Sermon: Evangelism Reset (4/23/23)

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Sermon: Evangelism Reset
Sunday, April 23rd, 2023 (The Third Sunday of Easter)
Acts 2:14a, 36-47, Ps 116:11-16v, 1 Pet 1:13-25, Luke 24:13-35

Introduction: Evangelism Reset

MOTIVATION, MOVEMENT, and MOMENTUM. 
In talking about MOTIVATION,
I want to focus on the internal work that we need to begin doing 
before we ever begin a conversation with anyone. 
And I will end this sermon by giving you 
a homework assignment that we will continue 
throughout the season of Easter. 

MOTIVATION
Why start with MOTIVATION, you might ask:
Just like with anything else in our lives, we tend to think that some virtuous things are good ideas, or nice suggestions. Getting into shape, reading that one good book, and reaching out to that one person in need is something that we probably SHOULD do. But with the proper MOTIVATION, we take good ideas and turn them into commitments. 

A commitment is something that you do. It is part of you. You re-organize your life to fulfill commitments. 

STORY ** Blood pressure getting higher **

Moving from Good Idea to Commitment took MOTIVATION.

Look with me as we see the way that these STORIES motivate Jesus’ disciples to begin doing the work of EVANGELISM.

TRANSITION: Let’s turn to the Gospel story for today:
Today’s Gospel reading recites the famous event of Jesus' appearance 
to his disciples on the road to Emmaus. 

EMMAUS: Motivation
Luke 24:32 Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us? 

Notice here that this encounter the disciples had with Jesus resulted in some major internal shift. They began seeing their day through the lens of Jesus' incredible MERCY. 

Movement
Luke 24:33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’

These disciples run back to the 11 and confirm what God has been doing in others by sharing their experience with Jesus. 

Momentum
Luke 24:35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Culture of bread breaking to reveal Jesus

JESUS gave the disciples all that they needed. He was with them. And he gave them a repeated action (bread breaking) that they could do to continue that work of MOTIVATION, MOVEMENT, AND MOMENTUM. 

Acts: Motivation
Acts: 2:43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 

Movement
Acts 2:46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.

Momentum
Acts 2:47b And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
See here that they continued “breaking the bread” 
They continued performing wonders and signs
And God added to their number. 

Their heart is aligned with God’s heart. 

Movement
What is God calling you to do?
What should you do next in response to all that God has done for you?
What will you do?

Momentum
What is your greatest Hope?

People’s prayer cards

AMEN

Thank you for listening!
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Transcript

