WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.040 Well, good morning. 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.320 Uh let me add my word of greeting uh to David's earlier. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:05.280 My name is Chris Kuba. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:07.200 I'm a lead pastor here at United City. 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:14.560 That was Sterling Ainsworth, lives here in Spring, is a hospice chaplain that also is a worship leader, filling in with us today. 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:21.280 So grateful for Sterling and his leadership with us and how God is moving in our midst. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:28.079 I want to take this opportunity to welcome all of the men at the Ramsey Unit and all of the women at the Plain State Correctional Facility. 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:35.439 We are so grateful to bring this message to you and to see how God continues to move in our midst in those locations. 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:36.880 Grab your Bibles if you would. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.280 Open them up with me to Romans chapter 10. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:40.880 Romans chapter 10. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:44.479 As David mentioned earlier, I'm going to be referencing this card here in just a little bit. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:49.600 So if you're here in the room and you have this card in your seat, please just keep that close by. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:57.920 Grab a pen and get ready because I want to encourage you to take notes as we walk through the three circles later in the message today. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:00:59.359 Let me ask you a question. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.719 Can you keep a secret? 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:04.400 Can you keep a secret? 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:05.599 I don't have a secret to tell you. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:22.799 I'm just asking if you're one of those types of people who, whenever you get some good news, when you get something that's really exciting, when you get something that you're super excited about, are you the type of person that can keep it quiet until you're supposed to tell everybody? 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:29.519 Or are you the type of person that I kind of am, which is basically, I just want as many people to know this as I possibly can. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:31.280 I mean, I just want to get the word out. 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:35.680 I'm not the best when it comes to like super incredible, amazing secrets. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:41.599 If I've got something really, really exciting, then I want to make sure that as many people know it as possible. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:46.799 And I typically want as many people as quickly as possible to know that information. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:57.920 Which you can imagine back backtrack, uh, about 22 years or so ago, whenever I proposed to my wife Hillary, that was a predicament that I had. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:14.719 Uh, because I knew that the moment that I got that ring in my possession, that I was going to want to do as quickly as possible to propose to her so that she would know what it is that I had and what were my intentions. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:22.159 But we had a whole plan drawn up, and she obviously wasn't a part of this, but I had a whole thing drawn up with family and whatever else where I was gonna propose to her. 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:34.080 And so I got the ring on a Friday, and I proposed to her on a Tuesday because I knew that if any more time went between those two time frames, that I wasn't gonna be able to keep this quiet. 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.400 And I'm gonna tell you over the course of that weekend, there was a few different times that I almost slipped. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:42.159 Uh there was a few different times, whenever I just wanted to tell her, you're not gonna believe what I got. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:42.639 I got this right. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:51.439 I mean, just I wanted her to know right away because it was such exciting news and something that was so significant. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:03:02.639 I did not want to just celebrate it with myself, but I wanted to make sure that everybody else had the opportunity and that she had the opportunity to celebrate that with as many people as possible. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:05.280 This morning we are in Romans chapter 10. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:12.000 We're continuing in our message series called Into the Mystery, and we're looking at the mystery of the gospel. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:34.560 And I just want you to know that what we are talking about, this mystery, is something that is worth both celebrating personally, but it is also something where it is designed for you not to keep it to yourself, not for you to keep that as a secret and not tell anyone, but instead, this mystery is something that is worth celebrating and that is worth sharing. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:42.879 This is something that you are designed to get it out to as many people as possible as quickly as possible. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:49.919 It is a message that I want to tell you you are not to just talk about with just yourselves. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:56.879 It is instead a message that I hope today that you will be equipped and ready to go tell it to the masses. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:10.800 The mystery of the gospel, we talked about this really throughout all of the book of Romans, but last week in particular, we talked about this whole idea of God's sovereignty, how God is the one who chooses those whom He saves. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:26.879 It's the doctrine of election, and we we talked about that, and at times that's a hard thing for us to hear, but what we need to know is this is that at the end of the day, God does choose to save some people, which is a celebration and something that is awesome in and of itself. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:29.680 This morning we're gonna look at Romans chapter 10. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:38.560 And Romans chapter 10 at first glance really looks, well, if this is about God's sovereignty, Romans 10 is all about human responsibility. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:44.240 And these two things initially can feel as though they are in tension with each other. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:55.120 In fact, you may, if you've studied the Bible, have thought this yourself that God's sovereignty and human responsibility seem as though they are in contradiction to each other. 00:04:55.360 --> 00:05:13.439 I would respond to you the way that Charles Spurgeon responded whenever he was asked, he's the great British preacher, he was asked how he reconciles Romans chapter 9 and Romans chapter 10, how he reconciles God's sovereignty with human responsibility, and his response was he doesn't. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:16.160 Why would you ever reconcile friends? 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:31.120 You see, I don't really know how it all works, I don't really know how it all goes together, but what I do know is this is that God's sovereignty and human responsibility are not seen as opposed to one another. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:43.120 Instead, what it tells us is that God is the one who chooses, but we all today have the have the responsibility to respond to the message of the gospel. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:45.279 That's where I want to key in on today. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.839 Let's begin reading Romans chapter 10, beginning in verse 9. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:06:02.240 It says there, because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:08.639 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:13.600 For the scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:16.480 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:21.279 The same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:26.560 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:29.120 There's two things that I want you to see from this text today. 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:32.800 The first one is this Jesus saves. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:35.600 Jesus saved. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:37.519 That is the context here. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:41.519 It's talking about how I know if I am saved. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:47.199 And it says here that you know this because you confess it with your mouth. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:58.959 This is very important because somewhere along the way, uh maybe a generation before, had this idea that faith is meant to be quiet, faith is meant to be kept to yourself. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:00.399 You may even say that. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:02.959 If I was to ask you, are you saved? 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:05.040 You may say, Well, I don't really want to talk about that. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:07.120 That's just between me and God. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.000 Here's the problem: the Bible doesn't support that. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:24.560 It actually says that part of you indicating a saving faith means that it is a confessing faith, meaning that you're willing to actually tell people that you believe this stuff. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:33.279 This is one of the reasons why we don't think that if you come forward at the end of a service or that you respond in a public way, that that makes you save. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:38.879 We do not believe that at all, but that is one of the reasons why we have a public invitation. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:50.959 Every week we give people the chance to publicly respond because we want you to practice among friends what you're hopefully going to do outside of this room amongst people that may not necessarily agree with you. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:08:01.040 We believe that the idea of you being a believer is something that you are to speak and be proud of, not something that you are to be quiet about. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:09.759 And so, therefore, we encourage people to publicly make their next steps known by publicly responding to the gospel. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:19.120 Notice it says there in verse 9, you don't just confess it with your mouth, this belief, but it also says that you confessing that Jesus is Lord. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:26.959 You see, having right theology means that you believe that Jesus died on a cross and that he rose from the dead. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:30.319 But did you know that the demons even had right theology? 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:45.200 In fact, the one group of people that consistently got it right were the demons when they responded to Jesus, identifying him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, and in every time they opposed him. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:09:02.639 So, what this is saying is that if you're a true believer, if you're somebody who Jesus has saved, you not only confess that Jesus is who he says that he is, and he did what he said that he did, but he also it means that you identify him as your Lord, meaning this, he gets to be the boss. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:05.200 He gets to call the shots. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:09.360 He gets to direct and order your steps. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:17.360 You see, a lot of people, they are totally fine with Jesus in the sense that he gave him his grace and his mercy. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:23.200 He died on a cross, he did these things for you, but if he tells you what to do, you're out. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:25.120 And I would simply tell you this. 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:26.399 Look, please hear me. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:29.840 Jesus wants to save you, but he also wants to save you from you. 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:46.480 Because ultimately, part of you transferring your trust away from yourself and on to Jesus means that you are confessing not only that he died on a cross and that he rose from the dead, but that you're also confessing him as Lord. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:49.360 Notice what it says in verse 9 as well. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:55.440 It also indicates it later on that this isn't just something that you say with your mouth as though somehow we're all just robots. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.879 We teach you what to say and growth track, and then you move on and you're saved. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:09:59.759 No, no, no, no. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:03.840 It says that you're confessing it with your mouth as a reflection of your heart. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:06.399 You're all in. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:12.159 And I want you to know this Jesus can save you. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:20.159 If you've never received Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, I'm gonna tell you more about what this looks like and how this works. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:20.960 But please hear me. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:28.879 There's no greater decision you will ever make with your life than of that, to give everything that you are to Jesus. 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:30.080 He saves. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.840 But check it out, he does more than that. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.720 Look at what it says that he does here in verse 14. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:35.919 Let's keep reading. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:40.720 It says, But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:44.480 And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:47.840 And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:51.120 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:58.480 As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.960 For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us. 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:08.000 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:10.399 Let me show you what this is telling us. 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:25.360 We the reason why it is calling us here to move beyond just the fact that Jesus saves, to this second point that I want you to see this morning from this text, which is this that only is Jesus saved, second of all, Jesus sends. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:28.159 Who does he send to? 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:34.320 Go back with me for just a quick second to the end of uh verse 12. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:35.200 Go to verse 12. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:43.039 It says, For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:46.159 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:48.720 So who is it that he's sending us to? 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:50.879 He answers everybody. 00:11:51.440 --> 00:12:03.120 Do you realize if you think about it, all the different world religions that are out there, most of the other world religions are primarily in one location of the world amongst one typical group of people? 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:06.480 Hinduism is primarily found in India, okay? 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:10.080 Islam is primarily found, for instance, in the Middle East. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:12.639 Of course, it's all over the place, but it started off right there. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:21.919 Do you realize, though, that Christianity is the most multicultural, multi-ethnic, multilingual faith that exists? 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:22.720 Why? 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:26.480 Because it doesn't matter where you go, we send teams to Peru. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:33.679 We send teams to Brazil, we send teams to Fort Worth, we send teams to Las Vegas, we send teams to Puerto Rico. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:36.399 We're going to be doing that this year through our Spanish ministry. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:42.080 Do you realize the reason why we go all of these places is because there's people that follow Jesus in every one of those places. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:48.399 This faith that we have is something that is sending us on mission. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:58.000 And so what he describes here is the fact that this saving is something that we are to celebrate, but this saving is something that also leads us now. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:01.919 Jesus sends us on mission. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:09.039 It's important for us to see that he describes this progression and he says, Well, how are people gonna hear about it? 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:16.159 How are people gonna hear about it unless somebody tells them, Saint Francis of Assisi, you probably have heard this before? 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.360 He has very famously quoted this statement. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:22.480 He says it, I've heard it in many different settings. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:27.440 He says, Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.879 Have you ever heard that before? 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:33.200 Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:34.720 Here's the problem with that. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:36.080 It's not true. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:37.759 It's not true. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:47.360 Because what what what he says here, what Paul says in Romans chapter 10, is that it's necessary to use words, which shows us this. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.919 We are to be a church that is all about serving the poor. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:56.720 We are to be a church that is all about putting water wells where people don't have water. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:02.399 We as a church are to be all about improving the education system that is all around us. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:14.320 We as a church are to be all about missions and serving and building churches and doing good deeds and helping people out and giving people a cup of cold water in Jesus' name. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:17.600 We are to do all of these things, but please hear me. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:21.519 If we only do those things, we're just being nice. 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:32.080 The thing that changes people's lives are not good works, it's the gospel spoken from people. 