WEBVTT 00:00:08.365 --> 00:00:11.965 You know what a great song to take us into a new year. 00:00:11.965 --> 00:00:24.832 Here we are, post-Christmas, just before the new year, and I think most people, when they're looking forward to the new year, are wanting to see God do some new things in their life, to see him provide in some new ways. 00:00:24.832 --> 00:00:37.000 It may be financially, maybe you're hoping that in the coming year, you'll see some breakthroughs in your finances, or maybe be able to put aside some debt that's been lingering, or oftentimes some of the big ones are. 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:40.332 I hope to shed a few pounds this coming year., or focus on my health. 00:00:40.332 --> 00:00:46.966 We have some hopes and dreams for the coming year, and I hope they're always rooted in my God will provide. 00:00:46.966 --> 00:00:49.966 He's where I'm looking to for provision. 00:00:50.466 --> 00:01:20.365 In fact, as I thought about today's message, I thought, what if, as we're dreaming for things of the new year, as we're dreaming of our our hopes and what we want to see God do in our lives, what if for every one of us in this room, for every person, our greatest dream, our greatest hope, our greatest desire was to see God work in our lives with an increased intimacy with him, a depth of relationship with Christ like we've never had before. 00:01:20.365 --> 00:01:30.299 For that to be our greatest hope, our greatest longing, our greatest desire more than any financial goals, more than any fitness goals, more than any of that. 00:01:30.299 --> 00:01:32.900 And those are great. I have those too. 00:01:32.900 --> 00:01:39.266 But for my relationship, my growth with Christ to be the thing I'm longing for in the coming year more than anything else. 00:01:39.266 --> 00:01:41.266 Imagine if that were the case here. 00:01:41.266 --> 00:01:52.066 If every one of us were overwhelmed with that longing more than anything else, what could happen in this church, in our community, in our lives? 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:57.900 I think that's what we all really want. 00:01:57.933 --> 00:02:00.533 That's why you're here. 00:02:00.533 --> 00:02:10.866 If you didn't want that, you'd be at home watching Friends reruns, sitting on the couch, just chilling, wondering what's going on with my life. 00:02:10.866 --> 00:02:12.733 There's times maybe you need to do that. 00:02:12.733 --> 00:02:16.265 I get that, but you're here because that's what you want. 00:02:16.265 --> 00:02:18.832 I want to know Christ more than ever before. 00:02:18.832 --> 00:02:21.199 That's what I'm longing for, isn't it? 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:23.466 Isn't that true? 00:02:23.466 --> 00:02:25.432 Amen. Really? 00:02:25.432 --> 00:02:27.366 Is that what you want? 00:02:27.366 --> 00:02:29.466 That's what I want. 00:02:29.466 --> 00:02:31.099 That's what I want more than anything else. 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:36.665 Now, as I say, that that's not easy to say, because I know what that means. 00:02:36.665 --> 00:02:46.566 It's exciting to say, and it's a little scary to say, because I know that requires living a little differently, making some different decisions. 00:02:46.566 --> 00:02:52.133 I know that will require maybe Christ making some changes in my life that maybe I'm kind of comfortable with. 00:02:52.133 --> 00:02:53.199 I kind of like how things are. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:55.900 I don't really want to change that, you know what I mean? 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:58.099 It's exciting and it's scary at the same time. 00:02:59.832 --> 00:03:07.432 But listen, there's no other way to live than to live with that kind of excitement, that kind of joy, that kind of forward looking hope. 00:03:07.432 --> 00:03:10.165 That's my prayer for Valley View going forward. 00:03:10.165 --> 00:03:20.000 In fact, when I came here three years now, three years ago, and I thought about Valley View and I thought about how much it meant to me growing up here. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:36.466 I can't tell you how much Valley View has meant to me, the way that this church poured into me as a kid, as a kid, the way I could look around the room and see some of the folks who intentionally invested in me and all that God did in my life as a result of that. 00:03:36.466 --> 00:03:43.199 You know, I want that for every person who walks in here to experience the fullness of all that God can do in your life. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.900 And I want Valley View to be a key part of that. 00:03:45.900 --> 00:03:47.665 I mean, if you're here, my hope is that you go. 00:03:47.665 --> 00:03:57.466 My life is different because of Valley View in a good way, by the way, my hope is that everyone would be able to say that God has moved in my life. 00:03:57.466 --> 00:03:59.432 And I look at this person, I look at that person. 