WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.679 Well, I'm glad to be here with you. 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:04.480 And uh I love my uh multiply fam. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:08.320 I think this is the uh third or fourth time that I've been here. 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:09.519 So this is what's good. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:12.160 We've kind of worked past the awkward first date. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:13.119 You know what I mean? 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:16.399 Things are getting serious, so this is this is good. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:18.559 They're like, I've never even seen you before. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:19.359 That's okay. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:22.399 Uh I've seen you. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:23.920 So yeah, I'm done. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:28.879 Okay, so uh uh I love you, I love your church, I love your pastors. 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:31.600 Uh Forrest and Emily are unbelievable. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:38.799 And uh I'll never forget one of the first conversations that I ever had, they've become like real close friends with Jess and I. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:50.640 Uh, and one of the first conversations that I had with Emily, she had this sentence that when she talked about multiply and uh them their planting journey, and this sentence really just stuck out to me. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:57.439 She said that she always wanted multiply to be an answer to prayer for the city of Frankfurt. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:00:58.719 And I'm like, that's it. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:00.159 That that's exactly it. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:06.799 And you need to know that that multiply the church, which how many of y'all know is not a building, it's a people. 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:13.280 You are the church, are an answer to prayer for the city of Frankfurt, and God's using this church. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:22.239 And so why don't you put your hands together and thank God for the way that He's using Multiply to be an answer to prayer uh for the city of Frankfurt. 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:27.359 And uh, and I stole that sentence from her because I'm like, that's that's my heart. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:28.239 That's what I want. 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:31.680 Uh my wife and I, uh, we've been married for almost 14 years. 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:33.680 I think we have a picture of uh my family. 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:41.200 There's my beautiful wife, uh, the the little monkey hanging on the back as well, uh, and then my son Roman there. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.519 I'll tell you a quick Roman story here in a second. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:52.159 But we uh moved to the city to Lexington, kind of east side of Lexington, uh about almost four months ago, I think now at this point. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:56.159 And uh we come from a really large church up in Cincinnati, Seven Hills Church. 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:03.840 I was there for 13 years uh as pastor's right-hand man, uh, and I loved what I did until January of 2023. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:09.439 The Lord began to stir something in Jess and I uh to maybe plant a church. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:15.120 And uh we were scared, we were nervous, uh all the things, and uh, but we answered the call. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.680 We got out of the boat, we moved to Lexington, and uh we have met some amazing people. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.919 I'm very excited about uh the people that it feels like God is really bringing. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:25.520 Uh and so that excites me. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:28.639 I'm pumped up uh to plant New Circle Church. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:31.680 So if you know anybody in Lexington, uh hit us up. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:36.080 Uh but Roman, really quick, uh funny story, and then and then we'll go right into the message. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:38.319 He's in this kind of, he just turned seven. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:42.479 His birthday was just uh uh June 28th, so last week. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:48.080 And uh he's in this kind of season now where he uh is kind of getting a little combative. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:48.639 You know what I mean? 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:50.719 He'll kind of clap back at you a little bit. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:55.199 Uh and uh but he doesn't yet know really like proper English. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:04.319 So his when he claps back, you're like you're not even using like proper English to and the other day, this is like his new favorite phrase. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:06.800 Um he always has to get a drink before bed. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:13.520 Okay, so if you if you have little ones, like this is the you they like they have these these routines and they're just like fixated on them. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:15.919 He's like, Daddy, I gotta get my drink before bed. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.879 I'm like, so and he waits till last second to to always request this. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:25.919 Um and I told him um um like every almost every night I'm like, buddy, you're gonna pee the bed. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:30.159 You can't you can't just drink as much liquid as you can right before bed, okay? 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:30.719 That's not good. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:35.520 And then he'll immediately clap back at me and he'll say, No, I won't, Dad. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:37.039 I'm like, okay. 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:41.039 First off, no, I won't would be the proper way to say that. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:43.199 And yes, you will pee the bed. 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:44.800 So no, I won't. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:48.080 Um so anyway, there's my my Roman story for today. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:54.000 Um, but you didn't come to hear about me or uh Roman as much as I love my babies and my family. 00:03:54.159 --> 00:04:00.000 Uh you came to uh open up your Bibles and uh to hear what the Lord would have to say for us today. 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:01.840 I'm really excited about this message. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:07.520 Uh we're in a series uh called Charge, Charge, and Pastor Forrest kicked it off last week. 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:09.919 If you missed his message, you can go back and check that out. 