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:41.279 Here's the problem a lot of times we've substituted, I just do some good works for actually sharing the gospel. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:47.519 And doing good works is awesome so that you can better share the gospel. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.480 You want to know our mission strategy? 00:14:50.639 --> 00:15:04.320 It's not to necessarily do a bunch of good deeds and paint a bunch of church buildings and a bunch of other stuff where we can go and feel really good about ourselves because we were busy with activity that anybody else could do. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:07.759 Instead, our mission strategy and filter is through this. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:15.679 What is going to allow us to personally share our faith with others and plant churches that personally share their faith with others? 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:20.960 That is what we believe Paul is calling us to to be sent to do. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:21.759 Please hear me. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:27.759 I am not saying that it is bad if you are involved in some kind of good service project, but please hear me. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.480 Your secular company does service projects. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:31.759 That's not the gospel. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:36.080 The gospel is the spoken word. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:39.200 How are they gonna hear unless somebody tells them? 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.120 Look at verse 14, it says, How are they gonna hear unless somebody preaches? 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:45.919 Now you're thinking, okay, now it's on you, not me, right? 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:46.399 Okay. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:56.639 So so that you may think when you hear the word preaching that it automatically only means me, somebody who gets up here, opens up God's word, and speaks his word over people. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.879 That is one way of preaching, but please hear me, it doesn't just limit it to that. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:06.240 It's instead the idea of speaking truth to people. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:16.240 So for some of you, what this means is it may look like in a small group setting, where you're in with a smaller group of people and you're speaking the gospel. 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:28.480 For some of you, your way you're wired and the way that you're you you you you operate is more of a one-on-one type situation where you're sitting across from somebody else and you are speaking the gospel. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:38.559 The question ultimately isn't what kind of preaching it is that God has called you to, but instead, how faithful are you being about speaking the word of truth to somebody else? 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:40.639 Look at verse 15. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:46.159 It says, not only are they called to preach, but it says that you are called to be sent. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:17:21.920 What this is saying is that God is calling us to take this so seriously that we are sent on mission so that whether we work at the church or not, whether we are on a mission trip or not, whether we are walking through our daily lives in whatever capacity we see ourselves as missionaries being sent with a message with the design that we are to share it with other people. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:25.519 Let's practically talk about what this looks like then. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:40.400 I want to help encourage and walk you through personally and practically some points of application as to how we can be people who celebrate that we got that ring, and also we can be people who get to share it with as many people as possible. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:44.000 We can be people who are saved and we can be people who are sent. 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.279 Let me walk you through this. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:48.720 The very first thing is this share the gospel with somebody else. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:51.279 Share the gospel with somebody else. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:53.920 There's a lot of different ways that you can share the gospel. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:57.519 If you've been trained in some other method along the way, praise God for that. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:01.279 I would tell you the only bad way to share the gospel is by not sharing the gospel. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:01.759 Okay? 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:12.160 And so, therefore, if you've got other ways of doing it, if you've got faith or you've got good news, bad news, is something that I was trained on, or the Roman road, or your personal testimony, all of them are awesome. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.039 That is great. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:21.039 I want to introduce to you and show you a way of sharing the gospel that you can personally do anytime with anybody. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.960 You can do it on the back of a napkin. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:26.319 You can literally take out a piece of paper and you can personally share the gospel. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:28.720 I'm gonna encourage you to write this down. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:29.839 Here's what I want to do. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:37.680 I want to treat you like I am sharing the gospel with you and literally just model it for you up on the screens and you can write it down, okay? 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.200 There's two questions that I ask when I'm with someone and I'm asking them about the gospel. 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:45.519 First question that I always ask them is this Do you have a faith? 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.279 Do you have a faith? 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:58.480 What I found, and I'm gonna ask you that same question as well, is that do you have some kind of way that you kind of guide your life, some kind of way that kind of operates and tells you what it is that you're supposed to do? 