00:03:59.432 --> 00:04:01.966 He's used them to invest deeply in me. 00:04:01.966 --> 00:04:06.000 I mean, imagine if that's what this next year were about. 00:04:07.566 --> 00:04:15.966 When I first came, I sat and I thought, okay, what would that look like for that to be the case, for that to happen, what needs to be true at Valley View? 00:04:18.466 --> 00:04:27.065 And I came up with this three level or three layer vision for every member of Valley View. 00:04:27.065 --> 00:04:37.132 If all that were true, if God was working in our lives, if we were growing incredibly, if he were at work in my life, what would that look like for every member? 00:04:37.132 --> 00:04:38.833 And I'm going to walk through that today. 00:04:38.833 --> 00:04:42.033 I think that will set us up for this coming year. 00:04:42.033 --> 00:04:43.333 There's this three part definition. 00:04:43.333 --> 00:04:44.100 We're going to walk through it. 00:04:44.100 --> 00:04:49.466 I'm just going to read the whole thing to start with, and then we'll break it down piece by piece. 00:04:49.466 --> 00:04:54.165 But if you are flourishing as a member of Valley View, here's what I hope will be true. 00:04:54.165 --> 00:04:58.432 Because of how Valley View Christ has worked in your life through Valley View. Here it is. 00:04:58.432 --> 00:04:59.766 This should be up on the screen. 00:04:59.766 --> 00:05:06.266 My prayer for every member of Valley View is that they would be first a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. 00:05:06.466 --> 00:05:08.966 And I'm not going to read off the references right now. 00:05:08.966 --> 00:05:11.399 I'm going to unpack those when we get to each of these. 00:05:11.399 --> 00:05:17.966 A fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ who is flourishing and growing spiritually, personally and emotionally. 00:05:17.966 --> 00:05:23.966 And then number three, they are passionate about serving others and proclaiming Jesus. 00:05:23.966 --> 00:05:33.233 When I thought about someone who is experiencing the fullness of all our church has to offer, I felt like those things should be true of us. 00:05:33.233 --> 00:05:35.399 Now, of course, we'll have our ups and downs. 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:37.165 None of us are going to be perfect Christians. 00:05:37.165 --> 00:05:39.165 We say all the time, just come as you are. 00:05:39.165 --> 00:05:40.766 We don't expect perfection. 00:05:40.766 --> 00:05:45.100 We just hope that you are coming and growing and seeking to grow. 00:05:45.100 --> 00:05:54.833 This isn't a place where we want people to be perfect, but we do also hope to be growing and attaining and growing in our relationship with Christ and moving forward. 00:05:54.833 --> 00:06:03.966 And when I think about each of us, my hope is that each of those statements would be true of us over time, eventually, year by year, growing in the truth of those. 00:06:03.966 --> 00:06:05.266 So let's talk about each of those. 00:06:05.266 --> 00:06:09.466 That first one was a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. 00:06:10.966 --> 00:06:13.000 I spent the first few sermons 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:20.899 23 that unpacks a bit of this idea of what it means to follow Christ. 00:06:20.899 --> 00:06:28.266 If anyone wishes to come after me, he says, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 00:06:29.100 --> 00:06:36.932 And if we are going to fully experience devotion to Christ, that means that we need to say no to ourselves. 00:06:36.932 --> 00:06:40.699 That means that we need to die to self daily. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:46.033 We need to submit to Christ and what he has for us. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:07:00.300 And my hope for everyone here is that Christ is not just something I've tacked on the side of my life that I lean on when I need to in the hard times, but that Christ is at the center of everything. 00:07:00.300 --> 00:07:03.833 Every aspect of my life is shaped by him. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:15.966 In fact, my life, everything about it is different and new and greater and better because he is at the core of my life, fully devoted, follower of Christ. 00:07:16.565 --> 00:07:18.833 So that's the first layer. 00:07:18.833 --> 00:07:21.665 But the second, we'll see. 00:07:21.665 --> 00:07:23.432 Second is that you should be. 00:07:23.432 --> 00:07:30.833 And my hope is that everyone would be flourishing and growing spiritually, personally and emotionally. 00:07:30.833 --> 00:07:35.899 And each of those words- and that sentence are very intentional- flourishing, 00:07:35.899 --> 00:07:37.800 10 is listed there. 