WEBVTT 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:08.880 So we are finishing up a sermon series called Discipleship Matters. 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:10.160 Discipleship Matters. 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:11.279 Have you enjoyed this? 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.320 I know that it's been very good and helpful for me. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:21.359 As we went away as an elder team this last uh fall, we asked the Lord what we should focus on for 2026. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:25.120 And we felt like the Lord spoke the word crisis to us. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:30.960 Now, crisis, obviously on its just on the base level, sounds pretty scary. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:35.200 Sounds like something that we want to be uh extremely cautious about. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:38.079 But how many of you know crisis isn't something to be feared? 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:41.200 Crisis is just something that does happen. 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:48.320 If you live long enough in this life, you're going to face crisis of some point, some some type. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:01:02.640 And so as we asked the Lord for wisdom on how to address readiness when it comes to crisis that we might face, we felt like the Lord spoke to us that discipleship was one of the big keys to this, all right? 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:10.079 And we kind of walked away with this slogan, which is sharpened Christians are best equipped for crisis. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.680 Sharpened Christians are best equipped for crisis. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:27.599 It's easy to go through this life, sort of dull and uh and not really affected by anything that's going on and not inspired or uh, you know, passionate about anything. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:32.719 But I'm here to tell you that God desires for us as Christians to not live that way. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.200 He desires for us to be on the cutting edge. 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:41.200 He desires for us to be sharpened so that whatever might come our way, that we are prepared for it. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:42.079 Amen? 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:49.840 And so as we look at this idea of discipleship, we thought about Jesus, who is the greatest discipler of all time, right? 00:01:50.159 --> 00:02:00.239 And how he took a few ordinary men and walked with them and talked with them and prepared them to continue his work that he began so many years ago. 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:11.520 And how many of you realize that we are here today as a direct result of those followers of Jesus being obedient to the call of God when it comes to discipleship? 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:23.439 And so we're so grateful that Jesus was so wise and that the Trinity working together instituted this plan that we have the privilege now of carrying forward to the next generations. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:31.680 Um, it's not going to happen just by osmosis, it's not going to happen just because children are born into Christian homes. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:36.159 These are things that must be taught and must be caught as well. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:39.759 And so we have the privilege of helping with both of those things. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:45.599 So we've been looking at a journey of four steps that Jesus took with his disciples. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.639 And the first one, remember, was come and see. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:51.520 Come and see was all about invitation. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:03:06.080 Jesus was saying to the masses, come and see, check this out, see what the kingdom of God is all about as he healed the sick and raised the dead and cast out demons and uh caused fish and loaves to be multiplied to feed the masses. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:12.080 Come and see, come and experience, come and learn about this Jesus. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:16.000 And how many of you know there's a next step to that, and that is follow me? 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.560 And that's a deeper uh invitation. 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.199 It is an invitation to imitation. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:29.199 Come and see and follow me, learn from me, see what I do, hear what I say, and then you begin to do the same. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:30.080 Follow me. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:32.639 And then the third one was be with me. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.120 And be with me is all about transformation. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:36.800 It's about relationship. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:43.919 God doesn't just want us to have a static relationship with him, where he's up in heaven and we're here down on earth. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:48.319 He wants to have a continual developing relationship with us. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:04:00.159 And so he invites us to abide with him, to be with him, to experience things that he experiences, to learn of him, to know him, and for him to know us. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:09.039 And then fourthly, and this is the one we're going to focus on today, go for me is about multiplication, is about multiplication. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:18.480 We know that there are millions of people on the face of this earth, and probably even billions, who are followers of Jesus Christ. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.319 And we thank God for that. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:26.560 That is an example of this discipleship movement being multiplied and multiplied and multiplied. 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:38.560 And again, it is our time and our day and our destiny to walk in this newness of life so that we can be an example to other people and call them to follow Jesus. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:48.639 So last week, Kelly did a great job of helping us to understand that making disciples is literally the one thing that Jesus requires of us. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:53.680 It is the primary focus for us as believers in Jesus. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.519 We are called to make disciples. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:06.639 He reminded us through the be with me call of Jesus that true transformation comes in our lives as we walk in right relationship with God. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:16.399 And we know again that Jesus made a way for us to be in right relationship with God by the way that he lived his life by his death and resurrection, right? 