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:06.960 The second question that I ask is this uh if you were to die and stand before God, and he was to say, Why should I let you in? 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.400 What would you say? 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.359 And how confident are you in your answer? 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:20.400 If one means I'm not confident whatsoever, but here's what I would say, or ten means I am absolutely 100% positive, this is what I would say. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:25.039 How would you answer that question if you died today and stood before God and he says, Why should I let you in? 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.240 And what would you say? 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:30.640 And how confident on a scale of one to ten would you be in your answer? 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:46.960 What if I could tell you that I could give you the opportunity to know with 100% certainty not only what you would say in that moment, but that you would say the answer that would allow you to spend eternity in heaven with God. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.160 Would you want to know that? 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:50.160 Ever once have I been turned down. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.400 Today I'd ask you the very same question. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.759 Here's what I want you to see. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:20:01.039 Number one, what I want you to see is that all of us were born into this world by God's design. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:07.680 Genesis chapter 1, verse 1 says, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:22.640 All of us have had that moment in our life whenever we have this realization based upon maybe just the setting that we're in, or maybe something else that's going all around us, where it's just super obvious that there is something way bigger than us that exists. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:24.319 This thing is God. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:33.119 Ultimately, what this tells us as well is not only does God exist, but that God also has a perfect plan for your life. 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:43.599 God has designed you in such a way where you can follow his leading and his guiding in your life, and you will experience joy and fruit, and it will be an incredible thing. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:52.240 God has a plan for your job, God has a plan for your school, God has a plan for your relationships, God has a plan for your parenting and your marriage and sex life and all of these things. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.759 God cares and has a plan and design for all of these things. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:08.240 However, we know whenever we are living in such a way where God's design, things just don't work, things are just difficult, and what this is, we see, it is called brokenness. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:16.160 Maybe for some of you and many of you probably here, you would say that you're identifying with this idea of brokenness. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:17.759 Things just don't work. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:29.680 You're sick, things just don't fit like they're supposed to, or work just isn't quite the what you expected it to be, or relationships are just strife, and there's on and on, all of these things. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:30.880 You just know this. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.759 This is not how it should be. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:44.480 The reason why we're experiencing brokenness not only in our personal lives, but brokenness at a societal level, is ultimately because of this thing that the Bible calls sin. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:57.279 You see, we know that not only is sin something that individually we commit, the Bible tells us in Romans 3 23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.759 But in addition to that, we know that everybody. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:00.799 Has sinned. 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.720 And so because of that, there is brokenness that exists. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:10.799 And we we can't figure out how to get ourselves out of the brokenness, but we all try many different things. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:18.000 Maybe we try religion along the way to get ourselves out of the brokenness, thinking that if we just do enough good things, then somehow we're gonna feel better. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:21.759 We may feel better for a moment, but it just goes away and leads us to more brokenness. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:26.640 Some people try to just numb the pain of the brokenness by drugs or alcohol. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:28.880 They just try to get away from it and escape. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:30.480 That doesn't seem to work either. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:37.680 Maybe they find themselves pursuing relationships, thinking that if they just get with the right person, that's gonna fix all of their problems. 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:38.799 That never works. 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:40.880 Maybe they try to just make more money. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:43.839 Maybe they just try to figure out how to improve their status. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:47.279 They do all of these things to get themselves out of brokenness. 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:52.160 None of these things ever result in anything other than just more brokenness. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:23:00.079 But the good news of the gospel is this that God sent his one and only Son, Jesus. 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:05.279 He came down to this earth, he lived a perfect, sinless, obedient life. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:12.640 He not only lived a perfect life, but he also gave his life as a sacrifice on a cross for you and for me. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:18.000 He took all of the pain and the punishment that was due to each one of us because of our sin. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.039 He bore it all upon himself on the cross. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:31.119 And the Bible says that three days later he rose from the dead, and he now gives us the opportunity to experience eternal life. 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:35.200 He defeated the power of sin and he defeated the power of death. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:54.079 Some of you may find yourself at a place where you have heard about Jesus and you've heard about what it is that he has done, and the opportunity is now being extended to you, and the invitation is being given to you to respond, to not just be able to adjust out of the brokenness, but to be rescued out of the brokenness. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:24:01.599 And that comes by you repenting and believe, just repent and believe in Jesus. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:08.400 The word repent means literally to turn from your sin and instead turn to Jesus. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:18.799 And you're believing that Jesus did what he said that he did, he died on that cross for you, and you're confessing that with your mouth. 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:23.359 Here's what happens whenever you repent and believe in Jesus. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:31.920 Ultimately, you begin to see God's design as something where you recover and pursue God's design in your life. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:36.319 You now begin to want to go and do what God tells you to do. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:37.519 It becomes a joy. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:39.680 You respond to Him out of obedience. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:44.240 Let me ask you the question: Where are you in these three circles? 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:49.440 For some of you, you may find yourself in this place of brokenness today. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:55.119 And you've been trying all these various things along the way to get out of the brokenness, and none of it's worked. 00:24:55.200 --> 00:25:01.920 And I would simply tell you, today there's gonna be an opportunity at the end of our services for you to repent and believe. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:07.680 I'm gonna lead you through a simple prayer and you can experience eternal life through Jesus. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:18.640 Maybe for some of you, your situation is that you've been around church and you know of Jesus and you know the facts about him, but you've never come to this place where you've repented and believed in him. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:23.200 You've never transferred your trust from yourself and given that to Jesus. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:27.759 And I want to offer you the opportunity to begin to do that today. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:30.240 Here's what I want to encourage and ask you to do. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:32.000 I just shared with you the gospel. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:34.160 I just shared with you the three circles. 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:36.480 Do this with somebody else this week. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:45.680 I want to ask that you literally take the card that I just walked you through and that you would personally share the gospel with somebody else. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:47.680 It's the first point of application. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:51.440 Look with me at Luke, or excuse me, Romans chapter 10, verse 1. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:53.759 I want to keep going though and give you a couple more things. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.440 Romans 10, verse 1. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:04.079 It says, brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:09.359 Second thing I want you to do practically is this pray for the gospel to go forth. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.160 Pray for the gospel to go forth. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:16.160 We say here at United City that lost people matter. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:19.519 We say that we exist for those who are not yet here. 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:25.200 Let me ask you, who is it that you are personally praying for that they would come to a relationship with Jesus? 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:35.039 I'm gonna ask if you're here in the room that you would take out your card and literally write down that name on that card and begin to pray specifically over that person. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:44.480 We learned last week that it is God who chooses those for salvation, but he also tells us that we should be praying for God for him to be able to choose these people. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.319 Who is it that you are praying for that needs to know Jesus? 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:49.839 Notice what Paul says there. 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:55.200 He says it is his heart's desire and prayer that they would be saved. 00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:59.759 I don't know if you're probably like me, but my heart's desire is for a lot of things. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:05.119 My heart's desire is that I would shoot around in the 80s consistently in golf. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:13.200 It is my heart's desire that the Cowboys would actually be playing on one of these NFC championship weekends like today, right? 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:14.559 At some point, maybe. 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:19.839 It is my heart's desire that Baylor would have another national championship in basketball. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:25.279 Like I really, really want these things, like I think about these things, like I read up about these things. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:31.279 What he says here, though, is that my heart's desire in prayer is that people would be saved. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:39.839 What could God do through a congregation of people who pray and fast for a week, which is amazing. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:48.480 Over 500 people signed up to pray and fast for a week, but who also would pray that God would save specific names of people who don't know Jesus. 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:50.240 What he would want to do. 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:56.079 Who is it that you know that doesn't know Jesus that you can be praying for? 