WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:10.160 We've had a beautiful last couple of weeks at Multiply and uh I'm excited about today to jump into a new series. 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:12.960 If I've not met you before, I'm Forrest Lead Pastor here. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:14.240 If you're new, welcome. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:17.199 Glad that you are in the room. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:27.839 We uh have had a great couple of weeks with a couple of guests that have been in the house, and this last week we got to hear from Pastor Destinor Anchwan. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:29.839 Were any of you all here for that last week? 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:31.440 Wasn't that great? 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:33.840 If you thought that was great, put your hands together for that. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:35.119 That was great. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:51.600 Pastor Destinor, he talked about his testimony and talked about what God's done in his life at K-State as uh a football player and then now as a pastor, and I'm excited about the fact that we have an open door to get to serve students on the 20th again. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:58.880 And I'm praying for God to create even more pathways through our church to serve that campus in our city. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:02.560 And I'm believing for that and loving it. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:25.680 And as we uh now it feels like fall is in full swing because students are heading back to campus, lots of students are back in school, other students are going back this very week, and we're jumping into this series called Room at the Table, where we're taking a look at who we are as a church and what we are making room for here in the life of our church. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:30.079 And the title of my message today is Bring to the Table. 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:31.920 What do you bring to the table? 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:37.200 Sounds like an interrogation, intense interview question. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:42.079 If you're a guy who asks that question on a first date, you're an idiot. 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:43.359 Do not ask that question. 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:44.879 What do you bring to the table? 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:53.840 That's not a question for the for a first date or pretty much any date, because though it's an important question, it's something that's discovered over time. 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:58.400 And I know for me, as a person, I want to bring something to the table. 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:07.040 I want to bring something to the table to my marriage, I want to bring something to the table to my kids, I want to bring something to the table to my ministry, I want to bring something to the table to my friends. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:12.080 As a church, I want for us to bring something to the table. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:25.039 And really, as we take a look at making room at the table, I don't just want this place here at Multiply just to be welcoming, but to feel like home for those near and far from God. 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:28.800 Let me say that again. 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:34.479 I don't want this place just to feel welcoming, but to feel like home for those near and far from God. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:54.319 Our church is uh three and a half years old, and in the early days of the church, my family just moved to town, and we had just a handful of folks who were committing to the launch team at the beginnings of this work, multiply. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:16.960 And I remember back to that time I was talking to one of my coaches, I have several coaches, uh, continue to because I I know how much I don't know, but I was talking to one of my coaches, and in my my brilliant church planning wisdom at that time, I was on the phone with my coach, and uh we had gotten uh our our website up, we gotten the multiply Facebook and Instagram going. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.680 We were like, I was really feeling good. 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:30.400 And I told my coach that we're gonna start doing Instagram ads for multiply and join the launch team, just a handful of people, and he was like, No, that's exactly not what you're gonna do, actually. 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:34.159 And he said, What you're actually gonna do is you're gonna find 12 people. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:35.280 That sounds biblical, it doesn't. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:42.240 You're gonna find 12 people who believe in what God is doing and wants to do in this city through Multiply and through you. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:51.280 And I want you to begin to meet together and to learn together and journey together and invite and bring others into it. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:04:09.759 And as we begin to take a look at what God was doing in our church, something that he told me is that I at the very beginning, as my coach said, be very cautious about all the things that you say that the church is going to be because you're making a promise and it may be a lie. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:31.920 See, we had a website, we had uh social media, and what would be very normal to do is when you're thinking about how you're gonna begin a church, to think about all the different aspects of what the mission is and what the what the values are, and go ahead and put those things up onto a website that you steal from some other church or something and slap up there. 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:45.199 But instead, what his instructions to me was is that over the next course of the next couple of years, to actually discover who Multiply Church was going to be, what she was actually going to be like. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:49.279 And to discover what those values were going to be. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:59.439 And so, over the course of two years, we discovered what is now those ten value statements that we have here at Multiply That on the Wall, right on the other side of this back wall now. 