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:28.079 And so today we're going to consider the fourth part of a natural discipleship progress progression or process as we look at Jesus' imperative to go for him. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:40.160 His desire was for the few disciples that he had poured his life into to pour their lives into others who would in turn pour their lives into others as well. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:44.079 So the title of today's message is Go for Me. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:45.680 Go for me. 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:52.480 We've been referring to a passage from the book of Matthew, chapter 28, called The Great Commission, and we've learned a lot from that. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:54.319 It's a theological treatise. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:06:02.720 It's an amazing passage, but we're going to look at its sister passage today, found in Mark chapter 16, verses 15 through 20. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:06.639 And this reads a little bit more like a playbook than a concept. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.639 So we're going to learn from this passage as well. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:13.439 So let's read Mark chapter 16, verses 15 through 20. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:21.680 And he said to them, this is Jesus speaking, go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:27.120 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:30.240 But whoever does not believe will be condemned. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:33.439 And these signs will accompany those who believe. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:07:07.360 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, and they went out and preached everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:08.959 Let us pray together. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:11.839 Father, we thank you for your wonderful word. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.199 And Lord, we thank you that you have called us. 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:18.000 And if you've called us, then you've equipped us. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:23.759 And so we ask, Lord, that you would help us to catch your heart for going for you. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:40.319 We pray that we would not be content to sit back and watch other people go for you, but it would be of our hearts and our mindset and our deliberation, Father, that it would be a part of us that we would go and make disciples. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:45.759 And Lord, we thank you for helping these words to come alive to us, helping us to learn from them. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:50.879 And Father, changing anything that you desire to change in Jesus' name. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:51.839 Amen. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:08:07.279 Imagine with me this group of people who's grown now to a little bit over 120, and they're all standing with Jesus, and Jesus is giving them sort of his farewell address, and he's getting ready to ascend into heaven. 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:12.319 Remember, these same people had observed him doing all of the things that I talked to you about before. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:15.279 They had heard the words of life that he had spoken. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:30.240 They had seen his way of living and learned from that, that he was not just all talk, but what the way that he lived, his heart, passion, everything that flowed out of him was a representation of his heavenly father, right? 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.080 Can you picture that? 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:35.279 Can you put yourself in that kind of scenario? 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:40.480 I wish that I could just for a few days experience what they experienced. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:48.320 And I know that we're going to have eternity to experience the presence of Jesus and to know him like he wants to be known fully, right? 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:56.080 But here on this earth, we have this privilege and opportunity to continue to know him, to get to know him, to operate in this realm. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:58.399 And so here's these disciples. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.039 We know that that was John the Beloved, right? 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:26.399 We know those poignant words that Jesus spoke from the cross as he looked at his mother Mary and said, Mary, this is your son, and to John, John, this is your mother. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:31.440 In other words, John, I'm asking you to help take care of my mom from now on. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:32.879 Imagine that. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:43.600 And so then you can, the devastation of having lost him, and he's buried, and he's in this tomb for three days, and then all of a sudden, he's raised from the dead. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:54.399 He appears to Mary Magdalene first, and then you know, Peter and John run to the tomb, and they he's he's not there, and an angel has to give them the news that they've already heard from Mary. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:10:06.559 And there's just all this excitement around the fact that Jesus, who had told them all along that this was the plan, actually fulfilled what he said that he was going to do. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:11.600 And they walked and they talked with him in a newness of life, right? 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:15.440 You can imagine it was like everything started to make sense. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:17.039 Everything started to come together. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:27.120 In fact, there's one passage that says that Jesus gathered together and he breathed into them the breath of life, and they became alive to God. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:35.120 They were born again as a part of the process of Jesus having died and being raised from the dead. 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:36.480 What a powerful thing. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:41.039 What an exciting thing to think about and just to wonder about. 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:45.919 Jesus shares in the context of all of that these final words. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.879 And final words are very important, aren't they? 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:52.639 Um and so this is what Jesus is saying before he ascends to heaven. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:54.080 So let's look at this closely. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:56.559 Number one, we are commanded to go. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:58.000 We are commanded to go. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:03.519 It says, go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:07.440 We are commanded to go, right? 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:11.919 Now, uh we've talked about this and rightfully so over the last few weeks. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:19.679 We've highlighted the fact that the largest imperative in the Matthew 28 passage is that we are to make disciples. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:23.440 So the verb make is very essential and very important. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:28.799 But that doesn't divorce us from the fact that we also need to be prepared to go. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:31.279 And as we are going, we've talked about that. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:35.200 As we are going, make disciples. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.279 Jesus is referring to the disciples. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.679 Remember, when he first called them, was what? 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:45.360 Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.080 What was Jesus' original intent? 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:54.639 He didn't hide anything, he didn't like ease them into it, he didn't wait until they were viable Christians. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:12:02.320 He started out this journey with them with the understanding that they were going to need to go fishing, right? 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:07.600 They were going to need to go fishing for men, for people. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:12.399 And this is what he's now calling them in this address to embrace. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:16.720 And just as he is calling them, we are also commanded to go. 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.720 You and I are commanded to go. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:28.320 And we have Mark and Amy Medley right now that are in Poland and getting ready to go to India and Sri Lanka, and they are obey, they are obeying the order to go. 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:30.639 They're doing that, they're on the front lines. 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:37.440 Pastor Neil and I are going to be leaving on Thursday to go to Puerto Rico because it's just too cold here. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:45.440 Actually, we're going there to minister to a group of churches that are a part of Master Builders. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:47.840 And Neil has had a longtime connection with them. 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:55.279 And I just feel so privileged to be invited along to go along to be a help to him and also to get to share with some of the churches there. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.799 So we'll be gone just for a few days over this weekend. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:01.600 So we we do covet your prayers concerning that. 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:03.759 But how many of you know you don't have to go? 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:18.480 Uh, and uh Max just got back from Ukraine, spent some time there, and uh his wife was asking him to get lower in the building because there were things happening in the skies that uh indicated to a wife that it would be best for him to be lower in the building. 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:24.639 And that's completely natural and normal and human, and uh, and what my wife would be saying to me as well. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:30.159 So, but he went because he he has this call to go, to go. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:32.159 And I could go on and on and on. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:40.480 Uh Kayla's here, the Ellis's, we could just go on and on about all of the people within this body who heed the call to go. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:45.200 But how many of you know going doesn't require a stamp on your passport? 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:52.720 How many of you know when you leave this building and head out the doors, you are going somewhere. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.840 So as you are going, guess what we get the privilege of doing? 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:00.080 Make disciples. 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:03.840 We are commanded to go and preach the gospel. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:05.200 Preach the gospel. 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.039 That's the second part of this. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:12.559 We will not make disciples of Jesus Christ just by being nice to them. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:14.799 To people. 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.759 Now, is it good to be nice to people? 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:19.200 Absolutely. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:32.799 You know, some of the nicest people I've ever met are Mormons and Jehovah's Witness and others who are living a works kind of religion that says that you have to be good in order to achieve some kind of ranking in heaven, right? 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:35.759 So being good itself is not enough. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:38.480 It's important, but it's not enough. 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:44.480 Our goal always must be to speak the message of Jesus Christ. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:50.000 Our goal is not to preach ourselves, it's not to preach our church. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:54.639 Our goal is to preach the gospel message of Jesus Christ. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:58.960 The Apostle Paul spoke boldly about this in Romans 1:16. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:14:59.919 You guys know this? 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:11.279 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:20.240 The gospel itself is laced with power that God uses to cause dead souls to come alive. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:28.399 And we as believers in Jesus Christ have the privilege of sharing this gospel message with others. 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:35.120 You see, God uses the message of the gospel to save us, to transform us, and keep us. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:46.000 He saves us, he transforms us, and he keeps us, and he uses the grace message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to do all of these things. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.000 Paul further defines the message of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15. 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:51.200 Read this with me. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:59.840 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preach to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved. 