WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.879 Everybody said amen as you grab a seat. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:09.839 Look at your neighbor and say it's summer. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:12.560 It is summer. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:19.920 Kids may not be out of school yet, but it's uh the first day of June. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:22.160 It is officially summer. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:28.160 People are thinking about all their trips and all the things that are going on in our summertime. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:36.240 And I'm so excited about this Sunday kicking us off into the summertime because we've got so much that is going on. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:37.679 I'll just put it to you this way. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:43.920 A lot of times uh in church, summer seems like this time that the church slows down. 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:46.159 Um people are taking trips and that kind of thing. 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:58.000 But what we've seen at Multiply the last few years is that summertime has been a time for us to serve our city and to meet new people and see people be invited into what God wants to do in their life. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:02.880 We've seen that over the last few years, and I just don't feel like any of that's going to slow down. 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.439 Um at a time where people are thinking about trips and where you're gonna go and all that kind of thing. 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:23.200 We've got a lot that's going on that you've already seen uh today, and so I want to encourage you that the different events that are happening across this summer, and there was a graphic up that uh we can pull up with our Favorite Forward initiative. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:28.719 Longest day of play that I would love for all of us to get to be across the street over at the park. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:36.799 There's gonna be thousands of people and kids that are over there and would love for you to jump in to just serve, to be a witness, and to have some fun with some kids. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:38.319 I mean, come on, somebody. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:40.159 There's gonna be all kinds of organizations. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.319 You know, last year we were one of the only churches that were represented last year. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:56.719 And we think about thousands of people descending on Juniper Hills, and it's cool that we even have the opportunity to be a part of that in a church that we're invited in, that we have the opportunity to get to serve in that way. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:58.799 And there's a myriad of different ways. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:03.200 I want to direct you to the church center app to see the rest of these. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:06.799 But we're gonna be serving kids with food distribution through the local schools. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:09.199 You guys know what we do around here, and if you're new, welcome. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.000 I'm Forrest Lead Pastor here at Multiply. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:19.039 What we like to do in our city is we like to we like to serve and connect, and we like to show up and say, What in the world do you need? 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:23.439 instead of us just going and just doing a bunch of Christian stuff just because it makes us feel good. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.719 Instead, we like to go and ask our schools, hey, what would you like for us to do? 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:33.840 And they said, Hey, we would love for you to hand out food to our families, our different food distribution sites at a couple of different schools throughout the summer. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.800 Doesn't that sound like a great opportunity for the hands and feet of Jesus to be represented to hand out some food? 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.759 What's crazy is that they're just asking for us to come and serve. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.080 They're literally just like, we need volunteers. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:47.680 We just need some people who are willing to serve these kids. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:49.360 We don't even have to supply the food. 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:50.479 Come on, somebody. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:51.840 They're doing that. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:53.840 We show up to serve. 00:02:53.919 --> 00:03:15.680 And I think you're I think you're getting what I'm saying because as we, as God's people, are thinking about this summer, and I want to encourage you right now, and even as I go through the message today, for you to begin to pray where in the world you're gonna invest this summer, because these are the things we're sinking our teeth into, and we're gonna talk about a few of those things as we are serving our city and being sent out. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.159 That's the title of my message today, is called the sending cycle. 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:24.479 Now, when you're growing up in school, you heard about some different cycles, right? 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:26.719 The life cycle, the water cycle. 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:28.159 I cannot tell you it right now. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:29.120 I'm sure I learned it. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:33.840 I'm sure you did too in the fourth grade, but I couldn't recite it for you right now. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:56.080 But there's uh a sending cycle that we see in the scripture, and where we're going to today is seeing Jesus and how he has called us, commanded us for us to go out, and we're going to this place where Jesus talks about that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, and that we need to find our field. 00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:04.560 And when I think about going into the field, a lot of times I like to think about being on the field from uh sports days playing football. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:08.800 And maybe you grew up doing playing sports. 