WEBVTT 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:05.599 All right, good morning everyone. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:11.759 So I'm Tyler, I'm the lead pastor here at Trinity, and I'm looking forward to bringing the word to you this morning. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:19.120 Um, I did want you to know that next week we're going to be starting a brand new sermon series called Faith, Hope, and Love. 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:29.440 And we're going to be taking passages from Scripture and expositing them and then preaching from those things concerning those three key elements. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:38.880 One of the things that we felt like the Lord spoke to us for this year is that we needed to be uh strengthened so that whatever crisis we might face, that we'd be able to stand. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:50.399 And so we're gonna um one of the one of the key things that helps us to do that are these three elements of the character of God and also practices that we get to practice in this life by his grace. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:52.880 So faith, hope, and love, right? 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:56.159 So please be a part of that starting next Sunday. 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:06.959 Okay, so if you were able to read the message that we sent out to the church this week, um, you know that we're gonna be talking about a transition in our leadership team today. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:11.280 And but before I announce that change, I want you to know something. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.239 It's gonna be all right. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:16.400 It's gonna be good. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:30.560 God is with us, God loves this church, and his purpose and his plan for this church and for the individuals who are part of this church, is it's everything is in his hands, and he's very capable of caring for us. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:31.280 Amen? 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.239 So let's remember that above all else. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:36.799 None of this has taken God by surprise. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:42.079 In fact, he's the one who's initiated and led it and caused it to come to fruition. 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:42.560 Okay? 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:52.640 So as I was praying about how to start this service out in preparation of the announcement, I was reminded of a passage that we recently read in our Bible reading plan. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:54.879 And this is found in Acts chapter 16. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.200 If you want to look there, Acts 16, verses 6 through 10. 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:03.840 Um, and the the title of today's message is Answering the Call of God. 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:06.400 Answering the call of God. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:08.000 Let's read the word together. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:15.759 And they went through the region of Fergia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:23.280 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:29.439 So passing by Messiah, they went down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:37.759 A man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:48.319 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:50.400 Let's pray together. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:52.560 Father, we thank you for today. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.000 We thank you for what you've already done here today. 00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:04.159 We thank you, Lord, for this sense of community that we've heard about and that we are experiencing even in this moment. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:15.840 And so, Father, we ask that you would speak to us, that you would uh that you would calm us, that you would cause us to know that we can trust you above all else. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:26.159 And Father, we just pray in Jesus' name that your perfect will would be done and that we would be willing to yield to your will, even when at times it's hard. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.960 And we thank you for that in Jesus' name. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:29.919 Amen. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:38.639 So I wanted to remind you a few weeks ago, Pastor Kelly brought an amazing message to us, and it was called Yes, Changes Everything. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:44.800 And I want you to know that he brought that message to us before we knew anything was about ready to change. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.439 So God knew and God put that on his heart. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:54.319 We were going through this summer and we were doing pastor's choice sermons, and that's the particular one that God put on Kelly's heart. 00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.639 Um, he reminded us that we can develop our spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, right? 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:14.479 And some of the ways that we can do that are through studying the scriptures, having quiet time with God, and also making sure that we're listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit and saying yes when he asks us to do something. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:19.759 And God will often confirm what he's saying to us through other means, right? 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:34.000 He'll use other opportunities, other people, scriptures, uh, you know, somebody something that we see on uh on Christian, well, there's not a lot of Christian television anymore, but that we listen to on the radio or we hear a song or something like that. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:43.519 Somebody in our family says something to us, somebody sends us a text, and all of these things are sort of confirming to us that what God is saying is accurate. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:46.959 And so then we can step out on faith, right? 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:53.199 So faith requires us to take the risk to do whatever he says to do. 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:56.319 Faith requires us to take the risk, right? 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:59.279 How many of you know it is an adventure with God? 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:03.680 And it's something that we should embrace and not run away from. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:17.759 Walking with God and working with God and living with God is the best life that we can ever imagine, not only in this life, but especially in the life to come when everything will be made right again. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:18.639 Amen. 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:28.639 Last week, Mark also gave us a prophetic message that God had given to him while he was in France, before we really knew what was going on here at all. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.360 And so he brought that to us last week. 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:32.959 And it was really interesting. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:35.839 It was all about the fact that we can either be a what? 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:44.079 We can either be a river that flows and produces life and health, or we can be a bog. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:50.480 We can be a bog that is uh that produces life, but it's not the kind of life that's sustaining, is it? 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:54.480 It's the kind of life that is ingrown and dangerous. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:06:03.120 It's the kind of life that attempts to really destroy us and to keep us stuck when God doesn't intend for us to be stuck at all, right? 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:14.079 And so we learn from all of that that God has desired and declared TCC to be a resource church that is a river and not a bog. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:19.040 God has called us to be a river church and not a bog church. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:19.920 Amen? 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:22.160 Are you with me on that? 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:25.120 All right, because that affects you personally too. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:33.279 That's not just for the church as a whole, that's for each and every one of us as individuals, for us as families, community groups. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:41.040 Everything that we do here at the church, we need to understand God has called us to be obedient to him and to be a river. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:46.399 One of the ways that we do that is that we understand that this is how we're supposed to live. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.519 And Mark sort of brought this up in his message as well. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.759 But what does this posture say? 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:55.040 This posture says, God, I'm open to you. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:07:00.079 I'm open to you to give you whatever it is that you ask from me. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:06.879 And I'm also open to you to receive from you anything that you desire to give to me, right? 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.959 And a church that is healthy lives this way. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:13.439 And we're attempting to do that. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:14.879 Are we completely there? 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:20.800 Sometimes I feel like we're we're part way there or we're, you know, we're indifferent, but we want to live. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.759 This is how we want our expression to be. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:25.759 We want to live this way, right? 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:31.519 And uh, and each and every one of us as individuals want to live that way as well. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:37.120 So the church at Antioch, where Paul was headquartered, was a river church. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.199 They understood this concept. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:45.040 They oftentimes would send their very best to do the work of God around the world. 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.439 And they understood that that was God's purpose. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:53.439 Part of the reason that he gave them the ability to train people up, to raise people up, to prepare. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:59.519 And also they were very spirit-led in the way that they came to those decisions. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:08.879 They fasted, they prayed, they sought the Lord, and the Lord showed them who it was amongst them that they were supposed to send out from them, right? 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.639 And like I said, oftentimes they sent their very best. 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:14.399 They sent their very best. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:19.519 They didn't like look for somebody who had really little to no effect within the church life. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:33.759 They said, okay, from the from the one who is most uh visible, the one who has the most kind of contact and and uh uh you know makes progress within the church, let's choose them. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:38.720 And let's, by the Spirit, let's let the spirit choose them and we will send them out. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:46.159 And so in our passage today, Paul is embarking on his second missionary journey, and this time he's leaving with Silas. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:55.279 Paul and Silas are heading out on this journey, and their original plan was to revisit the churches that were planted on the first missionary journey, right? 00:08:55.519 --> 00:09:01.519 So they were gonna go to the south of Antioch and they were gonna go and visit the pre-existing churches. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:06.159 Um, this would have been, like I said, south of Antioch in a place called Asia Minor. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.279 And so as they set off, that was what was in their mindset. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:13.919 But I want us to learn from them that while they were going, they were given direction. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:17.039 While they were going, they were given direction. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:23.840 So many times in our lives, we want to sit and wait for God to speak to us. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.000 We want to wait and wait and wait. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:30.399 And how many of you know we can grow very comfortable in the waiting? 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:40.799 We can become so comfortable that we our recliner is permanently pulled back and you can't even push it forward anymore. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:44.480 We are we are in it to win it. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:50.879 We are sitting there, we are waiting, we're waiting, and it can even seem very spiritual, the waiting. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:10:02.799 And I'm not saying that we should get ahead of God, don't mishear me this morning, but I am saying that we can have the wrong posture when it comes to what we're called to be as believers and how we're supposed to live our lives. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:07.120 And so in this case, um, like I said, we've grown comfortable at times. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:13.279 Often he speaks to us about direction a lot more clearly when we're busy about the Father's business. 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:18.639 A lot of times people ask me the question, how do you know who you're supposed to be witnessing to? 