WEBVTT 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:08.960 Hi, it's Pastor Jonathan, and thanks for downloading the FBC El Dorado Sermon Podcast. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:16.559 We hope today's message will challenge and help you take the next step as you follow Jesus. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:22.640 This morning I do invite you to turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.120 We are going to start in verse 17. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:27.920 And as you turn there, let me give a few introductions. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:34.479 I have the privilege of serving as your international church strategist with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:54.399 And I'm so grateful for you and 1,500 churches just like this around the state who have a heart and a passion for the nations because you have been faithful to continue giving to cooperative missions through the special missions offerings of the convention as well as cooperative program. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:01:01.679 Brian mentioned Ukraine, and no doubt you guys watch that on the news constantly, like many of us do. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:08.239 The majority of relief efforts happening among Christians right now are being let out by evangelicals. 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:14.079 And a lot of those, if not most of those, are being let out by Southern Baptists and their national partners. 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:28.560 And because churches like yours have continued to be faithful in giving to cooperative missions, our missionaries, many of whom had to come out of the Ukraine or are stationed around the borders, but they are well positioned to minister to those who are fleeing. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:42.319 Those who are in the surrounding countries already are ready to receive refugees and to minister and to meet needs because the system was already in place because of churches that pray and give and go, just like First Baptist El Dorado. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:50.079 As we speak, there are teams from various state conventions that have been forming to go help and serve on the front lines. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:58.079 They might not have the language skills that some of our full-time missionaries have, but they can offer a lot of other resources and services in those moments. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:01.760 And they are there on the prayers of churches like yours. 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:04.879 And so thank you for giving towards those efforts. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:12.080 If you haven't seen lately, you can visit absc.org and you can see a video update, an interview that Dr. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:23.039 Sonny Tucker had with the president of the International Mission Board, Paul Chitwood, just explaining and expressing thanks for Southern Baptist Churches and all that they've done during this season. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:30.400 And I know you've got a lot of affairs to take care of at home, but as we're going to see this morning, God's heart is for all people everywhere. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.759 That includes us, and that includes them. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:35.599 And we want to be a church. 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:42.080 All of us together, we want to be a church that are expressive of God's heart for all people, amen. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:48.719 And so I'm grateful that I get to share in that ministry with you, that you partner together with others to accomplish that. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:50.080 I'm grateful for your pastor. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:53.680 Uh Jonathan was a huge influence in my life as a teenager. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:55.360 Uh that might date me, I don't know. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:03:04.319 That might date him more, but uh he was influential in my call to ministry, and so he has been a dear friend for several years, and I appreciate him greatly. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:10.800 Uh my name is Jamie Narramore, and I have the uh the humble honor of being married to my wife Jessica. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:11.840 We have four little kids. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:13.199 You can pray for her this morning. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:18.879 They are 10, 7, 5, and 3, and she had to get them all ready for church, as some of you had to do as well. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:23.439 And so uh she said they made it about 15 minutes late, which was pretty good for them. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:26.159 So um that's a little bit about us. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.560 Uh my last name is Narramor. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:38.080 Um my extended family comes from the northern moors of England, uh, which I always find history and lineage and heritage and all that kind of stuff really fascinating. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:43.280 Uh people always ask me around the state if I know this Naramore or that Narramor, and I rarely ever do. 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:47.039 Uh my grandpa always told me our family was kind of like the Hatfields and McCoys. 00:03:47.199 --> 00:04:02.560 There was some fight about a horse a long time ago in Alabama or something that led to the family kind of splitting up, and so I only know our little our little grouping of Narramores, and really it's my adopted name anyway, and so I only know those that are in my immediate family. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:09.199 Um but I but I love being a Naramor, but in fourth grade my stepfather adopted me. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.319 I took his last name. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:16.560 Prior to that, though, my my birth name, all right, the the name of my father uh was Geezer. 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:18.639 Jamie Geezer. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:22.879 Apparently, my family they were geese herders from Germany. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:27.680 Uh and and somehow along the way that got softened just straight to geezer. 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:46.079 In fact, when my wife and I got married, uh I just apologize on the front end for this, but uh on when we got married, we were calling the different family members up to get pictures, and I made the mistake of calling for the geezers to come up to the stage to get their pictures taken, and apparently her family didn't know the full story, and they got really offended. 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:53.199 And so I had to then go and apologize to all the Irish O'Brien's uh that the Germans were just offensive people. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:04.720 Um several years ago, though, uh, I got to serve uh through your International Mission Board in North Africa in the Middle East, and I'll tell you what, it might have been jet lag, I don't know. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:10.079 But I have never slept so well in my life as I did that first couple nights in North Africa. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:14.160 Um and it might have been the jet lag, but in reality, I think I was home. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:17.199 There was just something about my heart that was at rest. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:23.360 So a couple years ago, my uncle took one of those like 23andme ancestry tests, right? 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:29.360 And it came back that that side of the family is 1% North African. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.639 I felt just completely justified in everything about me. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:41.120 Like my life could end right now, and I'll be happy, okay, to find out that I am German, French, English, you name it, and now North African. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:42.959 I was just really excited. 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:57.519 The other day we were going through some paper and um some papers from our family, and we come across some news clippings that my grandmother sent me, and it was this picture of my great-great-grandfather uh when they first arrived in the United States. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:05:59.759 Y'all, his name is Bruno. 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:00.560 Okay. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:05.600 If you got little kids like I do, there we haven't been able to get that song out of our head. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:06.879 We don't talk about Bruno. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.439 So now all my kids are like, why have we never known about great-grandpa Bruno? 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:13.279 Because we don't talk about them, okay? 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:19.360 Uh there's there's so much diversity behind every single one of us, right? 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:21.920 And anybody in this in this room, you could go back. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:32.160 Like most of us, when we go through our family heritage, we're just amazed and blown away that God has put this hodgepodge of people together and brought us to where we are today. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:37.439 And there is something beautiful about the church being unified in all of this diversity. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:50.639 And if we'll just take a few minutes to go back and look at our history and look at where we've come from and look at the mosaic that is the body of Christ, we can't help but be thankful that God's heart is truly for all people. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:52.879 Brian read the passage of scripture. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:55.120 You should be there by now, 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.360 We'll just spend a few minutes in this passage. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:07.040 But Paul, in the context of this passage, he's been addressing this building from God, a house that hasn't been made with hands, for which we are prepared and guaranteed through his spirit. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:13.040 He speaks of a heavenly dwelling as if it's this tent with which we will be further clothed one day. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:25.680 He's referring to the resurrection of the dead, and the language is reminiscent of Jesus' promise in his ministry, where he says to the religious leaders, if you destroy this temple in three days, I'll raise it up again. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:30.079 And this isn't purely about our individual salvation stories. 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:54.720 It's not this just a purely individualistic salvation, but if you think from the very beginning of Scripture, and I know your pastor is really good at holding the bookends of Scripture together and communicating the whole story of God, but if you think all the way back from the garden until the dwelling place, then back in the garden, the dwelling place of God was with men, but ever since then it has not been with people. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:08:01.680 There's been these momentary glimpses of God dwelling with his people, whether a tent or a tabernacle or a temple, right? 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:07.040 But there is this broken relationship between us that was formed because of our sin. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:14.000 But in the death and the resurrection of Jesus, full and forever access to the Father has been achieved. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:21.360 And one day, one day, his dwelling will be with us again, when that new heaven and new earth just engulf everything about us. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:26.639 And we are together again with him in our heavenly dwelling. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:41.519 And if that is true of you, if that's your story, if this whole scripture is your heritage, then I can't think of anything better to do with our life in the meantime than to just waste it for the sake of the gospel. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:45.600 Because anything else truly is a waste, is it not? 00:08:46.720 --> 00:09:02.159 If we truly believe this book from beginning to end, from first page to last page, that it's all about the glory of Jesus among all people and his glory just engulfing all of creation, then what better way to spend your life? 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:11.039 And I hope you see from 2 Corinthians chapter 5 this morning that God's big vision has always been this new creation. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:18.080 But this new creation evidenced among all nations. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:21.919 New creation among every nation. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:24.639 You saw it in a couple of those verses. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:29.919 Verse 17, Paul said, if anyone is in Christ, he is new creation. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:33.679 If you skip on down to verse 19, it's as if Paul was going to be. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:38.320 Let me just further explain what that means, that you are a new creation. 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:46.000 It says that in verse 19, in Christ, God was reconciling the whole world. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.960 His vision isn't just for a particular group of people, it's for everyone everywhere. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:59.600 It's not for a particular nation or geographical plot of land, it's literally everything. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:06.639 He has a plan to redeem, and I want you to pay attention just to a couple things in this first point. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:11.120 First of all, he says new creation. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:12.240 I don't know about you. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:14.399 I don't always feel new every morning. 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:17.759 I don't always act like a new creation every day. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:19.440 There is a process in it. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:24.720 That's why if you skip on down to verse 21, it says you are becoming something, right? 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:29.279 You have been declared new, but there's a lot of it left to work out. 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:35.759 If you think of our founding fathers, they made a declaration of independence, but they still had a battle to fight, did they not? 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:39.039 They still had to go claim that thing that was declared. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:52.399 Now God stands at the beginning of the story, he stands at the end of the story, and he is everywhere in the middle of your story, and so he has the right to declare you today to be new, knowing the task that he's going to complete. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.639 He who began a good work in us, he's going to be faithful to finish it, is he not? 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:02.240 And so he can say today you're new creation, even though sometimes we don't look a lot like it. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:05.279 But we are becoming his righteousness. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:07.360 We are still in this spiritual battle. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:14.879 So I want to encourage you this morning that we might have a lot of work to do, but we know that the victory is already ours on the other side. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:19.039 We can read the end of the story and know that this thing is guaranteed. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:24.720 And it says that anyone who is in Christ can claim this promise. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:25.759 Anyone. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:32.320 Paul spends a lot of time defending his ministry in Corinthians, but here he says anyone. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:41.919 He doesn't say just the super spiritual or the supermature or just those who are called to full-time missions or just those who are ordained in the ministry. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:45.120 He doesn't say those with squeaky, clean past. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:47.600 He says anyone. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:54.720 And so that heading, if anyone is in Christ, they are new creation, that's going to cover everything that follows in this passage. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:12:00.639 So everything I'm about to say applies to you just as much as it does to Paul and anybody else who reads this. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:05.120 But anyone, and everyone. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:08.000 Because you notice that in verse 19, right? 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:09.360 Everyone. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:14.480 In Christ, God was reconciling the world. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:21.360 And so this offer of new creation is available to anyone and everyone. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:25.840 That's his big vision, and it should be our vision as well. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:31.039 I want to introduce you to something this morning that I like to call the heart of God and 17 chapters. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.759 Now I'm not going to read 17 chapters of scripture for you, okay? 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:36.799 I'm just going to invite you to jot these passages down. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:41.600 This is just a simple way to see God's heart for the nations and all of Scripture. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:46.000 And the first place I want you to see is Genesis chapter 17. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.519 So you don't have to turn there. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:53.519 I'm going to read just a few verses for us, but you can just jot down Genesis chapter 17. 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:57.519 I just want you to pay attention to verses 4 through 7. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:00.639 This is our father Abram when he was called by God. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:04.559 And I just want you to listen to what God says to him in chapter 17. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:10.639 It says, Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of what? 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:11.919 Of nations. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:16.240 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:38.080 For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations, and I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you, and I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:42.000 You will be the father of many nations. 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:50.879 You remember Jesus when he came on the scene, he said the gospel must first be preached to the Jew and then to the Gentiles or to all people. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:56.240 You see, salvation was meant to come to the Jews, but not stay with the Jews. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:14:00.960 It was meant to pass through them to all nations. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:05.200 God's heart has always been for the nations. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:12.559 When there was a multitude that left Egypt in the Exodus, it was a mixed multitude. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:16.799 There were other nations that followed Moses on out of slavery. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:23.759 God's heart has always been for the nations. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:36.879 If you turn to John chapter 17, John chapter 17, verses 18 through 23, this is the high priestly prayer of Jesus. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:44.799 This is like, this is this is the last moment before the cross when he's just really going to pour out his heart to the Father. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.039 And he says this in verse 18. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:52.559 He says, Father, as you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:57.919 And for their sake I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:16.159 I don't ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, so they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:22.480 Do you hear what Jesus prays for in John chapter 17? 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.639 He doesn't just pray that God will be glorified in himself. 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.600 He doesn't just pray that God will be glorified in his disciples. 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:39.279 But as he is sending his disciples into the world, he prays that God will be glorified through those who would one day believe on account of their word. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:44.639 Jesus prays for El Dorado, Arkansas in John chapter 17. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:49.440 Jesus prayed for you in John chapter 17. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:55.279 Because God's heart and his vision have always been for all people. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:03.759 Final place I want you to look in the heart of God in 17 chapters is Acts chapter 17. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:08.399 This has become one of my favorite passages for the past several years. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:24.879 But in Acts chapter 17, it's a famous account, a very popular account of Paul's contextualization of how he relates the truth of the gospel to people from other world views and other backgrounds and different ways of thinking, and there's a lot of interesting things that we could unpack. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:28.960 But I want you to notice these two verses. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:37.120 Paul is now describing to the Athenians this unknown God that they've set up this little idol just to kind of cover all their bases. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:38.559 You remember the story, right? 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:40.480 Paul has arrived in Athens. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:42.879 He's all by himself, but he can't keep quiet. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:45.200 This is just kind of his standard mode of operation. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:48.159 Paul is usually on missionary teams preaching the gospel. 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.600 He finds himself all alone. 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:52.879 He's just been persecuted and run out of a previous city. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:58.639 He gets to another city that's full of idols and all this false worship, and he just can't keep quiet. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:07.440 And he starts noticing all these idols all around the place, and he finally notices one with the inscription on it to an unknown God. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:10.880 You see, the Athenians, they had a God for literally everything. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.200 They're like modern-day Hindus, okay? 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:16.880 They worshiped everything under the sun, anything that's out there. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:25.119 And they even had one called the unknown God, just to cover all their bases in case they missed anything. 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:29.200 And so Paul says, I'd like to explain to you who that is. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.519 He says, the God who made the world and everything in it. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:49.759 He also made, verse 26, from one man all the nations of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods in the boundaries of their dwelling place. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:50.480 Why? 00:17:50.880 --> 00:18:00.799 So that they should seek God in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him, yet he's actually not far from each one of us. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.759 Do you see what Paul says there? 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:11.680 God has providentially orchestrated the movement of the nations for his kingdom purposes. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:22.880 He has determined when you live somewhere, and where you live for the sake of the gospel. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:29.839 He has done that for all nations, and he's done that, I would argue, for you in this room. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:31.279 For myself. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:44.160 There's a divine purpose and a plan for over 140 people groups being represented in Arkansas. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:54.319 There is a divine purpose and a plan for unreached people groups whom our missionaries have a difficult time engaging because of geopolitical reasons and everything else. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:19:00.960 That God would open a back door for them to come in to the Bible belt of all places. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:06.640 So that he might not be far from each one of us. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:22.640 I believe there's a divine purpose and a plan in you sending your kids off to colleges with international students representing the best and the brightest the world has to offer, but most of the time coming from some of the most dark corners of the earth when it comes to the gospel. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:28.480 If you turn your attention to the screen, there should be a couple slides to show this. 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:40.799 This was before we updated it recently, that 216,000 people roughly represent represented in these 130 different people groups. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:49.119 Of those, you heard Brian say on the next slide that over half of those would be considered by the International Mission Board to be unreached. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:50.799 These are all estimates. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:57.519 We're uncovering new data every day as we get into just places all over Arkansas and we meet people. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:02.079 The next slide shows how this has impacted our universities. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:11.119 Every year we have around 6,000, sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less, international students on our college campuses. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:14.240 And as I mentioned, these are the best and the brightest the world has to offer. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:22.640 And if you look at some of the top represented nations on that map, those represent some of the most lost places in the world. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:35.119 For example, if if 15% of all of our international students come from India, do you know in India we have the largest concentration of lostness on the planet? 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:47.279 The largest concentration of lost people and of people who have never even heard the name of Jesus are in the country of India. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:53.200 Do you know which country in the world has the fewest, the lowest percentage of missionaries? 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:54.640 India. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:07.279 And so I think that God might be up to something when he opens a door for Indian students who have influence to come and study with our students. 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:16.880 When you graduate students, you are not graduating them, you are launching them, you are commissioning them, you are sending them into a mission field. 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:22.480 And rather than worrying about that, we should be excited about the opportunity. 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:32.720 There's a young man in Little Rock whose father is the high priest of all the priests in his state in India. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:40.079 And after about four years of connecting with your collegiate ministries on the campus there, he has most of the New Testament memorized. 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:44.640 And our conversations have moved beyond is Jesus the only way of salvation? 