WEBVTT 00:00:02.080 --> 00:00:05.040 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:06.879 Thank you so much for listening today. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.439 We hope it encourages you and inspires you. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:10.880 Here's today's message. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:15.119 It is it is so good to see every single one of your smiling faces. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:17.519 As I mentioned earlier, Megan and I we're we're back. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:19.280 We're back from sabbatical, man. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:21.839 We're excited to be with every single one of you guys, man. 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:24.559 We've heard so many amazing things. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:28.160 Is that somebody shouting us out because we're back? 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:29.920 All right, let's go. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:30.800 Let's go. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:31.760 I feel the love. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:32.479 I feel the love. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:35.359 I thank you guys so much for all the text messages. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:44.399 Everyone that reached out to us that was asking how we're doing and and and all those wonderful things, being patient with us, man, because there are some times I put my phone down for four days at a time. 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:46.719 So thank you for being gracious with my response. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:48.399 I'm I'm still getting caught up, man. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:50.320 It is so good to see all your faces. 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:57.520 But before I jump into today's message, I do want to take a moment to just honor and acknowledge our amazing staff. 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:02.240 Can we put our hands together for the celebration, Orlando staff and team? 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:05.519 I I genuinely couldn't be more proud of them. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:06.959 Thank you, Vinny, so much. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:19.680 Um, I couldn't be more proud of what I've seen God doing in our community and just their faithfulness and how they've stewarded um not only just this season, but also how they've stewarded um the responsibilities that God has given them. 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:24.879 And so Megan I couldn't be filled with more pride and excitement and seeing what God has been doing here. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:27.519 And also, I mean, I always wanted to shout out our our teams, man. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:29.920 I'm so thankful for everyone who served so faithfully. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:33.040 All of you guys for continuing to show up, your generosity, all that stuff, man. 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:35.200 Yeah, give it up for yourselves. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:38.719 Man, it's just been it's been fun, man. 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:40.719 But I I am glad to be back. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:44.799 Um it the eight weeks, don't get me wrong, it went quicker than I thought it was going to. 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:47.840 Um, but I'm but I am so glad to be back. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:52.640 So today is a little bit different than than what our typical Sunday would look like. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:54.879 Our our worship is a little bit shorter. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:57.599 Um, the message will be a little bit longer. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:08.080 Um, if you guys don't have anything to do for the next hour and a half, um the message will be a little bit longer, but it's really so it gives us enough space to really unpack um this vision um that I believe that God has given us. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:17.919 When we were going into um this summer season and and Meg and I praying about this sabbatical, we we knew um that God would give us some some some vision and some direction and some clarity. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:22.960 And and I think it's such an important part of the way that we govern and live our lives. 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:26.719 Scripture says it this way without a vision, the people perish. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:31.759 Uh, another translation says it this way When you don't have vision, the people cast off restraints. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:33.680 That means that you live without boundaries. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:38.159 Here, here's what I have been trying to instill in my own life, but also in the life of my children. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:40.159 Man, get a vision for your life. 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:46.080 Because when you have vision for your life, that's ultimately like goals and perspective, they begin to be your standards. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:56.400 And then when things come up that are contrary to the standard or the vision you have for your life, then you're able to quickly identify and recognize if this is the space that I should be in. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:03.520 I think the thing that we end up losing momentum in is we end up spending so much time praying about things that we should have already processed already. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:11.039 Because if I have vision for my life, I don't have to pray about it because when it's introduced to my life, I can recognize quickly does this line up with the vision for my life? 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:18.560 So vision is so important so that we can live and function with boundaries and we can have the ability to reach what God is calling us to do. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:25.280 So I believe that should not only be true for us, but I also believe it should be true for the church that we are a part of. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.080 Habakkuk chapter two, verse number two says this. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:35.439 It says, Then the Lord said to me, Write my answer plainly on tablets so that the runner can carry the correct message for others. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:39.039 Here's what another translation says Write the vision and make it plain. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:46.479 For those that are familiar with the King James Version, like I was when I was coming up, write the vision, make it plain so that other people can run with it. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:55.039 What Habakkuk is telling us is that vision was never meant to just sit with one person, but we make it plain so that we all can run with it. 00:03:55.360 --> 00:04:06.159 This Sunday, my goal, if I can be quite honest with you, the thing I would like to accomplish is that we can get to a point where we can say this celebration Orlando is not the church that I attend. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:08.719 Celebration Orlando is my church. 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:12.240 I I want to make a queer, I want to make a really quick distinction. 