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:16.639 I'm gonna kind of piggyback off of what he said, and uh we're gonna look at a very uh well kind of famous story. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:19.680 Maybe you've heard this, maybe you haven't, in Joshua chapter 10. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:24.240 Um but before I pick up there, I want to give you a little bit of context to where we're going. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.759 So charge, I mean, you can really take that in so many different directions. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:29.120 What is charge? 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:44.399 Uh and to me, when I think of charge, I think of immediately like you're in a battle, you're in a war, and we're kind of charging the enemy, um, which is so appropriate because Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:51.199 So gates, normally, when you're closing your gates, that's more of like a defensive posture, right? 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:53.600 So Jesus says, the gates of hell won't prevail. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:57.439 We're on the offense as the church, as he's building us. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:02.399 Um and so when I got this picture of charge, I thought, man, I thought, I thought kind of war, I thought battles. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:07.439 This is gonna be a little bit battle-themed, a little bit, um, kind of brave hearty, if you will. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:08.639 Um, but it's gonna be good. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:21.519 So uh Joshua chapter 10, uh, the context here is there's a there's a significant battle that's brewing, and Israel is looking at their enemies and they're starting to get a little nervous. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:30.399 Uh then in Joshua chapter 10, verse 8, we pick up a conversation between Joshua and the Lord in light of this war that's brewing. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:41.759 And the scripture says, the Lord said to Joshua, do not fear them, don't fear your enemies, for I have given them into your hands. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.079 This hasn't happened yet, but I love that God's already saying, I happened. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:47.279 That's a done deal. 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:49.759 I have given them into your hands. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:53.600 Not a man of them shall stand before you. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.399 And then drop down to verse 12. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:03.680 At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.639 So God did what he said, he'd given them over to their hands. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:21.519 And he and he said, In the sight of Israel, this is Joshua speaking, sun stand still at Gibeon, and moon in the valley of Ajilon, and the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:24.480 Is this not written in the book of Jashar? 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:32.000 The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:35.199 And then right here in verse 14 is where I want to camp out. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:38.480 I love this verse, and I want you to not just gloss over this. 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:39.600 Really think about this. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:50.639 There has been no day like it before since, right here, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel. 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.639 The Lord heeded the voice of a man. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.000 I love that passage. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:01.839 If uh you're taking notes, the title of my message this morning, uh, if you're not taking notes, also write this down. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:03.759 The miracle of participation. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:05.600 I'm tricking you, you should take notes. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.240 The miracle of participation. 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:18.480 I I believe that there are three things uh that we can pull from this story that will help us win our city and see the sun stand still over Frankfurt. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:20.319 You're saying there's only three things? 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:23.839 Well, every great sermon has three points, so that's why there's three. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:34.800 Uh and the first point, the first point in terms of the miracle of participation uh that we got to know is that number one, write this down, God needs you. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.079 God needs you. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:40.720 Go back to Joshua chapter 10, verse 14. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:45.920 The scripture that we just read said the Lord heeded the voice of a man. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:51.040 He paid attention to the voice of a mere man. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:57.120 He he took notice of the voice of just a normal person. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:59.199 For the Lord fought for Israel. 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:02.800 Uh Psalm chapter 8 and verse 4 says, What is man? 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.480 That God is mindful of him. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:08.319 God needs you. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:24.000 If we're gonna win the city, if we're gonna see the sun stand still over Frankfurt, we we need to know that God needs you, not your neighbor, although God needs your neighbor too. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:32.000 God needs you, not your spouse, although God needs your spouse too, and your mother, and your, I'm sure your mom's an awesome lady, but we're not talking about your mom. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:33.200 We're talking about you. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:35.440 God needs you. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:37.919 The Lord needed somebody to partner with. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:46.480 So the scripture says that he heeded, he he paid attention to, he was mindful of the voice of a person, uh, Joshua. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:50.320 And Joshua would end up winning significant battles for the Lord. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:09:02.879 This this mere man would end up bringing the Israelites into the promised land, and the Lord would heed the voice of a person for the son to stand still over Gibeon. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:07.919 The Lord needed Joshua, the Lord needed Moses, right? 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:09.919 You're gonna see this all throughout scripture. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:12.879 The Lord needed Moses to deliver his people from Egypt. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:16.240 The Lord needed Abraham, right, to be the father of many nations. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:18.879 The Lord needed Jonah to go to Nineveh. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:23.519 The Lord needed Noah to build an ark, the Lord needed David to be a king after his heart. 