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:26.399 And my answer, and I have I haven't given this to everyone, but I'm giving it to you right now, is who has the Lord placed in front of you? 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:33.519 Because every person that he's placed in front of you is an opportunity for us to share the gospel with. 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:34.320 Amen? 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:42.879 We don't have to wait for a from a you know for a voice from heaven or for you know for you to listen to another one of our sermons or something like that. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:55.039 If God has placed somebody in front of you, and especially if they start to ask you questions that are spiritual questions, it's a pretty good sign that God wants you to speak to them. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:11:03.519 Remember, we started this year in a passage from Matthew 28, and I want to read reread that uh 28, 19 and 20. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.440 It says, Go therefore, what? 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:23.200 Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:27.360 These were some of the last words that Jesus gave to his disciples. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.360 And this was the commissioning. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:31.200 This is called the Great Commission. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:38.080 And what it really reads in the Greek, it reads like this While you are going, make disciples. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:41.200 While you are going, make disciples. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:43.279 Do you see what that what that indicates? 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:53.919 It indicates movement, it indicates uh purpose, it indicates uh strategic thinking, it indicates looking for opportunities, right? 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.279 And so that's what's happening with this apostolic team. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:02.480 The Holy Spirit is forbids them from going where they first wanted to go. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:04.559 He forbid them. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:06.399 That's strong, right? 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:10.639 We need to listen to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:13.440 They they knew not to go south, so what do they do? 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:15.919 If you're not gonna go south, where are you gonna go? 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:17.120 Let's go north. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.360 So they started heading north, right? 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:27.279 And they're heading north, and as they get to the north, it says the Spirit of Jesus didn't allow them to go any further. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:34.320 So now they've gone south, they've gone north, they weren't ready to go east yet, and so there's one place left. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.320 Where's where did they go? 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:41.600 They purposed to go west and they headed west and they stopped in Troaz. 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:46.320 And Troaz is about 10 miles from the ancient city of Troy. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:47.759 Some of you may know that. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:51.600 There's been some recent movies that have highlighted that spec that area, right? 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:55.759 But they could no longer travel by land, so they came up against the sea. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:57.200 They're in Troaz. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:06.879 They've tried everything that they know possibly to do, they've gone in every direction that they know that they that they could go, and now they're up against an impasse. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:12.720 When they were at an impasse, God showed them where he needed them. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:23.519 Sometimes in our lives, we're actually directed by coming up against a wall, coming up against something that seems like I don't know where to go. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:24.960 I don't know where to turn. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.120 I'm not sure which direction to look. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:30.080 I don't know, you know, I there's nothing behind me. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:37.440 Uh, you know, I can't go, I know I can't go to my left, I can't go to my right, and to go forward is gonna cost me something. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:38.879 It's gonna cost me a lot. 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:41.279 I'm gonna have to leave some things behind. 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:43.840 I'm gonna have to be willing to take a voyage. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:48.960 I'm gonna have to be willing to get in a boat when I've been on land up until this point. 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:52.159 It says, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:59.840 A man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:02.159 Like I said, they didn't know where to go. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:05.279 They didn't, they were up against this impasse. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:11.039 And uh, how many times in our lives do we face similar challenges? 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:18.559 How many times, if you recount your own journey, have you felt like that you came up against this kind of a situation? 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:24.240 We've reached the extent of our knowledge, or we've come up against what seems like a strong barrier. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.679 We can often feel stuck in moments like this. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:35.919 Anybody know what I'm talking about, where you just feel like stuck, you feel like sort of useless in some ways, right? 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:41.519 And it can be discouraging, it can cause confusion at times when we face a place like that. 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:46.080 But how many of you know God doesn't intend for us to remain there in that space? 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:53.600 God desires to make it clear what his purpose is for our lives in any given moment. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:58.639 But a lot of times he doesn't show us the end of the story. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:01.519 How many of you have experienced that with God? 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.120 It's usually one or two steps ahead of you that God shows you. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:11.279 He lights the path in front of you, but he doesn't light it a mile down the road or two miles down the road. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:14.639 He's like, would you be faithful to take this next step? 