City Life Church San Diego
Welcome to the City Life Church Podcast, where faith meets action in the heart of Mt. Hope. We are a diverse family of God, united by Jesus, led by Scripture, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are committed to caring for both the spiritual and tangible needs of the lost and hurting. Through inspiring messages and practical lessons, we seek to equip and encourage you to live out God’s calling in everyday life. Join us as we grow in faith, serve our community, and share the hope of the Gospel with the world.
City Life Church San Diego
1 Peter:1:1-12 Rock Solid Faith: Peter's Guide for the Christian Misfit
What does it mean to be a stranger in your own home? Peter's powerful letter to the "diaspora" speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt like they don't quite belong—whether you're an immigrant, a refugee, or simply a Christian trying to navigate an increasingly hostile cultural landscape.
The feeling of displacement is familiar to many. Some of us have been rejected by family for our faith. Others find ourselves politically homeless, unable to fully align with either conservative or liberal ideologies. If you feel compassion for your enemies while still desiring justice for the oppressed, you might be experiencing what it means to live in exile.
This sermon explores three profound gifts we receive when adopted into God's family. First, we gain an inheritance that is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading"—a treasure that cannot be stolen, corrupted, or diminished by any earthly power. Second, we discover that while suffering is inevitable, our salvation is absolutely certain. God may not protect our comfort, but He unfailingly guards our place in His family.
Finally, we realize we're living in an extraordinary moment of history—a time the ancient prophets could only dream about. We have God's Spirit dwelling within us, empowering us to shine light in dark places. Even angels, Peter tells us, "long to catch a glimpse" of what we now experience daily.
Take heart in knowing you're not alone in feeling like you don't belong. Peter himself was a walking contradiction—brave yet cowardly, outspoken yet prone to failure. If God could use this imperfect man to build His church, He can certainly use you. Your suffering has purpose, your faith has value, and your presence in this precise moment of history is no accident.
Whether you're new to faith or have been walking with Jesus for decades, this message will encourage you to embrace your identity as an exile while carrying the transformative love of Christ into a world desperately in need of hope.
The Apostle Peter was born with his foot in his mouth. Brash and outspoken, he was ready to fight at a moment's notice. One time he actually cut a dude's ear off. He was brave and he was a coward. Peter was a contradiction. He walked on water with Jesus. He healed the sick and gave sermons to thousands. And after his worst moment, when he had abandoned Jesus, he was restored by his loving Savior. Jesus actually gave him the name Peter, which means rock, and Peter was stubborn like a rock.
Speaker 1:As he grew old, this stubborn Jesus follower gained wisdom, wisdom which he shared with God's church in his letters. He was still imperfect, but God used him. Doesn't that give you hope too, to know this very flawed man with a foul mouth was used by God in powerful ways? Peter's words come from a man who soaked up the presence of Jesus, a man covered in the dust, kicked up by his teacher's sandals. His letters are challenging and must be wrestled with until we fully understand. Peter was a contradiction. Peter suffered, betrayed his best friend, embarrassed himself and eventually grew into a wise teacher. If you are sometimes abrasive, sinful or broken, you'll find hope and solace in Peter's words. They echo the heart of Jesus and they challenge us to suffer well, stand up for goodness and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus.
Speaker 2:So open your Bibles, open your minds and let's learn together as we continue in our series. Peter the Rock and so many people did a good job to make that video from the music that Noah did. That logo at the end is made by Ruben, some of the video and the subtitles were made by Danielle, and then Yanni, of course. If you guys know Yanni, yanni recorded the voiceover and I just thought she did such a good job. I'm always going to be, I'm always interested to see, like, what are the things that you guys are going to like, say, along with the video eventually, like I'm already, I'm already hearing it, like you know, and it's some of it is in the way they say it. So you know, like I can hear, like Yanni going open your minds. You know I'm like, oh, it's going to be great. I want to say it with her.
