went to a doctor, okay? 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:29.440 So the last time you had a routine checkup, or maybe one of your kids had a routine checkup, or maybe you went to go get something checked uh that was a little bit more concerning. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:38.399 Maybe you had to, you know, had an emergency room visit recently and you had to go into the ER uh for something uh that was a little bit more uh a little bit more concerning. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:46.560 No matter what the situation was, I want you to think about when the the nurse or the assistant came in and they were checking you and they checked several things for you, right? 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:56.079 They they would have checked your height and weight, they would have checked uh your your heart rate and your temperature, your blood pressure, uh they might have even checked your breathing, your respiratory rate. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.000 Uh they might have even put this little clip on your finger. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:58.880 You know what I'm talking about? 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:01.039 The little thing that goes on the end of your finger there. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:06.239 Um and I'm told that this reads your blood oxygen saturation levels as well. 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:11.120 Okay, there's gonna there are medical professionals in this room, and I'm not the one that should be talking about this, okay? 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:12.400 But I am nonetheless. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.040 Um and like so there's all these different things. 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:17.920 You might have even been hooked up to a machine that looks like this, maybe. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:18.560 There's a picture. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:19.359 Yeah, right there. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:22.719 Like that you might have been able to see all these different readings on there. 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:30.799 Uh, but every time that the doctor or nurse does these different tests on you, they're checking to make sure your body is functioning the way it should be functioning. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:31.120 Right? 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:32.480 Like we we know this to be true. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.599 There's not no part of us, when we go to the doctor's office, there's no part of us that's like, I don't want you to check those things for me. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:39.840 I would, I would actually, I would prefer that you did. 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.760 You know, I prefer you hook me up to the machines to make sure there's something off with me. 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:45.680 I I need you to, I need you to check this. 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:52.000 And if there's something wrong with one of these vitals, then it it's it's a sign that there's there's something off altogether. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:58.159 Like there's this might be pointing to a deeper issue that's going on, or the reason why you're there in the first place. 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:03.200 And we're starting this series today called Vital Signs, five signs that you're fully alive. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:07.280 And it really comes down to uh the words of Jesus in John chapter 10. 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:11.840 When he when he says this, he says, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:18.080 I have come that they may have life, that you may have life and have it to the full. 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:21.039 And here's here at C3, we believe this to be true. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:22.159 We believe the words of Jesus. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:29.120 We take we take him at his word here, and we believe whenever he says, I have come to give you life and give you life to the full. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:35.759 And more full than anything else that this world could have to offer us, Jesus is offering us the most full life. 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:42.879 The question that I want us to ask throughout this series, hey, what does it what does it mean to live a full life in Christ? 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:48.319 What does it mean for us to live this life that is fully alive? 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:52.479 Like if we were hooked up to a monitor today, what are the things we'd be checking? 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:56.000 What are the things that the that the doctor or nurse would be checking for us? 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.759 What are the vital signs we need to be looking for when it comes to life with Christ? 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:02.240 And how do we know that we're functioning the way we should be? 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:12.800 And honestly, like I'm really excited about this series because more than anything else, like this is really a vision for the kind of church we want to be, for the for the direction that we're heading. 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:20.800 Now, I don't know if I don't know if you know this, but this church was established in the year 1887, 139 years ago, this church was established. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:26.319 Pretty incredible, pretty crazy to think about, in a small little block in the middle of Carterville, Missouri. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:30.960 And here's the deal our mission as a church was the same then as it is today. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:34.719 Our mission has always been the same, and it always will be the same. 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:36.000 This is why we exist. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:41.280 We exist to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:44.879 Man, this is pretty straightforward, but I need you to understand. 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:46.319 This is why we exist. 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:48.000 This is who we are as a church. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:49.680 This is this is the mission. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:04:00.639 This I believe this should be the main mission, the main aim, the main goal of every church that has ever existed is to do what Jesus told us to do, to go into all the world and to make disciples. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:05.520 Like this is why we exist, to glorify God by making disciples, just as Jesus commanded. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:11.919 But the vision for how a specific church in a specific context carries that out can differ. 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:19.759 It really comes down to like asking this like, what are the signs we're gonna be looking at that are really gonna help us know that we're heading towards that goal? 