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:02.240 So you see the sort of progression of that? 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:06.639 You were saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved by this message. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:11.679 If you hold fast to the word, I preach to you, unless you believed in vain. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:21.360 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scripture. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:24.639 Do we need to understand, first of all, that we are sinners? 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:28.000 Do people need to understand that they are sinners? 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:32.559 Or do they just need to hear that God loves you and has a great plan for your life? 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:40.799 That is true, but we must start with the fact that we are sinners desperately in need of grace, right? 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:43.919 So Jesus, this Paul is wrapping this up. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:46.080 He's sort of giving the first importance things. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:55.120 Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scripture, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scripture. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:11.920 The fact that Jesus came to this earth, lived a perfect life, died and took our sins upon himself on the cross, that he was buried in a borrowed tomb, and on the third day that he rose again, proving that he had defeated Satan, hell, and the grave. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:15.920 This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:16.880 Amen. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:26.480 So the gospel is not based on my work, it's not based on my words alone, it's not based only on my lifestyle. 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:31.519 The gospel is the good news of work that's already been done. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:36.000 How many of you know Jesus is not going to go back to the cross? 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.240 You may think, you may look around this world and say, well, maybe we needed another. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.759 No, no, no, no, no. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.920 It was once and for all. 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:47.119 Jesus was the final sacrifice. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:18:02.960 If you read the book of Hebrews, you can't help but be just overwhelmed with the idea that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice to bring about salvation to those who don't deserve it. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.640 The gospel is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ. 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:11.759 It is the grace of God that gives us the ability to walk in newness of life. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:15.839 It's not my own ability, it's not my own desire, even. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:17.599 It is the grace of God. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:22.400 It is God's ability in me to do what I can't do in my own strength. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:25.200 How many of you tried to be good without God? 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:32.000 And even if you could outwardly be good, how many of you know on the inside what happened? 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:33.519 We were not good. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.480 We were not good. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:38.559 We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:44.000 So we are commanded as followers of Jesus to go and as we're going to what? 00:18:44.240 --> 00:19:00.160 Preach the gospel to the ones that we really like, to the ones that speak our language, to the ones that look like us, to the ones that we share party affiliation with. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:04.000 To what does it say? 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:05.680 To all. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:07.119 To all. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:20.000 The gospel of Jesus Christ is intended to be preached to every tribe, every nation, every language, and every people for all time. 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:29.519 You may be disappointed in heaven if those people out there bother you, because some of those people are going to be in heaven. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:37.119 Because Jesus came to save all who would turn from their ways and believe in him. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:57.279 This all includes those that we love and those who we wouldn't naturally be drawn to, and those that we would like to purposely avoid those people in our lives that annoy us, that bother us, that we would honestly say, I'm not really even sure that I care if they're a Christian or not. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:00.240 God cares. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:03.920 We don't get to choose who the Lord saves. 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:08.640 That's his job, and we get to participate with him. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.640 How many of you know he's God all by himself? 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:17.839 And his choices are right and pure and holy and good. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:30.240 And our job as followers of Jesus, remember, we're followers of Jesus, is to follow him and follow his leading and his guiding, his example, his way of doing things. 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:33.920 The Lord saves and we get to participate with him. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.079 So what is the proper response? 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:43.039 The proper response to the gospel of Jesus Christ is to repent and believe. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:46.480 God does his good work that only he can do. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:18.559 And our proper response, every person's proper response to Jesus is not just to go to church. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:25.119 It's not just to read the Bible, it's not just to pray, it's not any of those things, although those things will follow. 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:31.839 The response, the proper response to a holy God is to repent and believe. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:40.319 In our passage, it said, Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:47.279 The only sin that will ultimately send somebody to hell is the sin of unbelief. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:54.799 Not believing in Jesus Christ is the sin that sends people to hell. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.759 It is the epitome, unbelief. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.319 Is the epitome of darkness. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:06.000 It is what the God of this world uses to blind minds. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:13.599 There are people that are in your lives right now that are infiltrated, that are overwhelmed by unbelief. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:25.359 God has called us as the Church of Jesus Christ to not shrink back, to not be like those people who don't believe, but we are called to be believers in Jesus Christ. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:39.200 And as we are believers, to preach the gospel to all, and their response based on the work of God working in their hearts and us helping them in the process is for them to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:44.240 Our prayer needs to be: please, if you pray nothing else, pray this. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:52.079 God, would you open the eyes of the blind that they might see you as you truly are? 00:22:53.279 --> 00:23:00.160 Many times, as I've witnessed to people, I've gotten to a point where it's obvious that they were finished with the conversation. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:03.119 And I would, I would say, do you know what I mean? 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:08.559 By the way, you learn some social cues. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:17.519 I mean, we as believers don't need to be, we don't need to walk away from conversations all the time with people feeling like that's why I'm not a Christian, right? 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:29.359 So you make sure that we're we're being sensitive and thinking about the person that we're speaking to, and not just like we're not just talking at them, we're talking to them. 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:40.000 So many times in evangelism, what I've seen people do wrong, including myself at times, is talking at people about something instead of talking to them about your best friend. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:48.319 We have no problem talking about our favorite movie, our favorite restaurant, our favorite book, our favorite whatever it is. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:53.440 But sometimes we even get religious when we start talking about Jesus, right? 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:59.119 So let's make sure that we're we're we're we're being cautious in the way that we do that. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:06.720 But one of the things I will ask people is, would you mind if I prayed that God would reveal Himself to you in a very practical way? 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:12.240 I've I 95% of people have said, sure, you pray that. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:23.599 And boy, that's when I go deep into the well of the spirit on the inside of me, and I by faith pray and ask God to show this person who he is. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:26.079 How many of you know God is up to that challenge? 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:30.720 Like that's not a prayer that he is like, oh, don't pray that. 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:32.799 I'm not ready to do that. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:35.599 No, he loves to hear that prayer. 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:43.200 And when a person opens himself up enough to at least allow you to pray that prayer over them, God moves. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:45.920 God moves, right? 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:54.720 Can I give you a little bit of relief this morning? 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.319 It's not our job to save anyone. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:02.480 My job is not to save anyone. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:05.599 I can't save anyone. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:08.000 I can't save myself. 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:09.039 Right? 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:10.799 That is God's job. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:22.319 It is our job to share the truth of the gospel, which calls mankind to repent of their sins and put their faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:25.839 Jesus Himself made this very clear in Mark chapter 1. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:29.119 We're going to be reading this as part of our small circle groups. 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:36.400 Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, proclaiming the gospel. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:38.000 And what are the words he was using? 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:42.000 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:45.680 Repent and believe in the gospel. 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:49.440 Repent, turn away from. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:51.920 Repentance is really not a spiritual term at all. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.799 It's a natural term. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:59.920 It means you're going on the interstate and you realize you've gone one exit too far, or maybe a lot of exits too far. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:01.359 And what do you do? 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:04.240 You get off the exit and you get on the other direction. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.079 You're going north, I'd say. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.920 You were going south and you turn and you start going north, right? 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:12.480 That is repentance. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:16.400 It means recognizing my need to change. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.480 This isn't working. 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:21.680 What I've tried up until this point is not working. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:23.519 I need help. 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:25.119 I need a savior. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:29.039 And then we put our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:40.480 You see, the word conversion, theological word, is our willing response to the gospel in which we sincerely repent of our sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation. 00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:56.960 And I don't want to leave this morning without making a declaration here that some of us have grown up in church our whole lives, some of us have been around Christianity time and time again, but you may not yet have actually done this. 00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:59.200 You may not yet have been converted. 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:06.559 You may not have responded to the truth of Jesus Christ by repenting of your sins and putting your faith in Jesus Christ. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:09.039 I encourage you, don't let today pass. 