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:24.720 The Lord, I'm not done. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.679 The Lord needed Solomon to build him a temple. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:32.480 The Lord needed Queen Esther to save the Jewish nation from being eradicated. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:36.080 The Lord needed Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:39.440 The Lord needed John the Baptist to prepare the way for the Lord. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:40.960 The Lord needed Mary, right? 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:43.039 To bring birth to a son. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:52.879 If we're gonna win the city of Frankfurt, if we're gonna, if we're gonna move Frankfurt forward, then we have to recognize that God needs you. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.039 Everybody say, God needs me. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:56.879 Come on, say it like you mean. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:58.399 Say, God needs me. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.480 God needs multiply. 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:03.759 God needs his church, capital C. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:15.679 It's the miracle of participation that the God of the universe is mindful of us and quote unquote needs us. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:21.679 Now, my second point, write this down, is God doesn't need anything. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.039 God doesn't need anything. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:28.960 Well, I thought you said God needs me, but now you're saying God doesn't need anything. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:30.240 That's right. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:38.559 God is omnipotent, he's omniscient, he's omnipresent, meaning he's all powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:41.759 He's self-existent, self-sufficient, self-sustaining. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:52.639 Uh, I love the way that Acts chapter 17, verse 25 puts it, that human hands can't serve his needs, for he has no needs. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:54.159 He doesn't need anything. 00:10:54.480 --> 00:11:00.320 He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he's the one that satisfies every need. 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:02.080 You can't satisfy his needs. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:03.120 He has no needs. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.519 He's the one that's satisfying all the needs. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:09.120 God needs you, but he doesn't need anything. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.120 Do you see the tension here? 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:16.720 My third point, this is way better than what you're giving off here. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.440 Thank you. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:28.960 My third point, and where we'll camp out for the rest of our time, is number three, write this down. 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:31.440 God decided to need you. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.080 God decided to need you. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:35.679 God decided to need you. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:45.440 Let me say it another way, is that God doesn't need you to exist, but God decided to need you to coexist. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:52.720 We could probably change the word need to help us understand this truth and replace it with the word partner. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:55.200 Partner would be a better word. 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:58.639 That God decided to partner with us. 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.679 The way that God has set it up on the earth is that he partners with us. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:09.759 God partnered with Joshua to have the sun stand still, to defeat the enemies, to bring the promised land. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:19.440 God partnered with Moses, he partnered with Abraham, he partnered with Jonah, with Noah, with David, with Queen Esther, with Solomon, with John the Baptist, with Mary. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.200 God partnered with all these people. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:24.720 And you're gonna see this from the very beginning in Genesis. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:26.320 This is the way that God has set it up. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.679 It's important for us to know this. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:29.919 Genesis chapter 2, verse 19. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:34.320 Here's the first example of God partnering with mankind. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:40.080 The scripture says the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:42.080 So God created everything. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:46.080 He brought them all this creation, all these birds, all these animals. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:54.000 He brings them to people, to the man, to Adam, to see what Adam would name them. 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:59.200 And whatever the man, Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:00.240 Now think about that. 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:01.519 Don't just gloss over that. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.320 Think about this. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:07.679 Whatever Adam named the animal, that was its name. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:09.840 Why didn't God just name him? 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:11.200 He created him. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.120 Why didn't he just finish what he started? 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:20.080 Why didn't God, and by the way, we didn't get very creative with the black bird, bluebird. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:22.480 He just got tired. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:31.600 But God decided to need or partner with Adam, with his creation. 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:33.200 This is the way that God has set it up. 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:34.480 It's important for us to know this. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.360 It's important for us to know that God is very relational. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.600 He's very relational in nature. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:51.679 Okay, think about when God created human beings, he said in Genesis chapter 1, verse 26, let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.240 He is a triune God, right? 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:54.720 Think about that. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:55.919 Father, Son, Holy Spirit. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:58.639 So by nature, he's relational. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:13:59.919 Us. 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:01.039 Our, our. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:06.480 He isn't some solo loner god off on an island by himself. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.799 He's a relational God. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:13.039 And we're made in the image of a relational God. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.879 And God invites us into this miracle of participation. 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:18.000 Everybody say, Amen. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:30.639 So Adam names all the animals, not because God couldn't, or because he didn't have the brain power to do it, but because God decided to partner with his creation. 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:34.000 So if that's true, let me take it a step further. 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:39.840 If God partners with people, then don't you think the enemy knows that? 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:46.960 My pastor put it this way: when God wants to bless your life, he sends a person. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:51.360 When the enemy wants to destroy your life, he sends a person. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:54.080 Our job is to discern the sender. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:05.519 All throughout scripture, we see people that partner with God, and we also see people that partner with the enemy. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:12.639 Now, this is an important note because the spiritual battle is not against people. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:17.519 See, we think that because the enemy is partnered with this person, that that person is the enemy. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:19.279 The person's not the enemy. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:24.960 Our battle is not against flesh and blood, the scripture says, but against principalities and powers. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:29.279 It's against the spirit that's partnered with this person. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.600 So people are not the enemy. 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:39.279 Now, one of the enemy's main tactics is to blind us from the spiritual reality of the world that we live in. 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.679 We're so accustomed to the physical. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:48.399 We, you know, have eyes that see and we smell, and we our senses is kind of what we know. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:54.559 But there is a whole spiritual world that exists that the enemy loves to keep us blind to. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:16:13.200 Paul said in uh 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 11 that we should not let Satan outwit us or outsmart us or take advantage of us by making us, this is what he said, unaware of his schemes and his tactics. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:19.840 Just as God partners with people to bring heaven on earth, the enemy partners with people to bring hell on earth. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:23.840 God sends people into your life, the enemy sends people into your life. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:25.679 It's our job to discern the sender. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:28.480 This is gonna get good and get happy, don't worry. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:32.080 1 Samuel chapter 17. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:38.000 This is a great example of God partnering with somebody and the enemy partnering with somebody. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:40.240 This is the famous story of David and Goliath. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:43.440 Uh, and this is this is a description of Goliath. 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:46.159 1 Samuel chapter 17, verse 4 through 7. 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:50.960 A champion named Goliath, who is from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:53.759 His height was six cubits in a span. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:55.120 Now look at this, Goliath. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:01.200 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a coat of scale armor of bronze, weighing five thousand shekels. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:07.119 On his legs he wore bronze graves, greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:13.920 Verse 7, his spear was shaft like a like a weaver's rod, and then here's the sixth one. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:16.880 It its iron point weighed 600 shekels. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:20.799 So that was six different uh pieces of equipment that Goliath had. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.519 So Goliath was six cubits in a span. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:28.000 He has six pieces of armor, and then the final piece weighed six hundred shekels. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:29.200 So six, six, six. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.119 Y'all ever heard those numbers before? 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.200 Uh he's not the Antichrist. 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:35.039 We all know who is the Antichrist. 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:36.000 That was a joke. 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:39.039 I'm not gonna say a name because you'll get offended. 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:43.200 This is just a joke, you know. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:48.000 Uh but Satan's probably thinking, I've got you now, God. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:51.839 I've got you now because I've figured out how you work. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:18:00.720 You work through people, you partner with people, and there's not a man in Israel that's got the guts to stand up to my man, Goliath. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:10.640 And since you work through people, and no one in Israel has the courage to defeat Goliath, that means I'm gonna take out all your people and put them in bondage. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:16.000 But Satan can't see the future, he can only see the horizon. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.000 See, God sees the future. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:20.240 He's the one that knows the end from the beginning. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:23.920 He's the author and the finisher, the first and the last. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.240 So God knew that Goliath would do this, so he trained David. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.200 Here's David behind the scenes the whole time in training. 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:32.960 Does David know he's in training? 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.160 I don't know. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:42.160 But at this point, David's already killed a lion, he's killed a bear, and he had been training for this moment. 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:44.319 Now, this is what's interesting. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:51.039 God could have sent a lightning bolt and killed Goliath because he's omnipotent, he's all powerful, right? 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:56.160 He could have taken out Goliath, but in a way, he couldn't. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:59.440 Because he's decided to work through people. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:04.000 And he partnered with David to sling that stone. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:06.160 And we know how the story ends. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:19.119 Find a place in Scripture after creation where God did something partnering with a person. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.559 Did you catch that? 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:27.200 Find a place in scripture after creation where God did something without partnering with the person. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.440 Let me save you some time. 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:30.720 You won't find it. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:37.599 You will not find a place in scripture after creation where God did something without partnering with the person. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:41.440 That conversation that we just read with Adam kicked it off. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.319 That this would be the way that God does things moving forward. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:52.880 That he would, after creation, after he did his part, then he would start to partner with people, even bringing in his son, even bringing in Jesus. 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.400 He partners with a person, with Mary. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.799 All throughout scripture, you'll see God say, I sought for a man. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:02.640 His eyes looked to and fro. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:04.960 I looked for a man, I looked for a woman. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:05.839 Someone. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:11.680 Joshua, Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Sarah, all throughout scripture, he looked for someone to partner with. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:13.119 Okay, so quick recap. 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:14.559 God needs you. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.400 He needs you. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:19.599 God doesn't need anything. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:23.119 God decided to need you or partner with you. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:32.799 But so often we hear a message like this, and we immediately think, yeah, but God wouldn't want to partner with me. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:40.160 You maybe wouldn't even say this, but the internal narrative right now is I'm to this or I'm to that. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:46.799 And people talk themselves out of doing something great for God because of their own insecurities or doubts. 00:20:47.119 --> 00:21:00.720 But a common theme that you will see all throughout scripture, a common theme that you'll hear in men and women that God has used in a significant way is you will notice how deeply insecure they were. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:06.000 But they were willing to look past their insecurity. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:11.920 They were willing to look past their inability and believe in God's ability. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.920 God used Noah even though he was a drunk. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:19.519 God used Abraham even though he was too old. 00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:22.160 God used Jacob even though he was a liar. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:24.640 God used Leah, even though she was unattractive. 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:28.400 God used Moses, even though he was a murderer and had a stutter. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:31.039 God used Gideon even though he was afraid. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.680 God used Jeremiah, even though he was too young. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:36.720 God used David, even though he's a murderer and an adulterer. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:39.599 God used Elijah, even though he was suicidal. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:42.799 God used Jonah, even though he ran from God. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:46.319 God used, are you starting to build your faith a little bit here? 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:49.920 God used John the Baptist even though he was weird and ate bugs. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:54.960 God used Peter, even though, come on, how many of y'all eat bugs, okay? 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:58.799 If God can use a bug eater, he can use you. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.759 God used Peter, even though he denied Christ. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:07.839 God used Mary Magdalene, even though she was demon-possessed. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:10.400 God used Zacchaeus, even though he's too short, too small. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:14.559 God used Paul, even though he killed Christians. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:16.720 Think about that. 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:22.799 God's ability was stronger than their inability. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:27.759 God partnered with all these people in spite of them, not because of them. 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:32.880 See, we we disqualify ourselves so often. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:39.119 And what happens is we miss out on the miracle of participation. 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.319 And here's the secret. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:48.319 Here's the secret to the miracle of participation is that God changes us by involving us. 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:53.200 God changes us by involving us. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:55.680 This is the miracle of participation. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:04.000 That God chooses to partner with us and he uses the partnership to change us as he involves us. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:12.880 God will do his deepest work in your life when you allow him to work in you and through you. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:17.759 Your job is just simply to say yes and partner with him. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:27.839 But I've met so many people who disqualify themselves, they judge themselves unworthy, and they think, man, God can never use me. 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:31.039 We have all these excuses. 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.640 Man, we're so good at it. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:40.000 These crazy narratives and these these reasons as to why God can't use God can use everyone else, but not me. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.039 Not me. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:46.960 So many people aren't willing to step out in faith and do something great for God because they they don't believe. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:48.160 They don't believe. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:57.519 That's why when the the some of uh Jesus' followers were having this conversation and they asked him, they said, God, Lord, what must we do to do the work of God? 00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:59.200 What what do we have to do? 