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:45.233 That's where Jesus says, I have come that they may have life, and life abundantly. 00:07:45.233 --> 00:07:46.600 And you all know what this is like. 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:48.300 There's regular, everyday life. 00:07:48.300 --> 00:07:50.165 I'm just surviving. 00:07:50.165 --> 00:07:53.100 I'm just making it, yada yada. 00:07:53.100 --> 00:07:54.899 Everything's going along as normal. 00:07:54.899 --> 00:07:59.733 But then there is abundant life where you feel like I am alive. 00:07:59.733 --> 00:08:02.733 I am most alive in this moment. 00:08:03.132 --> 00:08:14.300 That's what Jesus wants for you day by day, moment by moment is the abundant life in him where you're flourishing, in him where every day you can't imagine that you could get any closer to him. 00:08:14.300 --> 00:08:15.132 And yet you do. 00:08:17.932 --> 00:08:28.399 I don't know why this is, but it seems like in a lot of churches and a lot of Christian circles, people often have a quick spurt of growth as a young Christian and then just kind of hit cruise control. 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:35.932 But growth should continue year by year, day by day, over and over again. 00:08:36.865 --> 00:08:40.299 And it should continue and grow and flourish. 00:08:41.166 --> 00:08:46.133 Now there were three words in particular there I added to be very intentional. 00:08:47.332 --> 00:08:53.232 And by the way, let me pause here and say growth and flourishing. 00:08:53.365 --> 00:08:54.832 I want to be careful not to say then. 00:08:54.832 --> 00:08:58.799 Therefore you should, for instance, always be happy. 00:08:59.033 --> 00:09:02.033 Look, we all hit hard seasons. 00:09:02.365 --> 00:09:08.200 We all have seasons where you go, I don't know how this day is going to go. 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:11.033 I'm not enjoying this day. 00:09:11.033 --> 00:09:15.066 And yet, I promise you God can still be working in your life. 00:09:15.066 --> 00:09:18.600 You can still be growing and flourishing through the midst of that. 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:21.100 But it doesn't mean we always put on the fake happy face. 00:09:22.533 --> 00:09:27.666 There are times where we go, yeah, no, actually, I'm not doing very well. 00:09:27.666 --> 00:09:31.000 And that's okay to say that's a part of growth. 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:34.000 Acknowledging that, not ignoring that. 00:09:34.500 --> 00:09:35.700 But there's three words in there. 00:09:35.700 --> 00:09:39.666 We chose very particular growing spiritually, personally and emotionally. 00:09:39.666 --> 00:09:42.066 All three are very important. 00:09:42.066 --> 00:09:43.865 Of course we want you growing spiritually. 00:09:43.865 --> 00:09:46.500 That's what the church is primarily about. 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:53.700 I hope that you are growing, and your understanding of what it means to follow Christ, that you're growing in holiness, that you feel him working in your life. 00:09:53.700 --> 00:10:01.265 And you're saying no to the things of the past and yes to the things of him that you're growing in your understanding of God's Word. 00:10:01.265 --> 00:10:06.399 I mean, that's the central part of what we do as a church is we try to teach God's Word faithfully. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:08.466 We want you in God's Word reading it. 00:10:08.466 --> 00:10:11.865 In fact, each year we go through a Bible reading plan together. 00:10:11.865 --> 00:10:18.100 And you might have seen in the lobby if you were looking, because now's the time to start into our Bible reading plan for this year. 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:20.100 We have copies out in the lobby. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:23.932 We rotate through three different plans and now it's time. 00:10:23.932 --> 00:10:25.533 I know some of you have been a little nervous. 00:10:25.533 --> 00:10:26.832 You knew it was coming back around. 00:10:26.832 --> 00:10:29.666 We're going to read through the whole Bible again this year. 00:10:29.666 --> 00:10:33.066 And if that's too much, look, do what you can, all right? 00:10:33.066 --> 00:10:36.133 It's better to have a little Bible than no Bible. 00:10:36.133 --> 00:10:37.265 Do what you can. 00:10:37.265 --> 00:10:42.666 Read a day, read a little bit, read a verse, read something, pick up this plan, look at it. 00:10:42.666 --> 00:10:49.000 If it seems too intimidating, decide you know what I can do every other day, or I can do one day a week, or I can spread one day. 00:10:50.365 --> 00:10:52.033 Just be in God's word. 00:10:52.033 --> 00:11:09.066 That's what we want for you more than anything, just about other than knowing Christ, loving him personally, being in His Word is one of the most powerful ways you can grow as a Christian. In fact, if you are a Christian, there should be a hunger for God's Word within you. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:13.666 There should be a hunger to know His Word. 00:11:13.666 --> 00:11:16.133 I remember when Julie and I first married, we went. 00:11:16.133 --> 00:11:17.799 Sometimes we'd go and visit her church. 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:23.666 We had some folks there who were partnered in ministry with us, and I remember meeting this guy there early on. 00:11:23.666 --> 00:11:27.466 And he he was a young guy, newly married, and we were in marriage ministry. 00:11:27.466 --> 00:11:29.533 So we were talking some about that. 00:11:29.533 --> 00:11:33.232 And as we were getting to know each other, he just asked me, hey, John, what what what are you into? 00:11:33.232 --> 00:11:34.100 What are some of your hobbies? 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:36.033 And I said, I just have one hobby that's reading. 00:11:37.299 --> 00:11:40.966 And he said, that's weird, but okay. 00:11:40.966 --> 00:11:45.666 It's weird because I've never read a full book in my life. 00:11:45.666 --> 00:11:49.600 And I loved hearing some of the groans there. That was nice. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:52.600 And I said, really? 00:11:52.732 --> 00:11:54.600 How is that possible? 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:56.765 I know you went to college. 00:11:56.765 --> 00:11:58.566 You graduated college. 00:11:58.566 --> 00:12:00.365 You played basketball in college. 00:12:00.365 --> 00:12:03.732 How did you get through college without reading a single book? 00:12:03.732 --> 00:12:05.066 And he said it. 00:12:05.066 --> 00:12:08.666 It was hard, but I did it, I made it, I persevered. 00:12:08.666 --> 00:12:14.932 He had, like, this personal commitment to actually get through college without reading a book. 00:12:15.133 --> 00:12:17.466 And so I thought, okay, you know, whatever. 00:12:17.466 --> 00:12:20.265 I can't really relate to that. 00:12:20.265 --> 00:12:33.700 But we went our separate ways that day and I thought, I need to be praying for this guy. You know, like we come back around a year later and we had talked, we had dialogued, I had given him some resources and he could not get enough. 00:12:33.700 --> 00:12:39.365 Something had switched in him and books that would have been doorstops before he was. Now give me more. 00:12:39.365 --> 00:12:42.365 Now, look, you don't have to be a big reader to be a Christian, all right? 00:12:42.365 --> 00:12:51.066 I'm not saying that, but there should be a hunger for for learning about the Bible, knowing the Bible, studying the Bible. 00:12:51.066 --> 00:12:57.100 If there's none of that there, if you go, I can't really find the strength to even open the Bible. 00:12:57.100 --> 00:13:01.966 I spent some time praying, God, would you stir up in me a hunger for your word? 00:13:01.966 --> 00:13:04.365 I want your word hidden in my heart. 00:13:06.533 --> 00:13:11.200 It's His Word that he will bring to mind when you need His Spirit moving in your life. 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:19.633 But we've got to invest His Word into our lives, and that's a key part of growing spiritually as a church. 00:13:20.166 --> 00:13:23.166 That that's my hope, is that each of us are growing spiritually. 00:13:23.166 --> 00:13:32.899 Of course, now the other two words added very intentionally, because if you're growing spiritually, I also hope you're growing personally. 00:13:33.166 --> 00:13:44.265 Meaning if that if Christ is in your work, if Christ is at work in your life growing you closer to him, then I should also be growing as an employee. 00:13:44.265 --> 00:13:46.500 I should be becoming a better employee. 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:49.432 I should be someone who is better at serving others around me. 00:13:49.432 --> 00:14:00.600 If I'm a boss, I should be becoming better at leading the people who serve under me that they can say because he, he or she is my boss, I've become a better person. 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:02.832 I should be growing as a spouse. 00:14:02.832 --> 00:14:06.200 My spouse should be able to say God is at work in their life. 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:10.399 They're becoming more tender and kind and loving and caring and listening. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.133 I should be grow as a child. 00:14:13.365 --> 00:14:21.899 Everybody here has parents and I, if they are still alive, I should be growing in my ability to interact with them, to love them, to serve them. 00:14:21.899 --> 00:14:24.732 I should be growing as a student. 