0:01

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO SAINT LUKE GLORY TO YOU LORD NOW ON THE SAME DAY TWO OF THEM WERE GOING TO A VILLAGE CALLED AMAAS ABOUT SEVEN MILES FROM JERUSALEM AND TALKING WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED WHILE THEY WERE TALKING AND DISCUSSING JESUS HIMSELF CAME NEAR AND WENT WITH THEM BUT THEIR EYES WERE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING HIM AND HE SAID TO THEM WHAT ARE YOU DISCUSSING WITH EACH OTHER WHILE YOU WALK ALONG THEY STOOD STILL LOOKING SAD THEN ONE OF THEM WHOSE NAME WAS CLOPAS ANSWERED HIM ARE YOU THE ONLY STRANGER IN JERUSALEM WHO DOES NOT KNOW THE THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THERE IN THESE DAYS SO HE ASKED THEM WHAT THINGS THEY REPLIED THE THINGS ABOUT JESUS OF NAZARETH WHO WAS A MIGHTY PROPHET INDEED AND WORD BEFORE GOD AND ALL THE PEOPLE AND HOW OUR CHIEF PRIESTS AND LEADERS HANDED HIM OVER TO BE CONDEMNED TO DEATH AND CRUCIFIED HIM BUT WE HAD HOPED THAT HE WAS THE ONE TO REDEEM ISRAEL YES AND BESIDES ALL THIS IT IS NOW THE THIRD DAY SINCE THESE THINGS TOOK PLACE MOREOVER SOME WOMEN OF OUR GROUP ASTOUNDED US THEY WERE AT THE TOMB EARLY THIS MORNING AND WHEN THEY DID NOT FIND HIS BODY THERE THEY CAME BACK AND TOLD US THAT THEY HAD INDEED SEEN A VISION OF ANGELS WHO SAID THAT HE WAS ALIVE SOME OF THOSE WHO WERE WITH US WENT TO THE TOMB AND FOUND IT JUST AS THE WOMEN HAD SAID BUT THEY DID NOT SEE HIM THEN JESUS SAID TO THEM OH HOW FOOLISH YOU ARE AND HOW SLOW OF HEART TO TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE DECLARED WAS IT NOT NECESSARY THAT THE MESSIAH SHOULD SUFFER THESE THINGS AND THEN ENTER INTO HIS GLORY THEN BEGINNING WITH MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS HE INTERPRETED TO THEM THE THINGS ABOUT HIMSELF IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES AS THEY CAME NEAR THE VILLAGE TO WHICH THEY WERE GOING HE WALKED AHEAD OF THEM AS IF HE WERE GOING ON BUT THEY URGED HIM STRONGLY SAYING STAY WITH US BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST EVENING AND THE DAY IS NOW NEARLY OVER SO HE WENT IN TO STAY WITH THEM WHEN HE WAS AT TABLE WITH THEM HE TOOK BREAD BLESSED AND BROKE IT AND GAVE IT TO THEM AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AND THEY RECOGNIZED HIM AND HE VANISHED FROM THEIR SIGHT THEY SAID TO EACH OTHER WERE NOT OUR HEARTS BURNING WITHIN US WHILE HE WAS TALKING TO US ON THE ROAD WHILE HE WAS OPENING THE SCRIPTURES TO US THE SAME HOUR THEY GOT UP AND RETURNED TO JERUSALEM AND THEY FOUND THE ELEVEN AND THEIR COMPANIONS GATHERED TOGETHER THEY WERE SAYING THE LORD HAS RISEN INDEED AND HE HAS APPEARED TO SIMON THEN THEY TOLD WHAT HAD HAPPENED ON THE ROAD AND HOW HE HAD BEEN MADE KNOWN TO THEM IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD PRAISE TO YOU LORD CHRIST LET US PRAY COME HOLY SPIRIT COME NOW AS WE CONSIDER YOUR WORD FOR OUR LIVES AMEN PLEASE BE SEATED GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY IT'S SO GOOD TO BE WITH YOU GUYS I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BEGIN TALKING ABOUT TODAY EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE SUBJECT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHURCH WHICH IS EVANGELISM HAHAHA AND AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I I I CONSTANTLY UM AM AM SHOCKED ABOUT IS I COME FROM ONE OF THESE UM MOVEMENTS I GREW UP PENTECOSTAL MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW THIS ABOUT ME WHERE EVANGELISM WAS ALL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT WAS LIKE THE THING AND AND AND WHEN I STARTED ENTERING INTO LITURGICAL CHURCHES EVANGELISM I DISCOVERED VERY QUICKLY QUICKLY WAS THIS THING THAT PENTECOSTALS TALKED ABOUT BUT NOT US AND SO WHAT I WANNA DO IS TAKE SOME TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE E WORD AND AND TO AND TO WHAT I HOPE WHAT THIS DOES IS IT BRINGS ABOUT A SORT OF TRANSFORMATION IN OUR MINDS IN OUR HEARTS IN OUR CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE I'VE DISCOVERED SOMETHING WHEN I'VE TALKED TO MANY OF MY LITURGICAL FRIENDS ABOUT EVANGELISM IS ALMOST ALL OF THEM HATE IT AND EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVELY ALMOST NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER DONE IT HAHAHA SO WHAT I WANNA DO IS CAN WE JUST HAVE AN AGREEMENT FOR A MOMENT LET'S EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT EVANGELISM LET'S JUST FORGET THAT OKAY LET'S JUST DO A RESET FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I'M SURE MUCH OF WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT EVANGELISM IS WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO HATE EVANGELISTS OR MAYBE YOU HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS TRYING TO EVANGELIZE YOU IN AN INAPPROPRIATE OR AWFUL WAY OKAY SO I JUST WANT TO FOR A MOMENT SHIFT WHAT IT MEANS FOR US TO UNDERSTAND EVANGELISM AND DO A FULL RESET OKAY WOULD YOU GUYS AGREE TO DO THAT WITH