Speaker 2:All right, so today we're going to be in 1 Peter 1. You will find it in your Bible, after Timothy, before John and Revelation. So if you get to Revelation, you've gone too far. If you've gotten to Timothy, you're almost there and it's okay to look through your Bible and find it. Now we also have really nice Bibles that we love to give people. Like we think everyone should have a really beautiful Bible. So we have nice leather Bibles with commentary that help teach you, and we have them on both sides, in English, spanish, tagalog and Haitian Creole. We have bilingual Bibles available on the coast of the Salon. Salon del salon. Bonjour, when sat sim cantat nueva vec. When is it la new again? Babe, pray, oh, I see I see a pool. No, gratis, new samsung or creo? Um, all right, well, I'm glad to be with you guys this morning. Um, it's a, it's. It's been an odd week, uh and uh, I don't know if anyone's feeling it, but I've been feeling it and um, you, as we moved to two services, we're trying to make room for more people, um, but it also means that we're all being stretched, you know, and it's more difficult, and so we're trying to give band members time off, we're trying to give greeters time off. We're trying to make sure we don't abuse any of you guys in order to get what, what like we're trying to do to reach people at our second service. So I hope that if you don't volunteer anywhere, that you would be willing so we can help out those others. But thank you, thank you for being willing to make two services so that we can welcome other people. All right, let's keep going. Okay, so today we're going to be in First Peter where he's talking to the diaspora. The diaspora, that's a big word. We'll get to what it means, but we're a nation of immigrants, right, like this country is a nation of immigrants, a nation of exiles, a nation of refugees.
Speaker 2:My ancestors chose this land when they left Scotland and Ireland in the 17 and 1800s, under harsh treatment by the British colonial government. Hundreds, um, under harsh treatment by the British colonial government. Um, my wife's family left Italy and they moved to the East coast of the United States. Um, some of you left Haiti recently. Some of you immigrated here from Mexico to make a better way for your family, and you found it more hostile than you would imagine. Um, some of you and your relatives moved here from South and Central America. Some of your ancestors were brought moved here from South and Central America. Some of your ancestors were brought here against their will and made to work the land so that their traffickers might benefit, like. There's so many people here from so many different places Now.
Speaker 2:Author Viet Thanh Nguyen. She says being an immigrant is quote particularly dire for those whose identities make them vulnerable to the threat of never belonging. This has certainly been the case for Asian Americans, she says. She continues to say that they were made to feel like quote the perpetual foreigner. And I'm reading a book right now that calls them honorary whites, which is not necessarily a positive. But it's that idea of, like I fit in, but I don't right. Like can people in this room identify with that? I fit in, but I don't fit in, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:The apostle Peter wrote this to the people who were spread out all over the place, the diaspora. Many of them were Christian Jews, but they were no longer welcome in the temple. Like I grew up here, I lived here, I went to this temple for my whole life, not welcome anymore. In the same way, some of them were not welcome in their own families anymore. Do any of you have any of you felt like that? Others were Greek, roman, asian. All of them were spread out all over the Roman Empire and they became aliens in their own home. They became foreigners with strange beliefs, even in the place they grew up with, and I gotta say that feels familiar sometimes. And as Christians, we are spread out more and more and our families are torn apart because of what we believe. Sometimes.
Speaker 2:Many of you have come here today by yourself, leaving a big group. Now I've talked to some of you who are actually watching online right now because your family forbids that you come here. You came to faith in Jesus and your family does not allow you to go to any church event. I'm looking at the camera for a second. I know you are waiting until you are an adult to follow Jesus in public worship. You are the diaspora. I know some of you guys have been teased by your family for your faith. Some of you have been kicked out of the house. I also know many of your family members have since come to faith. Like we see God pursuing your family, even when they're not interested in you. It's amazing what we have seen Now. Here's the thing, guys If you are a Christian and you fit in perfectly anywhere, especially in our political structure, if you agree with everything on Fox News or you agree with everything that MSNBC says or everything that the BBC says, you might have forgotten which kingdom you actually belong to now.
Speaker 2:But if you feel like you don't fit in anywhere, if you feel compassion for your enemies and you still desire justice for the oppressed. If you disagree with someone's choices but welcome them at your dinner table or even in this room, you might be in exile. It's not your politics or your skin color that makes you different friends, pastor Juan Sanchez. He says our identification with Christ is what makes us strangers in this world. This letter was written to many people like you. It should be able to encourage you in this struggle and remind you to trust Jesus in everything, because Jesus is trustworthy. Our world is dark, but we live in a moment the prophets dreamed of, where the father adopts and empowers us to fight with an unshakable love. By the power of his spirit and by the power of his spirit, we will endure to receive the full inheritance that only Jesus deserved. So I hope you're with me in first Peter, one, one through 12. Open your Bibles, open your minds. Here we go.