00:14:24.732 --> 00:14:27.732 I should be growing as a neighbor. 00:14:28.299 --> 00:14:31.265 My neighbor should say, that's someone. 00:14:31.265 --> 00:14:34.566 I don't know what all is going in their life. 00:14:34.566 --> 00:14:38.432 That's someone who I'm glad they live here. 00:14:38.432 --> 00:14:54.865 When we were moving away from little Rock to move here, our neighbors threw a going away party and in fact, one of my neighbors, Leo, the neighborhood mayor, presented us with a trophy as the best neighbor. 00:14:54.865 --> 00:15:00.232 I say us actually go ahead and put the image of that trophy on the screen. 00:15:00.232 --> 00:15:06.232 It was only to Julie Julie Majors, world's best neighbor. 00:15:06.332 --> 00:15:08.299 I was like, Leo, I'm right here. 00:15:08.299 --> 00:15:11.633 Like, where's my trophies? He’s like John, you know why you didn't get a trophy. 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:16.100 Leo, the neighborhood mayor. 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:17.533 There's something about us. 00:15:17.533 --> 00:15:21.899 If I'm growing in Christ, I should be growing as a neighbor. 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:23.466 I should be growing personally. 00:15:23.466 --> 00:15:24.299 I should be growing. 00:15:24.299 --> 00:15:25.166 Here's the phrase I love. 00:15:25.166 --> 00:15:28.166 I should be growing as a life giver. 00:15:28.232 --> 00:15:31.265 When people are around me, I should be giving life again. 00:15:31.265 --> 00:15:34.566 Not a fake happy thing where I've always got to be perfect. 00:15:34.566 --> 00:15:37.966 But in general, I should be a life giver, not a taker. 00:15:37.966 --> 00:15:39.265 This world is full of takers. 00:15:39.265 --> 00:15:42.033 People just want to take, take, take. 00:15:42.033 --> 00:15:47.133 And even if you don't have much means, you can still be giving life to people. 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:50.666 So there's personally, I should be growing spiritually. 00:15:50.666 --> 00:15:52.566 I should be growing personally. 00:15:52.566 --> 00:15:58.033 And this word I'm especially burdened for. 00:15:58.033 --> 00:15:59.765 I should be growing emotionally. 00:16:01.332 --> 00:16:01.732 You. 00:16:01.732 --> 00:16:03.666 You've seen this in churches. 00:16:03.666 --> 00:16:10.365 Churches that give a heavy emphasis to learning, growing in theology, growing in Scripture. 00:16:10.365 --> 00:16:13.399 And I hope our church has a heavy emphasis on that. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:17.765 I hope you feel the emphasis on knowing God's Word. 00:16:18.066 --> 00:16:23.466 Sometimes what happens, though, is things get out of bounds where we put so much emphasis on that. 00:16:23.466 --> 00:16:41.332 You'll meet someone who can quote Scripture at length, who has read great depths of theology, can argue with, argue with you about the finest details of theology, and yet they're unkind, unloving, difficult to be around, divisive. 00:16:41.765 --> 00:16:43.500 Always have a sour face. 00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:46.500 Can never smile. 00:16:46.932 --> 00:16:49.033 Those two should never be true of each other. 00:16:49.033 --> 00:16:57.066 If I'm really growing and knowing God's Word, if I'm really growing and knowing Christ, I should become more loving, more approachable. 00:16:58.033 --> 00:17:00.265 I should be growing in character as well. 00:17:00.265 --> 00:17:04.766 We're not dividing those I've grown spiritually, but not in character. 00:17:04.766 --> 00:17:10.965 Those two, if you are truly growing spiritually, you are also growing in love. 00:17:11.165 --> 00:17:12.266 You are also growing. 00:17:12.266 --> 00:17:18.865 I become I should be becoming more approachable, less defensive. 00:17:18.865 --> 00:17:21.865 I should be more quick to forgive. 00:17:22.032 --> 00:17:27.465 I should be someone who receives forgiveness more easily. 00:17:27.665 --> 00:17:30.665 I should be less quick to anger. 00:17:31.665 --> 00:17:33.665 Someone who has more self-control. 00:17:33.665 --> 00:17:36.665 Maybe of of my words and what I say. 00:17:38.165 --> 00:17:50.500 More self-control over what I consume, whether that's visually and this one's going to hurt in the Baptist church, but also the food I consume at certain times of year. 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:54.665 Self-control is a part of my spiritual life. 00:17:54.665 --> 00:17:56.599 It's an important part. 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:02.232 We should be growing in that we should be growing emotionally as a church. 00:18:02.232 --> 00:18:05.232 That's a key part of our growth. 