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:01.599 We look at your life and we see all the miracles. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:03.680 We see what do we need to do? 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:05.440 We we want to participate in this too. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.160 What do we need to do? 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:08.559 You know, Jesus' response was believe. 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:10.079 Believe. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:11.039 That's your job. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:18.559 Your job is not to do the supernatural, your job is just to believe, to bring your natural to his super. 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:20.480 Let him do his job. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:27.759 Your job is not to heal somebody, your job is to lay your hands on the sick in faith and let God do his part, right? 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:31.359 But we have all these reasons and excuses as to, well, I can't. 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.160 I can't. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:34.160 We play this woe is me narrative. 00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:36.720 It's quiet in here. 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:43.839 Acts chapter, I love the way that Paul Paul and Barnabas address this very issue. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:49.440 This this judging yourselves unworthy, the sense of like, yeah, but I God can't use me. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:54.480 Paul and Barnabas are correcting a group of people because of their unbelief. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:25:03.039 And Paul and Barnabas correct this group of people because they, this is the exact words that the scripture uses, judge themselves unworthy. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:10.160 That's what Paul and Barnabas address is this group of people that judge themselves. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:12.480 God didn't judge them unworthy. 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.839 That's not what we're talking about here. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:15.359 That's a whole nother sermon. 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:22.799 What Paul and Barnabas address is that these group of people judge themselves unworthy. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:28.480 And I just wonder how many of us have judged ourselves unworthy. 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:39.920 How many of us have put limits on what God wants to do in our life because of our inabilities, because of our weakness. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:44.160 God isn't looking, I wish you would get this. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:49.279 God isn't looking to partner with the perfect version of you. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.400 He's looking to partner with you. 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:54.160 Right where you are. 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:56.880 That's the miracle of participation. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:00.720 Is that you don't get right to get God, you get God to get good, right? 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.960 You don't get good to get God, you get God to get good. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:03.519 Right? 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:10.000 So your your job is not to get good, and then you'll kind of arrive at this place where God will use you. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:11.599 Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:16.559 Your job is to get him, all of him, to participate with him. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.839 What's he doing? 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:21.839 And then as he involves you, he changes you. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:22.960 That's his job. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.240 That's not your job. 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:26.720 Aren't you thankful for that? 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:39.920 The miracle of participation will help us shift our attention off of ourselves and turn our focus from what's wrong with me to what's right with him. 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:54.319 You'll no longer sing the song of I'm worth I'm unworthy, I'm so unworthy, I'm so unworthy, I judge myself unworthy, unworthy, unworthy, and your song will begin to sound like worthy is the lamb. 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:57.440 We're not talking about you're worthy. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.559 What are we even doing? 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.720 Discussing I'm unworthy. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:02.400 What why are we even talking about that? 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:06.480 That's that's we've got our eyes on the wrong thing here. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.160 Our focus is on him. 00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:10.000 Worthy is the Lamb. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:15.119 We're not talking about our inability, we're talking about His ability to work in and through us. 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:15.839 Amen. 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:17.599 God needs you. 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:19.759 God doesn't need anything. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:24.880 God decided to need you, to partner with you. 00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:27.039 It's the miracle of participation. 00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:30.480 And then I'm gonna end uh with this story. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.920 Uh I love this story. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.680 Uh I'm a big reader. 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:35.759 I love to read, I love stories. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:41.039 Uh, and this guy in particular, uh, you maybe have heard this name, Diedrich Bonhoeffer. 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:42.880 Um, he's very well known. 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:48.240 He, if you're looking for a good book or a good quote, Diedrich Bonhoeffer is your man. 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:56.000 Uh there's a there's a big movement now in the body of Christ towards discipleship and the importance of discipleship. 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.480 That you know, you're not going to hear the word Christian. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:06.319 Uh I think it's four times in the Bible, you hear the word Christian, uh, but you'll hear the word disciple used, I think, 268 times. 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:11.759 So what Jesus has called us to is to not be a quote unquote Christian, is to be a disciple. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:13.039 And that's very different. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:21.039 Uh well, a lot of that really, if you want to call him kind of the father of discipleship, uh that would be Diedrich Bonhoeff. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:22.960