ME TODAY ALRIGHT AWESOME WHAT I WANNA DO TODAY IS GO RIGHT BARE BONES ON FROM THE CORE OF OUR IDENTITIES WHAT EVANGELISM IS AND THEN WHAT I'M GONNA TAKE THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME TO DO TODAY IS TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRST THING THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO SHARE OUR FAITH WITH OTHERS WHICH IS WE NEED TO BE MOTIVATED SO LET'S START WITH THE FOUNDATION THE WHOLE FOUNDATION AND GROUND OF OUR WORK AS CHRISTIAN EVANGELISTS COMES FROM THIS PASSAGE FROM THE BOOK OF MATTHEW IT'S THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE VERSES OF MATTHEW IT GOES LIKE THIS NOW THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES WENT TO GALILEE TO THE MOUNTAIN TO WHICH JESUS HAD DIRECTED THEM WHEN HE SAW THEM THEY WORSHIPPED HIM BUT SOME DOUBTED AND JESUS CAME AND SAID TO THEM ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND IN THE NAME OF THE SON AND IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU AND REMEMBER I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS TO THE END OF THE AGE OVER THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS OF EASTER WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING MOST OF OUR READINGS AND OUR TIME TALKING ABOUT THOSE 40 DAYS THAT JESUS LIVED ON EARTH POST RESURRECTION AND THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE APPEARANCES IS THAT JESUS ONLY TALKS ABOUT ONE THING DURING THOSE FORTY DAYS EVANGELISM ACTUALLY MATTHEW CHAPTER 28 IF YOU READ SOMETIME AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH CHURCH TODAY JUST TAKE SOME TIME TO READ THE WHOLE OF MATTHEW MATTHEW CHAPTER 28 THE DISCIPLES DO NOT ENCOUNTER JESUS AT ALL UNTIL THIS MOMENT MATTHEW CHAPTER 16 AND I'M JUST THINKING IF I WERE JESUS IF I HAD BEEN THREE DAYS DEAD YOU'D THINK THAT WOULD BE THE THING I'D WANNA TALK ABOUT HEY YOU GUYS WANNA KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE DOWN THERE THE VERY FIRST THING THAT JESUS SAYS TO THEM IS I'M IN CHARGE NOW I'VE GOT A COMMAND FOR YOU AND THE COMMAND IS NOT SIMPLY WORSHIP GOD BUT HE JUMPS RIGHT TO WHAT I THINK IS THE CORE MESSAGE AND CENTRAL PRIORITY OF THE CHURCH WHICH IS THAT WE ARE COMMANDED TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT WE SEE JESUS APPEAR AFTER HE'S RAISED FROM THE DEAD HE TELLS HIS PEOPLE TO GO TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL AND TO MAKE DISCIPLES NOW IN THE SAME WAY THAT JESUS SENT HIS FOLLOWERS OUT TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD ABOUT HIS OWN SAVING WORK SO WE HIS DISCIPLES LIVING NOW ARE ALSO COMMANDED TO GO OUT AND SHARE WITH THE WORLD THE WAY OF JESUS SO HERE'S WHAT I WANNA DO OVER THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS WHAT I WANNA DO IS EQUIP YOU TO DO THAT WORK I WANT TO EQUIP YOU TO DO THIS WORK THAT CHRIST HAS CALLED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO DO TO MAKE DISCIPLES NOW MOST PEOPLE I KNOW WHO DON'T LIKE EVANGELISM THEY DON'T LIKE EVANGELISM BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT IT'S DIFFICULT I HAVE A BIG NEWS FLASH FOR YOU IT'S NOT YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING EVANGELISM ALL THE TIME WITHOUT REALIZING IT BY THE CLOTHES THAT YOU WEAR BY THE FOOD THAT YOU EAT BY THE MUSIC THAT YOU LISTEN TO YOU ARE REGULARLY SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS OF YOU KNOW MUSIC 1 ONE THING I'M I'M DOING IN MY LIFE YOU GUYS KNOW I'M A BIG NERD ABOUT MUSIC I LISTEN TO MUSIC ALL THE TIME AND SO ONE OF THE BANDS THAT I GOT INTO WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER WAS A BRITISH ALT ROCK BAND CALLED MUSE OKAY AND SO NOT ONLY NOW DO I LISTEN TO MUSE GUESS WHO ELSE LISTENS TO MUSE IN MY FAMILY ALL OF THEM ALL THE KIDS MY SON NOW LISTENS TO MUSE NON STOP ALL THE TIME WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD BECAUSE IT'S IT GETS A LITTLE BIT ROUGH SOMETIMES BUT I WANNA SAY HERE IS AN EXAMPLE IN MY LIFE OF THE WAY THAT I'VE JUST LIVED ME BECAUSE I LOVE THIS THING I SHARE THIS THING SOMEONE ELSE NOW HAS TAKEN IT ON THEMSELVES TO LOVE AND SHARE IN THIS MUSIC WITH ME THIS IS THE SAME CONCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO EVANGELISM NOW ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY IT IS NOT DIFFICULT IT DOES CERTAINLY REQUIRE US TO GET OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES IT REQUIRES US TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR OWN LIVES AND OUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS SO WHAT I WANT TO DO FOCUSING ON TODAY IS I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU ANY TOOLS TO EVANGELIZE TODAY WHAT I WANT TO DO IS SIMPLY TODAY TALK ABOUT OUR MOTIVATION FOR EVANGELISM AND USING THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SCRIPTURE READINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY WHAT I WANNA DO IS TALK ABOUT HOW OUR MOTIVATION JUST LIKE THE DISCIPLES MOTIVATION