00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:15.599 So that's number two that I would be growing emotionally, personally, spiritually, growing in love, growing in love for others. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.665 And then number three and number three is number three on purpose. 00:18:19.665 --> 00:18:33.965 Because the overflow of all that should be a passion for others, a passion to serve others, and then a passion for proclaiming Christ, that should be the overflow. 00:18:33.965 --> 00:18:40.965 If Christ is at work in my life, it should be a natural desire to also serve others. 00:18:40.965 --> 00:18:44.400 We'll talk about that one first, to pour into the life of others. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:49.932 45 Jesus said, The Son of Man did not come to be served. 00:18:50.566 --> 00:18:55.000 And I remember the day I was in church and we were in Phoenix, I was attending seminary. 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.766 A guy from the seminary came and he attended the service, and I asked him afterwards, how did it go? 00:18:59.766 --> 00:19:00.599 What did you think? 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.500 It was his first time there. 00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:03.732 And he goes, well, I just didn't feel edified this morning. 00:19:04.732 --> 00:19:09.732 And I thought, but you your immediate response was, serve me. 00:19:09.732 --> 00:19:12.266 And maybe it's okay if you don't feel edified at times, I get that. 00:19:12.266 --> 00:19:15.900 But that was the first thing out of-- serve me. 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:24.200 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. 00:19:24.965 --> 00:19:34.266 And if Christ is at work in my life, the overflow of that, the excitement of that is to serve others, is to want to pour into the lives of others. 00:19:34.266 --> 00:19:37.333 And the way I think of service at church, my prayer, my burden. 00:19:37.333 --> 00:19:40.400 I'm not into guilting people into service. 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:47.732 I have come around to some of the life groups and said, hey, we need help in the kids area because we have more kids come and we need help. 00:19:47.732 --> 00:19:48.465 We need just step in. 00:19:48.465 --> 00:19:53.333 The excitement of this is great with who will raise their hands and help out, and people do. 00:19:54.365 --> 00:19:58.599 But I'm not into guilting people into service because here's what I want for everyone here. 00:19:58.599 --> 00:20:00.099 Here's what I pray for often. 00:20:00.099 --> 00:20:08.266 I pray that when you wake up in the morning, you're thinking about the ministry you get to serve in, and you're thinking, I can't believe I get to do this. 00:20:08.266 --> 00:20:11.232 I feel like God has made me for this. 00:20:11.232 --> 00:20:13.833 I finally have found the thing where he's using me. 00:20:13.833 --> 00:20:15.633 I see him working in my life. 00:20:15.633 --> 00:20:19.865 I see people benefiting spiritually from the way God is using my gifts. 00:20:19.865 --> 00:20:23.900 I never thought I would find this and here I have found this area of service. 00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:25.066 That's my prayer. 00:20:25.066 --> 00:20:25.900 That's what I want. 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:33.965 I want people serving from an area of strength and joy and flourishing, not guilt and condemnation because no one else would. 00:20:33.965 --> 00:20:35.299 I guess I have to. 00:20:36.732 --> 00:20:38.200 We have those seasons. 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:44.833 But in general, I want to see you in a place where it is your joy and delight to be serving. 00:20:44.833 --> 00:20:54.200 Every week you wake up thinking about it every day you're sitting at the office filling out some paperwork, thinking, I can't wait to get to do the thing I feel like God has made me to do. 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:55.232 That's what I hope. 00:20:55.232 --> 00:20:57.500 And I know some of us have that, and some of us don't. 00:20:57.500 --> 00:21:01.566 And some of us are going I have no idea what you're talking about right there. 00:21:01.566 --> 00:21:08.465 But my prayer is that over time, God would direct, and that's what service would look like. 00:21:09.633 --> 00:21:12.333 I was hanging out with Alan Johnson recently. 00:21:12.333 --> 00:21:14.532 He's one of our members here at the church. 00:21:14.532 --> 00:21:18.865 And Alan said, when I met Kelly, one of my prayers had always been his wife, Kelly. 00:21:18.865 --> 00:21:25.400 My prayer, one of my prayers had always been that we would be able to serve in ministry together. 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:28.532 We would be serving alongside one another. 