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:14.479 I don't want this just to be the church that you attend. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:16.480 And if you're on that journey, we celebrate that. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:21.279 But for those that say that this is home, I don't want this to be the church you attend, I want this to be your church. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.879 And we all know the difference of when something is yours versus when it's not. 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:27.279 Best example would be rental cars. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.560 When it's a rental car, we treat it a little bit differently than when it's our car. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.519 I'm not the only one, I'm telling the truth in church. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:36.560 We treat it a little bit differently when it's yours versus when it's not. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:42.480 What I want is for this to be your church so that we can have a different point of emphasis in the way that we engage it. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:44.959 Here's some of the things that shape who we are, our values. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:46.399 It's it's things that you've heard us say. 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:48.959 You'll see it on our wall when you walk out into the lobby. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:50.240 We celebrate the goodness of God. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:51.680 This is a part of who we are. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:54.399 We believe in celebrating the goodness of God. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:56.639 Our messages acknowledge the goodness of God. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.519 Our worship songs will declare the goodness of God. 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:04.319 Even if it's not good, we believe that God is good and He's working all things together for the good. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:06.319 That is our posture, that is our value. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.199 Another thing is we engage the presence of God. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:10.639 We believe in engaging God. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.439 We don't believe that we have a passive relationship with God. 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:20.000 We lift our hands and worship, we sing out, we declare the goodness of God with our mouths, with our bodies, with our actions. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:21.680 We believe in engaging God. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:22.560 We read his word. 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:24.160 We are connected to community. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.120 We engage God. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.839 We are not spectators, we are participators. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:29.759 We also believe in the power of God. 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:35.680 That means that we are the church that we're going to call for moments where, man, if anyone's sick among us, let us pray. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.800 We believe that there's no expiration date on the power of God. 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:44.160 We believe that the same Jesus that was walking and healing people is the same Jesus that is available to us today. 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:46.560 So we will believe in the power of God. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:51.600 God is very active and he's on the move, and we believe in demonstrating the love of God. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.720 It's so important to make sure that we demonstrate this love. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:59.519 Paul even says that we can have all the gifts in the world, but if we don't have love, then it really is worthless. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:06.240 We believe that God equips us with a lot of things, but it's our responsibility to demonstrate that love through service and through generosity. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:09.680 So those are some of the values that shape us as a church. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:13.199 But there's another layer that I want to present to us today. 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:17.040 If you have your Bibles, join me in Genesis chapter number six. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:24.160 We're going to read verses nine through eighteen to kind of set the framework of where we were spending our time today. 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:29.680 Starting here at verse number nine, it says this This is the account of Noah and his family. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:34.800 Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:37.360 He walked in close fellowship with God. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:41.600 Noah was the father of three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:45.920 Now God saw the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:51.439 God observed all this corruption in the world, and for everyone was corrupt. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:57.680 So God said to Noah, I have decided to destroy all living things, for they have been filled the earth with violence. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:01.759 Yes, I will wipe them out along with the earth. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.879 So build a large boat of cypress wood and waterproof it with tar inside and out. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.000 Construct the decks and stalls throughout its interior. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:14.959 Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet high. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:19.360 Leave an 18-inch opening on the roof all the way around the boat. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:25.360 Put the door on the side and build three decks inside the boat, lower, middle, and upper. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:32.720 Look, I'm about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.279 Everything on earth will die. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:39.519 But I will confirm my covenant with you. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.439 So enter the boat, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:47.920 Now I I want to take a moment to acknowledge something here that maybe you're familiar with. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:58.560 That when God gives Noah this massive download and begins to talk to him about this storm, this rain that's about to come, here's the thing to remember it never rained before. 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:05.759 So so Noah's frame of reference as God is telling him what he's about to do is non-existent. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:12.879 So so Noah has an assignment to build something that's never been built, to prepare for something that has never been seen. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:20.959 I think there's a lesson that we can learn in that because I think, in order for us to see something we've never seen, sometimes we gotta do something we've never done. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:26.160 Verse number 22 says it this way, it beautifully wraps it up. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:31.439 So Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.519 Church, I gotta be honest, I want that kind of faith. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.679 In fact, I've changed my definition of faith to mean this. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:48.720 Faith means moving forward knowing I will understand it in reverse. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:53.600 Faith means I'm going to move forward knowing that it will make sense in reverse. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:09:02.879 When I look at my life in retrospect and look at the varying things that God had led me to do and to step out in faith in, in real time, it didn't make sense. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:08.240 But when I look in the rear view, remember, oh, I could see what God was doing the entire time, but I just didn't recognize it then. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:09.679 That is the definition of faith. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.960 It's moving forward knowing I will recognize in reverse. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.960 Noah models that brilliantly. 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:21.279 Today I want to spend some time talking about courage and faith and obedience to build something new for God. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:24.399 And I've entitled this message, All Hands. 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:28.480 Let's pray and let's see what it is that God wants to share to us today. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:32.559 Lord, we thank you so much for the opportunity to stand in your presence, God. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:37.200 I count it as a tremendous privilege to be a part of such an amazing community. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:48.000 And Lord, I just pray over the next few moments that God we can we can silence ourselves, we can truly lean in and to hear your voice in amongst all the varying things that that are begging for our attention. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.279 So, God, I I pray that I decrease and that you increase. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:58.639 I pray for open eyes that we can see you, open ears to hear you, and open hearts to receive everything that it is that you want to speak to us today. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.240 Holy Spirit, you're welcome. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:03.600 Inspire us, activate us, challenge us, motivate us. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:05.279 It's in Jesus' name that we pray. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:07.440 Amen and amen. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:16.080 I want to take a couple of seconds to give you a sense of what is the context of the world that Noah is living in. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:21.440 Because when you hear something like the entire world is corrupt, that just sounds that sounds aggressive. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:24.639 That's that sounds like it's a lot, but but let me tell you how we got here. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:30.480 You know, in the beginning, Genesis chapter one, we know that God created the heavens and the earth and everything that's in it. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:34.240 Day six, he creates man, and then he shows man what does rest look like. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:36.960 And then he says to man, listen, I'm gonna give you a choice. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:40.240 You can either do things my way or you can do them your way. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:44.320 This is the ultimate moment of stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:47.919 Man being man, we decided that we wanted to define things on our own terms. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.480 So man makes a detour, does his own thing. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:54.240 So now we're three chapters in, and man has already blew it. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:55.360 Already blew it. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:56.159 Three chapters in. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:08.480 So now God has to then begin to activate his redemptive plan, the redemptive plan of restoring man back to his rightful place of unbroken fellowship, where there's nothing that is in between us and God. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:10.639 But now sin has entered the equation. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:12.399 So now sin is in the world. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:17.440 We turn the page, we get over to Genesis chapter four, and chaos continues to expand. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:20.720 In fact, it's where we get the infamous story of Cain and Abel. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:22.559 Cain kills his brother Abel. 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:25.440 Murder is now introduced into the world. 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:27.440 It's continuing to run rampant. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:32.000 Now, from Cain's bloodline, he has a great grandson named Lammach. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:34.399 Lammock kills two people and he brags about it. 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:40.000 So you can see that when sin enters a picture, it continues to move with compounded interest. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:42.720 Like it just continues to increase and increase and increase. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:50.639 So by the time we get to Genesis chapter six, the world, in the most theological terms I can give you, is a hot mess. 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:51.919 The world is a hot mess. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:58.799 You got you got fallen angels that are that are sleeping with women, like you get you get to a place where you get some really weird stuff that's going on. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:03.600 So God sees this six chapters in and says, like, man, we gotta we gotta have a do-over. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:04.799 This is the ultimate mulligan. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:06.399 Like this, let's start all over again. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:09.200 Because I I gave man a chance, but we need to start all over. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:14.639 Like God sees that the entire world is corrupt and says, like, man, we need to we need to start this thing over. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:25.200 So as he's looking at this broken and fallen world, he begins to look and he recognizes that Noah is the only person who is walking with him. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.960 Now, I want to make sure that you're hearing what I'm saying. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:32.799 He's not one of the people that are walking with God. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:36.399 Noah is the only person who's walking with God. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.440 Scripture defines him as being blameless and righteous. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.320 Righteous means that he's in right standing with God. 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:46.159 Blameless means that he does everything he can do to avoid sin. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:50.720 Noah is living in a place where he's truly trying to live and honor God. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:56.399 And what the Bible says is he's the only person on the planet that is living that way. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:07.039 How is it possible for Noah to live in a perverse, darkened, and broke world, and he is the only one living for God? 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:14.080 Before I got into ministry, I knew what it felt like to be the only follower of God at a workplace. 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:17.200 I knew what it felt like to work in a toxic environment. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:27.440 I I am very well versed with being in environments where you feel isolated and alone, even what it feels like to be the only person who's walking with God in your family. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:32.399 After reading this with Noah, I feel like I have a lot less to complain about. 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:39.759 Noah is the only person on the face of the earth who is trying to live for God in a world that is so corrupt. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.360 How was he able to do it? 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:55.360 I believe that Noah had a perspective that we need to gain in our own lives, is that Noah lived with an eternal perspective, that Noah lived his life understanding that I am not a citizen of the United States of America. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:57.200 I am not even a citizen of earth. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:00.879 I live with an eternal perspective and my heritage is in heaven. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:10.320 I believe the biggest challenge for some of us is that we get our citizenship mixed up, and then we end up being surprised when the world acts like the world. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:14.639 We end up being surprised when people who don't know God act like they don't know God. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:19.840 I'm actually surprised when Christians are surprised that people who don't know God act like they don't know God. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:26.000 What we need to be aware of is the same principle that we see in scripture, where we're in the world but not of the world. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:35.279 Noah had this ability to recognize that I'm in an environment that I am not going to allow it to influence the way that I function because I have a vision on my life. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:43.120 Noah is in this world that is full of brokenness, that's full of murder, that's full of debauchery, but he continued to walk in righteousness with God. 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:50.480 He was able to stiff arm every ounce of temptation, that he did everything he could to walk in unbroken fellowship with God. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:55.600 And as a result of that, the Bible says that when God looked at him, he looked at him with favor. 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:04.399 Now, I want you to understand that Noah didn't have to perform for God's grace, but God's grace empowered his performance. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:10.879 Because he made a choice to walk in alignment with God, that when God looked at him, he saw him with grace. 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:14.320 Now, that word grace and favor, we often use it interchangeably. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:19.679 What that ultimately means is that we are now not only covered, but we're also empowered. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.120 God's grace covers us, but it also empowers us. 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:31.679 So Noah is this man who is covered by the grace of God, but now the grace of God empowers the work that he's about to be commissioned to do. 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.720 Because God has a huge assignment for Noah. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:41.600 And when you think about it in our own rational minds, when God comes to Noah with this incredible assignment, it seems overwhelming. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:43.120 It seems incredibly daunting. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:51.519 How can one person truly take on the responsibility of building this massive ship that is meant to save and preserve all of humanity? 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:56.960 But I find this to be true, that God's grace meets you at the place of your obedience. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:08.559 That instead of Noah saying, I can't do it because I don't have the abilities in my own strength, that the moment that he surrendered to God, that the grace of God that was on his life would then extend it to the work that he was commissioned to do. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:10.559 He was graced to do it. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:19.840 I think sometimes God invites us into spaces that we don't feel comfortable stepping into because we have analysis paralysis and we don't recognize that I'm graced to do this. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:26.320 I've seen people turn down job opportunities because they feel like they don't have the skill set when they don't recognize that I'm graced to do this. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.480 The moment I say yes to this, the grace of God will empower and strengthen me to do it. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:34.399 My faith means that I'm gonna say yes to something that I know I will understand later. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:35.919 I'm graced to do this. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:36.639 Listen to me. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:44.720 Your grace to do the thing that God is calling you to do, your grace to be a husband, your grace to be a wife, your grace to be a teacher, your grace to be a student. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:48.799 Whatever season God has you in, if you are there, God has graced you to survive it. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.759 He would never put you in a place that's gonna bring you to destruction. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:17:00.240 It may not be easy, it may be challenging, but your grace for this, your grace to survive the environments that you're in, Noah was graced to do the work. 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:08.640 What the Bible says in Psalm 90, verse 17, it says, Let the favor of our Lord God be on us. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:13.920 Establish us for the work of our hands, establish the work of our hands. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.160 There's a threefold thing that's happening here. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:24.079 The favor of God is on us, which then empowers me to do what I'm called to do, and then the work that I do is now empowered by God. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:28.960 This passage is kind of like our theme for this entire series that we're in. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:33.920 This idea of knowing because God's grace is on me, I'm graced to do the things that I'm called to do. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.599 Let me simplify it a little bit. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:40.240 When God puts something on your heart, he also puts something in your hands. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:45.759 When God puts something on your heart, he also puts something on in your hands. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:46.559 And watch this. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:50.000 And what you do with your hands determines what you see with your eyes. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:58.319 God puts it on your heart, but he also puts something in your hands, and what I do with that will determine what I see with my eyes. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:03.680 We're graced to do the work, we're graced to advance the kingdom, we're graced to continue to move forward. 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:07.759 I don't believe that God gives us revelation so that we can live in the comment section. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:16.079 I believe that when God opens our eyes, he's also opening our hearts and opening our hands so that we can do something about what we see so we can change what we are seeing. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:17.359 We're graced for this. 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:26.240 Noah is given this assignment, and what we know is based on the sheer scope of what he is called to build, he goes back and takes this assignment to his family. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.000 Listen, this is a team effort. 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:33.519 I had a download from God, and now that I got this download, man, we all got a part to play in this thing that we're a part of. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:42.319 So Noah goes back to his family, and most scholars and theologians believe that Noah then begins to activate his family and saying, Hey guys, we got some work to do. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:50.240 So they all begin to take their rightful place, and it takes them about a hundred years in order for them to build this entire vessel. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.839 A hundred years for them to build this massive ship out. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.200 And as they're building it, it's an it's a it's a witness to people. 00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:58.720 People are wondering what they're working on. 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:03.519 I can't imagine the embarrassment of them building something and saying, like, why are you building this for rain? 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:04.240 What's rain? 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:08.640 Well, like it's it's the tension that they're feeling of being obedient when it doesn't make sense. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:10.079 Why are you spending your energy? 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:11.039 Why are you serving? 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.240 Why are you giving to that? 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.519 It doesn't make any sense to me. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:18.240 All I know is that I've been called to God to do this, and I'm going to be faithful to the assignment. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:22.799 For Noah, this is a this is an all hands on deck moment for him and his family. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:27.680 See that that phrase all hands on deck, it obviously comes from naval terms. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:37.839 They believe it was birthed in the 1700s, where back before they had the navigational tools that we have now, that the idea would be that a captain would yell out, all hands on deck. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:42.880 And that was meant to tell everyone that was on the ship, stop whatever you're doing. 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:44.720 There's nothing more important than this. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:48.400 Meet me on the deck so you can help me navigate through this storm. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.079 All hands on deck. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.359 We now use that same terminology even in our own lives. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:58.400 We're all hands on deck, we're all we're all contributing to this right now, we're all involved in this right now. 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:03.200 This is not something that I'm carrying on my own, it's something that we all are doing together. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:08.640 In other words, all hands means we all have a part to play in the thing that we are a part of. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:10.960 All hands on deck. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:22.160 As Noah and his family are building out this ark, I want you to notice that the ark didn't include any steering, no rudder, it didn't even have a sail on it. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:28.720 So here's what that communicates that even the most well-executed plans will still result in us having to trust God. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:32.480 We're still gonna have to get to a point where we have to trust God. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:44.799 So even after Noah built this amazing ark, it still came down to, but we need to trust God before we're gonna end up at if you look at this, the ark has so many things that are parallel to the way that the church looks. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.519 There's only one way in, there's only one door. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:57.519 The way that it was built together, without any nails, it was held together with tar, which many believe was symbolic of the blood of Jesus, how the church is built and held together with the blood of Jesus. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:07.359 There's so many nuances that point back to the idea that the ark is also a representation of the church, being a place of refuge, a place of safety, a place of protection. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:19.440 It's amazing how this vessel that was meant to preserve and protect Noah and his family also became a vessel of provision and leading them into what the next season was going to look like. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:22.559 This was a ship that had a purpose. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:32.480 You know, Megan and I, over, I would say over the past couple of months have have really learned, like, okay, like, man, like we love, we love to go on cruise ships. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:34.400 Like, I'm just gonna go ahead and call it what it is. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:37.759 Like, like, you know how you have certain people and they have like certain things they like to do. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:42.160 Like, I think that we're getting to a point where we're gonna be like called like cruisers, like cruisers. 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:44.319 Like that's that's something that we enjoy doing. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:47.759 And and we found different types of cruises for different purposes. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:51.680 We have cruises that we'll do that include our family, those are the cheaper cruises. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:57.200 And then we'll have the other cruises that we'll do that's just her and I, those are a little bit more bougie because I'm trying to just make my wife happy, guys. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.000 Y'all pray for me. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759 It's it's what it takes, it's what it takes. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.920 Um, I got I gotta do what I gotta do. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:09.680 So, so we've had an opportunity to go on these different cruise ships, and the modern ones are like it's mind-blowing all the things that they have on them. 00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:12.640 Like, I mean, if you haven't been on them recently, you gotta research these things. 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:18.400 I mean, they have like Broadway level productions and shows on there, like it's mind-buff baggling to me. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:25.039 There's other things like the food is absolutely amazing, like there's all these different things that are happening on these cruise ships that are amazing. 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:28.799 Did you know that you could go on a cruise ship and get like liposuction? 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:30.799 Yes. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:37.119 Meganar are like walking through one day, and the guy's like, hey, I can help you out. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:41.200 I'm like, bro, what are you trying to say? 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:44.880 I didn't come here prepared for that, but man, I'll catch you the next cruise. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:50.079 Like, so if I go on like a vacation, not come back 30 pounds lighter, I worked hard for this. 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.079 Um so we're like, we're like on these cruise ships and we're taking it all in. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:56.559 It's like it's like a resort on on water. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.279 But but I I love how they have all these different activities. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:01.519 They even know how to like do like towel folding. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:04.240 If you want to like fold your towels in the shape of an animal. 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:05.519 Megan went to that class. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:09.200 They got cocktail classes if you want to learn how to make great mixed drinks. 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:11.200 I didn't do that because I'm a follower of Jesus. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:14.640 But for those of you, whatever, you know, do your own thing. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.599 There's grace for it. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:19.359 Um, but there's all these different activities and things that that you can get into. 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:27.200 I remember a couple weeks after we got off of our ship, Megan had sent me this article and she said, I am so proud of our ship. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.079 Our ship. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.799 I'm like, man, I didn't know we bought one, but shoot, okay. 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:32.000 And watch this. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:35.680 She sent me this article, and what the article was was our cruise ship. 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:40.160 While it was out at sea, there was an article about this family, this precious family. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:42.720 They had gone on a vacation to Aruba. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:51.039 They were there for a couple of weeks, they were ready to come back, but the the son he had autism and he got overstimulated and he just was not getting on an airplane. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:51.680 He was over it. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:54.160 He's like, I'm done, airplane, not doing it. 00:23:54.319 --> 00:24:04.799 So, like the mother and the son had to stay back, and the father and the rest of the kids went there, but he was literally trapped with his parents or with his mother at Aruba for two weeks, no way to get home. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:07.839 So the family's naturally trying to figure it all out. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:11.359 And and somehow our cruise ship found out about it. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:22.960 They rerouted one of their trips, went over, picked this young man up with his mother, put them in one of the most deluxe suites, treated them like royalty all the way back to get them into America. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:25.599 And I was like, that's amazing. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.440 I'm gonna give them my money next trip. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:29.359 Like I it just felt good knowing that. 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:36.559 Man, like, yeah, they got a mission, they're there to have fun, but they weren't so busy about doing their own thing that they didn't recognize that they could help me to need. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:48.960 She sent me uh another article, same same scenario, a little bit different, where there was a there, this the captain was was out at sea, he looked off into the distance and literally saw a ship that had capsized. 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:54.880 That that someone had made like a makeshift ship, got caught up in like a current, and now they were about to drown. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:25:05.920 And so the captain, even though they had somewhere to be at, stopped, went over, picked up this incredible group of people, brought them on, notified the proper authorities, and just didn't leave them out there stranded. 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:17.359 I was like, this is amazing that even though you have this fancy deluxe cruise ship and all these other adminities, that you are not so busy about your own thing that you didn't recognize an opportunity to help somebody else. 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:22.480 As I saw this, I said, Man, this is what the church is supposed to look like. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:25.279 This is the type of church that I want to be a part of. 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:33.359 The type of church that, yes, we can have a lot of fun and activities, we can have smoking screens, we can have lights, we can have a lot of those amazing things. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:34.880 But listen, don't get it twisted. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:43.279 We are not a cruise ship, we're a battleship on mission, and as we're going off, we're looking for opportunities to serve and help people that have been marginalized and that are broken. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:47.599 That is the type of church that I believe God has commissioned us to be. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:55.440 When Jesus is giving his parting words to his disciples, he basically gives them the vision for the entire church. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:58.720 And it's found in Matthew 28, 18 through 20. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:05.200 It says, Jesus came and told his disciples, I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:11.599 Therefore go and make disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:15.839 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:21.440 And be sure of this, I am always with you, even until the end of the age. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:23.839 This is Jesus in his parting words. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:35.200 Three and a half years of ministry, they've seen a lot, they've seen him die, they've seen him resurrected, and as Jesus is about to ascend into heaven, he says, Listen, we got work to do, and you're graced for this. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:38.720 And I got an assignment for you to do, and I want you to keep it really clear. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:44.000 I don't I want to make sure that you do these three things and you repeat, these three things and repeat. 00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:53.200 And I believe that as pastors and as people who are called to steward the calling of God, quite honestly, my my vision isn't different than the Great Commission. 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:54.640 I don't have authority to change that. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:55.839 It's really quite simple. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:58.960 My assignment is for us to reach the lost. 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:01.359 Jesus had a heart for the lost. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:03.920 Jesus had a heart for people that were away from God. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:07.920 He would go out of his way when it says that he had to go through Samaria. 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:13.039 Jesus modeled and demonstrated that he had a heart for people that were away from God. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:15.519 Jesus was a person who had a heart for the lost. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:17.359 We have a heart for the lost. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:28.559 But Jesus also believed in equipping the found, making sure that the minute that you say yes to Jesus, my responsibility is to make sure that you're continuing to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:35.039 It's not just good enough to say that I know Jesus, but now it's becoming that space where I become more like Jesus. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:38.720 We have to be equipped to live the life that God has called us to live. 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:42.880 And then Jesus also shows us that we have to help the hurting. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:44.640 We have to help people. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:50.000 You know, I've I've studied the gospels through and through, literally countless times. 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:59.039 And I have yet to find one single place where before Jesus helped a hurting person is that he needed to get a background check and a prerequisite on how they ended up there. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:08.000 Well, if you made better decisions, then you probably wouldn't have if you would have done this instead of that, that would have you never see Jesus doing that. 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:20.400 And I think what can happen with us is that we end up getting too drifted off into that space where we're asking people why they ended up where they were instead of helping them where they are and then leading them so they don't end up there again. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:24.559 It was never a prerequisite to ask the question on the front end. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:33.519 Jesus had a heart to reach the loss, to equip the found, and to help the hurting, and that is exactly the mandate that he has given us as a church. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:34.880 So how do we accomplish that? 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:38.000 How do we do that as a community and continue to move forward? 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:45.440 I want to give you some practical things that we do as a church to exercise and to be faithful to this vision that God has given us. 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:48.720 One of those things is the way that we do care and connect. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:52.880 It's a vital part of every single church, it's a vital part of our church. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:29:00.000 It's so important for me to make sure that you guys know that you are cared for, that you guys feel connected to community. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:05.599 I think the biggest mistake we can make is being a part of something and no one knows that I'm a part of it. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:09.519 Is when I'm going through things that need prayer and I have no one to pray with me. 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:14.240 When I'm going through seasons where I want to celebrate what God's doing and I have no one to celebrate with me. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:22.079 But when we're adequately connected to community, we know that not only can we be the recipients of care, but we also can extend it to other people. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:28.240 Even right now, if you were to text that number now, you're getting a response from one of our pastors, maybe one of our care teams. 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:34.240 This is not an auto-response, this is from somebody who directly wants to connect with you and answer questions and pray with you. 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:40.480 We believe so heavily in prayer and the word of God and making sure that we are caring for those around us. 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:42.799 Another thing that's so important to us is groups. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:45.920 Again, you hear us talk about this virtually every single week. 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:50.720 Whenever the new group semester is kicking off, our new group semester starts on August 28th. 00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:56.240 Here's what we know Jesus says that wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am amongst them. 00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:59.279 We know that God moves in the midst of community. 00:29:59.359 --> 00:30:06.160 And sometimes these small groups become such a powerful opportunity and a gateway for relationships and discipleships. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:10.319 I can't think of where my faith would be if I wasn't connected to community. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:12.079 Iron sharpens iron. 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:18.319 And if I'm not connected to other people and I'm not communicating with other people, then I could end up going off in my own way. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:25.519 What groups does is it allows us to have shared accountability, shared growth, and it allows us to become sharper together. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:32.160 And we have a variety of groups that you can get connected to, but it's it's a it's up to us to step into those spaces and say yes. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:36.880 We're actually launching a new group this upcoming semester called Discipleship One. 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:39.200 It's gonna be taught by our very own Pastor Vinny. 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:40.400 Can y'all put your hands together? 00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.759 Who does, Pastor Vinny? 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:46.319 Such I love them, I love them so much. 00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:54.720