WEBVTT 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:15.759 Listen, our witness to the world is not that we love God. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:16.960 A lot of people love God. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:22.480 Some people love God, and so I will think that the point is to prove it. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:25.920 That is not our witness to the world. 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:29.359 Our witness to the world is that God loves us. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:35.759 That's your witness is to walk around believing that God loves you. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:40.960 All acts of serving start with a relationship. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.240 You serve based on your relationship. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.320 Who you serve will determine how you serve. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:54.399 At The Road, our vision is to raise up wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:58.799 For more information on the road, visit theroad.org. 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:02.079 We hope you are encouraged by today's message. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:05.599 Well, good morning. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:18.159 My name is Bobby, and I am the pastor of high school ministry, missions and outreach ministry, and I forget what else, but there's more stuff coming. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:19.599 It just keeps coming. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:22.079 Hey, we're super glad to be here today. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:26.400 We're going to talk to you about serving the Lord. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:28.400 We're all called to do that. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:32.239 Every one of us are called to serve the Lord. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:51.599 It's actually one of the benefits and one of the neat parts of being a believer, you get to play a part in the story that the leader of the whole universe and beyond thinks you should be a part of his plan. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:58.480 So it's incredible that we get to be a part of that and we should dive into learning what that means. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:05.200 We get the benefit and the privilege of playing out a story that the Lord wrote way before you and I got here. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:06.879 So we're going to talk about that a little bit. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:13.520 One of the things that I love about our church is how missions-minded we are. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:21.039 I was telling our worship leader, Marcus, about, because he had to miss a couple of weeks because they were in Turkey. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:27.360 And that's actually a really cool deal to think that our, listen, I'm Southern. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.240 So our and our, it's the same thing. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:34.960 So I'm Southern, but I've lived here for 10 years, so now I start to hear it. 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:37.919 Even my accent annoys me sometimes. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:41.599 But I can't do anything about it. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:52.960 Our children get to see us praying for people like Marcus when our worship leader has to be out because he's in Turkey serving. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:56.800 Let me give you a couple of other people that are out serving today. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:02.000 We have an entire team of people that are in Rwanda right now. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:07.520 They're sharing the gospel, but they're also doing medical missions. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.680 And we need to be in prayer for them. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:21.439 One of the leaders, Chandler, has actually been given the privilege of writing some protocol for the medical missions in Rwanda. 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:30.000 It's incredible the fingerprint that she's being allowed to put on how the medical procedures work in Rwanda. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.240 That's coming out of our church. 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:40.319 There's another group that's uh in Kenya right now working on building a school project. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:42.400 That's incredible. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:52.800 We have another group right now that is in Wales teaching, doing ministry. 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:55.759 They've arrived there safely. 00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:00.719 We have a group that is in Guatemala right now as we speak. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:03.520 They arrived there safely and their luggage did not. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:07.439 If you've ever done much in missions, you just roll with it. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:16.399 You just realize you always pack the true essentials in your carry-on bag because you know you could be using that for the entire time you're there. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:23.839 And then you guys remember us praying for the team that was headed uh to Iraq. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:35.199 And so we're gonna go right now and pray for uh all of our missionaries and send an extra prayer throughout the time that the Lord brings it to heart. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:52.000 Send an extra prayer up to Victor Marx and his whole team because that mission is a little more challenging, and they're facing some of those challenges even as we speak, and they desperately need their church praying for them while they're doing what they're doing. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:53.920 So let's go and let's pray to pray right now. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:58.480 Father God, we come to you right now with the strong arm of heaven. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:03.199 We pray that you reach down for all of these missionaries, Lord God. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:07.120 Lord, we don't only pray for their safety, God, we pray for their success. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:08.959 You sent them on mission. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:11.600 And there's a task in front of them. 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:14.240 That task cannot be done without you. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:19.279 That's the beautiful part of serving you, Lord, is we don't serve for you, we serve with you. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:24.160 And so, God, we pray that you be the leader of all these missions. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.360 Father, we pray that you be the way that all things will be accomplished. 