HAS PROVOKED THE DISCIPLES TO DO TO ACT TO RESPOND AND HOW LIKEWISE YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT YOU ARE BEING MOTIVATED BY GOD EVEN IN THIS SPACE EVEN IN YOUR DAILY LIVES WHILE YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF THIS WORSHIP SPACE THE GOD IS MOTIVATING YOU TO DO HIS WORK FOR THE KINGDOM SO I WANNA FOCUS ON THESE 3 MS IF YOU'LL PARDON THE ALLITERATION MOTIVATION MOVEMENT AND MOMENTUM AND IN TALKING ABOUT MOTIVATION WHAT I WANT TO DO IS FOCUS ON SPECIFICALLY THE INTERNAL WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BEGIN DOING BEFORE WE BEGIN ANY CONVERSATION WITH ANYBODY AND I WANT TO END THIS SERMON TODAY BY GIVING YOU A LITTLE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT TO BEGIN USING THAT MOTIVATION TO START THE WORK OF EVANGELISM THROUGHOUT THE SEASON OF EASTER YOU GUYS COOL CLEAR ON MY AGENDA ALRIGHT ALRIGHT YOU GUYS ALL LOOK TERRIFIED THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT RIGHT NOW LET ME START WITH MOTIVATION WHY SHOULD WE TALK ABOUT MOTIVATION TODAY YOU MIGHT ASK THIS QUESTION JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE DO OR ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF OUR NORM WE BEGIN BY APPROACHING THAT VIRTUOUS OR IDEALIZED SUBJECT LIKE IT'S A GOOD IDEA RIGHT LIKE I THINK HAVING SIX PACK ABS WOULD BE A VERY GOOD IDEA WHO ELSE IS WITH ME SIX PACK ABS YEAH BILLS LIKE I ALREADY GOT THEM I ALREADY GOT THEM DONE RIGHT OR HAVING A REALLY REALLY UM NICE CAR THAT'S CLEAN ALL THE TIME WE WON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF MY HOUSE RIGHT THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA BUT THE THING IS ABOUT GOOD IDEAS IS THEY WON'T HAPPEN UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO COMMIT TO THEM LIKE I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING SIX PACK ABS I DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING COMMITTED TO EATING LIKE I SHOULD HAVE SIX PACK ABS I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A CAR THAT'S CLEAN ALL THE TIME I AM NOT WILLING TO COMMIT TO MAKE MY CAR THAT CLEAN AND SPEND THAT MANY HOURS CLEANING MY CAR AND SO I THINK THIS IS WHAT'S HELPFUL WHAT'S THE THING THAT SEPARATES PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOOD IDEAS FROM PEOPLE WHO MAKE COMMITMENTS IT'S MOTIVATION IF FOR INSTANCE YOU HAVE LET YOURSELF BE UNHEALTHY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR AND THE DOCTOR SAYS YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE THAT MOTIVATES YOU TO SHIFT YOUR PRIORITIES AND HOW YOU LIVE AND HOW YOU TEND TO YOURSELF WHEN I MOVED DOWN TO GEORGIA I HAD TO GET A PHYSICAL BEFORE I COULD START SEMINARY AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HAD HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND IT WAS YOU KNOW ONLY A LITTLE BIT HIGH IT WASN'T SUPER HIGH AND SO AS A VERY MATURE 27 YEAR OLD MAN I DID WHAT ANY THOUGHTFUL 27 YEAR OLD MAN WOULD DO ABOUT THIS NOTHING RIGHT AND I JUST KEPT EATING THE SAME OLD FOODS DRINKING THE SAME OLD DRINKS UNTIL I STARTED FEELING LIGHTHEADED ONE DAY AND MY WIFE NICOLETTE SAID WEREN'T YOU TALKING ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE LIKE 10 YEARS AGO YES MA'AM AND IN THE REALITY OF THAT CHANGE OF OF OF OF OF EVENTS I BECAME MOTIVATED TO DO THINGS LIKE CHANGE WHAT I EAT TAKE BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION THAT MOTIVATION MOVE ME FROM A GOOD IDEA OF BE TAKING CONTROL OF MY BLOOD PRESSURE TO NOW BEING COMMITTED TO TAKING CONTROL OF MY BLOOD PRESSURE NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WE RECOGNIZE WE'LL HAVE GOOD IDEAS ALL THE TIME THAT WE WON'T BE COMMITTED TO AND I THINK THIS IS THE EXACT SAME THING FOR US WHEN IT COMES TO EVANGELISM HOW MANY OF YOU THINK EVANGELISM IS A GOOD IDEA RIGHT THREE OF US THAT'S OKAY FOUR ALRIGHT EXCELLENT THANKS BARRY BUT HOW MANY OF US WHO THINK EVANGELISM IS A GOOD IDEA IS GOING TO COMMIT TO DO IT WELL IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE TO THAT THRESHOLD WE NEED TO BE PROPERLY MOTIVATED SO FOR JUST A MOMENT WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR THE REST OF THE SERMON IS LOOK OVER TWO OF THESE STORIES FROM SCRIPTURES IN WHICH JESUS MOTIVATES HIS DISCIPLES TO BEGIN DOING THE WORK OF EVANGELISM SO LET'S TURN TODAY TO OUR GOSPEL STORY WHERE WE READ THIS INCREDIBLE AND FAMOUS EVENT OF THE STORY OF THE DISCIPLES ON THE ROAD TO AMAIA THAT IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THESE DISCIPLES HAD SOMEHOW BEEN GATHERED WITH THE OTHER APOSTLES CLOPAS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WE KNOW THE NAME OF WE THINK IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE OTHER DISCIPLE WHO WAS TRAVELING WITH CLOPAS WAS POSSIBLY HIS WIFE BUT WE'RE NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHILE THEY'RE ON THE ROAD SOMEONE APPROACHES THEM WHO THEY DON'T KNOW AND AS THEY'RE SITTING AND TALKING WITH HIM THIS MAN WHO THEY