Speaker 2:Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To those chosen, living as exiles, dispersed abroad in Pontus, galatia, cappadocia, asia and Bithynia, chosen according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit to the obedient, and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord, jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven. For you, you are being guarded by God's power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, even though now, for a short time if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials, so that the proven character of your faith, more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire, may result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though not seeing him, now you believe in him and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy because you are receiving the goal of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Speaker 2:Concerning the salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. They inquired into what time or what circumstance the spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you. These things have not been announced to you through those who preach the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent. These things have now been announced to you through those who preach the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
Speaker 2:This is God's word. Would you pray with me, father? Your word is so good and so encouraging and we need it Right now. We need it, father. First we want to pray your blessing for our extended family in St Stephen's Church of God in Christ, as they grieve this morning the loss of their pastor. Lord, I grieve the loss of my friend as well, and, god, he was so young. Lord, we know that that church has suffered so many losses recently, and Pastor Glenn was doing great things over there, and so we ask that you would encourage them this morning, that you would encourage them as they lament, as they weep, that you would be their comfort in a season of grief that just seems to keep on going. Please be close to them.
Speaker 2:Lord, jesus and Father, this world is so dark, so broken, so relentless in its evil, and we admit we sometimes contribute to this evil. But you have stepped in. You didn't leave us to wallow in our sin and our brokenness. You reach down into our destructive habits, our hate-filled world, and you offer us something better. You offer us strength to love people who hate us. You offer us kindness when kindness is in short supply. You offer us forgiveness when we are judgmental and angry, when we turn so easily back to our old ways. You offer us a pure and undefiled faith. When we fail you, you give us a grace more powerful than any weapon on this earth. You are the only king we want to look to. Your son, jesus, brings the hope we were waiting for. Your spirit is the only wonderful counselor we could hope for. Unify us in your word and in your spirit and when cracks in our unity appear, help us to fight for each other, for reconciliation. Lord, please teach us this morning. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of our hearts be pleasing to you. We pray this all in Jesus' name, and all God's people said amen.
Speaker 2:Today I'm going to give you three things that happen when we are adopted into the family of God. Three things that happen when we are adopted into the family of God, and my first point is this we gain a new hope and an inheritance in Jesus. We gain a new hope and an inheritance in Jesus. Verse 3 says Blessed be the God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his mercy, he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven. For you See, jesus' dad blessed us with the life, death and resurrection of his son, jesus, to give us hope for an inheritance that is waiting for us, an inheritance that cannot be touched Now.
Speaker 2:Almost all people in the world like to call themselves God's children. It's a thing, have you noticed it? And it kind of makes sense, right, like we're all made in his image, everyone we can create like him music, art, things like this. We can make spiritual decisions that are beyond basic survival decisions. But are we all his children? No, we are all his creation. Yes, but God's family is one you have to be adopted into. In the Bible, you will often see Jesus or James or Paul or Peter call someone brothers and sisters, and we see that here as well, don't we? But God's family is one we must be adopted into. It's a very specific title given to our faith family, brothers and sisters. The Jewish people use this idea first, but the Christians continued that tradition Not going to lie.
Speaker 2:The first few times I went to church it weirded me out, and the reason why is because they had greeters, and they had greeters at this church that would say hello, brother, and they might hug me or something. And I was like, why are you calling me brother? Like, first off, I was like you are a white dude and like we don't, like we don't do this, like we're not going to say brother to each other, okay. And so it was weird to me. Like I honestly, honestly did not understand this. Like why is this dude calling me brother? Like I didn't. And it was weird. And he was, like you know, like a 60 year old white guy. I didn't know why he called me brother. It didn't make sense to me yet.
Speaker 2:But if you look at like, say, galatians four, four through seven, it says when the time came to completion, god sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so we might receive adoption, sons. And because you are sons, god sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying Abba, father. So you are no longer a slave but a son. And if a son, then God has made you an heir. See, now, my city group is currently going through Ephesians, and we saw the same thing in Ephesians and we saw the same thing in Ephesians one. We are all made to be sons. Why sons church? Why sons? Why are we all sons? Sons get an inheritance, that's right.