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:48.799 And now our conversations have moved to, is he worth dying for? 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:52.799 Is he worth risking everything for? 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:59.440 Because when your dad finds out that you're a believer, the consequences are gonna be grave. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:06.240 But that is the kind of impact that you can have all throughout our state. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:19.759 Just a week ago, I was in northwest Arkansas connecting with some Asian American pastors representing Hmong, Cambodian, Chinese, etc., congregations in that part of our state. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:25.759 And it was beautiful to watch how Acts 17 was just coming to live, coming right off the pages of Scripture. 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:36.240 We're sitting around this table, and a group of Vietnamese pastors are sitting there scratching their heads, saying, you know, a day ago when we came to this meeting, we weren't quite sure why we were supposed to be here. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:38.319 What do you want to do with us? 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:42.319 Well, we just wanted to make connections and foster good relationships. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:23:00.079 And then they said, but we've just realized that we had five families move from our city a couple hours away, who are strong believers, who have a passion for the lost, and they just moved to your city, and they haven't been able to find a Vietnamese-speaking church. 00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:14.799 And so what if the whole reason we're gathering together is because this large influx of Vietnamese moving into this region of the state actually need a Vietnamese church among them, and that was the core team of a future church plant. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:18.640 Do you think God might have been behind the scenes orchestrating some of that? 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.640 And that's happening all over the country. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:28.240 And it's happening in small places that you wouldn't expect. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:30.960 And it's happening in cities like El Dorado. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:39.279 There was a Cambodian who we met recently, works in a restaurant setting. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:42.720 For several years, no one has ever asked his story. 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:46.880 He's just minded his business and done his work with excellence. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:24:00.799 You go around any town in Arkansas, and I guarantee you that most of the donut shops in those cities are going to be run by South Asians or Southeast Asians or East Asians, many from Cambodia. 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:12.559 This man came to Christ in a refugee camp, fleeing for his life, was one of only a few of his family that survived the killing fields of Cambodia. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:27.599 He became a Baptist pastor in the refugee camp, started churches in the refugee camps, made his way to North America, started and pastored churches, and then he made his way to Arkansas and opened up the small little restaurant, and no one had any interest in him. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:33.119 He is a wealth of knowledge and experience and connection. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:37.359 So my question is, are your eyes open? 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:41.920 And even more than your eyes, are your hearts open to the nations around you? 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:49.920 Top three languages in the world today: English, Spanish, Mandarin. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:57.279 One of the fastest growing demographics in the world, Spanish speakers. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:12.079 Have you ever thought for a minute that maybe it is God's providence that the population boom among Hispanics might actually be used for the advance of the kingdom? 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:14.319 I like to think of it this way. 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:16.400 Anybody like football in this room? 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:19.200 I mean, could you imagine? 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:22.000 Tom Brady just came out of retirement, right? 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.200 Six weeks ago. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:26.720 He's like the new Michael Jordan in every sense, okay? 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:45.359 Could you imagine if Tom Brady has got a world-class array of wide receivers who are running wide open to the end zone with their arms just waving for the ball, and Tom Brady decides that he's gonna quarterback run that thing from about 90 yards away? 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:47.599 What is Tom Brady gonna do? 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:53.279 He's gonna pass the ball to any one of those receivers who's wide open running towards the end zone. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:26:06.960 Church, many of our Hispanic brothers and sisters, many of our Chinese brothers and sisters, many of our Indian brothers and sisters who are now in the state of Arkansas, many of our brothers and sisters from these other cultures and nations. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:16.720 It's time for us to equip them and to resource them and to support them because they are gaining access into pockets of lostness that you and I can only dream of. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:23.519 And there is gospel opportunity everywhere you turn in your schools and your businesses and all around you. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:28.400 I'm running short on time and I only got through two verses, so let's go and finish up. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:30.240 All of this is from God. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:32.720 This is an act of his grace. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:34.319 It's not an accident. 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:37.519 But I want to leave you with some good news. 00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:48.079 If God's big vision is for new creation to be among all nations, then point number two, our unique mission is to work together with him in reconciling the world. 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:55.440 We get the opportunity and the privilege, the unique mission of working together with him. 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:58.160 Look at what Paul says in verse 20. 00:26:58.319 --> 00:27:03.279 He says, Anyone who's in Christ is also an ambassador for Christ. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:07.759 I'm not gonna make you say it out loud this morning, but maybe just, you know, under your breath, say it. 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:12.559 I'm a new creation in Christ and an ambassador for Christ. 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:17.039 Anyone who's in Christ is a new creation and an ambassador. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:20.559 It's like if you pulled out a quarter, that thing better have a heads and a tails. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:22.400 It's got two sides to it. 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:26.240 And every believer in Jesus has two sides to them as well. 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:29.359 You are new creation and you're also an ambassador. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:30.720 You can't separate them. 00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:34.720 I might not do a good job of that every day, but that is who I am. 00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:35.920 That's my identity. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:41.359 But God doesn't call us to do something without also equipping us for the task. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:50.000 If anyone and everyone who's in Christ is a new creation and an ambassador for him, I want you to see that God has not left you ill-equipped. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:51.599 Go to verse 18. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:55.920 It says, All this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself. 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:56.880 And what happened? 00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:59.279 He gave you a special gift, my friend. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:02.640 He gave you the ministry of reconciliation. 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:07.759 Have you ever thought of yourself as having a ministry and it's God given? 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:12.400 Anyone and everyone in Christ has received a ministry. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:13.680 I don't know what your ministry is. 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:15.519 That's something you and God need to talk through. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:18.079 You need to ask him today, God, what's my ministry? 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:21.519 I'm pretty confident your ministry has a first name. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:25.759 It might not have a position or a title, it might not have a special location to it. 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:30.240 I guarantee it's got at least one first name attached to it, and probably multiple. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:35.039 I heard someone say recently, you don't have a strategy to reach the lost until you got a first name. 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:37.039 I think that was pretty good, don't you? 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:40.880 You need to know people, and you know people that I don't know. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:43.359 You know people that your pastor doesn't know. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:45.759 You know people that others on staff don't know. 00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:52.799 You have relationships and credibility with people that missionaries all over the world don't have access to. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:59.200 They are your ministry, and God has specifically given you that for his purposes. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:03.599 But not only has he given you a ministry, look what you got in verse 19, you got a second gift. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:05.119 This is like Christmas this morning. 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.759 Amen. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.799 You got another gift when you became in Christ. 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:10.559 You got a message. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.920 Do you see that? 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:18.640 And he has entrusted us with the message of reconciliation. 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:25.039 You got a story, your story, that no one can take away from you. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:29.680 Now, if you struggle with sharing the gospel, what do I say and all that kind of stuff? 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.240 I get it. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:31.279 I'm there. 00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:36.480 Verse 21 is a great example of the gospel message. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:42.480 God made Jesus, though he had no sin, to take my sin so I could become his righteousness. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:47.200 A great exchange of my sin coming on Jesus and Jesus giving me his righteousness. 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:48.960 Do you got a story like that? 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:58.640 Of him taking your sin and shame, your guilt and your fear, your brokenness, and restoring you and redeeming you and exchanging it with his righteousness? 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:00.319 Do you have a story like that? 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:04.799 Everyone in this room who is in Christ has a story. 00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:06.319 People can't argue. 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:07.839 They might have to like it. 00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:12.880 They might not have to agree with it, but they can't argue with the story of how Jesus saved you. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.720 That is your message. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:18.400 John chapter 4, woman at the well, one of my favorite stories in the Bible. 00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:20.720 Who is the ambassador in John chapter 4? 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:23.839 Was it the disciples who were going to get lunch or the woman at the well? 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:36.960 The woman who went back into the village and she told everybody the most eloquent sermon you have ever heard under the sun, come and meet the man who has told me everything I have ever done. 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:44.960 And it says that many came out and believed, not any longer on account of her word, but when they met Jesus and they heard him. 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:47.839 She was just the avenue that got them there. 00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:51.519 She had a message. 00:30:51.839 --> 00:30:53.119 And so do you. 00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:08.400 John Popper says the total mobilization of Christians is the only answer to the total evangelization of the lost. 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:20.079 The total mobilization of Christians is the only answer to the total evangelization of the lost. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:27.440 That's why God gives everybody a ministry and a message. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:36.240 It takes every single one of us to complete this task, to see this vision of new creation among all people, to see that become a reality. 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:43.359 It takes every single person in here, every man, every woman, every grandma, every grandpa, every boy, every girl. 00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:48.720 Anyone who's in Christ. 