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:56.799 Listen to this. 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:05.039 Matthew chapter 9, verse 37 and 38, it says, Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:11.200 Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:20.240 It is my prayer that whenever you cut the people of United City, that we would bleed Bible and we would bleed the gospel. 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:27.359 That we would be known as a church that lifts up high and holds to the authority of God's word. 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:36.799 But just as important, we would be known as a church that actively and repeatedly shares our faith with others. 00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:41.519 We aren't just the church that's got good worship and does service projects. 00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:50.400 We're instead the church that, man, if you're gonna go there, you're gonna be taught and you're gonna be deployed to go and share your personal faith with somebody else. 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:57.599 Pray that God would raise up out of our church a harvest like nothing we've ever seen before. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:58.960 Last thing is this. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:01.440 Practically speaking, what can you do? 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:04.640 Number three, go where you can right now. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:07.839 Go where you can right now. 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:23.599 I believe and I am asking God to raise up church missionaries out of our church, people that come from our church, who are sent literally all over the world to go and share the gospel in a foreign context. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:45.599 I am praying that God would raise up and that God would lead up out of our church not just the finances and the funds for us to be able to support church planters all over the United States and other places, but that God would raise up out of our church people who are being sent to personally plant churches from our congregation. 00:29:46.079 --> 00:30:04.640 I'm praying that God would raise up ministers out of our church who are gonna go invest their lives in kids and in youth and in adults and in worship and in missions and all of these things so that God would allow United City Church to be a place where people are called to ministry and they are deployed to ministry. 00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:23.359 You may hear me say these things and be all about them, but you may not feel like God has in any way called you to be a missionary or called you to go and serve or called you to go work in a church, but I would simply tell you this: God wants to use you, God wants you to use your career to live out your calling. 00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:40.400 He wants you with the skills that he has given to you, the influence that he has given to you, the people that he has put you around to be able to live sent and on mission with the goal of how do I get the gospel to as many people as possible? 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:43.920 For some of you, that means he wants to fund it through you. 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:48.079 For some of you, he wants to use you personally through your skills. 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:57.359 Whatever it is, I can assure you of this, God desires that you would say yes to whatever it is that He's calling you to do. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:02.559 Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get the gospel to go forward? 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:09.440 Are you willing to be used however he leads in your spheres of influence? 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:18.720 Is it possible that for some of you you get a paycheck from Umbull ISD or Newcane ISD or Huffman ISD? 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:25.599 But the reality is God has you where you are because you're working for him in that school and that setting in that administration. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:39.839 Is it possible that God has some of you and your job says that you get paid by Exxon or you get paid by Pimex or you get paid by Shell or you get paid by Chevron or you get paid by any of those people that work for those places? 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:50.079 But instead, God has given you miles that he wants to be able to use to be able to influence people with the gospel that may not even necessarily live here in Houston. 00:31:51.279 --> 00:32:08.160 Is it possible that God wants to use some of you in the medical profession not just to be someone who cares and helps out a patient, but instead to be the hands and the feet of Jesus being used skillfully under his control for the sake of the gospel? 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:10.720 Would you bow your heads and would you close your eyes? 00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:13.279 All across this room. 00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:18.480 If you're joining me online, I invite you to do the same. 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:13.519 Would you pray again? 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:24.720 Would you like to make it so clear and give me the opportunity to personally share my faith with at least one person over the course of the next 14 days? 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:32.000 There's gonna be a million reasons and excuses that are gonna come up. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:36.720 So I'm asking you right now to commit and to say yes, I'll do it. 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:42.319 Let's see what God would do with the church. 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:05.200 Are we gonna be that church? 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:08.480 Are we gonna be that church? 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:16.639 What have you been holding off? 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:18.639 What have you been pushing back on? 00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:23.599 What have you been delaying and saying no to that God says, I want you to say yes to me on this? 00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:27.679 What conversation is he leading you to have? 