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:35.600 And Father, we know that all things work together for the good that those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:40.240 And every one of these people are going, God, because they're called according to your purpose. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:50.160 So we pray that you work your goodwill, put a barrier, a strong barrier of protection around these people, Lord. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:06:04.000 Put courage in their hearts, put the Spirit of God act clearly, tangibly in their presence and go before them, go behind them. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:06.079 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.600 So every one of us is called to serve. 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:13.519 All of us were called to serve the Lord. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:14.959 But what does that look like? 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:21.600 We're gonna take that scripture that we just read out of Matthew chapter 26. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:29.839 We're gonna take one verse out of Matthew chapter 26, and we're gonna dive into that. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:36.639 So if you guys could just take your Bibles and go to Matthew chapter 26. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:41.680 Look in verse 38. 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.639 Oh, 39, sorry. 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:50.879 In verse 39, it says, going a little further, he fell with his face to the ground and he prayed. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:52.079 And this is what he prayed. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:58.560 He prayed, Oh my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.040 Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:09.759 I want to look at that, and I just want to stay right here, and I want to break that scripture down for us because every one of us are called to serve. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.360 What does it look like? 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:13.680 What does it look like for you and I? 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:16.959 Every one of us are missionaries. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:19.439 And that's a paradigm shift, right? 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:29.279 Missions is this thing that you raise money for, and then you go for a week, and then there's always a free day at the end. 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:35.439 That's what missions in America is, and that's not what missions really is. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:41.279 First of all, I'm convinced that you don't have to go to be on mission. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.079 Every one of us are on mission. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:46.160 What's your neighbor's name? 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:48.079 What's your neighbor going through? 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:55.360 I mean your literal neighbor, the one to the right or to the left of you in your cul-de-sac or on your street. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:57.680 What's your neighbor's name? 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:00.560 Some of us don't know, do we? 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:03.600 What are they going through? 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:06.000 Most of us don't know. 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:17.600 And what prayer request have they come to you with that you're praying for and you're checking in and saying, hey, how's that going? 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:19.759 We don't know. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:26.000 We don't know because we have garage door openers and they're in our car. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:39.759 So all we have to do is we pull up in our car and we press the button, and we drive in and we press the button again, and then we go into the house. 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:49.279 And most of us are not carrying properly the hope that we have in Christ Jesus. 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:58.960 So the scripture says, always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have in Christ Jesus. 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:04.799 Now, let me tell you, that spins evangelism and puts it on its head. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:18.480 Because typically we're taught and we believe and we carry this culture with us that evangelism is us going to everybody and saying, hey, hey, hey, do you know Jesus? 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:19.360 Do you know Jesus? 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:20.480 Do you know Jesus? 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:24.240 And actually, in that scripture, it doesn't work like that at all. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:29.120 It says, always be ready to give a reason. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:34.879 That says that people are coming to you and saying, hey, hey, hey, do you know Jesus? 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:38.879 Because you look like you have hope. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:40.879 Well, yeah, I know Jesus. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:42.720 Well, can you tell me about him? 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:49.600 Always be ready to give a reason means that people are coming to you and asking, hey, where's this coming from? 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:50.559 Why are you so different? 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:51.919 Why are you not mad? 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:56.240 Dude, you're like 50 years old, you look like you still enjoy marriage. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:58.159 Well, yeah, it's getting better. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:09:59.360 How is that possible? 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:09.600 Well, I submitted myself to the Lord, and these great things are happening because I'm putting the Lord's principles into practice. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:11.200 Oh, wow. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:13.679 Like, dude, you're like 50 years old. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:15.039 You still enjoy work. 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:17.200 Well, yeah, I do my work as unto the Lord. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.279 Oh, wow, you you know Jesus? 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.080 Yeah, people should be asking us that. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:24.080 We're all missionaries. 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:28.159 Every one of us should be missionaries in our marketplace. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:33.919 Now I won't embarrass us by asking this question and asking for a response. 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:35.440 This is rhetorical. 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:38.879 When's the last time someone's asked you? 