Speaker 2:So this letter was not written only to men. This letter was written to men and women and they were being called sons. And if you've got a problem with that, ladies, us dudes got to be called the bride. So we're all working on this, okay, but, friends, if you belong to the family of God, you belong because you believe in Jesus and you choose to follow him, you repent of your old ways and you follow God and he adopts you. I love that. God uses adoption as a picture of the gospel, don't you A picture of his good news? We are adopted into a family of God by no thing that we've done ourselves. Now there are families in our church that foster and adopt. Some of you have been adopted, and I just want to say sometimes, kids that have been fostered or are being fostered, they can be louder, sometimes even louder than typical kids, and sometimes past trauma will cause children and even adult children to cry.
Speaker 2:Grown. You know what I mean. But sometimes the kids have to stay in the service. Sometimes those who have been fostered have to stay in the service. They need to stay with their foster parent. In the moment and that means during my sermon they're going to cry and whine and do things that might draw your attention to them.
Speaker 2:But, guys, I just have to tell you that there is no more beautiful picture of the gospel than fostering and adoption. And so if we come here and we sing songs God, you're so good and we say like, oh, his Bible is so good, and then, like a kid cries and we're like, whoa, I just knocked over my water, we're missing it. That's worship. That is true and undefiled religion. So whenever you hear a foster child cry, whenever you hear a child cry, really like we know that Jesus says to welcome the little children. But but I will tell you, foster care is one of the most beautiful pictures of the gospel. It is one of the most beautiful pictures of the gospel and it's all over the pages of the Bible. So whenever there's a child who's crying, remember that that is a beautiful sound of true religion. Okay, james 1.27 says true religion is to keep for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep yourself undefiled for the world. Guys, if we come here sing songs, we don't care for those who are suffering or need help. If we sing the best here and we have the best band and maybe somebody talks really good like when I'm not talking instead and we do everything, perfect. But we miss that. We miss the gospel. Now I'm just not sure we've attained true, mature faith yet if we miss that. So, friends, someone in our city group didn't grow up knowing their dad, but this week in our city group she said she had God as her father now and the church as her family man.
Speaker 2:This is good news. This is the gospel. The father adopts and empowers us to fight with unshakable love and joy. The gospel is an inheritance for all who have struggled against God, not for all who just always loved God. No, this is for all of us. The gospel means we die to our old ways, though, and we're resurrected with Jesus as an adopted son. You have a treasure now kept in heaven for you, and God's Holy Spirit is the deposit of that treasure, and he works in us now to show us we belong to him. It's why, when we used to get angry or judgmental. Sometimes we get peace now. It's why we are loving and joyful at times that make no sense. It's why sometimes you are patient when you never were before. That is God working in you. Have you sometimes been kind to your enemies lately? That is God working in you. Have you sometimes been kind to your enemies lately? That is God in you. It's why you have so much faith and hope in the future, because you have the Holy Spirit of God in you as a sign of your adoption.
Speaker 2:That doesn't mean everyone in here is going to speak in tongues. It doesn't mean everyone here is going to lay hands on people and see healing. But God's Holy Spirit shows himself in many ways. The main ways, I would say say, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Now, when someone wants to fight you, now you have self-control. You might even apologize to people now because God's spirit is alive in you and he's still fighting you a little bit right Like. You're not perfect yet, are you? But when the world seems hopeless, when everything around you seems broken and wrong, you are still faithful and that's God's spirit in you. And because you have a spirit in you, you may find you endure suffering like never before. Oh, that's a good one, pastor. When things hit the fan, it doesn't always cause you to question your faith anymore. You may find yourself questioning how hardship used to cause you to question God more. You may find yourself questioning how hardship used to cause you to question God. And that's our second point. Suffering is inevitable, so is our salvation. Suffering is inevitable, so is our salvation. If you watch the Avengers saga, I picture Thanos, you know, and he's suffering and he's like I am inevitable. Right, like I am inevitable. I can't do his voice, but I got a picture of Jesus too there. Right Like I am, I am the beginning and I am the end. I am the alpha and omega. I am the first and the last. I am the author of salvation. Jesus, salvation is what wins. Jesus, salvation is what endures.