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:31.680 He read this passage of scripture and was convinced that God had given him a ministry, and the first person on his prayer list was his mother. 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:35.359 Back in Uzbekistan, nominal Muslim. 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:45.920 Him and the pastor in Magnolia just started praying fervently for her, for opportunity, for boldness, for open doors. 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:51.839 Three weeks ago, mom gave her life to Christ. 00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:56.799 Because her son was persistent. 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:02.160 Though he is a new baby believer, he wanted his mom to meet Jesus. 00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:04.960 That came from Magnolia. 00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:11.200 Can't tell me that God's not behind the scenes. 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:16.319 But this vision only becomes our reality through Christ alone. 00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:19.200 You see that at the end of the passage. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:23.920 Paul says, We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:32.880 And I would implore anyone in this room who is not in Christ, who has not surrendered themselves completely to him to forgive them of their sins and to rescue them from their brokenness. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:34.079 You can do that today. 00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:36.559 You can be reconciled to God. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:39.920 Listen what Paul says in chapter 6 of 2 Corinthians. 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:46.160 He says, Working together with him, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:51.119 For he says, In a favorable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you. 00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:53.119 Behold, now is the favorable time. 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:56.079 Behold, now is the day of salvation. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:58.480 My friend, today is the day of salvation. 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:08.559 If you have already been saved, then today is the day of salvation of someone who's next to you, of someone you know, of someone in your circle that only you can reach. 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:10.880 Today is the day of salvation. 00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:16.159 If you notice what Paul says, he says, we're working together with God. 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:20.719 I don't know if you ever notice this, but you can't join Paul's team and not get in the game. 00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:22.239 You get after it. 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:24.400 There's no bench warming. 00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:27.199 Everybody's got a role to play. 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:29.920 That's what makes the razorback so good, right? 00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:34.559 Today is the day of salvation. 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:40.239 We're gonna have a short time of invitation. 00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:46.400 And I'd like to invite you to respond to a couple things. 00:34:50.320 --> 00:35:01.840 If you have never trusted the gospel so clearly as Jesus taking your sin and you getting in exchange his righteousness, I would invite you to come down this morning and receive that. 00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:10.159 You can grab me down here, you can grab Brian on the other side and say, I need Jesus, and we will pray with you, we will talk to you. 00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:13.760 We'd love to see today be the day of your salvation. 00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:25.760 No doubt that God has been pricking someone's heart, maybe today, maybe for seasons and years, that he wants you to get involved in the missionary task. 00:35:26.800 --> 00:35:29.440 Maybe he's calling you to reach a neighbor. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:33.039 Maybe he's calling you to the nations themselves. 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:42.320 If you just need someone to pray with you over that, I want to give you an opportunity while we're singing this last song to do that myself or at the altar. 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:52.000 Every believer is called to have an open Bible and an open map. 00:35:53.199 --> 00:35:57.199 And ask God daily, where do you want me to go and what do you want me to do? 00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:02.159 So I'm gonna invite you to do those two things this morning. 00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:06.559 Ask God how He wants you to pursue the ministry He's given you. 00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:09.760 Maybe that's the internationals that are in El Dorado. 00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:17.039 Ask God to save you if you have not already. 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:18.719 Would you pray with me? 00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:33.039 Father God, thank you for your kindness and grace to rescue sinners like us, and I pray that those in this room who have never surrendered their life to Jesus would do so this morning. 00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:41.039 They would make that public through confession with brothers and sisters who have already joined the family. 00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:48.400 Father, I pray for those who have been burdened for the loss and they don't know where to start. 00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:51.760 Yeah, would you make it clear to them? 00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:53.679 Would you give them opportunity? 00:36:53.840 --> 00:36:55.440 Would you give them boldness? 00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:57.360 Would you give them clarity? 00:36:58.320 --> 00:37:02.159 I invite them, Father, to come and to seek that out as well. 00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:08.000 Would you call out people to ministry and to missions, Father? 00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:13.280 Show us how to use our gifts and our skills for your glory. 00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:17.679 And Father, I pray for first El Dorado, I pray for this city. 00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:23.519 That the nations who are here, some in the background who are hiding in places. 00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:26.400 Lord, that you would draw them out. 00:37:26.559 --> 00:37:30.960 Draw them first to yourself, God, send them out among others. 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:39.039 We shall be used by you to make you famous among all people. 00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:42.559 And I'm thankful for this church that desires the same. 00:37:42.800 --> 00:37:44.079 In Jesus' name I pray. 00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:44.639 Amen. 00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:46.239 Come forward if you need to.