DON'T IDENTIFY THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE IS REVEALING AND UNPACKING TO THEM ALL THE SCRIPTURES OKAY AND SOMETHING IS SHIFTING WITHIN THEIR MINDS THEIR HEARTS AND THEY ARRIVE AT THEIR DESTINATION A MEAS AND THIS MAN BLESSES A BREAD HE TAKES THE BREAD BLESSES THE BREAD BREAKS THE BREAD GIVES THE BREAD SOUND FAMILIAR RIGHT AND WHEN HE DOES THIS THEIR EYES ARE OPENED THEY SEE HIM FOR WHO HE IS AND HE VANISHES OKAY NOW THIS STORY SERVES AS MOTIVATION FOR THESE DISCIPLES AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ANCIENT WORLD YOU GUYS REMEMBER WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS WHEN THIS EVENT IS TAKING PLACE YEAH IT'S NIGHT TIME OKAY IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ANCIENT WORLD THIS IS BEFORE THEY HAD HIGH BEAMS ON CARS RIGHT BEFORE FLASHLIGHTS WERE EVEN A THING ACTUALLY TRAVELING AT NIGHT ANY FAR DISTANCE AT ALL COULD MEAN DEATH FOR YOU BECAUSE OF ANIMALS OR HIGHWAY ROBBERS BUT WHAT DO THESE MOTIVATED DISCIPLES DO THEY LEAVE THEIR SAFE HAVEN IN AMAS AND TRAVEL BACK TO JERUSALEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS APOSTLES AND I JUST WANT TO READ THIS FOR A SECOND NOTICE WHAT THAT MOTIVATION LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE REFLECTING WERE NOT OUR HEARTS BURNING WITHIN US WHILE JESUS WAS TALKING TO US ON THE ROAD WHILE HE WAS OPENING THE SCRIPTURES TO US NOW I THINK THIS IS A MOTIVATION THAT YOU AND I EXPERIENCE ALL THE TIME SOMETIMES WHEN I'M PREACHING SOMETIMES WHEN WE READ THE SCRIPTURE SOMETIMES WHEN BRIANNA IS PLAYING THE ORGAN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO US WHERE GOD'S GRACE ALL OF A SUDDEN POURS DOWN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES DOWN IN THIS ROOM AND WE FEEL IN A MIGHTY WAY THAT GOD IS LIGHTING A FIRE UNDER OUR SKIN THIS IS NOT BENIGN GOD IS NOT GIVING US HIS HOLY SPIRIT JUST CAUSE HE WANTS US TO FEEL GOOD RIGHT GOD IS TRYING TO BY SENDING US HIS SPIRIT BY IGNITING WITHIN US A PASSION OF RECOGNITION FOR WHO HE IS AND THE FACT THAT HE'S AMONG US HE'S TRYING TO IGNITE WITHIN US A MOTIVATION TO DO THE WORK OF THE GOSPEL NOW NOTICE HERE THAT THESE DISCIPLES WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER JESUS IT RESULTS IN SOME SORT OF MAJOR INTERNAL SHIFT YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE STORY THEY HAD HEARD THAT THE WOMEN HAD ALREADY SEEN JESUS THAT PETER HAD JUST GONE BY OVER THERE TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING BUT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IT ENOUGH TO STICK AROUND BUT WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED JESUS ON THE ROAD WHEN THEY HAD THIS EXPERIENCE OF THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD THE MERCY OF GOD SO PROFOUNDLY FIXED THEM MOVED THEM TURNED THEM THAT THEY SHIFTED WHAT THEY DID THROUGH THE DAY TO NOW ACTION AND SO WE HAVE THIS NEXT EVENT AFTER THEY WERE MOTIVATED THEY ENGAGED IN MOVEMENT LET'S CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT VERSE LUKE 24 VERSE 33 THAT SAME HOUR THEY GOT UP THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM THEY FOUND THE ELEVEN AND THEIR COMPANIONS GATHERED TOGETHER AND THEY WERE SAYING THE LORD HAS RISEN INDEED AND HE HAS APPEARED TO SIMON I THINK IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT MISS THIS STATEMENT THAT WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE THIS EVENT OF HOLY SPIRIT MOTIVATION THAT THE REVELATION OF JESUS HAS GOTTEN NOW INTO THEIR HEARTS HOW DO THEY RESPOND THEY GET ON THEIR FEET AND THEY GO AND SO I IDENTIFY HERE THREE CRUCIAL VERBS THEY GOT UP THEY WENT BACK AND THEY FOUND THEY GOT UP THEY WENT BACK THEY FOUND AND WHEN THEY FOUND THESE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO HEAR THE TRUTH THAT GOD REALLY IS DOING A NEW THING IN ISRAEL THAT THE MESSIAH INDEED WAS JESUS AND GOD HAS REDEEMED HIM WHAT THEY DO IS THEY AFFIRM THE MOTIVATION THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE OTHER DISCIPLES YOU GUYS TRACKING WITH THIS SO FAR OKAY NOW WHEN THEY DO THIS SOMETHING REALLY PROFOUNDLY SHIFTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OKAY AND I JUST WANT TO POINT THIS OUT BECAUSE WE AS AS A AS LITURGICAL TYPE CHRISTIANS SACRAMENTAL OBSERVING CHRISTIANS WE THINK THAT THIS PRACTICE HAS TRANSFORMED THE WORLD THROUGH THE INSTRUMENT OF THE CHURCH AND IT'S THE IT'S IT TAKES MOMENTUM WHEN THESE DISCIPLES WERE MOTIVATED BY JESUS WHEN THEY RESPONDED IN FAITHFULNESS WITH THIS MOVEMENT OF GOING AND REPORTING WHAT THEY SAW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BEGINS A MOVEMENT THEY START A MOMENTUM IT READS LIKE THIS THEN THEY TOLD WHAT HAD HAPPENED ON THE ROAD AND HOW JESUS HAD BEEN MADE KNOWN TO THEM IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD SOMETHING HAPPENED SOMETHING SHIFTED THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THESE APOSTLES REALIZING ALL THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES FROM THEIR CHILDHOOD REALIZING ALL THAT JESUS HAD PRESENTED TO THEM ON HIS THREE YEARS OF MINISTRY WITH THEM IN THIS EVENT JUST BEFORE HIS DEATH WHERE HE BREAKS THE BREAD IN THE LAST SUPPER AND THEN BREAKS BREAD WITH THEM THEY REALIZE NOW THAT THERE IS A WAY TO EXPERIENCE THAT PROFOUND POWERFUL REVELATION OF JESUS ALL THE TIME IN ANY TIME IN ANY PLACE AND IT'S IN THIS NEW CULTURE OF BREAD BREAKING WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN WE GET TO THE BOOK OF ACTS BUT THIS ALL OF A SUDDEN INITIATES WHAT SEEMS TO BE A REALLY INTERESTING PRACTICE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY SEE THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD AS EFFECTIVE AS IN MOTIVATING THEM TO DO THE WORK OF JESUS WHAT HAPPENS THEY DEVELOP A WHOLE CYCLE OF BEING MOTIVATED BY BREAKING BREAD MOVING OUT AND SHARING THE GOSPEL ALL THAT WE MIGHT BREAK THE BREAD AGAIN AND START THE CYCLE OVER AGAIN CAN YOU SEE HOW WHAT THE WORK OF CHRIST IS DOING IS TRYING TO PROVIDE ALL THAT WE NEED ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE EMPOWERED TO DO THE WORK OF EVANGELISTS YES OKAY NOW THIS IS REALLY CRUCIAL BECAUSE THIS CONCEPT THAT THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD IS THE INSTRUMENT BY WHICH GOD IS REVEALED TO US AND THEN THEREFORE MOTIVATES US IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS SAID AT THE END OF THE BOOK OF MATTHEW YOU GUYS REMEMBER THIS NEXT SLIDE RIGHT WHAT DID JESUS SAY WITH HIS APOSTLES AFTER HE GAVE THEM THIS COMMAND YOU DON'T GOTTA WORRY ABOUT IT I'M GONNA BE WITH YOU AND I THINK THIS SHIFTS COMPLETELY THE TASK AT HAND FOR US BECAUSE IF I'M ASKING AMANDA TO BE AN EVANGELIST WELL YOU KNOW THEN AMANDA IS LIMITED BY HER SKILLS AND HER LANGUAGE AND HER YOU KNOW WHATEVER BUT IF JESUS SAYS NO I'M GONNA BE THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH AMANDA TO CHANGE THE WORLD THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN EVANGELISM ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE DO IT'S SOMETHING THAT CHRIST DOES THROUGH US AND YES I WILL BE WITH YOU EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE JESUS GAVE THE DISCIPLES ALL THAT THEY NEEDED AND HE WAS WITH THEM AND SO HE GAVE THEM THIS REPEATED ACTION BREAD BREAKING SO THEY COULD CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK MOTIVATION MOVEMENT MOMENTUM OKAY LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STORY SO WE'VE GOT ALSO IN ADDITION TO THE STORY OF LUKE THE STORY CONTINUES ON WITH THE BOOK OF ACTS AND I'M SO THANKFUL Y'ALL BY THE WAY THAT WE HAVE A BOOK LIKE THE BOOK OF ACTS BECAUSE THEN WE CAN'T SAY WELL THAT WAS WHEN JESUS WAS THERE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT ONCE JESUS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS IS LITERALLY THE PRESCRIPTION AND THE MARCHING ORDERS OF WHAT THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN LOOKS LIKE AND I THE REASON WHY I FIND IT SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO INCREDIBLE IS BECAUSE JESUS TOOK PEOPLE WHO ARE EVEN LESS EQUIPPED THAN WE ARE TO DO WORK THAT IF WE SAW NOWADAYS WOULD BLOW US AWAY PEOPLE WHO GOT LESS EDUCATION THAN ALL OF YOU OKAY TRYING TO THINK WHO'D BE THE LEAST LEAST EDUCATED PERSON IN THE ROOM MAYBE DOMINIC RIGHT RIGHT THEY WERE MORE EDUCATED THAN DOMINIC I'LL BE HONEST ABOUT THAT BUT BUT EVERY ADULT IN THIS ROOM EVERY SINGLE APOSTLE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAYBE THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS LESS EDUCATED THAN YOU ARE THEY WERE LESS LITERATE THEY HAD FEWER SKILLS IN COMMUNICATION MONEY MANAGEMENT MOST OF THEM COULDN'T WRITE THEIR OWN NAME AND YET JESUS USED THEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR POWER THAT HE USES IT'S THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN THEM SO I WON'T REREAD THE ALL ALL OF OF WHAT BARRY READ FOR US EARLIER FROM ACTS CHAPTER 2 BUT I WANNA FOCUS ON THE 3 MS HERE OF THE ACTS 2 READING SO IF YOU PULL UP THE SLIDE HERE FIRST AWE CAME UPON EVERYONE BECAUSE MANY WONDERS AND SIGNS WERE BEING DONE BY THE APOSTLES WHAT HAPPENS THE APOSTLES EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUE THE EXACT SAME WORK THAT JESUS DID RIGHT THEY'RE GOING OUT INTO ALL THE WORLD THEY'RE HEALING THE SICK THEY'RE DRIVING OUT DEMONS THEY'RE DECLARING THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR THEY'RE CONTINUING ALL THE WORK THAT WAS BEGUN BY JESUS THAT HE SAID WAS HIS WHOLE PURPOSE IN THE BOOK OF LUKE OKAY SO WHAT HAPPENS AS A RESULT EVERYBODY SEES WHAT THE APOSTLES ARE DOING AND THEY SAY OH MY GOD GOD'S REAL HE'S BEING REVEALED TO US SO I WANNA SAY I'LL LIFT THIS UP THIS IS THE OTHER THING THAT'S A PART OF OUR CRUCIAL IDENTITY AS GOOD SAMARITAN RIGHT NOT ONLY ARE WE A LITURGICAL CHURCH AND WE'RE INTO DOING THINGS LIKE HOLY COMMUNION AND HOLY MATRIMONY AND CONFESS ALL THAT STUFF BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ARE ALSO A PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT ACTUALLY WORKS TODAY AMEN RIGHT THAT HE ACTUALLY HEALS THE SICK THAT HE ACTUALLY DRIVES OUT EVIL FROM US AND THE RESULT OF THIS THE EFFECT OF THIS OUGHT TO BE AH ALL NOW THAT IS A MOTIVATING FACTOR THAT SHIFTS THE LIFE OF ALL OF THESE HEBREWS LIVING TOGETHER IN JERUSALEM SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT SLIDE THEY ALL BEGIN TO MOVE AND LOOK AT WHAT THIS THIS MOVEMENT LOOKS LIKE DAY BY DAY AS THEY SPENT MUCH TIME TOGETHER IN THE TEMPLE THEY BROKE BREAD AT HOME AND ATE THEIR FOOD WITH GLAD AND GENEROUS HEARTS PRAISING GOD AND HAVING THE GOODWILL OF ALL THE PEOPLE OKAY SO WE SEE IN RESPONSE TO THIS AWE IN RESPONSE TO THIS INCREDIBLE MOVE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHAT DO THEY DO THESE APOSTLES SAY I WANT TO BE IN THE PLACE WHERE GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE AMONG HIS PEOPLE AND SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN ACCESS THAT GRACE BY GATHERING TOGETHER IN THE TEMPLE BY THE WAY JEWS NEVER STOP BEING JEWS AND CHRISTIANITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MOVEMENT OF THE HEBREWS RIGHT WHICH IS WHY WE DO ALL THESE WEIRD HEBREW THINGS AND SO THEY KEPT GATHERING TOGETHER IN THE TEMPLE WHY YOU I ASSUMING ARE GATHERING TOGETHER IN THIS HOLY TEMPLE WHY THEY GET TOGETHER IN ONE ANOTHER'S HOMES TO CONTINUE THAT WORK OF BREAKING BREAD AND PRAISING GOD TOGETHER NOW WHEN THEY DID THAT WHEN THEY CONTINUED THAT WORK OF ASKING GOD TO BRING DOWN HIS MERCY LOOK AT THE RESULT AT THE VERY END OF THIS VERSE SORRY BACK ONE BACK ONE THANK YOU YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY'RE GROWING MORE CHRISTIANS OK IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY'RE RAISING THEIR OWN GOD CONSCIOUSNESS BUT WHEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE LIVES FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT EVERYONE AROUND THEM GOES I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE THE RESPONSE IS THAT THEY HAVE THE GOODWILL OF ALL THE PEOPLE AND THIS MOTIVATION LEADING TO THIS MOVEMENT RESULTS IN A MOMENTUM WITHIN THE CHURCH IT READS LIKE THIS AND DAY BY DAY THE LORD ADDED TO THE NUMBER THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED SO HERE WE SEE THE CONTINUED WORK OF BREAKING THE BREAD DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF LUKE THAT CONTINUED WORK OF PERFORMING SIGNS AND WONDERS AND AS A RESULT WHAT HAPPENS GOD ADDS TO THEIR NUMBER THIS IS THE RECIPE FOR EVANGELISM OKAY AND SO WHAT I WANT US TO SORT OF START BY MOVING OUT OF THE MINDSET OF IS THAT I HAVE TO SOMEHOW HAVE THE BEST SPEECH RIGHT OR I HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST YOU KNOW WHAT WAS IT MOSES THAT SAID TO MOSES SAID TO THE LORD ON IN EXODUS CHAPTER 3 I DON'T TALK GOOD IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN THE LORD SENT HIM WHAT DID GOD SAY I'LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED I'LL SEND AARON I'LL GIVE YOU A STICK AND I'LL USE ALL OF IT FOR MY GLORY DON'T THINK OF EVANGELISM AS IF SOMEHOW YOU GOTTA FIX EVERYBODY YOU CAN'T THAT WOULD MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE FIXED FIRST AND I GOT BAD NEWS FOR YOU THE WORK OF EVANGELISM IS BEING SO FILLED WITH GOD'S PRESENCE SO FILLED WITH GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT THAT GOD'S LOVE JUST STARTS TO EXUDE IN YOU AND MOVE YOU TO ACTION GOD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER BECAUSE THEIR HEART WAS ALIGNED WITH GOD'S HEART OKAY SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE BOOK OF LUKE THE APOSTLES ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MOMENT ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN THE APOSTLES EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUE THIS CYCLE OF MOTIVATION MOVEMENT AND MOMENTUM BUT HOW DOES THAT LOOK FOR US THE GOOD SAM FAM AND I THINK WHAT I WANT TO SPEND THE LAST LITTLE BIT OF OUR TIME TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS FOR US TO TAKE TIME TO IDENTIFY ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH GOD IS MOTIVATING WITHIN US THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT I HAD THIS EXPERIENCE MY FIRST SUNDAY HERE I'VE I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL WITH MOST OF Y'ALL UM SOMETIMES WHEN I'M WORSHIPPING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS I GET SO BUSY WITH ALL THE WORK EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE TO DO MAKING SURE ALL THESE THINGS HAPPEN THAT I DON'T OPEN MY HEART VERY WELL TO EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND SO OUR VERY FIRST SUNDAY IN HERE DEBBIE WILL MIGHT REMEMBER THIS WE WERE SETTING UP THE ALTAR I THINK IT WAS RIGHT ABOUT HERE SETTING UP THE ALTAR WAS BEFORE THESE FLOORS WERE IN YOU GUYS REMEMBER THE CARPET IT SMELLED LIKE YOU KNOW ONE OF MY CHILDREN IT YOU KNOW IT NEEDED SOME WORK TO BE DONE AND WE GOT DONE WITH THE WHOLE WORSHIP SERVICE AND AND