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:16.160 And isn't it interesting that in sports there's like an obsession to being on the field? 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:18.399 Nobody wants to be on the bench. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.959 You want to actually be on the field. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:34.959 This uh happened to me when I was a teenager, and I had started playing football, loved football, and thankfully I started playing in middle school, so I wasn't burnt out by the time I was in high school, but I had invested a ton of my life into playing ball. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:45.120 In my junior year, I was getting no playing time, I was not uh getting any any uh the varsity games, and I remember standing in the driveway with my dad and telling him, I'm ready to quit. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:46.000 I want to quit. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:48.399 And he said, You're not gonna quit, Forrest. 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:53.600 He said, uh, he just kept telling me, Your time is coming, your time is coming, your time is coming. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:05:06.879 And summer ball started, and I won a starting position, and then started every one of my senior games, my senior year, ended up getting recruited by Cumberland to play football for even a short time in college, which I had no idea that I was gonna get to do that. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:13.759 But I almost gave up because we're so obsessed, and we have this obsession about being on the field. 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:22.480 But isn't it interesting that in our spiritual lives, for some reason, we're just okay with being on the sidelines or being in the stands? 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:33.759 There's not this obsession about being in the game, being on the field, being in the field and walking out what God has called us to do and commanded us to do. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:41.519 And the thing is that is that the field is ready, but so many of us are sitting on the sidelines and sitting on the stands. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:51.360 And a lot of times it's because we get to thinking, well, you know, well, that the the field the field is for somebody else. 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:59.439 And even some of you get into this place where you're waiting on a sign for something that God has already commanded you to do. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:06.160 You're sitting around waiting on a sign, and God's already called us to go out into the field. 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:18.959 And oftentimes with our spiritual lives, we want to bear fruit, we want to grow, we want to see God move in our life, but in order for us to see fruit, we actually have to sow. 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:22.959 We actually have to pour out. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:29.360 Or maybe what's happening in your life right now is that you're sowing the wrong thing, and so you're harvesting emptiness. 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:39.920 And the way that you're feeling at times is because you're harvesting something that God hasn't called you to plant. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:51.199 See, oftentimes as the church, we can get so obsessed with our experiences and our preferences over the purposes that God has called us to. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:07:01.199 And we can be so worried about in the American church what we get and not about where we're sent. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:06.720 This is this is where we're going today. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:11.680 A big idea is that the problem is not that there is no field for us to go into. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:18.879 The problem is that we either can't see it or we don't want to step into it. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:33.759 And Jesus gives a very plain example, instruction to his disciples, and then to his followers for them to be sent out into the field. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:42.639 At first, Jesus sends out the 12, but then what we're gonna look at is later in the midst of his ministry in Luke chapter 10, he sends out the 72. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:48.160 That means that at first he sent out the trend of the 12, all the famous guys that we all know. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:52.720 But then it doesn't just stay with the professional disciples. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.680 Then he begins to send out 72 of his followers. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:58.319 These are common people, we don't even get their names. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:08.800 But Jesus commands them just the same for them to go out and for them to be sent and for them to minister and for them to go ahead of him in the message that he is going to bring. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.519 And so we're going to take a look at the middle of Jesus' ministry. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:14.319 This is Luke chapter 10, starting in verse 1. 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:23.279 After this, the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:24.079 Verse 2. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:28.720 He told them, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:33.440 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his field. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:34.720 Verse 3, go. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:40.000 I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:58.080 And then Jesus gives them several different instructions about how they should go and what they should take and what they shouldn't take, and how they should engage people as they show up into places, and if they're actually received in the Jewish hospitality of the time that doesn't look a whole lot like American hospitality now, that for them to stay in a stranger's house, and he's giving them different instructions. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:06.480 And he goes on in verse 9 and says, gives them the instruction, heal the sick who are there and tell them the kingdom of God has come near to you. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:08.000 Everybody say, Come near. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:10.240 Verse 10. 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:18.320 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into the streets and say, Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:22.639 Yet be sure of this, the kingdom of God has come near. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:29.600 I tell you, it'll be more bearable on the day, on that day for Sodom than for that town. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:37.360 Jesus gives us the example of what I'm calling the sending cycle. 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:45.039 And what that means is that there's this cycle that we're in as believers, that we are being saved. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:50.799 We are then in the saving, then being sanctified. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:56.960 And then as we're being sanctified, then we are also called by God to be sent as well. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:13.919 See, the the saving is that work of grace that each and every single one of us, as we've placed our faith and trust and allegiance in Christ, his death, burial, resurrection on the cross, and him as King Jesus as Lord of our lives, we receive that salvation. 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:20.559 And that salvation is just, isn't just supposed to stay with us, and it's not just for the pastors and just for the professional people. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:26.879 It's also that we see the salvation that comes to all kinds of different people in the life of Jesus' ministry. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:38.000 Common sinners, everyday people who Jesus is encountering, like the woman at the well that, and when he gives her the truth, then she goes into the towns and she begins to share about the Jesus that she just met. 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:47.360 Like the man who was delivered from demonic possession, and once he was delivered and set free, then he went into the town and he told what Jesus had done for him. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:11:02.159 As people were healed of different ailments and diseases, they then picked up their mat and they walked and they told people what had just happened to them in the saving knowledge of Jesus that had just happened and they had just experienced. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:15.039 And they're living out what the apostle Paul tells us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, and we acknowledge that that is the beginning, not the end of the story. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:20.799 So oftentimes we can just get into that mindset of, oh well, I'm saved. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:22.480 I got saved when I was a kid. 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:24.080 I checked that box. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:26.639 I'm good, I'm done. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.440 I got hellfire insurance. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.240 I'm good now. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:38.960 But God has so much more for us, and that's what this is this sanctifying process. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:50.720 So we go from the saving to the sanctifying, and the sanctifying process is that that's a big$10 church word, okay? 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:52.000 Sanctification. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:53.919 But let me break it down for you. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.840 Sanctification means that you are becoming more holy. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.840 You are each day becoming more and more like Jesus. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:17.360 This sanctifying process that you're in as you come to know Jesus, but then you're walking with Jesus and you're growing with him, becoming more like him, and you're connecting your life to Jesus and to his people. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:23.440 And Paul puts it like this in Philippians, he says, He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.000 That there's a good work that has started in your life and salvation, but it's not done yet. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:30.159 God's bringing it to completion. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:50.799 There's a process that you are in, that you have your salvation, you've been saved, your land, your name has been written down in the land's book of life, and now you begin this process from now until the last breath on earth of you becoming more like Christ as you worship, honor, and glorify his name. 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:59.039 This is this worships, work of sanctification, the word we use around here is discipleship. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:03.679 That you're growing as a disciple. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:24.720 And you're growing as a disciple in relationship as you are becoming more like Jesus, you're becoming more like him, that you are one of his disciples, one of his pupils, one of his followers, that you're following after his word, and you're doing that in community and in relationship with other believers who are trying to do the same thing. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:30.399 And what we're doing is we're pursuing spiritual maturity, not spiritual comfort. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:40.000 The spiritual maturity, which is for you to be a disciple and then help other people become a disciple as well. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:45.600 We just went through this sermon series for the last few weeks called Forged. 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:55.679 And over the last few weeks, we've been going through and talking about spiritual formation and what's happening inwardly within us. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:14:01.919 But the inward growth that we have, it shouldn't just stay internal inside of us, it should begin to flow out of us. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:04.480 It should begin to pour out. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:17.679 As we are being filled up by God, we're being poured out so that we can then go, as Jesus tells us in the Great Commission, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:24.799 And he gives us this instruction that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:35.600 See what Jesus is telling us by sending out these 72, these common everyday followers of Jesus like you and me is that this isn't just something that's for missionaries. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:45.600 This is for parents and for teachers, for doctors and lawyers, for volunteers, for mentors, for people who work in all different kinds of industry. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:52.480 You are being sent out as a messenger of Christ on mission. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:15:00.639 This is what I'm saying to you is that you're not just saved from sin, you're saved for sending. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:13.039 And what we know is the reality of even just our city is that the need is great. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.720 The need is great. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:29.679 And it's so easy for me at times to look at all the needs that are going on in our city and all the people who are far from God and think, Lord, what in the world do you want me to do to try to make a difference in this? 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:33.919 I feel like what I'm doing is a drop in the bucket. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.320 What's it really gonna matter if I'm showing up or not? 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:51.679 And maybe you've walked in today, and as I'm already talking about being sinned, and I'm talking about us being a representation of Christ, you've already turned your brain off because you're like, Forrest, don't you know how crazy my life is right now? 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:54.320 I got enough stuff on my own plate. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:56.720 I'm so overwhelmed and trying to figure out my life. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.200 How in the world am I able to help somebody else? 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:01.919 I got enough mess just with myself, Forrest. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:22.080 But the truth is with Jesus, the reality is that, yeah, you may have a mess, but I guarantee you that there are other people outside of these walls that they're in a mess as well, maybe even more of a mess than you're in, maybe even more overwhelmed by the brokenness of sin and the and the difficulties of life and in need of the Savior. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:28.480 And even though you may be a mess, you're going to them with the message that you have Christ and He and they need Him too. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:34.240 Force, how in the world do you even want me to do this? 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:38.320 And the beautiful thing is that we're not doing this on our own. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:48.320 See, the instruction that Jesus gives us, He tells us, the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few, and then he says, Ask the Lord of the harvest. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:17:01.679 So the first thing that we need to do as we're talking about being sent out in Christ and as we're walking out his purposes in our life is that we have to first plant the prayer that God called us to plant. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:05.119 He says, Ask the Lord of the harvest. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:08.880 And so it starts with a prayer. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.279 Plant the prayer. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:24.079 Jesus told them not to plan, not to organize, not to execute, not to have a whole bunch of conversations. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:27.759 The first thing he tells them and directs them to do is to pray. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:41.759 Is to take the time to ask the Lord, what it is it that you're wanting me to do, who you want me to speak to, where you want me to go. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:47.119 And it's a genuine prayer from your heart to ask the Lord of the harvest. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:51.359 See, we get into this mindset. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:18:02.079 And I think this is probably why most of us end up getting stuck or paralyzed at this point is because we get into this mindset of somebody else will do it. 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:08.000 Well, somebody else, somebody else is better than me. 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:10.240 Somebody else who knows more than me. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:13.119 Somebody else who knows more about the Bible than I do. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:17.759 Somebody else who has a more clean up life than I do. 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.240 They don't have the same struggles as me. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:22.880 This is why Jesus says the workers are few. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:30.000 The workers are few. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.559 But the harvest is plentiful. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.160 Here's what God tells you. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:38.079 God is literally commanding you to pray and go. 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:42.880 Pray first and then go. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:59.279 And so oftentimes there's many of us that instead of being sent in the way that God is intending you to, that you may be a person instead of being the one who's being sent, are you the person who's sitting in the stands? 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:03.519 Are you the one who's sitting on the sideline? 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:15.279 Now, this is the sending cycle that uh we we see from this passage, but then also just Jesus' ministry in general of the saving and then the sanctifying work, and then the sending out. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:19.119 And I was thinking to myself, what in the world is the opposite of this? 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:23.920 What's the opposite of this sending cycle? 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:27.359 And I've got a lot of experience in church. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:30.799 I've basically been in church for 37 years my entire life. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:46.160 I know a lot about how the church has operated over the last 30 years, and I feel like that the American church has drifted into, fallen into this other cycle that I'm calling the consumer cycle. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:54.319 The consumer cycle that you're consuming, you're showing up. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:58.960 You want to have a great message, the music better be like on point. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:02.400 Better not be too loud, better not be too soft so I can't hear it. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.839 Can't be too loud. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:08.960 It's gotta be just perfect for my ears at any seat in the in the worship center I'm sitting at that day. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:11.039 So I can hear it perfectly. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.319 Well, that message, it better be on point. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:23.519 The programs, everything that's going on in in the church, and you're you're in a situation where you you're going to church, and listen to me, listen to me. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:28.240 You're coming to church and you're going to church for yourself, for me. 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:35.920 My worship style, my comfort, my preferences. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:47.039 And what that leads to, it leads to a shallow faith and a lack of ownership over what God has truly called you to do. 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:56.400 And you end up with this stack of a laundry list of different preferences that you have over the purposes that God has called you to. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:10.960 All the preferences that you have that are arresting you and keeping you from walking out the God-given purposes that God has appointed for you to do here on this earth. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:23.359 And if you stay in the consumer mindset for too long, which I think that the American church has been in at least for the last 40 years, if you stay in that consumer mindset, what eventually happens is that you begin to critique. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:30.000 When you have this consumer mindset, then the critiques they begin to flow. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:37.839 Well, you know, you know, I wish that we would just be doing more as a church. 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:46.079 And and why aren't why aren't we doing more of the things that I want to see the church do? 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:49.839 Man, why don't we do this or that? 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:51.680 Why don't we do it better? 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:59.359 And our sanctification can get stalled as people default to a spectator mode. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:04.559 I'm just gonna sit on the sideline. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:06.480 I'm just gonna be in the seats. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:15.440 And what ends up happening is that if you're in the critique mindset for too long, eventually you're gonna fall into the temptation to complain. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:27.039 Probably one of the toughest scriptures as far as sin and not do is in Philippians chapter 2 when Paul tells us, do everything without grumbling and complaining. 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:31.279 I've been having to quote that verse to my kids a lot recently. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.720 Do everything without grumbling and complaining. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:42.240 See, the complaining comes when it's like, you know what, this just is it's not meeting my needs. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:45.119 I need to find somewhere that does. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.160 Listen to me. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:53.680 This is a self-reinforcing cycle that will never move you towards the field. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:56.319 You just change seats in the stands. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.319 Are you hearing me? 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:16.960 And it just compounds and compounds and compounds, and there's this cycle, this consumer cycle, it ends up leading to a spiritual stagnation where you it just keeps people sitting instead of going where God has called them to go. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.640 Let me tell you, here's the truth. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.480 The truth is that every believer is in one of these cycles. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:26.880 And one of the cycles leads to mission, and the other one leads to misery. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:33.839 One of these cycles multiplies fruit, the other one multiplies frustration. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:36.799 The harvest is plentiful. 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:38.960 Which cycle are you in? 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:45.279 Our Frankfurt Ford initiative, which basically is the outreach aspect of our church. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:49.599 Our church has basically been doing three things kind of from the beginning. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:56.319 We've been serving the Lord and worshiping on Sundays, serving kids and kids' ministry on Sundays. 00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:58.880 We've been meeting together in small groups and homes. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:04.720 Been serving in inside the church and outside of the church as we've served in outreach. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:11.920 And the outreach aspect of our church is what we call the Frankfurt Ford Initiative to see Frankfurt flourish economically, relationally, and spiritually. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:19.279 And we've invested a lot of time over the last couple of years of us serving outside the walls of the church. 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:31.680 Now it's we've served outside the walls in the last year plus a few months, now probably close to 28 different different opportunities and events that we've done across the city. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:43.039 And our Frankfurt Ford team, which is so awesome, who is uh led by Jamie Oleika, who is right now on maternity leave with their beautiful baby boy, uh Mr. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:43.680 Samuel. 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:45.359 Can you give it up for Jamie? 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:52.720 And uh during the maternity leave, Shannon Athus stepping up to lead the Frankfurt Ford team of volunteers. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:53.839 Can you give it up for Shannon? 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:03.680 And also another person who uh is on the team that we love is uh Dana Newland. 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:14.240 And we were joking this week uh because Dana, like she's probably already signed up for every single event that went up on the board earlier, because she just loves to serve, she loves to serve the Lord. 