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:31.280 What mission trip is he asking you to be a part of? 00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:37.920 What serve team is he wanting you to step up and be a part and give your life to? 00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:51.519 The last thing that we need to do is sit around in our ivory towers debating theology while we're not obedient to what God so clearly says, which is to share the gospel with all people. 00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:01.360 May we be a church that holds high the word of God and we are hold it so high we're obedient to what it calls us to do. 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:09.920 For some of you here, let me ask you are you in the brokenness circle? 00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:14.159 As you heard me share that message, did you find yourself, man? 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:14.800 That's me. 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:19.440 I've been trying all those things and others that you've mentioned, but none of them have helped. 00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:20.480 Please hear me. 00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:33.519 The reason why is because it's not meant to be something that you get yourself out of instead, it's something that you're supposed to be rescued from, and Jesus is the only answer, he is the way, the truth, and the life. 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:39.039 No one comes to the Father except through him, but praise God, you can come to the Father through him. 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:42.079 Would you give your life to Jesus? 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:44.079 Would you turn from your sins? 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:47.840 Would you repent and would you believe in the gospel today? 00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:53.519 In just a moment, I'm gonna ask you to make it public if that's you today. 00:35:54.559 --> 00:36:02.800 That you would come forward and by your coming, it is a way that you can respond publicly saying that I've given my life to Jesus. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:06.239 Would you lead the way and do that today? 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:10.719 Others, if you need to come and join United City Church, please hear me. 00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:14.800 We have zero interest in being a country club that meets all of your needs. 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:19.440 We are an army sent out by God on mission. 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:32.480 Our desire is to help each other out so that we can be on mission with the gospel and go forward and reach Northeast Houston, to whom much is given, much is required. 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:39.199 And God has allowed us to be given so much, but God also desires to use us greatly. 00:36:40.639 --> 00:36:44.960 He desires that we would be reaching all these communities all around us. 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:54.719 If God is leading you to be a part of that mission, maybe you complete a growth track today, you want to make your membership official today, come forward and lead the way. 00:36:55.760 --> 00:37:03.360 Others of you need to be baptized to give public expression of your faith in Jesus and invite you to come forward and do that. 00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:05.840 Perhaps others just need prayer today. 00:37:06.239 --> 00:37:12.960 Maybe you've got somebody on your mind that you know needs to know Jesus, and you want to have prayer over them today. 00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:19.679 Know that we're always available every week to pray with and to pray for you, however, God is leading you. 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:21.280 I'm gonna pray for us. 00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:23.519 I say amen. 00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:28.239 No one moving or shuffling around, but instead I'm gonna ask us God is leading you to respond. 00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:30.559 You have boldness and courage to do so. 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:31.119 Let's pray. 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:33.440 Father, we thank you for what you've called us to. 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:38.320 We thank you for the celebration that comes because of the fact that you save. 00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:42.639 And Father, I pray that you would lead people to respond to you today. 00:37:42.800 --> 00:37:44.880 Lord, help them take their next step. 00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:46.960 It's in Jesus' name that I pray. 00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:47.920 Amen. 00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:56.159 What an incredible message. 00:37:56.400 --> 00:38:00.719 Hey, if you made a decision today to give your life to Jesus, we'd love to know about it. 00:38:00.800 --> 00:38:01.920 We'd love to celebrate with you. 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:03.440 We'd even love to pray with you. 00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:08.480 And so if you made that decision, would you text next to 55498? 00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:11.360 And someone from our team would love to follow up with you. 00:38:11.599 --> 00:38:17.519 In the meantime, I would love to pray with you even right now as God continues to do things in your heart moving. 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:19.599 And so, Jesus, we love you so much. 00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:21.519 We say thank you for the truth of your word. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:26.639 Thank you for still showing up in people's lives and still doing only what you can do. 00:38:26.880 --> 00:38:31.280 Jesus, I pray that you continue to let your hearts into your lives uh bring peace to minds. 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:32.800 And Jesus, once you can just do it all. 00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:38.559 United City fans, this has been an incredible service. 00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:40.880 It's been so fun worshiping with you. 00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:44.000 Hey, to stay in the know on everything going on in the life of our church. 00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:49.599 We'd love for you to follow us on Instagram and on Facebook to stay up to date on everything happening. 00:38:49.679 --> 00:38:54.559 And we'd love to see you either in person or online right back here next week. 00:38:54.800 --> 00:38:56.400 Services are at 9 30 and 11. 00:38:56.719 --> 00:38:59.599 We hope we have a fantastic week to see you soon.