00:21:28.532 --> 00:21:29.833 And look, not that's not for everybody. 00:21:29.833 --> 00:21:30.732 Some people have. 00:21:30.732 --> 00:21:32.665 We serve separate for different reasons. 00:21:32.665 --> 00:21:33.432 We have different gifts. 00:21:33.432 --> 00:21:37.200 And but one of his desires is that they'd be able to serve together. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:39.799 And so they started serving in AWANA together. 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:43.700 AWANA is our scripture memory program for kids on Wednesday nights. It's great. 00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:45.333 It's really fun to be a part of. 00:21:45.333 --> 00:21:49.232 It's amazing to watch these kids work so hard to memorize scripture. 00:21:49.232 --> 00:21:53.865 And if you've helped with that, you're sitting there going, when's the last time I worked that hard to memorize scripture? 00:21:53.865 --> 00:21:56.099 I don't know, it's inspiring to watch them. 00:21:57.900 --> 00:21:58.432 Alan said. 00:21:58.432 --> 00:22:06.732 I didn't really think that would be where I would serve in ministry, but I loved that we were serving together and I watch these kids work so hard. 00:22:07.066 --> 00:22:13.299 I watch them struggle, I saw them, and I got to give thanks to God that I got to be a part of that. 00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:23.965 And he said, let me tell you, when it made it all worth it is when I saw on a Sunday morning where a couple of them were up here getting baptized, I said, man, that made it. 00:22:23.965 --> 00:22:33.566 That made everything so worth it to know God had used me in some way in their life to see them grow. 00:22:34.266 --> 00:22:39.965 The overflow of God working in my life is to want to serve and pour into others. 00:22:41.432 --> 00:22:49.532 And then lastly is proclaiming Jesus, passionately proclaiming Jesus. 00:22:50.333 --> 00:22:55.633 If you're excited about something, you can't not tell others about it. 00:22:55.633 --> 00:23:04.932 And if Christ has brought about a radical life change in your life, the natural overflow of that is to want to tell others. 00:23:04.932 --> 00:23:08.532 And we have different gifts, different abilities and that. 00:23:08.532 --> 00:23:14.266 So some of us that may look more like door to door evangelism, more active, engaged evangelism. 00:23:14.266 --> 00:23:19.266 Some of it might look like serving food to a neighbor over decades until the door opens to talk about Christ. 00:23:19.266 --> 00:23:32.299 We have different gifts and abilities when it comes, but there should be within us this desire to tell others about Christ, and part of that is because of the way Jesus talked to his disciples at the end of his time on earth. 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:35.032 Some of the last words he left them with are in Matthew. 00:23:35.032 --> 00:23:37.299 And if you have your Bibles, turn to Matthew 28. 00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:44.432 It's Matthew's, the first book of the New Testament, and chapter 28, the last chapter of the book of Matthew. 00:23:44.432 --> 00:23:45.165 Go ahead and turn there. 00:23:45.165 --> 00:23:46.732 We're going to read that. 00:23:46.732 --> 00:23:47.766 Turn the Bible the right way. 00:23:47.766 --> 00:23:50.465 We're going to read these last couple of verses. 00:23:50.465 --> 00:23:53.333 These are some of the very last words he says to his people. 00:23:53.333 --> 00:23:55.365 This is why these words are important for us. 00:23:55.365 --> 00:24:02.333 If someone as they're leaving says, oh, by the way, do this parting words, it's called the Great Commission. 00:24:02.333 --> 00:24:03.633 He commissions them. 00:24:03.633 --> 00:24:04.965 He gives them a mission 00:24:04.965 --> 00:24:15.799 18 through 20, Jesus came and said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 00:24:15.799 --> 00:24:25.665 Go, therefore make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:25.665 --> 00:24:30.799 Teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:35.665 And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. 00:24:36.465 --> 00:24:42.232 This is why missions is an important part of our church and Southern Baptists in general. 00:24:42.232 --> 00:24:47.566 In fact, Southern Baptists were actually started not as a denomination, but as a missions agency. 00:24:47.566 --> 00:24:54.400 A bunch of different Baptist groups came together and said, let's partner together so we can reach more people in missions. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:56.766 Let's pool our resources and and abilities. 00:24:56.766 --> 00:25:01.465 That's been at the core of our church from the beginning. 00:25:02.732 --> 00:25:12.000 How are we proclaiming Christ to those all around the world, to your neighbors, to your friends, to your family? 