Speaker 2:Verse five says you are being guarded by God's power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, even though now, for a short time if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials, so that the proven character of your faith, more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire, may result protecting you, friends. But he's not necessarily protecting your bank account, he's not necessarily protecting your job, he's not necessarily protecting your health in the ways that you want him to. He protects your salvation. You are signed, sealed in the Holy Spirit and eventually delivered. You may suffer now, but you can be confident that you have a faith that lasts, not your faith, but God's faith in you, not because you are awesome, but because he is. See, the father adopts and empowers us to fight with an unshakable love and joy and with his spirit we will endure to receive this full inheritance. But it's the full inheritance only Jesus deserved.
Speaker 2:Dr Tony Evans always says it better than me, so I'll let him say it If you are truly born again, you're not going anywhere, not because of your power to hold on to God, but because God has an omnipotent grip on you and he won't let go. Let me be clear grip on you and he won't let go. Let me be clear God often gives you struggles. God, not the devil, always God. I hate struggles. I hate them, but I know that we often need them. Friends, trials draw us, god.
Speaker 2:There's a famous thing there are no atheists in foxholes. I don't know if you young people know what a foxhole is. But it's where you would hide out with your gun in the middle of a war and it's where you often would meet your fate. You would meet your maker because you knew there was a good chance you were going to die in that kind of trench warfare. So if you knew you're going to die. That's why the quote is there are no atheists in foxholes. See, I too have found that when I am with people who are dying and I am with people who are dying often they seem to have a bigger interest in God than I've ever heard before. Suddenly they talk about that time in 1952 when they went to church. Trials also reveal if our trust is in God or not. It says it's a refining fire. So you put some gold into a hot thing and everything else moves away. It is refined and it can become pure gold, where all the other stuff is melted away we call the dross in the silver.
Speaker 2:See, everyone has a plan, though. Right, we have our plan, but God has a plan for us too. Everyone has a plan, and often it doesn't really need God's help. You already know exactly how you are going to get into Harvard. You already know exactly how you're going to get that million dollar home. You know already how you are going to be that influencer with a bajillion followers. Guys, I had a plan to make eggs for the men's breakfast yesterday and I ran out of propane at 630 in the morning. My plan changed. We always have our own plan and we but. But the way we justify it is but we sprinkle in God's name sometimes, don't we Like I have a plan but, but really like it's God's plan, because God is good. But really we can't do anything without God. We can't.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you get cancer. That probably wasn't in your plan, was it? Sometimes you get cancer that probably wasn't in your plan, was it? Sometimes you get arrested, sometimes you get audited, sometimes you lose someone special and suddenly you need God. The plan was fine without God, but now that suffering has entered the picture, you need God. And I'm not mad at you because I do the same exact thing. Friends, we often quote the great theologian Mike Tyson in here when he said everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Right, friends?
Speaker 2:I'm honestly not interested in having hardship in order for me to turn to God, like I'm not interested in forcing his hand. I want to turn to God and the good and the bad, so that he doesn't need to get my attention in the suffering and the joy, because he is good and he loves me and he wants what's best for me. If you'd like to force God to get your attention, be my guest, but I don't want that for me. I want to give him everything now. I want to give my marriage, my family, my hopes, my future, my dreams. I want to trust him with those things. Do you trust God with everything? If you don't now, you probably will in a hospital room. Why wait until then?
Speaker 2:Now, not every trial is from God either. I gotta I gotta say that we know the devil is doing his best to turn us against each other right now. He wants to separate us from each other and from God. But to those of us who belong to God, those of us who are being saved, this is a trustworthy saying no trial, no suffering, no sin can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And yet I think we still often see God's love as conditional though.
Speaker 2:Like you did good last week, so God loves you. You did bad last week, so he probably kicked you out of his family? Like, it's that easy. It's like food security. Sometimes, if you struggle to have food in your house, what you do is you um, you go to a home where they do have food and you start hiding food all over the house because you're so worried that you can't trust it. Are we like God? Are we like that with God, though? Are we hiding things from God so because we just don't fully trust him, are we hedging our bets with God? But, guys, our relationship with God is not so easily lost. We have an inheritance that, it says, is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. So if it's undefiled, then that stupid thing you did is not going to defile it that fast.