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:11.920 We're not promised another day. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:14.480 Today is the day of salvation. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:17.680 Choose this day whom you will serve. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:27.279 Now he also mentions baptism in this passage, and I want to make it clear: baptism is the outward testimony of what God's doing on the inside of a person. 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:32.799 It's showing outwardly that I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:37.599 I have been transformed and I am being transformed by the grace of God. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:39.839 I'm being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:45.839 And I want the whole world to know that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:49.440 Our prayer this year is not just for discipleship. 00:27:49.680 --> 00:28:02.079 Our prayer is to have tons of baptisms, because that means that people have become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ who want to take it public, right? 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:09.839 We understand it's not a requirement in order to get into heaven, but it should be practiced by all believers. 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:18.559 If you have another moment in this life where you're able to physically and you get saved, you should be baptized. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:24.160 Does that make sense? 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:27.599 It should be a high priority in our lives. 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:31.039 So if you haven't yet been baptized, I'll never forget. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:35.359 Just remember just a few weeks ago, Ryan stepping into the waters of baptism. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:36.880 And man, what a powerful thing. 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.480 And he wasn't even feeling great. 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:41.279 And yet God met him right there in the water. 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:48.559 And we not only do that, but we lay hands on people and pray that the Holy Spirit will fill them up during the time of baptism. 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:55.519 So if you haven't been baptized yet, I encourage you, first of all, make sure you're a believer in Jesus Christ. 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:58.640 Second of all, let's get baptized. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:02.160 So the Holy Spirit empowers believers who go. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:05.599 It says, and these signs will accompany those who believe. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:08.559 In my name, they will cast out demons. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:13.920 Steve and Mary, I don't they don't want to just be known as those people, right? 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:23.039 There's it's it's the they are continuing the healing ministry of Jesus, which does at times include setting people free, right? 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:25.680 So don't think of them just as those people. 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:30.319 But they do operate in that, and they're going to teach people how to operate in that particular gift. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:32.559 They will speak in new tongues. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:39.200 How many of you know one of the signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the ability to speak with other tongues? 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:48.799 And not everybody has that particular gift, but Paul says you should want it, you should desire for it, you should covet it, you should ask for it sincerely. 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:50.640 And God loves it to give it. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.920 They will speak in new tongues, they will pick up serpents with their hands. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:55.279 All right, ushers. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:01.279 Yeah, I know. 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:06.000 James, James is James is an he has some snakes. 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:07.039 So anyway, yeah. 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:09.759 And he is one of our ushers, so he can literally do that. 00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:15.920 But anyway, obviously, this is talking about two things, in my opinion, and a lot of people agree. 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:30.000 It's talking about uh the authority that we've been given by Jesus Christ over demonic entities and spirits that would try to influence and affect and destroy, damage, whatever the case is. 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:33.519 But it's also talking about protection that God provides. 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:38.480 The safest place for us to be is on mission with God. 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.640 Did you hear me? 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:47.039 The safest place for us to be is on mission with God where He's called us to be on mission with Him. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:47.759 Right? 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:57.440 That's why I have full confidence that Mark and Amy, even though they're going to be going into some very difficult places over the next several weeks, and encourage you to continue to pray for them. 00:30:57.599 --> 00:31:00.319 They're on mission for God and they've been sent by God. 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:08.799 And so they're literally the safest place on the planet for them right now, is obeying God in that way. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:13.039 So the Holy Spirit empowers people to pick up serpents. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:15.440 If they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:22.559 Again, we're not going to practice on that, but God can protect us, He can keep us safe. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:24.240 He's able to do that, right? 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:32.880 And there are stories from early church history where the attempt was made to destroy believers by poisoning them, that God protected them. 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:42.559 We know the story of the serpents, where Paul reached down to pick up the firewood, and the serpent attached itself to his hand, and the people waited for him to fall over dead and he didn't die. 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:46.240 And then they tried to worship him, and he had to fix all of that. 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:53.759 Um, and then it says, uh, it will not hurt them, they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:57.359 Does this say pastors will lay hands on the sick and they will recover? 