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:18.320 Would you be faithful to step over this situation? 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:23.600 Would you be faithful to reorient yourself a little bit and to move with me? 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:24.559 Right? 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:31.279 That's the way God, at least with me, that's the way I've experienced God working more than not, right? 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:40.879 So God loves to use these kinds of moments to supernaturally show up and show us what his plan is for what's uh what his plan. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:47.600 And by the way, God didn't change his plan through all of that, through all of Paul and Silas's journey. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:49.919 God didn't change his plan, he had a plan. 00:15:50.480 --> 00:16:02.879 But he was, they were exercising, taking risks, stepping out, trying these different things until they got to the point to where they understood clearly, God showed them clearly clearly what they were supposed to do. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:04.399 That's what happened to him. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:05.360 He had a vision. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:16.000 We talked about Jeremiah having a vision, Paul had a vision, and uh he saw a man of Macedonia, and this is an unreached people group at this point. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:25.200 And and he sees this man of Macedonia begging him, pleading with him, urging him to come over to Macedonia and help them. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:26.559 Right? 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:30.080 What an amazing image, what an amazing picture. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:35.200 God made it very clear to Paul what it was that the next step was for him. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.720 So they responded with immediate obedience. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:58.080 So they're kind of trying to find their way, they're stepping out, they're trying these different things, they're going with God, and now that they have the plan, it says, and when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:05.200 I'm gonna ask the parents in the room, how many of you require first-time obedience of your children? 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.960 Let me say it this way. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:15.279 How many of you know that it's the right thing to require first-time obedience of your children? 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:15.839 Right? 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:16.559 Amen. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.599 How many of us need some help in that? 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:20.880 Right? 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.680 We could just take about an hour right now and pray for the parents in the room. 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:29.440 I can feel I can feel your angst at that very moment. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:30.559 But it's interesting. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.200 Sometimes it's not very complicated. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:38.640 The things that we teach our children are the things that we need to pay attention to concerning God. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:41.200 Because how many of you know He is our Father? 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:55.920 He is, and He loves us, and He does everything that He does for our benefit, even though it may not feel like it's for our benefit, even though it may not feel good in the moment, how many of you know it's all good? 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:00.079 If it's God, then it's good, right? 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:07.920 And so in this same case, God is requiring of this band of brothers to immediately obey Him. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.200 And they do that very thing. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.920 And at this point, they've picked up a couple of passengers. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:15.920 So it's Paul and Silas and young Timothy joins with them. 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:21.519 And also Luke, the author of the book of Acts, joins with them on this trip. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:27.039 And let's not forget, did you notice something in the reading of these four four verses, five verses? 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:31.039 Did you notice the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are all mentioned? 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:38.000 God didn't ask Paul and Silas and Luke and Timothy to go anywhere without them. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:44.319 Because the Lord went with them and he went before them to prepare the way for them. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:46.559 Amen. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:58.000 So they joined forces together and immediately went into Macedonia to spread the gospel in modern day Greece, which was the gate opener to Europe. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.599 And here's my theory. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:11.200 I believe that there was a nasty group of people with the last name lined that were in Europe that really needed to hear the gospel. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:26.640 And so God sent Paul and Silas and Luke and Timothy to a place called Macedonia so that eventually, one day, these low-down, dirty dog kind of people would be able to hear the truth and repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:29.039 Now I can sense some judgment in the room. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.880 You're agreeing with me too much. 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:39.119 I looked around historically, and some of your caves were next to my family's caves. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.559 So let's put our stones down right now, all right? 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:45.279 We all needed Jesus. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:54.559 And aren't you glad that God saw fit to send missionaries out to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ? 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:58.079 You see, it isn't enough to know the will of God. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.160 Wouldn't it be great if that was enough? 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:01.519 Oh, yeah, I know the will of God. 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:03.440 It's amazing, it's great. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.960 You should do it. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.400 No, I'm serious. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:07.359 You should really do it. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:10.720 I'm not doing it, but I would encourage you to do it, right? 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:14.799 But it's not enough to just know the will of God. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:19.359 It is through willful obedience that God is truly glorified. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:25.759 And by the way, our our main purpose in this life is to bring glory to God. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:37.599 And so we have the opportunity to do that whenever we willfully obey the voice of God, when we obey him and follow after his will. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:39.920 So, what was the result of this? 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:50.319 Obviously, uh, you remember the story of Lydia, who had a group of seekers who were asking for clarity and understanding of what the scriptures said. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:59.440 And Paul shows up and Silas and they preached the gospel to them, and Lydia was baptized, and that whole group was set on fire with the Holy Spirit. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:08.799 We also know that there was a woman with an evil spirit that got set free, and the people weren't happy about that because she was a fortune teller and she made them a lot of money. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.400 And so Paul and Silas got thrown into prison in Philippi. 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:16.000 And when they were in prison at midnight, what did they do? 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:22.160 They began to praise and worship God and sing songs of worship to Him. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:38.240 And suddenly there was an earthquake, and the earthquake opened up all of the um the thank you, Sandy, the doors of the prison, and also removed the shackles from their hands and from their feet. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:46.240 And remember the jailer, uh, as he was shaken by this and he looked around and realized that everybody could have escaped. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:52.319 He drew his sword to end his own life, knowing that the Romans would do far worse to him. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:56.559 And yet Paul cries out and says, Wait a minute, don't do that. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.240 We're all still here. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.680 I'm not sure why. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:04.640 That's actually, you want to talk about a miracle. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:08.559 That may be the biggest miracle of that whole story, that they all remained. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:09.839 But guess what? 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:12.480 Paul and Silas were released from prison. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:15.119 The jailer invited them into his house. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:19.519 And the jailer and his whole household got saved. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:21.279 What an amazing story. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:23.119 And all of these things are happening. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.839 Why? 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:33.839 Because of obedience, because of willful obedience, because they stepped out on faith, because they moved past what seemed like a block, what seemed like an impasse. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:39.119 And they said, God, we will follow you wherever you lead us. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:45.920 They also saw many pagan idolatrous people saved by the grace of God. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:23:03.519 They preached the gospel that Jesus was sent from heaven because of his father's love for humanity and that he lived a perfect life that none of us could live, and that he took upon himself the sins of the world, and that he allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:10.480 And as he was there, he cried out, Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing, and it is finished. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:18.799 We also know that he was placed in a borrowed tomb, and three days later that he rose from the dead because of the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:30.400 We know that he walked and talked with over 500 people before he ascended into heaven and was placed at the right hand of his heavenly father and was given the name above every other name. 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:38.960 We also know that he sent the Holy Spirit to the earth to not only dwell among humanity, but to live in us. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:46.400 And that we, human beings, can be saved by grace through faith. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:55.440 Because of the Father's work and because of us placing our faith in what God has done, we can become children of God. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:03.440 This is the gospel that Paul and Silas and the rest of their group preached everywhere that they went. 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:10.319 Many churches were established in many places where there had never been a Christian church. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:12.400 And you know the interesting part of the story? 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:20.240 At the end of their journey, they were able to circulate down around south again and revisit the churches that had been planted in the first journey. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:22.799 It wasn't that God didn't want them to do that. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:25.759 It's just his timing was important. 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:36.079 The second question that I try to always ask God when I feel like he's speaking to me directionally after the what is when is when. 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:39.519 I think that a lot of times we forget to ask that question. 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:40.240 Right? 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:45.839 God's timing, God's will is perfect, and his timing is perfect. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:53.359 And we find ourselves, I let me just say it this way, I find myself in the most trouble when I get ahead of God or I get behind God. 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:58.559 Thankfully, he's gracious enough to make to make up the difference, right? 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:01.119 And to get me right back where he needs me to be. 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:01.599 Okay. 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:08.720 So I wanted just to share with you just quickly Amy and I's Macedonian call story. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:12.720 So some of you know this, but I just want to give you a little bit more context. 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:18.960 Amy and I were in North Carolina and we pastored for 15 years in North Carolina. 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:25.359 And then we moved to Florida to be a part of uh helping Neil and Shelly with the ministry that they were involved with there. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:28.240 And we were there for like one year almost to the day. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:42.559 And maybe the night or two before we left, we had dinner together, and we just sort of said, listen, our hearts are that in the future, if you ever have an opportunity for us to be able to minister together, we would love to come and just serve and do anything that we could to help. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:47.759 We moved back to North Carolina and I actually got a job working, and this is a miracle of miracles. 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:50.799 This just shows how God works within his kingdom. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:58.400 A Baptist, a large Baptist church hired me to be their life group's pastor, knowing what I believed concerning the Holy Spirit. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:00.160 And so it was really interesting. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:04.480 I tried to be very cautious and careful in the way that I handled that, you know. 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:07.359 But um, we were there for about nine months. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:13.200 I knew that that wasn't going to be a forever home for us just because of the difference in theology. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:17.519 I knew that that over time that was that God was probably gonna present something else to us. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:26.960 But man, I learned so much during that time that we were there about structures, about how to think about church, because our church had always been very small. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:31.839 So to think about church when it comes to scale and and and also teamwork. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:34.480 There was a great team of people that worked together there. 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:36.160 So it was a great experience. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:41.519 And one day my phone rang and Neil called and he said, You're never gonna guess where I'm going. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:47.119 And I didn't know what to guess, but he said, I'm going to uh Pastor Trinity. 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:52.000 And uh Neil is a lot of things, he's a lot of amazing things. 00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.839 He's not a great salesman. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:55.039 I'll just say that. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:57.359 Because this is sort of what he said to me. 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:02.000 I know that you said that you'd like to come and help, and I just want you to know we really like for you to come and help. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:06.960 We need your help, but uh the church is in two and a half million dollars worth of debt. 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:18.319 Um there are no positions, there are no jobs, and there probably aren't gonna be any jobs for quite some time, but we really would love for you to come, you know. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:26.160 And so I was I was very flattered and honored, but I was thinking in my head, how many pieces am I gonna have to deliver? 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:29.359 Which I would have been willing, I would have been willing to do absolutely. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:32.960 I had done that for a lot of my early days and early life. 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:36.079 But Amy and I prayed about it and we brought it to our children. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:43.200 And our daughter Hannah, who's right here, um, who was the most change resistant among us. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:54.960 Some people yeah, and I'm trying trying to be really nice with that, but she uh she looked at us. 00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:56.319 Stop, Joel. 00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:00.720 Okay, no elbows allowed. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.519 Okay, anyway. 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:06.640 Um she looked at us and she said, I think we need to go. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.799 I think we need to we need to go. 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:13.519 Now, did she know her husband was gonna be in Knoxville, Tennessee? 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:14.960 I don't know. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:20.000 God knew, God knew, and so anyway, yeah, we prayed about it. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:21.279 The Lord confirmed us. 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:33.839 Actually, our original church uh sent us out as missionaries to come to Trinity, and we were able to serve for 18 months without asking anything from Trinity at the time. 00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:38.000 And uh, and at that point in time, some things changed within the leadership team. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:42.799 There's a transition within the leadership team here at Trinity, and it opened the door for me to come on. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:47.920 I'll never forget having a conversation with Neil, and I wish I could go back and erase this. 00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:50.480 But I said to him, We've been here for a while. 00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:53.599 Do you think I'm gonna be more involved than I am right now? 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:59.279 And he just looked at me and kind of smirked, and he's he said, You don't need to worry about that. 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:02.079 And uh, and the rest is history, right? 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:11.359 Neil, a few years ago, when he stepped away from being the lead pastor here at Trinity, he embraced this mantra, which he still uses to this day. 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:14.400 Maybe you've heard him say, go ask Tyler. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:18.640 So that yeah, did you feel that? 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:22.480 Yeah, it was an amazing word of knowledge that the Lord gave to him. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:25.440 And he has exercised that gift many, many times. 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:42.000 And so, but anyway, I am so grateful, Amy and I are so grateful that God saw fit in his sovereignty to put us sort of up against an impasse, to get us to the point of us being willing to say yes to whatever the Lord would ask of us. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:54.319 And we are here and we get to serve you and are privileged to be a part of the community of this church because of the fact that God spoke to us and we yielded to his will. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:30:07.599 And uh Derek and Megan find themselves in a very similar situation right now, and so I'm gonna ask Derek to come and share some from his heart about what God's doing in their lives. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.279 We love you guys. 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.079 Yeah. 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:12.079 Yeah. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:13.519 Good morning. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:20.960 So this is probably one of the hardest conversations I've had in 25 years. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:29.920 I came to Trinity 25 years ago and remember the day that I walked into the building, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that's where God had me. 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:34.000 I was looking for a church and and I just felt his spirit. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:38.559 And I the very first day I said, All right, Lord, I'm here until you tell me different. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:42.160 And I settled into that very, very well. 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:50.799 And a few months ago, uh actually two months ago, pretty much to this past week, I had a brother call me and uh and ask me. 00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:59.759 We were actually the day before we went on vacation, uh, we were going on a two-week vacation, and and he called and he said, uh, hey, can we get together? 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:08.559 And now this brother and I had had we got together every six months, every year, and we'd always just keep up and and talk with one another, just love on each other. 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:14.640 I got to hear a lot about his ministry, what the Lord was doing in and through him, and the church that he had just planted. 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:16.880 And it was just really cool, all the things. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:22.960 It's just cool to hear the stories and things, but never once had he ever mentioned anything about me coming to help him. 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:27.759 And and so when he made this phone call and he said, Hey, um, can we get together? 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:34.079 Uh, I hung up the phone and I turned to Megan and I went, Well, uh I think I know what he's gonna ask. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:36.000 And she's like, Well, what do you think about it? 00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:39.200 And I was like, I don't want him to ask. 00:31:39.279 --> 00:31:39.920 You know. 00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:44.799 Um, so went and I had uh great lunch with him. 00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:46.559 And in the middle of it, he did. 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:57.039 He said, Uh, Derek, I would like for you to pray about coming and uh and being with our church and helping to disciple the young couples that we have in the church. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:02.000 He says, I feel like that you and Megan have a lot to share with our couples in our church. 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:03.599 And would you just pray about it? 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:06.559 And if the answer is absolutely no, we totally understand. 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:09.680 We love you, we're still gonna get together and stuff, no problem. 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:15.119 So we go on vacation and uh we talk a lot about it for two weeks. 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:21.440 I only shared it with a couple of people that were just family and had them praying for us, of course. 00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:27.119 And during that time, I was like, all right, after two weeks was done, babe, do you hear a no? 00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:29.839 And she says, No, I don't hear a no. 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:32.960 It's like, okay, so what's the next step? 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:37.359 I said, I feel like the Lord wants us to at least go check this church out. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.720 We'd never been there before. 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:46.000 Like I'd been at a couple of events, so it's still a very new church, um, but a couple of events, but we'd never been to a service. 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:50.480 So, all right, well, we're gonna go and we're gonna we're gonna go check out this church. 00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:58.000 And so if I'm to tell you the truth, uh, not because of anything with the church, I absolutely love the church and love the people. 00:32:58.240 --> 00:32:59.759 I didn't want to go anywhere. 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:01.839 I don't I wanted to stay here. 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:07.759 So I was kind of hoping that in the midst of this, the Lord would reveal to my wife the answer is no. 00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:13.039 Because a lot of times the Holy Spirit sounds like my wife. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:16.160 And so I was kind of hoping for that. 00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:20.640 Um, and we got there and and it wasn't a no. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:25.680 And so I knew then, all right, well, now it is time, Megan and I agreed. 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:27.839 It is time to bring to our brothers. 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:31.440 Um, the elder team here is absolutely incredible. 00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:42.640 There is no way under the stars that I would ever even begin to think about making this change without my brothers, without this elder team. 00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:44.400 And so I brought it to them. 00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:46.240 It was a hard day. 00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:47.759 Uh very hard. 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:50.559 Like, all right, this is what's going on. 00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:52.559 And we began to pray about it. 00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:56.240 And over a number of weeks, we continue to pray about it. 00:33:56.400 --> 00:34:06.799 And I think it was uh two Tuesdays ago, this past Tuesday, um, we had a great meeting, and it was a hard meeting because there's, you know, there's feelings in all of this as well. 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:12.960 But we realized that the Lord was calling me to go and and help this church. 00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:18.800 Um, now to let you guys know, this church is already an amazing church that uh that I'm talking about. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:23.679 They already have uh wonderful leaders and all of that, and I'm nobody. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:26.400 Uh the weaker I become, the stronger he becomes. 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:40.800 So I do know that we're probably gonna learn more from them uh than they are from us, but um, God has really uh made it abundantly clear that uh God is calling us to go and and help. 00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:44.159 And so that now I've been vague about names and things. 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:49.280 Uh Adam Lutz was the youth pastor here um before I came on. 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:57.519