DEBBIE GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL ON US AND SHE SAID OH I'M SO THANKFUL I SAID WHY SHE GOES GOD FOLLOWED US HERE HE DIDN'T HE DIDN'T LEAVE US WHEN WE LEFT THE HIGH SCHOOL HE FOLLOWED US HERE AND I WANT TO SAY THIS I'M NOT I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL PRETTY WELL YOU'RE HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE LITURGY WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH THE THE THINGS THAT WE DO HERE WHERE GOD IS BRINGING A BURNING IN YOUR HEART IS LIGHTING A FIRE UNDER YOUR SKIN WE GOT DONE WITH THE GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE AND SOMEONE CAME UP TO ME TO SAY I HAVE NEVER CRIED SO HARD ON GOOD FRIDAY BEFORE I HAD SOMEONE COME UP TO ME WHO WE PRAYED FOR THEIR BACK ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS AGO BACK LIFETIME OF BACK PROBLEMS HEALED NO MORE BACK PROBLEMS LIKE NOT IT FEELS BETTER IT'S LIKE 2 TYLENOL I DON'T HAVE BACK PROBLEMS ANYMORE OKAY OR MAYBE I'VE I'VE HEARD SOME OF YOU SAY THAT AS WE'VE OPENED THE SCRIPTURES TOGETHER THAT SOMEHOW GOD HAS REVEALED EVEN MORE TO YOU HIS LOVE HIS JOY HIS PRESENCE IN YOU THIS IS THE WAY GOD IS TRYING TO MOTIVATE US TO DO HIS WORK IN THE WORLD THE PROBLEM IS INSTEAD OF TAKING THAT MOTIVATION AND LETTING IT SORT OF DEFLATE GO OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS USE THAT MOTIVATION TO SPUR US ON I FORGOT TO MENTION ONE SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN MOTIVATED HERE BECAUSE THIS IS A FAMILY I THINK ABOUT THIS PARTICULARLY WITH MY BIRTHDAY WE WE WERE GATHERING TOGETHER FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT THE WOLK'S HOUSE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HAD A I DON'T KNOW IT'S LIKE A 10 FOOT LONG CARROT CAKE WHICH IS BY THE WAY MY FAVORITE CAKE OK BRIANNA IF YOU'RE GOING SHOPPING LATER CARROT CAKE FOR ME BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS THIS THIS OUGHT TO BE MOTIVATION FOR US OKAY BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORLD TO SHARE WITH THEM THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS YOU'RE NOT INVITING THEM TO GO TO A CHURCH YOU'RE INVITING THEM TO BECOME PART OF A FAMILY AND I GOTTA TELL Y'ALL SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ACHING FOR A FAMILY THEY CAN BE IN A FAMILY THAT THEY CAN TRUST WHO WILL BE THERE FOR THEM A STABLE RELIABLE FOUNDATION IN THEIR LIVES SO IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT MOTIVATION DOT I'M GIVING YOU THE WINK HERE IN LIGHT OF IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT MOTIVATION I WANNA ASK YOU ALL THIS WEEK TO BEGIN A MOVEMENT AT GOOD SAM OK YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ANYBODY OK YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOCK ON ANY DOORS THIS WEEK BUT WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IS TO WRITE DOWN THE NAMES OF FIVE FAMILY MEMBERS FIVE FRIENDS AND FIVE PEOPLE YOU'RE FRIENDLY WITH OKAY I JUST I JUST WROTE WHAT DID I WRITE FRIENDLIES SOMETHING LIKE THAT FAMILIARS PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE YOUR CO WORKERS OR YOUR NEIGHBORS PEOPLE THAT YOU BUMP SHOULDERS WITH AT THE COFFEE SHOP ON A REGULAR BASIS AND I WANT YOU TO WRITE THOSE 15 NAMES DOWN I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO NEED THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHO WHO CLEARLY FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT MAYBE THE LORD IS DRAWING YOUR HEART TO GET TO KNOW THEM YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR STORY IS BUT TO WRITE THOSE NAMES DOWN AND THEN EVERY DAY THIS WEEK TO SAY THE TWO PRAYERS ON THE BACK FIRST THE TOP PRAYER A PRAYER FOR A SPIRIT OF EVANGELISM AND THEN PRAY INDIVIDUALLY FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE 15 PEOPLE IN THE LITTLE BLANK SPACE AND HERE HERE'S THE MOTIVE HERE'S THE IDEA OF THIS DO YOU GUYS KNOW THAT PRAYER WORKS LIKE IT REALLY WORKS AND WHEN YOU PRAY TO GOD GOD OPENS UP THE HEAVENS AND POURS OUT HIS GRACE AND ABUNDANCE ON US BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS WE'RE NOT SIMPLY TRYING TO ADD MORE NUMBERS IN THE BUTTS OF THESE SEATS WE'RE NOT HERE'S WHAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO DO I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO RESPOND IN FAITHFULNESS TO GOD SO WE CAN GROW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT UNLESS YOU WILL GIVE THEM AND TELL THEM THE NAME OF JESUS THAT HIS WORD AND HIS HOPE BRING ABOUT EVERLASTING LIFE WILL NOT LIVE ETERNALLY WITH HIM IN HEAVEN THIS SHOULD BE A SPUR FOR US A MOTIVATION FOR US TO DO THIS GREAT THING AND SO JUST IF YOU WOULD TAKE A MOMENT CONSIDER WHO THE LORD MIGHT CALL YOU TO PRAY FOR THIS WEEK AND AS WE INCREASE THIS TASK OVER THE FOLLOWING WEEKS THAT THE LORD MIGHT IMBUE WITHIN YOU A HOPE THAT HIS WORD ACTUALLY TRANSFORMS IT ACTUALLY RENEWS AND WILL ACTUALLY DO THE WORK OF GROWING HIS KINGDOM EVEN HERE IN SUGAR HILL AMEN