00:25:12.032 --> 00:25:22.732 My hope is that if you are excited about what Christ is doing in your life, that you're telling others and you all have that friend that when you're around them, they've got this thing that you know they're going to bring up. 00:25:22.732 --> 00:25:24.766 It's just a matter of time, right? 00:25:24.766 --> 00:25:25.865 You know what I mean? 00:25:25.865 --> 00:25:28.165 For Julie right now in this season has been sourdough bread. 00:25:28.165 --> 00:25:33.465 If you're around her five minutes, she's going to want to talk about the intricacies of sourdough bread. 00:25:33.465 --> 00:25:41.333 If you run into Terry Young, it won't take two minutes before he's talking about the movie The Forge and how much men benefit from it. 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:44.465 The funny thing about Terry is he'll he'll actually try to apologize for that. 00:25:44.465 --> 00:25:44.833 I'm sorry. 00:25:44.833 --> 00:25:46.865 I'm talking about this so much. 00:25:46.865 --> 00:25:48.900 We know you're not Terry. 00:25:48.900 --> 00:25:51.000 We know you're not sorry at all. 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:55.500 Okay? Don't apologize, because I love the passion. 00:25:55.500 --> 00:26:00.200 I love it, keep bringing it, keep being excited. 00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:04.066 His burden deeply is for men to know Christ. 00:26:04.066 --> 00:26:07.066 And you have something like that. 00:26:07.566 --> 00:26:11.700 And if Christ has been at work in your life. 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:14.599 There's so many people that want to hear that from you. 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:19.633 Sometimes we feel like, man, no one wants to hear me prattle on about Jesus. 00:26:19.965 --> 00:26:23.766 And yet it's the very thing they need the most. You know them. 00:26:23.766 --> 00:26:30.165 You can think of a person right now that if Christ was at the center of their life, everything would be different. 00:26:30.165 --> 00:26:35.400 Be praying that God would use you as that person to introduce them to Christ. 00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:38.400 It's the very thing they need the most. 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:46.500 And so, as I think of the coming year together as a church and how God might use us, man, that's my prayer. 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:55.700 More than any other area of growth this year, and I hope he does bless you in all the areas that we all pray for going into a new year. 00:26:55.700 --> 00:27:02.532 But I hope more than any other that at the end of 2025 you go, man, Christ worked in my life. 00:27:02.532 --> 00:27:06.432 I know him more deeply and richly than I ever have before. 00:27:06.432 --> 00:27:09.400 That's my prayer more than anything else. 00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:13.465 In fact, we're going to take communion together now to launch us into the New Year. 00:27:13.465 --> 00:27:20.365 If you're a deacon who's going to help with that, go ahead and slip out now and prepare those elements. 00:27:20.365 --> 00:27:44.599 Here's what I want to ask that as we are taking communion together, that you would just spend some time praying for that specifically Jesus, would you keep it the forefront of my longings this year, a longing to grow spiritually, a longing to grow if I grow anywhere that it would be in knowing you more than anywhere else, while you're waiting to take communion, be be praying for that. 00:27:44.665 --> 00:27:46.900 And here's how we do communion here. 00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:49.400 It's open to anyone who knows Christ. 00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:56.165 If you've committed to following him, if you've accepted him as your Lord and Savior, you are welcome to take communion with us. 00:27:56.165 --> 00:28:00.032 The men will pass the trays down the aisles and there's two cups stacked on each other. 00:28:00.032 --> 00:28:01.200 Just take two cups. 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:07.833 One has the bread underneath, one has the juice on top, and just hold on to those until everyone has them. 00:28:07.833 --> 00:28:10.500 And then we'll take them together. 00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:13.633 And while you're holding on to those in waiting, just pray. 00:28:13.633 --> 00:28:19.700 Pray for God to move and pray for growth in your life like never before in the coming year. 00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:29.165 And men if you would go ahead and start distributing those now down the aisles to everyone and spend time praying while you receive those, and we'll take them together here in just a minute.