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:18.480 She she it's not because she's got nothing to do, she has a newborn baby as well, Mr. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:25.759 Judah, and kids and uh a life, but she also just loves serving, and she's on this team. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:44.480 And and a few weeks ago, out here in the lobby, as Dana was serving on a Sunday, she got into a conversation with one of the Frankfurt police officers who come on Sunday mornings to help us out, which by the way, in the short time we've been in this building, our Frankfurt police officers had helped us with multiple medical emergencies over the last few days. 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:50.079 Can we give it up for our officers who help us out on Sundays? 00:25:50.160 --> 00:26:00.640 And she got into a conversation with one of the officers, and he was talking about something that is uh going on in his life as an officer. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:20.960 See, uh, we got first responders in our church, and uh the first responders, they were telling me even just weeks, some of our first responders are telling us about the difficult and traumatic kind of kind of events that they have to experience, but also that they're walking into with other people, and they joke about with one another about whether or not they always joke with each other about being heroes. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:28.319 But really, they're walking into circumstances, and this they're walking into circumstances, the there there's heroics that is good that's going on. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:36.480 But even in the midst of that, there's there's there's also traumatic things that are happening as well. 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:42.960 Not just for those first responders, but also for the people that they're showing up to try to help. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:59.920 And so this officer was explaining, I love this, that in the back of his squad car, he keeps some stuffed animals, some teddy bears, that when he goes into a situation that have kids that are completely innocent in whatever situation he's a part of, he's got teddy bears in the back of his squad car to give to the kids. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:11.599 And they kind of had a conversation of do you think that the church would want to help to get some of these teddy bears? 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:22.880 And I don't know if you're like my family, but I got two little girls, and we have more stuffed animals than you could ever possibly imagine. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:39.920 And so in July, what we're gonna do is that we're gonna collect stuffed animals so that we can see these officers be able to do this more and more and more across our city as they walk into difficult, challenging circumstances. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:44.319 And what Dana did in that moment is that she saw a need and she feeled a need. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:47.599 One of the values of our church that are out on the wall out here. 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:51.839 She saw a need and then took steps to fill a need. 00:27:51.920 --> 00:28:00.319 And so what I'm excited about us getting to come alongside, and that's just one of the opportunities of several of the different opportunities to come. 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:09.119 See, because the response that we need in the fact that the need is great, the response is that compassion is needed. 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:18.720 Because it something that we say all the time, and I say all the time, is that love shows up. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:21.759 Love shows up. 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:33.440 And and I can't personally show up for every single person in our church or in our city, and so it's a team effort, all of us together, isn't it? 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:51.920 Because God has appointed people and circumstances, fields for you to be in, for you to bring compassion, for you to bring your heart. 00:28:53.039 --> 00:29:03.279 And it's easy for us to get in this mindset of thinking, well, yeah, I don't just I don't have time for all that. 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:15.359 But with the prayers that we're praying and we're asking God to move and grow, he's not just gonna do it just all for us, he's gonna let us be partners in with him in the mission. 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:28.240 And so the prayers that we're asking to come to fruition, we need to be in concert, in partnership with God, we need to be the ones to help it grow. 00:29:28.640 --> 00:30:15.440 What I mean is that for us to be the ones that show up, for us to serve, for us to water the seeds that are being planted with consistency, isn't it just so great that even though our sin is so great that God still wants to use us, that God still wants to have his purposes be made manifest through our lives, even though we don't deserve it, we haven't earned it, but the seeds that we're asking for the Lord of the harvest to bring to fruition, he's allowing us to partner with him to see the seeds grow, and it doesn't just say inside these walls. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:24.240 Something that I'm very excited about is that uh here soon we're gonna be launching a frankfurtforward.com website. 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:27.039 Looks like this, or here's the example of it. 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:47.759 And what this is gonna allow us to do is to invite people in our city into the connections of the things that we're working and doing alongside different local nonprofits, that we'll be able to send out a link, share it out, and not just anybody who has the church center app, which is uh, you know, that's the whole process in its own right to download an app. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:57.359 But that we'll be able to share it out and not just multiply church, but maybe, maybe just maybe, maybe God wants to activate some other Christians in our city as well. 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:00.400 Maybe God wants to activate some other churches. 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:07.440 Maybe God wants to activate some people that are in your friend group or that are people that are at your workplace. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:13.279 And for you to be able to send out and say, hey, I'm going to do this to serve our city, I would love for you to do it with me. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:14.400 Let me send it to you. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:20.720 I'm excited about that being an opportunity because I I don't know, I don't know what God could do. 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:29.279 If God just wants for our church to serve and for us to be the only ones getting out there and serving in these different things, okay, fine. 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:34.880 But we can at least ask God, the Lord of the harvest, and then for Him to trust us to help it grow. 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:36.240 Can anybody hear me? 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:40.799 Let's just give the Lord the opportunity. 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:47.279 And what we're then going to do is then we're going to begin to reap the prayers that we prayed. 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:54.400 And the reaping of these prayers, it's the ultimate harvest that Jesus is talking about, the harvest of souls. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:32:04.240 As we show up, as you show up, as you serve, as you share, what we're doing is the harvest that is coming to fruition is a harvest of the heart. 00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:11.519 It's not only about the food that's going to be given to families this summer. 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:14.240 It's not only about Timber. 00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:33.119 It's about the opportunity to shove the lip of God, to be a representation of God for us to be able to then follow it with sharing what Jesus has done in our lives as a witness, and a witness of his church. 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:41.599 Then oftentimes when people draw past a church, they just think about it the same way that they think about a funeral home. 00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:44.799 It's completely irrelevant to their life until there's an emergency. 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:51.200 But the gates of hell are not going to prevail. 00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:55.119 The church is alive and well. 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:05.359 We're going to show our city that we're ones that have been transformed by his grace and they can too. 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:14.720 And as we're being sent out, we're in this cycle of seeing more people than be saved, then them follow Jesus and be sanctified and watch this. 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:19.680 And then them be sent out so that God will do their His purposes through their life as well. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:22.480 This is the cycle that we're talking about. 00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:31.680 And so, if you don't hear anything else that I say today, I want you to hear this from me and to receive this from me. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:36.720 My ask for you as we head into this summer is that you find your field. 00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:41.519 Find it. 00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:52.640 One of these things that we're doing as a church together, jump in, sink your teeth into it. 00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:58.720 The field that God has you in, your workplace, with your family. 00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:21.519 And what's happening with this is that as we begin to pray, act, serve, grow, reap in a harvest that Jesus tells us is plentiful. 00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:32.239 What's going to happen is that we're going to find ourselves in the center of where God wants our lives to be in His will for us. 00:34:32.719 --> 00:34:33.920 Can you imagine? 00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:49.519 Can you imagine what it's going to be like when there's hundreds of stuffed animals in the back of patrol cars that got there because somebody who follows Jesus cared enough to fill a need? 00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:57.119 Do you not think that's going to be a witness to our police officers? 00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:05.840 When they grab that bear, they remember, oh, this came from God's people. 00:35:05.920 --> 00:35:07.119 This came from a church. 00:35:09.280 --> 00:35:11.599 And whatever's going on in their life. 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:26.559 And as they share that with the child, there's heaven work from planting and reaping that's going on. 00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:29.280 To open the doorway. 00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:39.280 Imagine with me if every single person in this room today, if every single one of us found our field this summer. 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:41.119 What can God do? 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:44.639 What are the stories that could happen? 00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:56.239 And so sink your teeth into one or more of the things that we're doing. 00:35:57.119 --> 00:36:10.639 Maybe you need to take some intentional time for you to pray, for you to find that field, and maybe that even maybe even require you to take a break for some meals and to fast for the Lord to show you. 00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:14.000 You don't have the church center app, that's okay. 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:21.280 We got a station out here that says Frankfurt 4 with iPads, and there's a team there that's ready to help you and to show you all the different options. 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:25.519 If you're one of the beautiful people who have a dumb phone, you don't have a smartphone, that's okay. 00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:28.079 We've got you hit we got you covered. 00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:29.679 Go out to the station. 00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:32.400 You can find where you can jump in. 00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:37.360 So why in the world is this important? 00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:42.480 It's important because of the last thing Jesus said. 00:36:44.239 --> 00:36:50.480 Jesus said that not everybody who you share with, who you're sent to, is gonna receive it. 00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:52.159 Some are gonna reject it. 00:36:52.960 --> 00:37:05.920 And those of you that as you're going and being sent, and as you're sharing, if people reject it, what's gonna happen is that there's going to be eternal implications. 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:15.519 That if people reject Jesus, what he said is it it would be better for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day that the city was destroyed than for the people that reject him. 