Speaker 2:And I will say sometimes, the bad things that happen to you are not God's doing and they're not the devil's doing either. We don't say, sometimes, the bad things that happen to you are not God's doing and they're not the devil's doing either. We don't always need the devil's help, right Like? Let's be honest, some of us will suffer because we did stupid things. Right Like? I don't think the CEO that was at the Coldplay concert that got caught on camera is like the devil was attacking me today. You know like he's like man. I really shouldn't have been at a concert with someone that wasn't my wife in my uh, like the suite that belonged to my company Probably a bad idea. The devil didn't do that. Devil didn't, didn't need to do anything. God didn't do that. Well, maybe God did. Maybe God put the. Maybe God was trying to draw him to himself. Okay, but but, guys, those kinds of things can happen to us. Um, maybe not that particular thing, but on any of our worst days a camera can be turned on you.
Speaker 2:These days, friends, when the world is concerned, it's easy to lose your health, your fortune and your popularity for one mistake that you made in the wrong place. But no matter how many bad things happen to you, whether it's from the devil, from God or from your own stupidity and I can say our stupidity if you belong to Jesus, you have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. You can't lose your place in his family so easily. Are you in addiction right now? Do you think that he's disowned you? He has not. He pursues you, he loves you. He thinks you're doing something stupid, but he thinks that, because he loves you, the father adopts and empowers us to fight with an unshakable love and joy and you can fight your addiction. And with his spirit, you will endure and receive the full inheritance that Jesus gives us. Now, sure, someone can disown you? Obviously, some of the dispersion were disowned by their own family for following Jesus, but the father refuses to let your sin separate you from him. He made a way. Our father won't disown his family. He sees his children the same way he sees Jesus. But even still, for God's beloved children, we know that suffering may be necessary for us.
Speaker 2:Many of you will come in here desperate on certain Sundays, but then, when things get a little better, you stop showing up, you stop returning our calls and you stop volunteering. These folks are slowly drawn away by football, pornography, addiction, relationship, by their own sin, by the sin of others, and some of you will stop showing up when things get a little difficult. You often say you need to figure it out by yourself, and I watch you flail. But, guys, these are going to get worse and worse. Don't stay away. Don't stay away because we love you and we're here for you and we want to walk through this suffering with you. We want to help. Sometimes suffering is necessary, though, to bring you back when it gets worse and worse. And I don't want things to get worse for you, because when you're doing well, you rely upon yourself. Sometimes it's necessary to keep you from making a much worse decision.
Speaker 2:All right, so I want to tell you a little bit about Acts 11. Okay, I love this, this part of Acts 11. So Jesus tells the disciples who are his students he says go everywhere and share my good news with the world. And they're like yes, yes. And then Jesus goes up into heaven and they're like see ya. And then, um, they go back to Jerusalem. Now they are supposed to wait until the Holy spirit comes. But then the Holy spirit comes and they're like we like this, we like hanging out together. Tell me, tell me, you don't like hanging out with Christians, I do. And what happens is is they just stay in their little circle and things are so fun and it's so awesome, and God's doing miracles, people getting healed, they're sharing all their stuff, and, and the problem is, is that God said go. So here's what happens in Acts 11, 19.
Speaker 2:Now those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, cyprus, antioch speaking the word to no one but Jews. But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was on them and a large number who believed turned to the Greeks proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was on them and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. Now I got to take you right back in the same verse, those who had been scattered as a result of persecution. So Jesus says once you receive the Holy spirit, I want you to go to the whole world, tell them the good news. And then they said you got it, we're going to stay at home. It's, there's a drizzle, and so what happens is is that they have to receive persecution to get out there. And then what happens after the persecution? After people attack them, after people belittle them, after people kill them, murder.
Speaker 2:Stephen, the very first deacon, people come to salvation all over the world. It took suffering to send them out, though, didn't it? Now, african Bishop Tertullian. He says this the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Suffering can lead to great joy, but it is a joy that may not be on this earth and we have to be resilient in him alone. But I encourage you you build relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ, your Christian family.