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:32.160 Like, what are the measurables that we're gonna start focusing on as a as a church, as a body, as a family, to know that we're we're getting down to what's most important, to understand that we're glorifying God by making disciples. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:33.199 How are we gonna get there? 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:37.199 This comes down to like who we are and what we do as a church. 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:41.600 And it it this is what we're gonna be talking about over the next over the next several several weeks. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:46.000 And here's what I hope and I pray that you will hear and you will see. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:52.480 The first thing is I hope that you will hear over the next five weeks uh familiar things, honestly. 00:04:52.800 --> 00:05:02.000 I hope that you will hear familiar, familiar sayings or familiar, familiar things that are being preached because we've already been preaching this vision for our church for a while now. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:05.199 Like we've already been like using a lot of the language we're gonna be using. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:06.959 I hope that it's just familiar to you. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:08.959 And you're like, well, yeah, that's who we are. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:10.480 Of course we're gonna step into that. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:14.399 Of course we're gonna be all about that, because that's who we already are right now. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:23.040 But I hope also that you will see a vision for what the church might look like if we really got on board with the vision that the Lord is giving us. 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:25.519 If we really got on board with where he is leading us. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:27.360 I hope you I hope you catch the vision. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:32.319 I hope you catch the wind of where the Spirit is leading us as we as we step forward. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:34.160 And to that end, I just want to pray. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:35.759 I want to pray over us right now. 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:42.240 Lord, we are so thankful for all that you have done and for what you have made possible. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:52.800 We're so thankful that you have you take broken, messed up sinners like us, and you still use us for your glory and for your honor. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:53.920 And Lord, that's what we want to do. 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:55.120 We want to glorify you. 00:05:55.839 --> 00:06:06.079 So Lord, this morning I pray that you would give us humility, and you would give us unity, and you would give us urgency in your mission that you've that you've set before us. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:14.000 And Lord, more than anything else, I pray that you would give us your spirit to enable us and empower us to do your work faithfully that you've set out in front of us. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:15.279 In your name we pray. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:16.079 Amen. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:20.800 Okay, a couple things before we really jump into this this first one where we're going today. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:22.319 I need you to understand a couple things. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:35.680 And when we're talking about our vision for the church, I need you to understand, like, there's it's gonna be really hard to really try to give you everything that we that we hope and everything that we're that we that we want for this church in a little 30-minute sermon. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:37.199 It's gonna be really hard for us to do that. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:38.720 So we've continued the conversation. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:48.240 I want you to know, like at noon today, there will be a podcast that's that's posted with elders and with an elder and staff members that are talking that are continuing this conversation. 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:50.720 We'd love to continue the conversation with you individually. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:56.000 If there's something this morning, man, find one of our staff members, find one of our elders, uh, fine, come find one of us. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:59.279 We would love to continue this conversation with you about what this looks like. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:09.920 But also, I need you to understand, like each of these statements that we're gonna be unpacking together over the next five weeks, we've we've framed them as like we need statements, like we need blank. 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:16.079 But I want you to understand this isn't just a communal truth, but these are also meant to be individual truths. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:20.720 Not just we need fill in the blank, but also I need this personally. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:28.639 And as a leadership and as a staff, we've this conversation around these statements for this series started last September, even a little bit before last September. 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:33.120 We've been talking about these for almost a year and really talking about what the impact could have. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:39.439 And as we did, we quickly came to this conclusion that, hey, this first one is a little bit different than all the others. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:44.639 Like this first one is is a little bit more important than everything else that we're gonna talk about. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:56.079 And this is really like who we are as a church, who we are as a church, and it's as as simply as we can put it, we would say it this way: we are a gathering of people that realize we need Jesus. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:58.720 I need I need you to understand that. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:00.160 Like, this is this is who we are. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:12.079 This is your first time ever coming, ever stepping foot in these doors, or if you've been coming here since 1887, you know, I need you to understand we are a group of people who realize we have a desperate need for Jesus. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:18.639 And I I know it's gonna sound obvious, but a full life that Jesus has to offer always starts with him. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:21.120 Like it it doesn't go beyond that. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:22.079 It always starts with him. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:24.800 It always, that's the first step, is always with him. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:30.480 And if we're talking about our vital signs as a church, then this one is our heartbeat. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:31.519 This one's our heartbeat. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:38.639 We just did medical training with Chase Kraft just a few weeks ago as a staff and like try to you know figure out what to do in emergency situations, that kind of stuff. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:48.080 And one of the things we learned, and I know this is obvious, but one of the things we learned is if there, if you walk up on somebody in an emergency situation and there's no heartbeat, man, it's cause for action right now. 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:50.320 Like you gotta get going right now. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:53.279 And this is the truth for us, this is true for us as a church. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:57.360 If we miss this one, that it's cause for action right now. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:04.639 If we're off kilter at all on this, if we're out of whack at all on this, then it's cause for action. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:11.519 We need to realign and come to this understanding collectively and individually, we need Jesus. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.080 And it boils down to this that's that's what it is. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:14.960 We need Jesus. 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:18.639 I need you to turn to your neighbor right now and say, we need Jesus. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:22.240 Okay, now turn to your neighbor and say, I need Jesus. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:22.879 Right? 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:23.360 You do. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:24.399 I'm telling you, you do. 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.639 It's not just that shirt that says, Y'all need Jesus. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:29.200 It's I need Jesus and we need Jesus, right? 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:30.000 This is what it is. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:34.639 And there's a lot of ways we could talk about this this morning, but I want to simplify it and give you two. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:37.519 We need Jesus first and foremost for our salvation. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:38.960 Need you to understand that. 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:41.120 We need Jesus for our salvation. 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:45.600 This is true about every person who has ever lived, every person who ever will live. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:51.919 It's true about every person who believes in Jesus, and even those who have not yet come to know his name. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:57.679 It's true about every single person who walked through these doors this morning, whether they've come to realize it or not. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:00.559 And it's true about you, it's true about me. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.399 We need Jesus for our salvation. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:04.399 This is the clear teaching of Scripture. 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:15.519 Is that what Paul says in Romans chapter 3, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and yet all are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:18.159 I think about Paul's words in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.399 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:21.679 The old has passed away. 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:23.600 Behold, the new has new has come. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:25.759 And all of this is from God. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:31.039 This is all from him who through Christ reconciled us to himself. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:41.120 In verse 21, for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that we might become, in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.840 Peter says this before the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 4. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:52.320 He says, There is salvation in no one else, for there's no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:54.960 Jesus himself says it, and we sang it earlier. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:10:57.840 I am the way and the truth and the life. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:00.799 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:02.879 And this is what we believe as a church. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:05.200 We need Jesus for our salvation. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:09.200 Without him, we are lost, hopeless, helpless. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:17.120 Paul says in 1 Corinthians that if Christ has not been raised, then all of us, like we should be pitied more than anybody else. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:22.720 Like we should be just like felt like people should feel bad for us because we've put our hope in something that's not real. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.440 But he says, But Christ has indeed been raised. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:29.440 He has indeed been raised, and it's for your benefit and for my benefit. 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:34.480 Because without him, without him, there is no hope for salvation. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:43.200 I think the question that we have to ask this morning that I have to ask for somebody in this in this crowd right now, I've got to ask, do you realize this need for salvation? 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:46.000 Do you realize that you need Jesus? 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:52.399 That what Jordan was already talking about, man, it's good for us to be reminded as we go to the tables every time we gather together. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:56.480 It's good for us to remind be reminded, I cannot do this on my own. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:58.799 I cannot save myself. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:01.519 Like, do you realize that you need saving? 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:10.240 We've talked about this before, and you know the story of the Titanic, you know, as the as that big ship barreled into that iceberg. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.279 What followed after was two and a half hours. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.360 That's how long it took the Titanic to sink. 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.559 You realize that? 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:24.559 Two and a half hours it took for the Titanic to sink, and yet, and yet most of those lifeboats went away half full. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:27.440 1,500 people passed away. 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:35.840 And there were reports of like men on the main deck smoking cigars, and the band was still playing in the grand hall. 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:41.360 The ship was going down, and they didn't realize it. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:52.159 And I need to be as clear as I can with somebody in this room, somebody in this room has not responded to the gift of life, the gift of grace that is offered to you freely in Jesus. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:55.600 Somebody this morning needs to step forward into that. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:13:00.240 And it starts here with realizing, hey, the ship that you're on, it's going down. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.480 This is what the Bible, the Bible teaches. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:09.120 We are dead in our sin, deserving of wrath, destined to be separated from God forever. 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:17.919 Whether you realize your sin is not the issue, it's the fact that you are sinful, that's the issue, and your sin condemns you. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:23.279 Whether you realize it or not, like you are, you're you're the ship is going down. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:38.720 But here's the deal: because of the good news that we have in the person and work of Jesus, because of what he has done once and for all, like you have a way to experience not just life, not just safety from the ship that's going down, but life to the full right now. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:42.320 It's offered to you right now, it's available to you right now. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:44.879 I love how Timothy Keller defines the gospel. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:49.200 He said it this way: you are more sinful than you could ever dare imagine. 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.120 Like the ship is going down. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:57.360 And yet you are more loved and accepted in Christ than you could ever dare hope. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:00.320 Church, this is what we what we know to be true. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:04.320 Like we're a gathering of people who realize, man, I need Jesus. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.320 I cannot save myself. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:12.879 I need him to step in to my brokenness, to my mess, and I need him to do what only he can do. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:15.759 I need him to make a way when there is no way. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:20.799 And praise the Lord, that is available for all of us today. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:23.120 It's available for you this morning. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:33.840 If you've never stepped forward into life with Jesus, if you've never, if you've never surrendered your life to him and entered into the waters of baptism, and we've got everything you need this morning to make that decision. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:42.720 At the end of the service, there's gonna be people up front, there's gonna be people on the back who would love to have a conversation with you about what it would look like for you to take a step forward in faith in this way. 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.360 We need Jesus for our salvation. 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:49.279 But church, we also we also need Jesus for our strength. 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:52.320 Like I here's the thing. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:15:09.600 I think sometimes, sometimes, and I'm just gonna be honest with you, sometimes this church, since I have been involved in this church, sometimes we have made such a big deal about getting people in the water that that we are led to believe that that's the finish line. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:12.799 Church, that's not the finish line. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:14.639 That's far from it. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:25.279 Like this is not the full life that Jesus has for you, is not for you just to come on, come and put on a forgiven shirt and get dunked into a into a uh I don't know, a tank of water back there, you know. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:28.879 Like, like it's there's nothing special significant about that water. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:29.600 You know? 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:35.279 Like, and so many times we we have we celebrate big, and let me tell you, rightfully so. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:37.679 We're talking about dead people coming to life. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:41.919 We're talking about those who were enslaved to sin coming to be free in Christ. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:47.120 We're talking about new life happening in front of our eyes when we see somebody step forward into the waters of baptism. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:54.240 But sometimes we celebrate really big there, and then and then we just kind of leave them hanging. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:03.759 You know, we hand them a towel to get dried off as they as they get out and they they go with their family and go sign the wall, and then nothing else ever happens. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:16.960 And guys, listen, the life that Jesus has for us is not just a one-time event, but it is an ongoing, ongoing, every moment, every day life where Christ is the one strengthening all of it. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:19.519 He is the one empowering all of it. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:30.159 I think I don't know if you catch this in in Paul's words in Galatians chapter two, when he says, I have been crucified with Christ, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:35.919 Like I live through him, the one who has loved me and gave himself for me. 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:40.799 Even we talked about, we wrapped up our book of Philippians study last week and we were in Philippians 4.13. 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:46.799 The one the famous line from Paul when he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:17:00.080 Like no matter the circumstances, what circumstances may fall, no matter what this life throws at me, no matter in plenty or in abundance and or hunger or need, I will be fine because Christ is enough. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:02.320 Like he is the one who is strengthening me. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:04.799 He is the one who ultimately satisfies me. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:07.359 Like he is everything for me. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.240 He is in all, and he is all himself. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.759 He is everything. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:16.079 It makes me think of Jesus' words to his disciples in John chapter 15. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.319 I know you know them, we sang them too. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:27.279 When he says, I am the vine, and you are the branches, whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:30.079 For apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:32.240 Did you hear that at the end? 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:36.079 Jesus says, Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:41.440 I was confronted with that this week. 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:44.240 That smacked me in the face this week. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:49.519 That little phrase at the end of John 15 5, memorized it in Bible college. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:53.599 I've heard it hundreds of times, if not thousands of times, growing up, you know. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:55.680 But it's really easy. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:56.720 I don't know about you. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:12.799 It's really easy for me to go through life and just depend on my own strength, depend on my own understanding, depend on my own power, depend on my own knowledge, like depend on my own wisdom. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:20.160 It can be really easy, I don't know, I don't know about you, but it can be natural for me to go through life and just figure out my own problems on my own understanding. 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:22.240 Maybe that's where you find yourself. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:35.119 I it's really natural, it can become second nature for me to like, instead of when I'm when I'm faced with something that seems outside of myself or seems like I need I need help, I'll go to a trusted friend or mentor before I go to the Lord in prayer. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:44.640 I don't know about you, but like it could be easy for me to rely on my own power rather than rely on the power of the spirit that's alive within me. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:49.680 Rather than just rather than just asking him to fill me. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:53.759 AW Tozer said this a long time ago. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:19:04.559 He said, if the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95% of what we would what we would go what we would do would go on, and no one would know the difference. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:13.839 And if the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95% of what they did would stop, and everyone would know the difference. 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:20.400 And I wonder, I wonder which of those I fall into sometimes. 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:23.200 And maybe you're sitting there and you think the same thing. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:33.359 Like I wonder if the Spirit was taken away from me, like would 95% of what I'm what I'm doing just continue to happen because I'm not really asking him to be a part of it, anyways. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:38.160 I'm not really inviting his strength, his power to work in me. 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:43.200 Like I'm I'm not consciously aware of his moving and working in my own life. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:45.200 So everything would just go on like normal. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:52.480 Or am I dependent on him in such a way that if the spirit was taken away, man, my livelihood would be taken away. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.799 My strength would be taken away. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:58.720 The very power I'm walking every step with would be taken away. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:04.880 Listen, we don't just need Jesus for our salvation, we need him for our strength for our daily lives. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:11.599 Like he is the one that enables us to be able to get through, get through whatever circumstance that's in front of us. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:13.119 Like we need his strength. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:19.839 It's not just power for your salvation in one moment, but it's power for your sanctification that's ongoing. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:24.720 It's it's power to continue to shape him and mold you into his image. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:28.799 It's the strength so you can face whatever you're facing right now. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:35.920 Church, at the most basic, we are a gathering of people who realize that we need Jesus. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:41.119 We need him for our salvation and we need him for our daily lives. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:21:11.440 And this kind of honestly, like as I as I think about this and I think about you know what this realization means and the kind of impact this could have, like, I start to get giddy because I start to think about like what kind of a church, what kind of a church, what kind of impact could this have, could this realization have on this place, on this family, on our lives, on our community, if we came to realize ultimately we need Jesus. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.720 We need him in every single, every single moment. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:15.279 We need him. 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:19.279 We're a gathering of people who realize we need Jesus, and here's what it here's what's at stake. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:23.039 Like when you and I have Jesus, we will have the posture of humility. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.319 That's what we'll have. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:31.759 I don't know if you realize, like, quite frankly, if we have come to this realization as individuals, then this is the only posture that makes sense. 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:35.119 It's the only thing that makes sense is for us to be humbled before him. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:43.440 When we realize I can't do anything apart from you, and I need you to save me because I am wicked and sinful and broken. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:45.119 Like I need you, Jesus. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:47.279 When we come to that, it humbles us. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:51.680 It humbles us, it gives a humility that looks like the example of Jesus. 00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:54.240 We talked about this in Philippians chapter two. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.440 Like he humbled himself and he gave himself and he emptied himself. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.079 We will have a humility that looks like that. 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:06.400 We'll have a humility that is not thoroughly focused on ourselves. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:11.440 We'll have a humility that is extending compassion on those in need. 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:15.839 We'll have a humility that realizes what we've been delivered from. 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:23.359 And then responds, a humility that responds in authentic worship for the one who has saved us, the only one who can save us. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:41.440 Like we'll have a humility that realizes no matter how bad it is, no matter how bad it is, whatever you may be experiencing right now, or whatever decisions, bad decisions you have made, or sin that you find yourself in, or whatever shortcoming that you're kicking yourself for, you're not beyond the reach of God's grace. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:52.319 And it'll be a humility that realizes no matter how good things get in your life, whatever mountaintops you're experiencing, the successes that you're celebrating, you're not beyond the need for God's grace. 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:53.039 You hear that? 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.640 That's how Jerry Bridges said it. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:23:05.039 He said it, our worst days are never so bad that we're beyond the reach of God's grace, and your worst, and your best days are never never so good that you're beyond the need of God's grace. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:08.160 Like this is the posture of humility that we will have. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:13.599 We'll come to realize like that apart from him, we are we are nothing. 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:15.200 Like we can't do anything. 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:19.440 Apart from him, we are we are on a one-way ticket. 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:20.960 The ship's going down. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:23.759 And we'll have a humility to realize, like, this is me. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:26.240 And also, hey, look to your right and to your left. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:28.400 This is everyone in this room. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:31.920 Like we're all on the same, all on the same playing field here. 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:34.400 And it will give us this posture of humility. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:40.799 No matter who steps forward in these doors, like they're welcomed by the same grace that you're welcomed with. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:44.160 They're welcomed by the same God that you are welcomed by. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:47.759 They're welcomed with the same love of the Father that you are welcomed by. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:50.400 Like everybody is welcome in here. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:53.839 Everybody can come to know Jesus in here. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:57.839 Everyone's in the same need of grace that you are. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.880 And as a result, it will also bring this culture of unity in this place. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:12.720 Like when we have Jesus, we'll have this culture of unit of unity because we all have this posture of humility, like realizing where we were and where we are now because of Christ. 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:15.440 And it will bring unity for us as a church. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:19.279 It will help us to see that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:21.279 It'll help us to realize this. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:26.640 You know, so many times I feel like this is the chief tactic of the enemy. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:38.640 It's to try to stick to try to get us to divide over silly, stupid things, over things that do not matter, things that ultimately Christ has already torn down between us. 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:50.240 And so many times we get, we get, we build up these walls in between us over preferences in how we're supposed to do church and how loud the music's supposed to be. 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:55.680 And the church I was growing up in was the color of the carpet and the color of the pews. 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:57.279 I don't know if you grew up in a church like that. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:05.279 You know, like so many times we get we get we put up walls between us of political affiliation and of who we're voting for. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:10.400 Like so many times we put up walls between us on race or social status. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:17.359 So many times we put up walls between us on, and it's really like just rumors and lies rather than seeking the truth. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:20.799 Rather than going and speaking the truth in love. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:26.400 And sometimes we put walls, like there's people that walk in here and we know the kind of life they've lived. 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:30.720 They're in a different, whole, whole different classification of sinner than we are. 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:35.440 And so many times we we put dividing walls in between us. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:40.079 But the truth of the gospel is that Jesus is our life and he is also our peace. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:49.839 That's what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2, when he says that Jesus himself is our peace and he's torn down every wall that we could possibly try to put between us. 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:57.440 Like we are united by his blood above all else, and God dwells in this unified presence of his people. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:07.359 And if we've truly come to this realization as a church that we all need Jesus, then we won't waste time building walls that Jesus broke down through his life and death. 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:09.599 Like we won't waste time with that. 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:11.839 There are more important things to get to. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:14.319 We'll realize, hey, the ground is level here. 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:16.720 The ground is level at the foot of the cross. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:22.799 Every single one of us, not a not a single one of us, brings anything to our own merit as we approach Jesus. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:25.519 Like we are not saved by anything we have done. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:28.960 We're only saved through what He has done for us. 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:32.400 And it will unify us above everything else. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:39.359 When we all come to this collective realization, we'll have this posture of humility, we'll have this culture of unity. 00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:44.960 And when this realization has taken root in this place, man, there will be a sense of urgency. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:54.160 Church, we will be, we will be antsy to get out of these doors. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:59.680 We'll be we'll be chomping at the bit to go get on mission. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:18.720 Like if we've come to know that all that we all need Jesus, that without him we are lost, without him we can't accomplish anything worthwhile, then the natural next step for us as a church family will be to move forward with a sense of urgency into a lost and dying world that desperately needs what we need as well. 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:22.960 That desperately needs what we have come to find in Jesus. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:25.839 Because you and I have no idea. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:30.000 Like we have no idea when our last moments are gonna be. 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:36.079 We have no idea when the Lord's gonna call us home, when he's gonna take us. 00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:39.599 We have no idea when that loved one is also gonna go home either. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:44.640 Just sign back here. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.839 About a year and a half ago, we were talking about this as a church. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:28:13.279 We're talking about the need for us to go, that we have been sent to speak the truth of the gospel, that we've been called to go and open the door to people who need to hear the good news that Jesus came for them and died for them and loves them and is calling them back to Himself. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:33.839 Like we've been we've been sent to speak the truth of the gospel, and it was a year and a half ago I said, Hey, why don't you go ahead and put a name on a card of somebody in your life, a family member, a friend, a coworker, a son or a daughter, an aunt or an uncle, and come put them on here. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:40.079 This sign's been hanging in our hallway for the last year and a half. 00:28:41.759 --> 00:29:08.559 Sign with with names like Josiah and Nick, Joel and Paxton and Erica and Avery, and Brian and David and Jeremy and Harper and Jeremiah and Noah and Jacob and Christian and Megan. 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:14.240 Church has been hanging in our hallway. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:19.680 I put a name on that board too. 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:20.559 I don't know if you knew that. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.240 I put a name on that board. 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.359 A year and a half ago. 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:54.400 Not just for this salvation. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.920 It's not just because I've responded to him in baptism. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:00.640 That is part of it for sure, but it's not everything. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:02.240 I need him every day. 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:04.480 Like I need his power to be walking with me. 00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.839 I need his strength every day. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:07.200 Have you told them that? 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:13.920 Have you gone to them and told them, hey, I want to tell you this in the most loving way possible. 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:15.599 The ship is going down. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:22.000 Like every single one of us is gonna end up somewhere. 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:27.200 Every single one of us is headed headed to an eternal destiny somewhere. 00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:31.039 And I can have surety knowing that I'm walking with Jesus. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:33.920 Do you have any kind of confidence in that? 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:37.200 Like, I let me tell you about my about my God. 00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:38.799 Let me tell you about my Jesus. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:40.480 He is everything for me. 00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:44.000 Like, I need him for every single day of my life. 00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:46.880 Church, have you gone? 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:51.519 Can I be honest with you? 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:53.519 I haven't. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:31:01.920 Yeah, I'm trying to lead us forward into where we need to go as a church. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:08.319 And I'm not willing to step into that with my brother-in-law's name that I put on that board. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:11.039 I'm broken. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.160 But you know what? 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:22.640 You know what's incredible at the same time is that the mercies of God are new for me today, and they're new for you today. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:26.640 If you missed an opportunity, man, praise the Lord. 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.559 You've got one today. 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:32.160 But man, I don't know if you're gonna have one tomorrow. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:45.279 The church, when we come to this realization that we all need Jesus, not just for our salvation, but for every moment of our lives, man, there's gonna be a gospel humility that invades this place. 00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:48.000 There's gonna be a gospel unity that invades this place. 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:56.319 There's gonna be a gospel urgency that sends us forward into a lost and dying world that desperately needs it. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:59.119 Man, that's the kind of church I want to be a part of. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.079 I don't know about you. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.920 Let's pray. 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:13.440 Lord, we need you. 00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:32.799 Right now, there's somebody in this in this room right now that needs to needs to step forward and step into the life that you are you're offering freely to them today. 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:40.480 They need to bring their bring their their broken self to you and just lay it in your hands. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:51.440 And Lord, I pray that Lord, that you would, you would make them, by the power of your spirit, you would you would make them stand up and and take steps forward. 00:32:52.000 --> 00:33:01.119 To some people in the back or some people up front that just want to pray with them and walk with them and talk with them about what this decision man, this could be a fork in the road day for somebody in this room. 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:12.960 And Lord, it could be a fork in the road day for somebody else who's been just relying on themselves way too much, relying on their own strength, on their own ability, on their own wisdom. 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:17.119 Lord, help us to help us to repent. 00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:31.359 Help us to confess when we have just only only looked at ourselves and and not turned our attention to you, not not relied and depended upon you wholly. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:53.279 The same attitude that you had, an attitude of humility, of not just being thoroughly focused on ourselves, but but thoroughly focused on others. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:56.160 Would you unify us above all else? 00:33:56.400 --> 00:34:01.119 Or continue to tear down the walls that we're that we're building, that we're putting between us. 00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:04.400 Lord, you would you call us forward? 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:08.559 Would you send us on mission into a world that desperately needs you? 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:14.320 And Lord, as we come to this realization that we need you, would would you help us to respond? 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:21.840 Respond in authentic worship to the one who, the only one who's worthy of our praise. 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:24.800