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:27.199 That literally there are there are there are cosmic heaven and hell implications as we go and as we're sent. 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:33.199 And I'm not saying that to scare anyone, I'm saying that to show you the stakes of what it is to be sent. 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:35.840 The stakes are high. 00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.559 So we need to go. 00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:46.960 We need to go to a world who doesn't know who Jesus is and be a tangible representation of him. 00:37:47.679 --> 00:38:05.760 To move out of a mindset of consuming and into a mindset of letting God literally send us out to people that He's already appointed, good works, He's already appointed for you. 00:38:06.639 --> 00:38:13.440 Ephesians says, before the foundation of the world for you to be walking in his will for you and purposes for you. 00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:19.519 And in church, I'm believing in faith that God's gonna use us this summer. 00:38:19.679 --> 00:38:20.880 Are you believing it? 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:22.639 I'm believing it. 00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:25.760 We don't even know what all the Lord wants to do. 00:38:26.079 --> 00:38:30.239 But I know this the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few. 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:35.280 Will you be the one that's on the sidelines, or will you be the one that's being sent? 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:39.119 Eternity at stake. 00:38:39.199 --> 00:38:54.559 And maybe for some of you in the room right now, eternity is at stake with you right now because you've not yet given your life and heart over to Christ and received his death, burial, and resurrection for you on the cross, and you're here today, and you're just kind of seeking and you're searching, or maybe you've had different hangups. 00:38:54.639 --> 00:38:58.239 But can I tell you today that Jesus loves you so much that he died for you? 00:38:58.480 --> 00:39:28.239 And then he wants to then implant his purposes in your life so that you can be a part of what he's doing and redeeming this entire world and seeing other people that you know be saved so that one day that your last breath on earth will be your first breath in heaven with him, because you've been forgiven, washed clean, cleansed, so that you can make you more like him in sanctifying work and to send you to more people who need it. 00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:34.079 If that's you today, today's the day for you to step across the line, for you to receive Christ as your Savior. 00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:59.199 If you're somebody who's been a believer and you've been on the sidelines and you've given a ton of excuses of why you can't be in the game, today's your day to just take a step forward into loving and serving and caring for others, to growing spiritually, serving people inside of these walls and outside of these walls. 00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:01.599 Would you pray with me right now, God, all across the room? 00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:20.400 I'm praying right now, Father, for myself and for all those here this morning, part of our church, who, God, as we as we head into this summer, as we as we refocus in on what you've called us to and your mission, God, thank you, Lord, that you don't leave us on our own. 00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:25.360 And instead, God, you literally chose to partner with us and let us get to be a part of the party. 00:40:25.440 --> 00:40:47.280 And Father, I just pray, Lord, right now, all across the room, God, that you would help us, Father, to have your your rhythm, your calling, your cycles that are happening in our life, and that Father, we wouldn't fall into the trap that the enemy wants to ensnare us in, but instead, God, that we would be activated for you. 00:40:47.440 --> 00:40:50.239 Father, I pray that over every believer in the house. 00:40:52.880 --> 00:40:59.280 God, I also pray right now for anybody who's in this place who's not received you as Savior, that today will be the day of their salvation. 00:40:59.519 --> 00:41:14.960 That today that they would ask you to forgive them, to cleanse them, that they would commit their heart to you, that you would become the Lord of their life, that they would believe in your death, burial, and resurrection. 00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:18.079 And if that's you today, I ask you, pray, Jesus, save me. 00:41:18.239 --> 00:41:20.639 Pray in your heart and mind, Jesus, save me. 00:41:21.199 --> 00:41:33.840 I believe that you're the Son of God, that you died on the cross for my sins, and that you walked out of the grave and are seated on the throne of heaven. 00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:40.880 Cleanse me, wash me so that I can be in heaven with you one day. 00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:46.480 I give my life to you as you gave your life for mine. 00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:54.400 I commit myself to you from this day forward. 00:41:56.159 --> 00:41:58.000 Thank you for saving me. 00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:10.559 If you prayed that today, to receive Christ as your Savior, for you to be forgiven, for you to be set free, for you to be cross crossover from death to life. 00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:16.559 If you pray that I want you to make a sign before heaven, before God, and so that I can pray for you. 00:42:17.360 --> 00:42:20.480 I want you at the count of three to raise your hand if that's you. 00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:22.480 Ready? 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:23.920 One, two, three. 00:42:24.079 --> 00:42:26.320 Anybody in the house, raise it high. 00:42:28.159 --> 00:42:42.800 Father, we pray right now to the Lord of the harvest, that God you would use us to be the ones that get to see the harvest come home. 00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:59.039 Father, as we step out in faith in you, God, we know that we can trust you and that you're not gonna let us go, you're not gonna forsake us, but instead, God, you're to you're gonna help us and you're gonna hold us in your hand. 00:42:59.199 --> 00:43:05.519 So, God, we pray, Lord, for more people to come to know you as Savior in our city and beyond. 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:08.719 We love you, we praise you in the strong name of Jesus. 00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:10.079 Everybody said, Amen. 00:43:10.159 --> 00:43:13.039 Church, will you stand to your feet now as we worship together and sing?