Speaker 2:The reason we do city groups, men's groups, women's groups, the reason we do so many special events, is because we want you to get to know people, build relationships with them that extend into friendships outside of church events. Solid, lifelong relationships are built over a bowl of chili or some church coffee, but they extend far beyond it. Not every event is going to feel special to you, but the more you attend and follow up with those you meet, the more you will grow in your friendships. Some of you come in here, you check the box and you dip. We have all kinds of excuses as to why you won't attend, to make church a priority. But then when you get in trouble, you get mad at us for not being there with you and we're like I don't even know who you are.
Speaker 2:I get people all the time wanting me to visit them in the hospital. I'm like who? And it's not just because I'm blind and I can't see you. It's people that have never come to our service, that I end up visiting in the hospital. But we don't have the same relationship, do we, guys? These meals that we have together? There's a word in the Bible Fellowship is the word that we use, but the Greek is koinonia, which is a cool sounding word.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and when things hit the fan, you are going to need those people. You're going to need that close relationship with God. And if you've just started coming on Sundays like, I'm stoked for you, but I hope they encourage you to build more relationships outside of Sundays and even outside of church events, we want to help you to press forward, to make our time together a priority. It may not always feel important, but one day you're going to need these people in this room. You are blessed to have Jesus, you are blessed to have his church and you are blessed because you live in a country where you are allowed to openly express your faith and gather in this room. But not only are we in a special place, guys, we're in a special time.
Speaker 2:Point three is this we live in a time others dreamed about. We live in a time others dreamed about, verse eight though you have not seen him, you love him. Though not seeing him. Now you believe in him and you rejoice with inexpressible glorious joy because you are receiving the goal of your faith the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. They inquired into what time or what circumstances the spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow, it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preach the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels long to catch a glimpse of these things. Guys, angels wish to have this. Remember learning about the prophet Daniel that we did for several weeks. Remember when the archangel and the pre-incarnate Jesus, jesus before his birth, are talking to Daniel, the wise, almost all-knowing Daniel, and he tells him all these things and Daniel's like yeah, so what am I looking at? I don't understand, I don't what. What Like? That's kind of how Daniel is responding to all these prophecies being given to him.
Speaker 2:In the book of Job, job hoped for someone that might plead his case before God, someone who might speak to the father on his behalf. Job was looking forward to Jesus, whom we have now In the books of the prophet Isaiah, ezekiel and Jeremiah. The prophets saw images of a redeemer who would one day come and save his people, but they had no hope to see him themselves. They called Jesus the consolation of Israel, but they never saw him. We see him In Luke 2, 25,.
Speaker 2:There was an old man named Simeon. The Bible says he was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel's consolation. This is what the text says. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Messiah. It says that he saw Jesus in the temple and Simeon took him up in his arms. Praise God, and this is what he said. Now, master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised for my, as your promise for my eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples for revelation to the Gentiles, that's, the non-Jews, and the glory to your people, israel. See, he was the last one really to like stay alive from that era, just so he could see the glory of the Lord. There's an old lady named Anna who does the same thing, similar experience with baby Jesus.
Speaker 2:These people could touch God in the flesh. They could smell God's diapers in the flesh. Now, a bunch of shepherds and wise men from the East. They got to see the hope for the whole world, a child born unto us, where the government would be upon his shoulders and his name would be called Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Later some people got to hear Jesus speak. Who wouldn't have loved that? 500 people saw Jesus resurrected and got to testify to what they saw. We are blessed people to have God's Holy Spirit with us now. Emmanuel God with us Now.
Speaker 2:The author of our letter, peter. He also saw Jesus. He ate with Jesus. He also probably smelled Jesus, because Jesus was fully man and fully God, which meant at times he would have smelled like a nasty man. Also, beans was a staple of the Jewish diet at the time.
Speaker 2:Now, few people spent intimate time with Jesus beyond his parents, but Peter was one of his best friends. Peter walked on water with Jesus, saw him heal the blind and the death. He saw Jesus feed thousands with two sticks and a loaf of bread. Peter saw him bring back people from the dead. And still, when Jesus was arrested and given an illegal trial. Peter took off. Peter denied knowing him and when Jesus died on the cross, peter doubted and fled and cried. But thankfully, when Jesus rose again, he restored Peter and forgave him.
