WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.160 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:16.879 Thank you for joining us to learn more about Celebration Orlando, a church devoted to reaching the lost, equipping the found, and helping the hurting. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:25.679 Follow us on social media using the handle at celebrationorl or visit our website, celebrationorl.org. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:28.719 So good to be here. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:30.640 I I'm never tired. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:37.359 I'm never tired to say the same thing that and you probably noticed by my accent that I'm originally from Brazil. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:41.039 You you guys already have your resident Brazilian pastors here. 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:47.520 So you have Vinnie, you have Juliana, so you are used to Brazilian accent and to Brazilian jokes. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:50.079 So but I'm I'm still working on that. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:57.280 So I count with your grace and with your help. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:02.320 Maybe you know that sympathetic laughter if you see that I'm trying hard enough, you know. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:04.799 Thank you. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:25.680 So and they never heard that before. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:28.719 So there was that awkward silence for a bit. 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:30.560 And so I'm still learning on that. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:31.760 I appreciate your help. 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:40.879 But I'm never tired to say that the first thing that I experienced when I got here, uh I got here on a Thursday in November 2022. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:47.280 And on Friday night, there was a joint worship night between Vita and Cration. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:48.719 And it was amazing. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:54.079 It was it was amazing to experience two churches living the kingdom of God together. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:57.120 And that was great, that impacted me a lot. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:04.000 And while both churches grew, we are not able to fit everybody in the same auditorium, either here or there today. 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:08.479 We're praying, hoping maybe on your new next home on the building. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:11.360 And it's so good to see the progress there is being made. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.840 And I consider my extended home as well. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:15.840 Okay, so here my extended home. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:21.360 But it's so good to see everything that God is doing in you and through you. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:30.000 And to finish the series, I would like to invite you to open your Bible with me on Acts chapter 28, starting on verse 30. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:34.240 If we are closing the series, we're going right through the end of the book. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:41.039 And the title of this last message of the series is it is not over yet. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:42.080 Because why not? 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:42.319 Right? 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:45.120 That's the title for the last one. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:51.199 But it says the following Acts 28, verse 30 says this. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.319 I'll give you one more second so you can open it. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:02:58.479 It says the following. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.240 And no one tried to stop him until here. 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:17.759 Let's pray one more time. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:19.919 Father, thank you for this morning. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:21.039 Thank you for your word. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.080 May it find our hearts open to you. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:25.599 May you speak to us. 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:27.840 You are the one who has the words of eternal life. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.639 And it is your voice that we want to hear this morning. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.000 In the name of Jesus. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:32.879 Amen. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:33.759 Amen. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:36.159 I'm a really big fan of stories. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:42.159 I do like them a lot, to the point of reading books like The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and things like that. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.039 And also, I love series, movies. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:04:00.159 But one thing that frustrates me a lot is when I spent a couple weeks watching a series, and the season ends with that huge cliffhanger that you don't know what happened, if the if ever if the character is going to die or not. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:04.319 And a couple days later, I find out that the series was canceled. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:09.120 And I'm never gonna find out what would happen. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:18.319 Or you were watching, I'm watching that movie, and spent two hours, two hours and a half watching a movie, and at the end, you don't know what happened. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:30.480 You don't know if the character survived, if he was dreaming all through the movie, or if everybody was dead from the beginning, and they interviewed the writer or the director, and and he says, you know what? 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:31.839 Yeah, that's the idea. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:32.800 Nobody knows. 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.639 You choose your own ending. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:36.079 I don't like that. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:44.480 I do like, you know, good endings that everybody's happy, everybody's safe, everything got sorted out at the ending. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:48.399 But we just read the last verses on the book of Acts. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:53.199 And I'm not sure about you, but for me, this is not looking like an ending. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.160 Saying that for two years Paul was there preaching. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:14.959 Okay, and then was Luke, the author of the book of Acts, planning a third season, so he wrote the first season, which was the Gospel of Luke, and then he wrote second season, was the book of Acts, and then he was planning a third one that he wasn't able to finish or it was canceled before he was able to write it. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:18.319 But the point is it doesn't look like an ending. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:39.439 And to give you a little more of context, starting on chapter 13, the focus on the narrative on the book of Acts moves from Peter and the early church leaders and moves mostly, exclusively to Paul, his missionary trips and his missionary work, especially because Luke became one of uh Paul's travel companions. 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:48.560 You see him writing in first person sometimes, saying, Okay, so we got a boat and we sailed to that city and we did this and that happened. 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.439 Um, and he was traveling with Paul. 00:05:51.680 --> 00:06:06.879 And on verse 20, we see Paul deciding to go to Jerusalem, and it says on Acts 20, verse 22, and now, compelled by the Spirit, I'm going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:15.279 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:20.720 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me. 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:28.720 My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task that the Lord Jesus has given me. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:34.319 The task of testifying of the good news of God's grace. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:41.920 So the Holy Spirit is warning Paul, but he decides to go anyway because he knows it is the Spirit who is leading him there. 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:44.399 So the Holy Spirit is telling Paul, you know what? 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:46.160 I'm sending you to Jerusalem. 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:46.959 But be ready. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:48.319 Things are not gonna be easy. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:51.360 You know, there will be chains and suffering for you there. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.560 And Paul is has his has a clear mind on this. 00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:57.680 He says, All right, God, so if you are sending me there, I'm going. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.079 I know it will not be easy, but I'll go. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:09.519 And he gets there, and by the usual uh behavior of the Jewish leaders, they uh accuse him falsely. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:12.879 He ends up getting arrested by the Roman authorities. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:21.120 And after some time, there is not enough evidence or not enough witness to actually convict him of those false accusations. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:24.720 Uh, but the Roman authorities are taking too long to release him. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:30.879 You know, probably they were trying to keep the peace, they didn't want to upset the Jews, so he was there. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:32.160 Just wait there, Paul. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:33.439 Be arrested there. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:38.800 And Paul was waiting and he decides to play the system. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:50.560 One of his uh benefits as being a Roman citizen was that he could ask, he could claim that he uh he case should be judged by the emperor. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:53.519 And somebody else would say, Paul, are you crazy? 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:54.560 Stay where you are. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:58.879 It is comfortable you were arrested, but what would happen if you go to the emperor? 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:05.040 That guy would have you killed for wasting his time, or you've something something else could happen. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:06.720 What are you planning to do there? 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:08.720 And Paul says, You know what? 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:10.720 I can't imagine this on Paul's heart. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:11.680 He says, You know what? 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.800 I will use the system, I will preach to the gospel. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:18.480 I'll preach the gospel, I will preach the good news of Jesus to the emperor. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:23.920 He will have to listen to me, and I will bring the gospel to the city of Rome. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:26.800 So Paul uses that and uses his right. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:29.600 He asks to be judged by the emperor. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:36.399 He travels there, a lot of things happened from chapter 20 to chapter 28, and there's a lot of stories there. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:37.200 I love it. 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:47.360 But he got there and he's there in prison, and the Bible says that he was allowed to rent a home instead of being in jail, he was in house arrest. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:50.080 There was a soldier watching him all the time. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:55.519 I can't I can't imagine how many times that soldier heard the gospel. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:57.840 I can imagine Paul preaching to him all the time. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:58.879 Oh, so good morning. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:08:59.360 And you know what? 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:00.639 Have you heard about Jesus before? 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.600 And starts talking to him all the time, all the time. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:05.600 That guy definitely became a missionary. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:06.879 Something happened to that. 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.039 Because you know, there was a theology course there for free. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:31.360 Um, to the point that you will see Paul referring, for example, in his letter to the Philippians, that those from the house of Caesar were sending their regards to the church, those that worked for the government, those that were part of those soldiers that were stated that were there stationed in Rome to protect the emperor, they were being evangelized. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:40.240 So Paul is allowed to be in a home for two years, and he's preaching the gospel, he's receiving those that are there. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:41.919 End of the book. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:44.000 What happened after the two years? 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:46.960 Come on, tell me what is happening to the apostle Paul later. 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:47.840 Was he accused? 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.000 Was he was he set free? 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:52.799 And the book and the book of Acts doesn't tell us. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:54.559 There are two reasons for that. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:14.159 The first one is that for how however great the of a guy the apostle Paul was and a missionary and a man of God, the purpose of the book of Acts is not to give us a biography on the Apostle Paul, but it is to show the fulfillment of the words that Jesus says in Acts chapter 1, verse 8. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:24.639 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:33.039 The church received the power of the Holy Spirit to continue to bear testimony to the world about Jesus, and that is happening. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:37.519 Now the gospel is getting into Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:42.480 To the standards of that at that time, the gospel was reaching the ends of the earth. 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:45.600 Luke is showing that what Jesus said is being fulfilled. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:48.000 The church is reaching the ends of the earth. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:51.919 There was a missionary base in the heart of the Roman Empire. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:11:00.320 And the second and important point about that, the book doesn't have an ending because the story is not over yet. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:02.720 It doesn't end there. 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:08.080 We are the continuation of what God was doing in the book of Acts. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:11.679 We are in a relay race with the church, with the apostles. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:15.679 So you and I, we are writing chapter 29 today. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:21.679 As we are here, as we live our lives with Christ, we are the continuation of this story. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:27.360 So it doesn't have an end because it is still being written today by you and I. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:47.360 We need to understand that God's calling is not just for a few selected people that will be protagonists of what God is doing, and there will be great preachers, great missionaries, great men of God, great worship leaders, and they will move a multitude of people, and there will be crowds following them, and we would be just the side characters. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:54.480 You know, we are there for to fill the scene and we're doing our own thing, but they are the ones actually doing the things. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:12:07.519 That's not what scripture shows us, but that we all were called to be sent by God to witness about Jesus, to witness the gospel, the good news of salvation in Christ. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:18.480 That is it, that is what we are called for, not just to sit on a Sunday or on activities during the week and doing our thing and reading the Bible for some time, and that's it. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:21.120 We were called to witness. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:35.679 Christianity is not meant to be something we do, a compartment in our lives that we go, and there are a few things that we do, and we go to a service, we feel good about ourselves, we you know feel morally correct, and we then keep living our lives. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:54.720 It's not just like an app that I install in my phone or in my life, and I say, okay, this it has some functionalities that I like, that I use, some other things I don't, so those that leave that, but the things that I want and that are helpful to me, I'll keep that and I'll use that, and that is good as it gets. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:56.159 That's not the point. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:14.000 Ephesians chapter 4 will say that the gifts for the ministry, like being a pastor, it the the goal of those gifts is that the Holy Spirit distribute those gifts so those people can equip the church to do what God called them to do. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:32.000 So the point is your pastors, the staff here, everybody that is ministering to you here, their goal and their calling is to equip you, is to train you, is to give you the resources so you can go outside and you can testify about Jesus, you can witness about Jesus, you can show the world who Jesus is through your lives. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.360 That is our calling. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:37.360 This is what we are called to do. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:39.360 This is your training room. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:42.799 We are here being prepared to do what God called us to do. 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:48.240 But we need to understand that it is not in our strength, it's not about perfect people. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:53.279 God is not seeking perfect people, he's seeking available people, people that are available to him. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:57.279 Because it is not in our strength. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:00.799 God used ordinary people to do extraordinary things. 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.519 Look to the apostle Paul, he was not perfect, his past was questionable. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:16.240 He persecuted Christians, he killed Christians, he was the one trying to end Christianity, and God changed his life. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:21.200 Even after conversion, he was still he had a difficult temper. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.679 He was not Paul's temper was not easy. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:31.679 He got into a fight with another apostle because of some things during a missionary trip, and they ended up parting ways. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.759 But he was not perfect, but he was available to God. 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:37.519 He said, God, here I am. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:39.039 Do what you can. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.360 Um, do what only you can. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.440 I I surrender to you. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:52.399 Because it was not on his strength, but it was on the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that is available to you and I. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.360 That's it. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:56.960 We have the power of the Holy Spirit available to us today. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:02.879 The Holy Spirit was not just something that God put in the church of Acts and said, you know what? 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:16.080 Do some things over there, you know, steer things up a little bit, some miracles, you know, move people so we could establish Christianity so they can have the Bible further, they can have Christianity in America in in a few centuries. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:18.639 But that's it, it is over there. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:20.000 That's not the point. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:24.159 The Holy Spirit continues to move today as He was moving there. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:34.960 The Holy Spirit is not just another energy, an emotion that you feel, something that God gave you to feel, you know, dopamine when you are on a worship service like this, in a worship moment. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:41.039 But the Holy Spirit is the presence of God, is a person, is God Himself who lives in you. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:49.279 If you received and confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, be reminded that both things are important. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:53.679 He's your Lord, he's in charge, he's your savior, he redeemed you. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:56.879 You already have the Holy Spirit living in you. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:02.639 He's the Holy Spirit is a gift to those who confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:11.840 But there's a difference between you having the Holy Spirit and how much of you the Holy Spirit has. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:13.600 And that's the point. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:15.120 It is He's available to you. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:16.559 But sometimes we are holding back. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.799 We are saying, No, God, leave this area to me. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.080 This I will handle this. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:20.559 You know what? 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.600 It will be my way. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:22.399 This is my plan. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:24.240 God, I have a perfect plan. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:28.799 You should let me tell you, my perfect idea, you have to do it. 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:35.759 And we try to impose to God what we want him to do, or we are holding back on the things that God is calling us to do. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:39.360 But understand the Christian life is a life of full surrender. 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:44.000 And when he has all of us, he's our first priority. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:50.639 When God is everything to us, when the Holy Spirit has all of us, he will do what only he can do. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:52.879 It'll be on his strength, not on ours. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:56.080 It'll be in his power, not on what we can do. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:01.840 The Holy Spirit is available to you so you can witness. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:21.680 It's not just to give you a spiritual experience, but to give you power to become more and more like Jesus every day, something that he's doing every day in our lives, but also to give us power to witness what Jesus is doing in our lives to others, to witness the message of the gospel, the message of salvation in Christ, the good news, gospel. 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:27.440 This is the meaning of gospel, is good news and the good news of salvation in Christ. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:32.400 We have the most powerful message in the world. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:37.440 And in Brazil, this is a year of presidential election. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:40.559 And we are worried about a lot of things that are happening there. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:48.000 And we do our best to vote in the best candidate that we have available, whatever we can do. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:51.519 But it is not a president who will change the nation. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:18:01.440 The only thing that can really change the nation is the message of the gospel that can change a life, that can change the reality is the message of the gospel. 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:06.319 And this is the message that God entrusted to you and to me, to you and I. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:10.480 So we have this message of in our hearts, in our hands. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:12.400 He entrusted this message to you. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:18.319 The Bible says that we were called and that we were entrusted with the message of reconciliation. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:23.359 We were called to reconcile the world with God, to say, come back to God. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.400 God loves you. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:25.920 God wants to save you. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:28.160 You don't need to keep struggling alone. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:31.039 God is a loving father who wants to embrace you. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:32.079 And that's the message. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:34.640 There's forgiveness for you, there's restoration for you. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:36.400 Your story is not over yet. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:39.119 God has eternal life for you. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:44.960 Our lives are not resumed to this, they are not limited to this world and to what this world can offer. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:51.759 But our the gospel and Christianity is about an eternal life with God in His presence. 00:18:53.039 --> 00:19:01.440 And we have the message that can bring life to this nation, to this world, and we were called to witness about it. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:06.319 To say what God is doing in us and what he can do in everybody else. 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:25.599 You were called to witness in your home, in your work, and to the people you relate every day, to the way through the way you say good morning to your neighbor, to the way that you talk to Kashir, to the way you talk to someone that is helping you with something, that you are helping with something, we have that message. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:34.400 And the problem is that culture pressure us, and hear me out on this. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:39.599 There's a pressure from culture for us to see the gospel as a matter of opinion. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:41.680 You have yours, I have mine. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:51.599 You know, if somebody else believes something else, they have their opinion, I have mine, I'll hold my opinion to myself, I'll keep it to myself, they'll keep theirs, and everything is fine. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:20:01.519 But understand I'm not in I'll not impose what I believe or my lifestyle to other people, but understand that there is a difference between imposing and sharing. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:03.920 We share the things that we like. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:13.920 You know, we uh a couple months ago or a couple of weeks ago, we went with a group of our young adults from Vita to watch um Project Hail Mary. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:15.599 Not sure how many of you watched that movie. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.079 I love that movie, that is a really good movie. 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:37.359 And but there was one there was a youth kind of youth transitioning to young adults with us that he was fascinated by the by the movie, but he loved that movie so much that all that he could speak about in the next two weeks was about the movie. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:40.640 And we would meet him and he would say, Man, Project Hail Mary. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.920 That movie was amazing. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:42.799 Oh my god. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:55.039 And every time we were talking to him, he found a way to bring that up and to use, you know, some analogy with the movie, and he was excited about the movie, and we do that about the things we love. 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:59.599 If you go to a good restaurant, you will say to somebody else, man, you need to go to that restaurant. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:00.640 It is so good. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:07.200 You need to experience what I experienced when I was there, and that's the message of the gospel. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:22.160 It's not a burden that we are carrying, it's not about something that we have to make other people agree with us, but it's about sharing the source of the most joy that we ever experienced in our lives, and this is what we were called to do. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:25.359 There is a phrase from C.S. 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:25.920 Lewis. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:36.319 I love this author, and really hate home when I when I read it, it says, Christianity, if false, is of no importance. 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.400 And if it is true, it's of infinite importance. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:44.880 The only thing it cannot be that is moderately important. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:48.240 This is Christianity for us. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:56.720 It cannot be something that is just you know, because it it is it is true what it is what this quote is saying. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.759 If Christianity is false, it's just a bunch of rules. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.440 That we are trying to follow, trying to feel good about ourselves, that is of no importance. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:13.039 But if it is true, if it is virtuous, if it is actually true, the message of the gospel, it has all the importance. 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:19.759 It must not be something that we attach to our lives, but it's something that is the reason of our lives. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:24.880 As Paul was saying, I don't care about my life, it has no value to me. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:33.920 My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task that Jesus has given me of testifying the good news of God's grace. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:37.359 This is our task, and this is what we were called to proclaim. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:39.200 You and I, this is our calling. 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:45.279 If you were questioning yourself about what God wants from you, this is his calling for all of us. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:23:03.599 In your workplace, with your family, with your friends, wherever you go to testify, to share about what Jesus is doing in you, about the message of the gospel of God, who Jesus is, the world is desperately, desperately waiting for the for Christ to be proclaimed and to be known by them. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:05.519 People were waiting for that. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:10.559 And there are a few important things that we learn from the Apostle Paul when we see here. 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:17.279 The first thing is we don't stop to proclaim, we don't stop when things get difficult. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:20.559 You know, Paul knew that persecution would come. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.480 He knew that going to Jerusalem where God was sending him would result in prison, in suffering. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:32.960 But he said, I will not slow down, I will not stop just because things got difficult, I will continue. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.559 And we don't wait for perfect conditions. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.319 We proclaim the gospel in the season we are right now. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:42.720 You see, Paul was arrested. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:44.079 What was he doing? 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:54.240 You say, Okay, I will wait until I'm released, until things get better, until I have more time, you know, until I don't have a soldier watching everything that I'm saying, everything that I'm doing. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:56.079 Then I will resume preaching the gospel. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:58.160 I'll take some time, just you know, I'll wait. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:02.400 My judgment when I go to Caesar, I will preach to him, but I will wait. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.599 That's not the point. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:07.599 He's using the season he was there, the conditions that he had right there. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:19.359 Don't wait for perfect conditions, don't wait for a perfect season, don't wait for you to feel perfect because we are not perfect and we will only be freed by from our flaws when we get in heaven. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:24.640 Until then, we are trusting God's grace and we are seeking him and it is in his strength. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:27.839 Don't wait for perfect conceiv uh perfect conditions. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:30.079 Proclaim the gospel in the season you are. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:36.400 Doesn't matter your age, the resources you have, doesn't matter where you are right now, how much you know. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:40.799 Just say yes, be available to God, and he will do through you. 00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:56.240 If you understand that you need to learn more, do it, seek resources, use every opportunity that the church is making available for you to grow deeper, to stay locked in, and use it so you can grow stronger and fulfill the calling from God in your life. 00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:04.160 The next thing that we learn from Paul there is that he invested his resources, and this is what we do as church. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:07.680 We invest our time and our resources in the mission. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:16.640 We see that Paul he rented a home from at his own expense, and he was paying for that, for his food and for his home, for his housing there. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:19.200 And this was the policy in the Roman Empire. 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:24.640 So prison prisoners needed to provide for themselves, for food, for clothing, for resources. 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.960 They were not interested in maintaining prisoners. 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:33.759 So the churches would help Paul, would send donations, and Paul would use his own resources. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:35.920 Um and that's the point. 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:39.440 We invest time and resources in the mission, in proclaiming the gospel. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:45.599 Can you did you notice how many people is was involved in this service happening today? 00:25:46.079 --> 00:26:03.359 So we could worship God together, so we have a uh live transmission so people can watch the service and be part of this with us, so you can be welcome, so everything can be prepared with so much care, with a new summer season prepared and everything so you could be cared for and equipped. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:14.960 How many people throughout the week worked and coordinated and coordinated everything so we could be here today and hearing the word of God, worshiping God, feeling God's presence, being transformed by God. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:28.319 We invest time, so I encourage you to serve at your church, invest your time in proclaiming the gospel, invest your time in growing your roots in God and learning more and going further in your walk with God. 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:31.359 But also invest your resources. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:35.279 We invest our resources in the mission that we were called for. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:40.079 We don't wait everything to be ready or just waiting for the easy conditions. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:47.440 We invest resources as you were doing, and we preach to all of those that are around us. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:53.200 The soldier heard the gospel, and the soldiers that were there watching Paul, they heard the gospel many times. 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:58.319 Everybody who was visiting Paul, he was able to receive everybody and preach the gospel to them. 00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:05.039 That home, that house became a missionary base in the heart of the Roman the Roman Empire. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:10.640 And Paul was preaching to everybody, and he was not intimidated by who was around him. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:11.920 We are not intimidated. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:31.599 He was not intimidated by the person's uh position or role or whatever that person was doing there, being that someone visiting him, being a soldier, being the emperor himself, he would preach the gospel for everybody, and he was not intimidated by people's reaction. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:34.640 He was not, well, will they accept me? 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.920 Will they reject me? 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:40.799 Will they still want to be my friend if I tell them about Jesus? 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:46.880 He was not intimidated, but he testified about who Jesus was. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:54.880 And the last thing at the end of the verse, we see that it says that no one tried to stop him. 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:59.440 We know that God is the one who removes the obstacles. 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:01.920 It is not in our own strength, it's not us. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:16.559 We're not in, you know, it's not our responsibility to convince anyone, it's not our responsibility to make them believe, it's not our responsibility to remove opposition or obstacles. 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:21.680 Our responsibility is to be available and say yes, God, where you want me to go. 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:24.720 Do you want me to pray for that person? 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:30.240 And maybe you already had that experience that God showing you someone or reminding you about someone. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:31.920 You know this verse that you just read? 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:33.119 Send to that person. 00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:35.200 You know that person over there in the corner? 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:36.400 Go pray with them. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:43.519 You know that friend that was sharing with you some really difficult things that are happening. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:45.039 Tell them about me. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:50.240 Share what I'm doing in your life, share what I already did to you, share what scripture says. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:54.160 If you don't know what script what scripture says about that, go look a little more on that. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:58.720 Ask your help with your pastors, for your pastors, go look for resources on that. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:02.559 But have you ever heard that little voice in your heart? 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:06.079 And sometimes immediately our reaction is to think, you know what? 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:07.039 This is in my head. 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:08.640 No, I'm inventing this. 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:15.440 Don't no, this this is this can be God, usually is, and we are fasting, dismissing that. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:18.880 So obey, let God use you and be intentional. 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:21.039 Don't wait for perfect conditions. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:29.359 Being that convenient or not, preach the gospel, share about Jesus, preach the good news that there is salvation in God for all of those around you. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:46.799 There is love in God that is not that is not conditional on our perfection, but that receives everyone who has a heart surrendered, who repents and who asks for forgiveness, receives those who do that, receive forgiveness. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:53.279 We were called to testify, to witness about Jesus to the world. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:55.279 That's your mission, that's our mission. 00:29:55.440 --> 00:30:06.880 This is what we were called to do, that's why we have the Holy Spirit in us, that's why church is here, and not we and we don't get immediately drawn to heaven when we get converted. 00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:11.759 We are here to testify, we were called to testify, you were called to testify. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:14.480 This is the mission God has for us. 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:19.359 So if you want to say yes, God, I'm here, use me. 00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:21.759 I say yes to your mission, I answer your call. 00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:22.799 I want to testify. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:27.839 I don't know how, I don't have the strength, but I will trust in the power of your Holy Spirit. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:31.440 I will invite you now to stand up with me and we will pray. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:44.000 If you can please, if you accept this mission, if you want to say, God, I'm here with the resources I have in the season I am, I answer your call, and I want to testify. 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:48.400 I want you to be a witness of what you are going to do. 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:58.880 And I want to share, I want to share your love, I want to share the amazing grace and love that I find in Christ. 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:03.440 With your eyes closed, could you start saying your own prayer? 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:05.039 Saying, God, I'm here. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.640 I surrender to you. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:17.119 I know that it is not in my strength, and I know that I don't have the strength, but I trust that it will be through the power of your Holy Spirit, not by my strength. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:27.519 Forgive me if I centered my life in what this world can offer, if I lived just for myself, because now I surrender all to you, and my life is not mine anymore, it is yours. 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:31.839 So use me as your missionary, use me to testify about Jesus. 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:37.279 She will be witness and to share about your love to all of those around me. 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:44.640 Give me the right words, give me the strength, the courage to go and do what you called me to do. 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:47.519 Talk to him this moment, and I'll pray with you later. 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:02.559 We surrender to you. 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:19.519 I pray, presenting my life and and for my brothers and sisters in here, saying, God, we surrender to you, help each one of them in the areas that are even difficult, and you know, in which areas each one of us struggle or have challenges, help us. 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:23.759 May us go deeper and deeper in your presence, in the power of your Holy Spirit. 00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:30.960 May you move through us, give us the right words, show us the people you want us to testify and to share about your love. 00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:48.319 Help us, give us the right words, give us courage so we can keep moving forward, not fearing opposition, not fearing people's reactions, but may we answer to your calling and may we go and may we proclaim the love of God through Jesus to all of those around us. 00:32:48.559 --> 00:33:01.759 We say yes to you, we say yes to your calling, we say yes to your mission, understanding that you will give us the resources and the power that we need to do what you call us to do. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:06.559 We thank you, we praise your name in the name of Jesus. 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:07.519 Amen. 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:08.720 Amen. 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:21.839 Thank you for joining us to learn more about Celebration Orlando, a church devoted to reaching the lost, equipping the found, and helping the hurting. 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:30.559 Follow us on social media using the handle at celebrationorl or visit our website, celebrationorl.org.