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:41.759 Where do you get your hope from? 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:44.240 When's the last time that's happened? 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:48.159 When's the last time you led someone to the Lord? 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:50.480 When has that happened? 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:52.480 Well, I leave that up to the Lord. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:53.360 Yeah, I get that. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:11:01.120 But when's the last time you've labored to see if God is doing some work in someone's life? 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:02.720 We're all missionaries. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:06.480 And the best way to do that is to serve. 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:09.039 And so I want to look at this. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:15.600 So the scripture says, Oh my father, oh my father. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.080 Do you know that that's a groundbreaking statement? 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:26.240 Do you know that that actually was almost blasphemy to speak like that? 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:33.200 You know that when they decided to kill Jesus, it was for two reasons. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:45.600 One was because he healed on the Sabbath, and another because he had the audacity to call God his father. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:47.120 It's the first person to ever do it. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:48.080 No one had ever done it. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:52.639 No one had ever spoken in the first person calling God Father. 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:57.519 It was this paradigm shift that it didn't sit well on their ears. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:03.919 They did not like that, the audacity to think that you could have that close of a relationship with God. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:05.360 That's blasphemy. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:10.320 Listen, our witness to the world is not that we love God. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:11.519 A lot of people love God. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:17.360 Some people love God and fly buildings into planes to prove it. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:21.039 That is not our witness to the world. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:24.480 Our witness to the world is that God loves us. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:31.440 That's your witness is to walk around believing that God loves you. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:37.039 All acts of serving start with a relationship. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.240 You serve based on your relationship. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:44.320 Who you serve will determine how you serve. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:46.559 Let me explain. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:52.080 When my wife and I were much younger, we had our first kid. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:13:00.399 I decided we, before we had our first kid, I decided I should go to Bible college and actually get educated, and that didn't work out for me very well. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:07.679 So it was super hard to pay the bills, go to college, and uh work a job. 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:19.840 I was working as a server in a restaurant, and uh I started out in this one restaurant, and it was a chain restaurant, and we weren't making any tips. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:21.919 I did not like our supervisor. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:28.639 I didn't have anything necessarily against him, but I just I didn't like him that much because he flirted with our female servers. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:33.679 He told everybody what to do, and he seemed like he leaned on the counter all the time. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:39.679 He was kind of a slob, and he talked about his days in college when he played football. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.000 That's what he did the whole time. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:51.679 And I finally had to leave that uh location and go to another location because the location I was in, no one was making money as tips. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:56.000 I thought, I if I just need beer money, this is a great job. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:14:01.360 But I actually have to have food money and house money and all of it, so I got to go somewhere else. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:09.600 So there was another restaurant across town, same company, same chain, but they were booming. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.840 They were making money. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:18.480 And the crazy thing was the first location was in a very affluent part of town. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:23.840 The second location was in a place that was known for, it was a rough part of town. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:25.679 It's called Lively Shively. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.480 If any of you are from Louisville, you know what I'm talking about. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:33.200 But we got there and we were making money. 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.519 But the boss was different. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:36.720 He was a different guy. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.159 His name was Butner Bell. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:50.960 He was African American, bald headed, ex uh military, just toe the line, probably 50, 60 years old, slim, fit. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.840 This is what I expect of everybody. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:58.559 But I'm telling you, the previous supervisor, I don't even know his name. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:00.240 I can't tell you that guy's name. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:02.559 I could tell you his face, but I can't tell you his name. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:05.919 Butnell, I will never forget his name. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:11.200 The thing that was different about Butner Bell is I actually believed that he cared about me. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.000 I remember one time I sprained my ankle and I didn't have a choice. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:17.039 I had to work. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.919 So all these other younger guys just can call in. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:20.799 I couldn't call in. 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:21.679 I had to work. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.840 And so Butner showed, Mr. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:28.000 Bell shows up to work with an ankle brace. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:32.000 And turns out he also played sports in college. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.720 And uh, but he just didn't brag about it. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:36.399 That day was in the past. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:40.080 And so he brought me some of his old ankle braces. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:42.639 And he brought me an ankle brace. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:48.240 And I remember one time he called me to the to his back office, and I thought I was going to be fired. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:51.039 For whatever reason, I'm always like paranoid about that stuff. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:55.840 So I thought, man, I'm in trouble because why would this supervisor call you into his office? 00:15:55.919 --> 00:16:02.639 So he calls me into his office and he has a bottle of wine on the desk, and uh, this is when I was firmly baptised. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:04.879 I never I didn't have any wine. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:11.200 So he has a bottle of wine on his desk, and he says, Hey, this is really good wine. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:13.759 I want you to take this home to your wife. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:16.159 And I was like, For what? 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.919 He said, just because. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:28.960 And we sat and we talked for I don't know how long, and he wanted to know how we were doing, how marriage was going, how uh Brooklyn was just born, and he wanted to know how that was going. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.799 And he would love on me. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:36.960 I remember one time because we lived in lively Shavely, we thought our home was being broken into. 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:41.519 My wife called me, and there was somebody literally trying to get into our window. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:46.559 And so I have like pockets full of money because I haven't cashed out yet. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:48.879 And I go to uh uh Mr. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:51.200 Bell and I say, Hey, I I gotta go. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.720 My house is being broken into. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:54.639 My wife just he said, Go, go. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.960 You know, the other guy would have said, You gotta cash out. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:58.639 You can't leave here with money in your pocket. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:01.120 He said, Go, go, go, you gotta go. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:04.240 And so I get in the car, I speed over to the house. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.920 A guy literally is trying to get into my window, and I'm like, dude, what's up? 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:14.000 And uh he's like, Oh, I knocked on the door, man, and nobody came to the door. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:17.519 My car's broke down, and I need some help with gas. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:19.279 And I was like, You knocked on the door? 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:23.279 He said, Yeah, I could tell somebody's in there, but they didn't come to the door. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:26.079 I said, That's because they didn't want to talk to you. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.000 That's what the door is for. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:31.200 And I was pretty hot because he was trying to break into my house. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:36.400 And uh so I sent him on his way and I went back to work, and no problems. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:42.079 That relationship with Butner Bell dictated how everybody served. 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:44.640 That's why we were making so much money. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:53.759 He was such a great guy that it didn't matter what table we were serving, we all were working for Butner Bell. 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:56.240 We all wanted to please him. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.519 Jesus spent so much time with God. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:09.759 He spent so much time with the Lord because who you serve determines how you serve. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:14.400 And so some of you might say, Bobby, I don't even know where to start. 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:20.319 Start by having a deep, good relationship with the Lord. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:23.279 So many of us want to work for God. 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.440 I'm a victim to this. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:33.279 I want to work for God because I feel like if I can do enough, then somehow I get closer into his good graces. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:35.359 Somehow he loves me more. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:43.119 Somehow he'll overlook all the mess that I bring into the faith by being a mess. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:53.440 And so working for me for the Lord somehow makes me feel like I should finally be able to come into your presence. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.519 God says, Jesus says, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:05.039 Listen, not only did, well, I'll read it for you, and I'll do it quickly for the sake of time. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:09.839 John 5, 16, John chapter 5, verse 16 through 8. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:15.920 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done all these things on the Sabbath. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:23.359 But Jesus answered them, My father has been working until now, and I have been working. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:40.079 Therefore the Jews sought to kill him more, sought more to kill him, because he is not only, he not only broke the Sabbath, but he also said that God was his father, making him equal with God. 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:42.559 He didn't like that. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:50.799 But he not only said that, look in Matthew chapter 6, verse 6 through 9. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:20:01.519 But when you pray, go into your room, and when you shut your door, pray to your father, who is in the secret place. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:06.640 And your father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:14.160 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:22.480 Therefore, do not be like them, for your father knows the things you have need of before you even ask him. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:30.720 In this manner, therefore, pray, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:33.200 He's saying, Hey, it's not just me. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:36.240 You have that same relationship. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.400 Focus on your relationship. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.839 Listen to me. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:42.160 Be honest with yourself. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:43.519 Who is God? 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.519 Is he God? 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.839 Is he Lord or is he father? 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:57.039 I'm telling you, I wish I could say otherwise, but for me, right now, he's more often Lord than Father. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:58.559 And he's all of it. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:05.359 But when I pray, I typically say, Dear Lord, because I can understand that. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:15.279 But the notion that God is my father, that he loves me every bit as much as I love my kids, it's still hard for me to feel that way. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.000 And so I'm trying to grow in that. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:22.880 Because the more you can grow in that, the more you have to offer the world. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.599 Because the world doesn't need your good deeds. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:27.680 The world doesn't need your service. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:29.359 They need your father. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:31.839 That's what's going to help them. 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:48.880 That's their deep need, is to be introduced to people that actually believe that God is a father like a child to an earthly father. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:50.960 And he loves you every bit that much. 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:53.279 It's really hard to believe. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:58.079 And when we start sharing that, it's incredible. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.839 So when you say, I don't know where to start. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.799 Start by growing in your relationship with God. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.640 You cannot earn his affection. 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:06.079 You cannot. 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:10.880 Grow in your relationship with the Lord and carry that around with you. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:17.680 And it doesn't matter if you're changing tires or if you're in Tanzania building orphanages. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:23.839 If you're carrying that around, you're offering a great thing to the world. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:25.359 Now I'll tell you another. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:33.839 If you don't know what it means to have an intimate relationship with God, it doesn't matter if you're changing tires or if you're building orphanages. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:37.119 Because you're not offering much to the world. 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:39.519 People need the Lord. 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:46.160 Oh my Father, all serving starts with a relationship. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:50.000 And the level of the relationship will determine how you serve. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.480 But he says, Oh my father, if it's possible. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:58.000 Do you not think that that does that not strike you as like, what? 00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:59.200 What did he just say? 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.720 Isn't he God? 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:05.680 Doesn't he know what's possible and what's not possible? 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:08.319 Like, why is he asking? 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:12.319 He's basically talking to himself, what's possible? 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:19.680 He's saying, if it's possible, all acts of real serving involve surrender. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:23.119 You give up the right to make the call. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:26.799 You no longer say what's possible and what's not possible. 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:30.640 You seek the Lord on what he wants to do. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:38.880 When I was serving at those restaurants, I never, ever, ever told the people what they were going to eat. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:43.680 They never placed an order, and I said, nah, nah, I'm not doing that. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:44.720 I'm not doing that. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:46.319 That's going to take me way too much time. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:48.880 I got to make a salad and I got to go over here and again. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:49.839 Nah, we're not doing that. 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:50.480 Here's what you're going to do. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:52.079 You're going to have a ham sandwich today. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:53.279 That's what you're going to have. 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:56.720 And I'll be right back, and you're going to eat it and you're going to like it. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:57.759 No. 00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.119 No. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:23:59.599 Why? 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:00.960 Why didn't I do that? 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:03.119 Because I was the server. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:08.799 My only job was to take orders and to do the work. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:16.960 And to provide to the person that was ordering exactly what they're calling for, exactly what they're asking for. 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:20.240 I was the server in the picture. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:25.200 And an attitude of understanding you're not the boss. 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:27.119 We don't get to choose. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.640 We don't get to say. 00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:31.359 We don't get to say what we want to do. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.039 Jesus had this attitude. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:41.839 Matthew chapter 20, verse 27 through 28 says, And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:53.039 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life freely as a ransom for many. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:56.400 Philippians chapter 2, verse 6 through 8. 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:19.839 Jesus surrendered himself to the Lord, it says, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself and he became obedient to death, even death on the cross. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.599 You don't get to order. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:24.960 The server doesn't get to do that. 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:28.480 God also calls us to this mentality. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:30.799 Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 20. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:41.119 He says, For you were bought with a price, and therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God's. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:43.279 Both of these, your body and your spirit. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:44.319 It's all God's. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:46.319 You don't get to say what you're going to do. 00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:49.279 You actually seek the Lord on what he wants to do. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:51.680 And you follow that because you have a faith that believes. 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.440 If he said it, do it. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:56.960 If God says do that, then you do it. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:58.400 Because that's what's best. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:03.200 All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:08.559 But you have to sit with the Lord and say, Lord, what are you wanting to do? 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:09.599 Show me. 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:11.599 Show me because I trust you. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:21.680 And I listen, the one thing that I told God I will never do, I'm never going to do this, is stand up in front of people and talk. 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.119 I did. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:23.839 I did. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:25.920 I told him I was going to be a basketball coach. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:26.960 That's what I'm going to be. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:28.400 And he said, no, no, no, no. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:29.279 You're going to preach. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:31.599 And I said, no, no, I'm not going to preach. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:34.799 And he said, okay, then, let's take a pause. 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:37.279 You're going to be in timeout for a little while. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:48.480 And then when you decide that the person that made you gets to determine what you do, then we'll talk again. 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:53.839 And he held me to that, and it took several months, but finally I broke and I said, I'll do whatever you want me to do. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.400 Just fine. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:57.440 If you want to make my life miserable, then make my life miserable. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:00.559 I think I played that verbatim. 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:05.039 And here I am, and I haven't shut up since. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:11.039 So we follow the direction of the Lord. 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:13.440 We follow the direction of the Spirit. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:16.000 Some of you are wrestling right now with missions. 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:19.359 Some of you are wrestling right now with your calling. 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:26.960 Some of you are wrestling right now with your children and surrendering that to the Lord. 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:32.160 I want to read for you something that I always found intriguing. 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:35.920 Acts chapter 16, verse 6 through 10. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:47.920 Now, when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:51.440 It's not enough that you're just doing the work of God. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:53.599 You have to do it in the will of God. 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:58.640 God Himself's forbidding them to preach in certain regions. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:01.680 That means he's the one calling the shot. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:03.599 He knows the big picture. 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:10.799 And after they had come to Missa, they tried to go in to Bifhnia. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:12.559 Man, these are some hard words. 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:15.200 But the Spirit did not permit them. 00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:19.359 So passing by Missa, they came to Troos. 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:22.559 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:29.839 A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:39.119 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:41.920 So he's trying to do the work of the Lord. 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:46.319 And the Spirit of God is stopping him from doing the work of the Lord. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:53.680 One of the hard parts of merging a church is my church has already heard all of our stories. 00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:59.599 So if you're from the Chapel Hill side of the family, indulge me for a minute. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:02.720 I was driving down the road one night. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:04.079 It was late at night. 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:07.279 I was the only teenager to work in a factory. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:10.799 Every other person there was a grown man providing for his family. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:16.880 And when I was 16, 17 years old, I was working in a factory in North Carolina. 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.440 And so I was around all these grown men. 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:26.640 I was driving home one night, and I got this strong sense from the Lord that said, go to Scott's house. 00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:27.599 You have to go to Scott's house. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:29.599 Now I'd only been at Scott's house one time. 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:34.799 Scott was an ex-marine and he was not a nice guy. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:36.160 Go to Scott's house. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:38.079 You have to go to Scott's house. 00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:44.799 And I felt so strongly compelled by this that I turned my car around and I went to Scott's house. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:48.079 And when I got there, Scott was sitting in the middle of his living room. 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:48.960