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:01.920 Does it say prophets, evangelists, does it say apostles, does it say missionaries? 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:08.480 It says believers, believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. 00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:16.880 One of the greatest open door opportunities with people is praying for them, that God would touch them and heal them. 00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:19.599 I know that many of you have experienced that. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.480 And so I encourage you, let's let's step out in faith. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:27.920 Even if it feels like the last 30 people we prayed for didn't get healed. 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:30.160 How many of you know God hasn't changed? 00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:34.720 He's still a great healer, and he wants us to step out on faith, right? 00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:41.680 It would be depressing in a way if all we were left with was a message, the message of the gospel. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:44.160 But how many of you know we have so much more than that? 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:50.640 Jesus came to display the kingdom of God in word and deed, and he trained his disciples to do the same thing. 00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:55.440 He made it clear that it was better for him to go to his father so he could what? 00:32:55.680 --> 00:33:03.599 Send the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit would not only dwell among them or with them, but he would dwell in them. 00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:10.079 The same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in us. 00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:13.519 And as we go, he goes with us. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:23.599 Acts 1:8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:28.559 What is one of the primary reasons that the Holy Spirit empowers us? 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:33.039 He empowers us to be a witness for Jesus Christ. 00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:39.519 We have no way today in the time that we're allotted to talk about all of the benefits of the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:43.200 But suffice it to say, we can't do it without him. 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:44.240 Amen. 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:48.160 And the next part is we never go alone. 00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:50.000 We never go alone. 00:33:50.160 --> 00:34:03.119 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, and they went out and preached everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:15.440 So here we have Jesus ascending into heaven, the ascended Savior who's been given the name above every other name, continues his work on this earth through believers like you and like me. 00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:18.719 He partners with us in order to fulfill his mission. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:27.360 He continues to work with us, and he confirms the message of the gospel that we preach by performing miracles, signs, and wonders. 00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:30.800 And how many of you know the greatest miracle of all is what? 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:34.800 I once was lost, and now I'm found. 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:40.079 The miracle of salvation, of regeneration. 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:45.119 I once was dead, and now I live again. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:52.159 You see, Jesus isn't just asking us to go for him, he's asking us to go with him. 00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:53.760 To go with him. 00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:56.079 Remember, it's his mission. 00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:57.519 It's his mission. 00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:01.760 And we get to walk with him in the fulfilling of this mission. 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:05.920 So let's finish up by talking about as we're going, we shine the light. 00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:10.239 Matthew 5, as you know, we just did a series on the Sermon on the Mount. 00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:11.440 You are the light of the world. 00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:19.920 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:29.679 In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:32.880 Can we be real for the next few minutes? 00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:37.119 Can we get down to the very bottom line of all of this? 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:42.960 You see, it's not an option for us to shine the light as believers in Jesus Christ. 00:35:43.280 --> 00:35:44.800 It's not optional. 00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:50.320 We don't get to choose to engage or not engage in this process. 00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:54.079 We are the light of the world. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:36:03.920 We are called to be a reflection of the light of Jesus in our hearts and shining brightly his reflection to the world around us. 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:14.320 Now there's a lot of temptation to embrace resistance to this, to sit back and to think about when Jesus is going to return. 00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:16.880 And how many of you are thankful that he is going to return? 00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:20.320 And we should be waiting for and looking for his returning. 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:31.280 But we're our job here on this earth, as long as we have a breath left in us, is not finished until he comes or we pass from this life to the next. 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:37.440 Satan attempts to do everything he can to keep us from being obedient to the call to go. 00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:40.559 He will do anything he can to distract us. 00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:49.039 He loves darkness because he is darkness, and he wants everyone else to live in darkness forever and ever. 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:53.280 This is true and this is real. 00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:56.960 So let's look at some potential barriers to going as we finish up. 00:36:57.199 --> 00:37:01.440 The first potential barrier to going is the comfort of community. 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:05.760 How many of you have heard the saying, us for and no more? 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:20.159 It's very easy for us to slip into a subtle brand of this where we're thinking about only ourselves and only those that are around us when we walk closely, exclusively with those who think like us, who believe like us? 00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:25.679