Speaker 2:See, this whole betrayal of Jesus by Peter might have been a little bit embarrassing for him. It kind of sucks to have the greatest, best-selling book in the history of the world talk about all your failures. Actually, there's a lot of embarrassing parts in it, a lot of them. You would have expected the authors to cut that stuff right. You would have expected disciples to make themselves look like heroes. But Jesus was the hero that the prophets had dreamed of and eventually all but one of those disciples. They died martyrs. They died for Jesus, including Peter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the books of the Bible clearly show Peter's unbelief at times, but here he was writing a letter to Christians all over what is now Syria, asia and, and and these are people who had never seen Jesus in the flesh and he was overjoyed as the spirit of God was moving in the early church. They physically get to touch his wounds like Thomas the disciple did after his resurrection. They were touched by his grace. That's like me and you. Right, friends, you live in a very special time that people looked forward to. You can legally tell people about Jesus, for now, jesus has already died on the cross for our sins. He's already risen again and if you've given your life to him, his Holy Spirit will live in you and not leave you, and make you family and protect you until the end. That is an honor that people for thousands of years, millions, if not billions, of people look forward to. What an honor. If I could live in any time in the history of the world, you know what I would want to live Right now. But, pastor, this time is terrible. Look at all the fighting, look at all the hatred. Yes, but Jesus is the cure and he's with us. His Holy Spirit is with us. He's already accomplished so much. He rose from the death. He wants to use you, church. He wants to use you to change the temperature around you. His spirit is available to help us now, like he wasn't before. I want to be here right now.
Speaker 2:The prophets dreamed of this moment when the world is dark and we can shine the light of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Friends, everything has been building up to this moment and you get to live it out. This might be the moment for you. You live in a special moment of history where Jesus has already risen, already given us his spirit in an honor, and now you can be equipped with the good news for salvation. You can walk in the power of the spirit. You can take salt to places that lack the flavor of grace and mercy. You can take light to the darkest corners. This is the time the prophets dreamed of.
Speaker 2:Now, just because you've been given an advantage for the Bible, I hope you don't sit on it. I hope you don't treat it like it's regular, like it's normal, because it's not. People dreamed to have the Holy Spirit in them. It doesn't mean that you don't got to grind for God sometimes. It doesn't mean you're not going to suffer, but I don't want God to spread us out like the church in Acts.
Speaker 2:I want to go willingly, with joy. I want to run to the streets of San Diego with joy in the spirit. I want to go to people on Imperial and Market. I want to go to people on the Four Corners. The Five Nine, Lincoln Park Need to hear this. West Coast Neighborhood, market Street and Encanto Need to hear this. Your grumpy family members need to hear this you have joy as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. I want my barber to know Jesus. I want my friends who surf with me to know Jesus. I want the homies on the block to know Jesus. I want dealers in every set in San Diego to know Jesus.
Speaker 2:And because of the time we live in, it's possible. We have the honor of sharing the good news and we have the power to do it. I want every moment in my life to bring him glory, because he deserves it, because every moment has led up to this. Now we only wait for his return, and when he returns, for some it's going to be too late. He's going to take his children home and he's going to exact judgment on those who have broken and destroyed his creation. It says Jesus will have a sword in his mouth at that point, a tattoo on his thigh that says King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It says that his blood, his robe, will be dripped, dipped in blood.
Speaker 2:I don't want that moment to happen to anybody. I love Wicked people who are just like me, wicked people who once belonged to the kingdom of darkness. Friends, say yes to Jesus now, because it's the best time now, the time that everyone dreamed about. The prophets dreamed about this. Moses Abraham dreamed about this moment. Elijah Moses Abraham dreamed about this moment. Elijah Elisha dreamed about this moment. Don't wait, give him your life, be baptized, read his word, live your life with your new adopted family, be adopted into the family of God City, life, church and guests. Our world is dark, yes, but we live in a very special moments that the prophets dreamed of, a moment where the father adopts and empowers us to fight with unshakable love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is the moment, church, and with his spirit, we will endure to receive the full inheritance Only Jesus deserved. Let's pray Father.