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:02.160 And today we're gonna take a look at one of them. 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:05.600 On the course of this series, we're not gonna look at all 10, but we're gonna zero in and some. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:07.439 And this is actually the last of the ten. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:10.720 This is our value, we bring others with us. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:14.000 Let me share with you what it is. 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:15.519 We bring others with us. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.800 It's not good for man to be alone, so we do life together. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:21.199 We know church was meant to be a team sport. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:24.480 Everybody say team sport, not a solo assignment. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:27.839 We make disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:39.759 We are intentionally others focused and give our time, our talent, and our treasure connected to the Great Commission, Matthew 28, 19 through 20. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:47.040 There's a tension in our American life and society to be extremely individualistic. 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:56.319 Everything in our world and society wants us to be very individualistic, especially in our faith, that you know, your faith should be something that's private. 00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:59.120 Something you don't talk to anybody about. 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:04.079 It's not polite conversation in society to talk about religion. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:08.639 That your faith is just for you and that you should do it all alone. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:18.240 And there is, and sometimes for us, we can fall into this trap of so desperately wanting to figure out our faith all by ourselves. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:24.079 But here's the truth: if you are in Christ, that means you are in the body of Christ. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:32.319 And that we are a body, a body that's made up of many members and of different parts and have different giftings. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:42.160 And you, if you're in Christ, if you claim to be a follower of Jesus, you are in the body of Christ and you weren't meant to be some amputated limb. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:53.920 Instead, to be a part of the living, breathing, active, working, loving, caring, serving, speaking, body of Christ. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:07:00.959 A couple of weeks ago, you got to hear from another mentor and friend of mine, Ked Frank. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:06.399 Ked, two weeks ago, ended our family trip series talking about parenting. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:20.000 And I asked Ked to come and to talk about parenting, which is a tough topic to talk about, but because of the authority in his life, the fact that he has two grown children who now are fully in love with Jesus. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:21.680 And I asked him to come and share with us. 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:22.879 And I've listened to that message. 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:27.439 I was away uh that Sunday and listened to that message and loved everything that he said. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:29.279 I got a picture of him and his family. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:32.000 You might have been here that Sunday when he was sharing. 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:38.079 I highly recommend that you go and listen to the last two Sundays of messages on our website if you've not caught them. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:39.839 But this was such a great one. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.560 And there, but there's more to the story. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:08:04.399 See, Michelle, Ked's wife, was on staff at Southland, a church that we love for 20 years, and Ked began what became the largest domestic sex trafficking ministry in the U.S., helping women get out of sex trafficking, prostitution, and adult entertainment industry that started here in Kentucky, Refuge for Women. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:24.319 They then split out to multiple states, thousands and thousands of women who were rescued out of the pit of hell in some situations, and were brought in for a full year able to be in a safe house, to be discipled, to be in deep counseling, to learn job training. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:36.799 And there are a mountain of stories of women who were saved and restored in those years, and now Ked and his wife are doing the same thing in Denver, Colorado. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:48.720 Recently, Ked told me a story about a woman who came to their safe house, safe places for women in Denver, who had been trafficked. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:50.799 Her name was Shannon. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:09:01.120 And I want to tell this story today to you as uh hopefully an encouragement to all of us of what God can do in somebody's life. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:06.879 As Shannon came to the safe house, she had gone through severe abuse. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:14.639 She was rescued out of sex trafficking, she she had grown up actually subjected to satanic ritual abuse. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:20.240 She was angry, she was broken, but her story didn't stay that way. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:38.399 I wonder, I wonder if the difference between a life that's not good, like God says that it's not good for man to be alone in a life that's good, is just being together in the body of Christ. 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:40.799 With one another. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:57.519 See, it appears to me that Satan is having a heyday right now with streaming and anxiety and apathy and the small screens in our life that are stealing the goodness that is multiplied when we bring others with us. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:08.559 Now we all try to forget about the COVID times, but in some ways it proves the point of my message today before I even begin that isolation makes us insane. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:25.679 So if the Christian walk is supposed to be a team sport, what do we do when we find ourselves or others on the bench in the stands or just watching from home? 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:28.720 We bring others with us. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:36.639 We're gonna look at a story today of Jesus that is a scandalous scene. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:11:27.600 And the religious leaders have been having quite a lot of negative feedback for Jesus on his ministry and who he's associating with and who he was eating with, even claiming that Jesus was a drunkard and a glutton, that he hung out with tax collectors and sinners, and we enter into this scandalous scene where these religious leaders actually invite Jesus to their house for dinner, and Jesus, not showing favoritism, shows up to their house, but there's someone that no one wants to be there, let alone to be at the table, that is worshiping Jesus. 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:34.240 And the people that should have known better want her gone because of it. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:39.679 So if you have your Bible, if you turn with me to Luke chapter 7, if you've got your phone app, pull it up. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.559 This is something you want to highlight in your phone Bible app. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.000 It's also going to be on the screen. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:48.240 We're in Luke chapter 7, starting in verse 36, here's the story. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:51.519 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:55.600 So Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:04.559 When a certain immoral woman from the city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.559 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:13.120 Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:16.799 Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:29.600 And when the Pharisees who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:31.919 She's a sinner. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:39.759 Now, I don't know about you, but I know for myself, there are some people that I just don't want at the cookout. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:40.559 Okay? 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:42.639 That's in my flesh. 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:46.080 And I'm sure I'm the only one that's like that around here, okay? 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:48.480 Now we're at this scene. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:51.279 It's this nice home, nice meal. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:54.559 The Pharisees, these religious leaders, they are wealthy. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:06.720 They're high class, and in this high class environment in Israel, especially a dinner like this, the poor will be allowed to come in and to stand at a distance. 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:15.120 And in one of these communal meals, if there was any scraps that were left over, the poor was were allowed to go and take and eat the scraps from the table. 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:25.759 But this woman that night came in to the dinner not for leftovers, but to get a full serving of the Savior. 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:48.240 She was hearing about this Jesus who was healing the terminally ill, who was loving the unlovable, who was embracing the outcast, even those who were dying slowly of leprosy, and she came to worship at the feet of Jesus. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:53.120 Today, which side of the table are you on? 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:59.759 Are you on the side of the table of turning your nose up at someone who's just trying to worship? 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:06.639 Are you the one who's desperately trying to get to the feet of Jesus, to the foot of the cross today? 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:12.000 And it leads us to my first question for you as who gets a seat at the table. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:17.279 I think it's so interesting because I grew up in a church. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:18.799 I grew up in a beautiful church. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.799 Oh my goodness, beautiful people, beautiful church. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:26.879 It's a wonderful home church that I grew up, beautiful, huge church, and amazing people. 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:43.919 But there was uh oftentimes where the church that I grew up in was it was so a formal setting that oftentimes it it as I think back to it, it feels like the church that I grew up looked more like the university or academia than it did the ministry of Jesus. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:53.440 In a beautiful space, and with degrees and with lectures. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:58.639 And I think about who gets a seat at the table with Jesus. 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:21.919 And as I think about Jesus' ministry and who he associated with and who he hung out with and who we're allowed to worship him, Jesus has full knowledge and knows full and well what's happening behind him with the worship of this woman that's going on, and it is burning up everybody's biscuits at the table, and he does not care at all. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.919 Because he knows what kind of worship he deserves. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:57.519 See, at the table, and in Jewish society at the time, there would be a very short table and in the room, and it'd be in the center of the room, and everybody would be reclining at the table, is what was said, where there'd be pillows, and basically everybody would lay down with their shoulder towards the table, and their feet would be pointed out away from the table, because at that time, uh sandals and walking on dusty roads, these feet, you didn't want them anywhere close to the table. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:18.480 And so Jesus is reclined at the table, and at his feet is this woman who is there, and she's pouring out her heart, her tears, this expensive bottle of perfume that she had, and she's worshiping him with all of herself. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:34.000 But you know, there are people that say that church today is supposed to be quiet, it's supposed to be polite, it's supposed to be pleasant, it's supposed to be proper, with no regard for the praise that is due our Redeemer. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:42.559 If you won't pull up a seat at the table to worship Jesus, then you don't really know what Jesus desires. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.720 I'll put it to you like this. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:17:10.240 In these times that we're worshiping God and we're we're coming into this room and we're singing songs of praise, the reason why we're singing these songs of praise is so that every Sunday we have the opportunity to glorify God and to worship Him and to sing and speak the truth over our lives and to and to turn blessing up towards the Lord so that we recognize the fact that He is God and we are not. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:17.279 And I love that our church worships and does our very best. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:27.519 And I want to encourage those of you who are in the room who maybe you didn't work grow up singing songs or worshiping, and you're like, I only sing in the shower and nobody gets to hear that. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:30.240 I'm not ever gonna open my mouth. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:36.079 Can I encourage you that even if even if you're not gonna sing, can you just mouth the words to the song? 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:40.559 Can you just say the truth to yourself under your breath? 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:52.400 So that you are openly worshiping the king of kings of heaven and earth and recognizing the fact that you are not God, He is. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:18:25.680 For us to move into this posture, and I know, I know the fact that many of us, if you're you're one of the guy or one of the girls that you're like, I don't want to do all that, I don't want to sing, it's it's probably because you haven't had the opportunity to journey through the book of Psalms and see how often in the Word, and every psalm starts with talking about how we sing a new psalm that we rejoice to the Lord, that we lift up praises to God, recognizing his divinity and his supremacy, not our own. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:33.839 And this woman is at the at the foot of Jesus, at the table, and she's worshiping him. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:38.400 If you're with me this morning, say I want to be at the table. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:47.359 We want to pull up a seat and be at the table, worshiping Christ. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:19:03.119 This woman in Denver at Safe Places for Women Shannon, she was scaring the other women, the other victims of trafficking who are residents in their in their uh safe house with outbursts of anger and aggression. 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:07.359 And and this even the staff were kind of freaked out. 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:10.319 And they called a meeting with Ked. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:22.240 Because they they didn't know what to do and they didn't know how to handle this, and they called a meeting with Ked to suggest that Shannon be transferred somewhere else. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:30.000 But then Ked gave them an answer, just like Jesus is about to, in verse 40. 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:36.000 Verse 40, Jesus, then Jesus answered his thoughts. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:39.440 We could just stop right there because Simon's in trouble right there. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:49.200 Jesus knew what he was thinking, he didn't even say it out loud, and Jesus knows what he's thinking and speaks directly to his thoughts. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:57.519 Simon, he has said, Simon, he said to the Pharisee, I have something to say to you. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:00.559 Go ahead, teacher, Simon replied. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:12.559 Then Jesus told him this story A man loaned money to two people, 500 pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces to the other, but neither of them could repay him. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.920 So he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:19.519 Who do you suppose loved him more after that? 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:26.960 Simon answered, I suppose the one who I'm supposed uh the one for whom he canceled the larger debt. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:29.440 That's right, Jesus said. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:30.799 Verse 44. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:35.279 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, Look at this woman kneeling here. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:47.599 When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has been washing them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:55.839 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she didn't, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:05.359 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:17.279 In the early days of Multiply, when just people were just kind of starting to come and show up and come through the door. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:22.960 We had a visitor that said something that I've never forgotten. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.880 So I thought it was so good. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:37.680 They came for the first time, and when they left, they this statement made its way to me, but they said to the person who brought on, they said, Some of the biggest sinners I know go to that church. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:48.240 And I thought to myself, praise the Lord, because we didn't move here to steal a bunch of saved sheep from other churches. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:53.119 We came to see people reached for Jesus, to be reached by Christ. 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:58.880 Recently, this very nice professional lady in our town was talking to me. 00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.759 We were having a conversation. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.599 She was asking about our church, and there were some other people around. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:13.759 And then uh then she said to me, Well, you know that people see those big X's on your building and think that it's a strip club. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:20.799 Which I was like, I mean, I was very taken aback because we were in a public setting, there were other people around. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:25.759 And and and I just I just blurted it out to her. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:30.559 I said, Well, if they come looking for that, they found themselves in the right place, actually, where they should be. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:41.519 See, in my flesh, there are people that I don't want at the cookout, and sometimes for me, that's religious people more than sinners. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:50.720 Oh, if Jesus would address my thoughts like he did Psalms at times, I would be in major trouble. 00:22:52.480 --> 00:23:02.160 And and because it's not just about who you don't want to see or who you accept, but it's about who you bring. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:04.319 It's about who you bring. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:25.920 And what I want for us to be as a church is for us to be a a group of people who want to bring a seat up to the table for others to be able to be introduced, to walk with, to learn, to be saved, to be restored, to be sanctified in Christ, that we would be the ones that would be bringers, not bouncers. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:33.759 Well, well, Forrest, I I go to church, I'm here all the time, I'm doing all things. 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:34.960 Who goes with you? 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:37.759 Who comes with you? 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:39.839 Who's walking with you? 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:41.839 Who are you walking with? 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:57.839 Is there somebody that's in your office that needs you to pull up a table or pull up a chair at the table and and have lunch at the office, or take somebody out on the fishing boat with you, or uh have somebody at the table at your home or invite them to come with you on a Sunday? 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:12.400 See, there's there's so many priorities when it comes to our faith, but it's Jesus who's the one who gave us this great commission that we should go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I've commanded you. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:15.359 And lo, I'm with you always to the very end of the age. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:18.319 Jesus is the one who gave us this great commission. 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:40.720 And Denver Ked looked at his staff and he said, if we aren't equipped to battle with the enemy and show Shannon the love of Jesus, then we need to get back before the Lord and get tuned in with the Father and up our game. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:45.119 Because the Lord's gonna give us exactly what we need. 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:47.279 And where else is she gonna go? 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:51.279 See, they thought about bouncing her. 00:24:51.920 --> 00:24:59.200 But instead, they would bring her to the feet of Jesus, just like Jesus is about to do in verse 47. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:06.319 In verse 47, Jesus says, I tell you her sins, and they are many, have been forgiven. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:14.480 So she has shown me much love, but a person who has forgiven little shows only little love. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:20.319 Then Jesus said to the woman, Your sins are forgiven. 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:25.920 Verse 49, the men at the table said among themselves, Who is this man? 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:28.799 That he goes around forgiving sins. 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:33.279 And Jesus said to the woman, listen to this, verse 50. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:36.000 Your faith has saved you. 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:38.480 Go in peace. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:43.200 Anxiety, depression, it's at an all-time high. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:43.759 We know that. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:45.440 I'm not telling anything you don't know. 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:49.680 We know how now, after years of this, we know where society is going. 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:52.799 We know that these phones that are in our pockets that were meant to connect us now. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:55.039 For some reason, we're more disconnected than ever. 00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:00.400 And you may be in the room today and you're struggling to find peace. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:06.240 Jesus tells her that her faith has saved her. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.039 And then he tells her to go in peace. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:28.400 And maybe you come into the room today and you're struggling to find peace or feel the peace of God because the weight of the world is on your shoulders, or because of dumb decisions that you made in the past that are now catching up with you, or that something that's actually been done to you, and some abuse that you've gone through, or maybe it's some sin in your life that has broken you. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:31.839 Can I tell you that Jesus wants to give you his peace? 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:37.440 And the reason he can give us his peace is because he's the Prince of Peace. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.880 One of the names of Jesus in the scripture is the Prince of Peace. 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:46.160 And so we bring the peace of God by the Prince of Peace in our life. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:50.400 And you say, Force, well, I'm I'm a Christian and I'm struggling right now. 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:54.400 I'm struggling with anxiety, I'm struggling with these things, I'm struggling to find peace. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:56.160 Does anybody else know? 00:26:58.240 --> 00:27:00.400 Does anybody else know what you're going through? 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:06.799 Is there anybody else in your life that is also walking and trying their best to walk with Jesus? 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:14.319 That you're talking to and you're with them and you're in life with them and they're trying to be a disciple of Jesus and you're trying to be a disciple of Jesus. 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:19.039 Does anybody know so that they can genuinely pray for you and over you? 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:23.039 Because the prayer of the righteous availeth much. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:26.640 And we're in this together as the body of Christ. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:40.559 Do you all know how many people and stories in our church are of people literally being saved up out of the ditch and God restoring them? 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:46.400 One of my other mentors who passed away in April, Dr. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:28:08.400 Pastor Tim Jones, Pastor Tim prayed over us and over me and over our church before he passed, and he prayed that multiply will be a place where the strong get stronger, and those whose lives have been decimated will get back up on their feet and live their purpose for the kingdom of God. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:10.160 It's almost a direct quote. 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:12.720 I listen to this prayer about every day. 00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:20.799 That the strong will get stronger, and those whose lives have been decimated, that they would get back up and be able to walk out their kingdom purposes. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:44.480 This is such a beautiful mix of people in our church, of people who've walked in and there's no record, and you've walked in and cleaned up and strong, and God's gonna use that in your life to make you stronger so that you can help somebody else because there's this mix of other people in our church who their lives have been decimated, and God's picking them up and dusting them off and putting them on the path of righteousness, and this is what the church is. 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:46.480 This is what he's doing. 00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:56.799 And we want to see more and more and more and more of this as we bring people to the peace of God that can be multiplied in their life. 00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:03.119 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, is what the scripture says. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:08.079 Jesus is ready to bring you peace. 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:14.400 Jesus turns to the woman and he says, Your faith is saved, you go in peace because she was at the table. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:37.440 In Denver, at safe places, the team rallied around Shannon and began to show her love, began to pray with her and have these prayer sessions with her, where her wounds were addressed, prayed over, demonic activity was broken off of her. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:46.000 And not too long after that, her life was redeemed, and Ked Frank baptized her at Flat Irons Church in Denver. 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:52.559 Can I tell you that's not where the story ends? 00:29:53.039 --> 00:30:11.279 Ked told me that today Shannon is actually on staff for safe places for women where she is creating a space to bring hope to women and peace and love and care to women in that safe house so that women who have gone through what she's gone through, she's now receiving them and she's bringing peace to them. 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:12.640 It's unbelievable. 00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:14.640 What seat are you sitting in? 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:18.319 Are you the person that has your nose turned up? 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:23.519 Are you the person who thinks that you're just too far gone to be saved? 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:31.039 I know I'm preaching to the crowd here this morning because you're here together. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:33.039 But who are you bringing with you? 00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:54.240 I'm so glad that the disciples didn't just bring the grace and love and peace of Jesus just to their own family and their own house and their own kids, but they actually went out and they spread the truth and love of Jesus to the fact that we're sitting in this room now in 2025 in Frankfurt, Kentucky, worshiping and knowing the gospel because they were willing to bring others with them. 00:30:54.640 --> 00:31:05.359 Imagine what it would be like if every single one of us in this room, if we would bring somebody with us who needs a seat at the table. 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:08.640 Because guess what, church? 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:09.839 We got room. 00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:12.640 We got room, we got more seats. 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:18.240 We got more seats in the back, we have more seats, but it's not just about Sundays. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:26.240 Here this next week, next Sunday, small groups, signups are kicking off. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:37.599 We got room in living rooms and at kitchen tables for people to step in and to join a group to be able to walk with one another. 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:44.319 And there's plenty of people who've come into our church since the beginning of this year or over this summer who've not had the opportunity yet to jump into a group. 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:46.400 Can I tell you that the time is now? 00:31:46.960 --> 00:31:47.920 It's coming up. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:49.279 Groups are back. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:50.480 There's room. 00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:51.599 Jump in. 00:31:51.920 --> 00:32:09.680 Maybe you got some crazy work schedule and you work nights and you can't make it to a group, then join a team on Sundays and get around some other people so that they can walk with you, where they can care for you, and you can begin to be a part of this body that God is moving and breathing and active and living and saving people. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:24.079 I just I love the fact that our church is a place where when people walk through the door, they don't receive a hand in their face stopping them. 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:36.720 But they receive a uh they received with the hands of love, care, so that they can get on the pathway with Christ. 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:40.319 That's why I don't want this place to be a shrine or a museum. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:47.519 If there's kids coloring on the walls, praise God, we can paint over it, it's no big deal. 00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:59.680 I just I know this as well as you know it, just as much as I do. 00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:06.720 That there are so many people that we know that in our city who need a seat at the table. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:10.880 They need a seat pulled up for them. 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:25.119 Students, kids, teenagers, college students, adults, parents, grandmas, grandpas, need a seat at the table. 00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:28.000 And we get to be the ones to bring it. 00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:33.839 Actually, we get to be the ones to walk in what Jesus has called us to do. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:38.319 Your faith has saved you. 00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:40.559 Go in peace. 00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:45.440 Before I pray, I want to give you the opportunity to respond by a show of hands. 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:50.000 And and if if you want to be a bringer, would you just throw your hands up? 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:50.880 Throw your hand up. 00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:52.160 Do you want to be a bringer? 00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:56.240 Praise God. 00:33:56.400 --> 00:33:58.240 Bow your heads with me, Father. 00:33:58.880 --> 00:34:10.239 I pray right now, Father, for every person who has just raised their hand, God, knowing Lord, that this is a place where we want to walk with you and walk with others and bring others with us. 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:12.639 And Father, all the hands went across the room right now. 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:35.599 Father, I pray right now that the names that have come to mind and heart as I've been talking, Father, that you would give each one of us the boldness to make that invitation to lunch, fishing, hanging out, to small group, to church. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:48.000 Lord, give us the boldness, Father, to walk with people, to love them, and to model ourselves after Jesus, what you did, and how you acted, and how you served, and who you loved. 00:34:48.800 --> 00:35:06.559 Father, I also want to pray right now for anybody's in this, anybody in this room who's not received you as their savior, who's not received the grace and the peace that can be multiplied in their life because they have not yet received you as Lord of their life. 00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:09.280 That you've come to seek and to save them. 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:13.199 And today, Lord, I pray that today would be the day of their salvation. 00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:23.679 And so, if that's you, I I want to ask you to pray, not some magic prayer, but something genuine from your heart and mind to pray, Jesus, save me. 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:31.360 I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, and that you walked out of the grave. 00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:40.079 Forgive me, cleanse me, wash me so that I can be in heaven with you one day. 00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:43.039 Give me a seat at the table. 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:47.840 I give you my life as you gave yours for mine. 00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:50.480 Thank you for saving me. 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:51.840 Head bowed. 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:59.679 Anyone in the room today, you prayed to receive Christ as your Savior, to give everything to Him, to be saved, your day of salvation. 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:01.199 That day was today. 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:05.760 I'm gonna ask you to make a sign before heaven so I can pray for you. 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:10.480 If that's you, I'm gonna ask you at the count of three to raise your hand up so I can acknowledge you if that's you. 00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:10.880 Ready? 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:12.480 One, two, three. 00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:14.000 Anyone in the house? 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:14.960 Right here, brother. 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:15.840 I see you right here. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:17.280 Anybody else? 00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:21.599 Father, I thank you, Lord. 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:24.559 That salvation has come to the house today. 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:28.000 Father, I pray right now for our brother. 00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:35.840 That Lord, you would seal and sear his heart, seal his heart with the decision that he's made today. 00:36:36.159 --> 00:36:40.320 Father, I pray for anybody else in the room who's making that decision now. 00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:55.119 Lord, that you would seal their salvation, their confession, their commitment to you, God, that they would be committed to you, Jesus, today for every day, now until they enter to heaven. 00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:59.360 So, Father, I thank you and I praise you in the strong name of Jesus. 00:36:59.519 --> 00:37:00.559 Everybody said, Amen. 00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:02.559 Church, will you put your hands together right now? 00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:09.039 Salvation has come to our house as you stand right now as we worship, God of the universe, Jesus, that we love, that we serve.