WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.080 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:09.759 Thank you for joining us. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:16.800 To learn more about Celebration Orlando, a church devoted to reaching the lost, equipping the found, and helping the hurting. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:24.559 Follow us on social media using the handle at Celebration ORL or visit our website, celebrationorl. 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:34.079 Our reading today comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter number four. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:41.840 If you don't have a Bible, it's quite okay, it'll come up on the screen in just a moment, but please let us know because we would love to gift you with one. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:45.520 Starting here at verse number 16, the word of the Lord says this. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:57.759 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as was his custom, somebody say custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:01.039 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:10.640 He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he's anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:22.959 He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:35.519 It occurs to me that it's possible for us to see that Jesus basically says that this is his mission statement. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:43.359 This is why I came, this is why I'm here, and yet be on the receiving end of those words and not feel liberated. 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:50.879 Not feel the freedom, not feel the things that Jesus says that he came here to do. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:02:01.439 The very things that when he said it is finished on the cross, he was considering, and yet we find ourselves at a space exhausted in a way that rest and sleep just doesn't seem to repair. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:08.719 We find ourselves carrying a weight that just seems too heavy for us to make it to the next day. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:20.960 We've been in the past couple of weeks in this series called Rhythms that was based off of Galatians chapter 5 about the importance of keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, the importance of us walking in sequence with God. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:28.719 And even last week we talked about the importance of having daily rhythms, of engaging the presence of God every day that strengthens us. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:35.360 And today I want to continue this conversation by looking at this text and believing that the things that Jesus says is available to us. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:39.840 I believe it's available to us, but we have to keep in step with Him. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:45.199 So today I want to talk to us about the importance of having weekly rhythms in the presence of God. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:46.080 Let's pray. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:48.479 Lord, we thank you so much for your faithfulness. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:50.159 We thank you for your goodness. 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:57.759 We thank you for your grace, your kindness, and we thank you for giving us an opportunity, an invitation to be in your presence. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.599 Holy Spirit, this is your church. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:00.560 These are your people. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:02.240 You know what we stand in need of. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:13.919 And so, Lord, I just ask that you meet us where we are, that you that you inspire us, that you encourage us, that you challenge us, that you correct us, allowing us to walk in alignment and keeping in step with you. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:24.319 Lord, we ask that you give us open eyes to see you, open ears to hear your truth, and open hearts to receive everything that you have for us, built on the foundation of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:26.159 It's in Jesus' name that we pray. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:28.879 Amen, amen, and amen. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.879 As you're having a seat, turn to somebody next to you and tell them that they look good today. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:40.000 Thank you. 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:55.759 Look good and have a seat. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:04:01.759 Um I've been I've been thinking quite a bit here as of late, just kind of doing some reflection. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:11.840 And something that has dawned on me is that the amount of time that has passed since uh Megan and I went to school for our master's degree in professional counseling. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:26.000 During during that last year, while we were um working on these caseloads and presenting things to one another, our classmates said every Thursday for about a year, we had an intensive class, and it went from six o'clock until eight o'clock. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.160 Every Thursday, you couldn't miss it. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:30.240 We were we were demanded to to be there. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:31.279 There's no grace in this. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:41.839 And I just remember the exhaustion for a year, every Thursday night, having our calendar hijacked by the responsibility for two hours every single Thursday. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:46.319 Well, time passed and we eventually finished the program and we're moving forward with our life. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:52.240 But if I could be honest with you, it took a long time for me not to think that I had something to do on Thursday night. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:59.839 It didn't matter what was going on, that there was like this silent hum in my chest every time it would like be seven o'clock on a Thursday night. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:03.839 I'm thinking that I'm missing something, there's something that we didn't turn in, we're missing out on an assignment. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:07.199 It was like this anxiousness that would come out of nowhere. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:13.920 And it occurs to me that you can no longer be captive but still keep the schedule of your captivity. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:21.920 It's possible that you're no longer chained to the thing of the past, but yet your body is still operating on these rhythms. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:28.959 What I had to do with Megan and I is that we had to become intentional in a way that demonstrated that we were now finally free. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:38.800 And so what we began to do is that we would intentionally do date nights on Thursday nights because we needed to create behaviors that represented the freedom that was now available to us. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:44.560 Because on its own, our our our central nervous system continued to wake us believe that we're missing out on something. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:52.240 But but when we were intentional about creating rhythms that demonstrated our freedom, it was a reminder that we indeed are free. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:55.600 Because whatever sets your pace is the thing that sets your life. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:06.639 And so what I'm recognizing in these moments is that sometimes God is inviting us to create healthy rhythms in our lives to remind us that you are no longer bound to the things of the past. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:10.480 Because free people keep the rhythms of free people. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:18.800 Jesus is in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and the text says that this was his custom. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.519 It was something that he regularly did. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:30.800 Now, a custom, when we break it all down, ultimately it means it's a consistent pattern, it's it's a habit, or as we've been calling it, it's it's a rhythm. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:35.600 And this is a rhythm that had been passed down to Jesus from generation to generation. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:42.720 Where does this habit or rhythm, this custom of weekly coming to the synagogue on a Sabbath come from? 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:44.800 It comes from his ancestors. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:49.360 See, the Israelites, they had rhythms in their lives that shaped their community. 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:53.120 It shaped their entire identity and it told their stories. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:59.920 There were meals that they ate at certain times of the year that demonstrated something that God had done through them generations ago. 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.199 There were feasts that they did where the whole town was shut down. 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:09.680 There were words that they said when they woke up in the morning because these were their rhythms that told the story of God's faithfulness. 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:24.639 And what's so fascinating about these rhythms, as they were passed down from one generation to the next, it doesn't show anywhere where the newer generation questioned why do we do this, because it was understood that as people of God, this is what we do. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:26.959 As people of God, we gather. 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:29.600 As people of God, this is what we do. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:33.360 They didn't have to tear it apart in order to validate their indifference. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:39.759 They understood that as a follower, that this is what you do because it's a part of our story. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:45.839 And it's connected to the reality of there was a time when the children of Israel were bound in Egypt. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:55.519 And God led them out, and he gave them a series of things to do to remind them of where they came from, the fact that he delivered them and that they were not bound anymore. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:02.160 He was showing them how to live free because free people keep the rhythms of free people. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:07.439 The freedom is a gift that God makes available for us, but it needs to be demonstrated in our day-to-day life. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:17.040 And Jesus had a rhythm where on every week he would engage in these rhythms that ensure that it demonstrated the freedom that he was actually walking in. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:24.000 There's a couple of principles I want to highlight from this text that I think are very practical and needed in today's culture. 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:29.839 The first rhythm that we see here with Jesus is the rhythm where he just simply would stop. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.399 Somebody say stop. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:34.720 Just just stop. 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:39.279 Now, when I say stop, I'm talking about the idea of Sabbath. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:45.600 Now, Sabbath is the day that Jesus goes into the synagogue and there's significance around the Sabbath. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:48.480 The Sabbath was the seventh day of the week. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:55.679 And it was a part that was, it was a day that was set apart that was holy unto God, that allowed and invited the people of God to rest. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:09:01.600 In Hebrew, it's the word Shabbat, and it literally simply means to cease or to stop. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:11.679 And the practical implications was it was this that that every Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown, one full day, they would stop working. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.120 They didn't have to earn it. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:17.279 It wasn't that they deserved it, it was a gift that God had given them. 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:26.000 And for 24 hours they delighted in Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 15 gives us what I believe the greatest summary of why this existed. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:37.120 Looking at verse 15, it says this you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.120 Therefore, the Lord commanded you to keep the Sabbath. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.120 Let me give you a couple of key thoughts. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:50.879 Remember that you used to be a slave, the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, so he's commanding you to keep the Sabbath. 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:52.320 Why is that so important? 00:09:52.639 --> 00:10:01.279 Because you're dealing with a group of people who had been in bondage for 400 years, and spoiler alert, slaves don't get days off. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:06.000 So their entire identity was connected to performance. 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:13.679 All they knew was that I have to work and I have to continue to work, and my value is connected in how well I work. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:21.919 So God was trying to break them out of Pharaoh's system because Pharaoh's system seems very similar to the one that we find ourselves living in right now. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:28.320 Pharaoh's system was a system of more, more bricks, more work to be done. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.360 There's another quota that we need to meet. 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:35.759 There's more to be done, there's more things we need to execute on there's the job is is never finished. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:37.919 And I think some of us can relate to that. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:50.879 And it was interesting because even with the idea of more constantly being in front of them, when Moses initially goes to Pharaoh to begin to negotiate their freedom, he says, God said, Let his people be free so that they can go off and worship him. 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:52.559 They need a day off so they can worship. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:53.679 And you know what Pharaoh did? 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:58.080 Pharaoh said, they are lazy, and he increased what was expected of them. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.840 Let's pause there for a moment. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:07.919 Pharaoh said that because the people of God needed a day to rest, he called them lazy. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:17.519 And today, I can't tell you how many conversations I have with people that when they have a day where they just rest, somehow they feel guilty about it. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:22.720 Somehow they feel as if they're not being productive because there's always something to be done. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:26.320 That's the genius and cruelty of Pharaoh's system. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:30.960 There's always work to be done, and he makes you feel guilty for wanting to take a day of rest. 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:40.960 The children of Israel walked out of Egypt as slaves, and God was creating a rhythm in their lives to ensure that they understood what it meant to be free. 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:46.559 Now, today we wouldn't call anyone Pharaoh, but I believe that his system continues to exist. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.879 Because the truth of the matter is there's always one more email that you need to reply to. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:54.000 There's always one more text message that you need to send. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:12:10.399 There's always one more clothes of laundry that you need to do, there's always one more thing that's constantly pulling and calling us and beckoning for our attention to the point that we feel guilty even if we say that we need rest, and now we're so overextended that we wear our exhaustion like a resume. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:12.720 Man, I'm just so tired. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:16.320 I just feel so beat down, I feel so worn down. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:28.799 Dallas Willard, when being asked about what was the most important thing needed for a person to be spiritually healthy, he said, You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry out of your life. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:37.279 Then he goes on to say that there's nothing more important, that hurry is the great enemy of our spiritual life today. 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:44.320 I want you to think about that for a minute because I've been walking with God for almost 30 years now, and I've done my fair rounds of spiritual warfare. 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:45.679 I've seen a lot of things happen. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:53.840 So to have a man who's many years ahead of me say that the greatest enemy of our spiritual development is hurry, it's something worth looking at. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:00.159 Because I believe the enemy loves to exploit our busyness as opportunities for him to get a foothold in our life. 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:05.840 Not doubt, not persecution, but he says hurry is the tyranny of the urgent. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.559 Now, let me put on my counselor's hat for a moment. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:18.720 Because the truth of the matter is some of us are overextended because there's the faux mode of the fear of missing out, and if we just keep gotta do and gotta do, and there's so much work that has to be done, there's nothing more important. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.960 But but there's another side of it. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:23.919 We're not busy because life demands it. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:27.039 We're busy because we can't handle the stillness. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:34.399 Because the truth is, when we sit down, the thing that we've been trying to run from eventually catches up with us. 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:38.799 The grief that we haven't quite processed as of yet. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.320 This is pertinent for me. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:47.519 My family and I were walking through a season of grief as we speak. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:57.120 Tomorrow will be two weeks where I received a phone call that my my infant grandson passed on and went on to be with the Lord. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:04.799 And I tell you, the initial reaction that I had when I heard this was overwhelming. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:10.080 But immediately recognizing the need to go and be alongside my son, we dropped everything we had. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:12.639 We went to North Carolina to be with my son. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:17.840 And for that whole week, I'm being the strong father figure. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:29.120 I'm I'm praying over the family, I'm sitting with him, I'm watching my wife in tears, I'm watching my children in tears, I'm watching my son grieve this process, and I and I stepped into that space and I and I and I served them. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:32.559 Then I kept serving them. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:38.639 I remember coming home from the trip and I began to process through the things that were still uh ahead of us. 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:44.480 I was thinking about some things that we had going on at the church, and I just felt like there's so much things that need to be done. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:50.159 Megan and I were crazy enough that as if the master's degree program wasn't hard enough, we're back in school for our doctorate. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:51.360 So pray for us with that. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.320 Um but but but we're we're preparing for that. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.080 We're we're dealing with so many different things. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:58.399 I have a guest preacher coming in um next week. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:04.240 I have all these moving parts and just kept moving and moving, and it was allowing me to stay focused on the task that was ahead of me. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:10.320 And then I remember one night as my mind was processing all these things, I felt the Spirit of the Lord says, Keith, just stop. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.879 Just just be still. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:16.720 And I remember just sitting down on the couch. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:22.000 And it was in this moment that the presence of God began to meet me where I was. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:32.320 I was able to be vulnerable and process the disappointment and the anger that I have because as a man of faith, I've I've walked through a lot of things, but I've I've declared God's favor over my grandson. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:39.200 I declare blessings, I've seen things in his life, and so I had a lot of things that I needed to work out with God that I was running from that conversation. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:50.639 But when I was forced to slow down, when I was forced to stop, I was able to be honest with God with where I was because He makes us lie down in these green pastures. 00:15:50.799 --> 00:16:00.480 And what I was able to recognize is in my ability to stop, I was able to recognize where I was, but I also was able to see that God was with me. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:16.480 The problem is many of us are so busy that we don't even recognize that God is with us every step of the way, but we're running around and doing so much because the tyranny of the urgent, the more the quotas, the things that Pharaoh keeps in front of us, it has us often running from our very selves. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:22.240 But stopping allows us to look in the mirror and see the goodness of God reflecting back at us. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:31.120 That even in the suffering, God is faithful, that even in the disappointment, God can handle it, that even as we're grieving, God is near those who are brokenhearted. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:38.879 Some of us won't slow down, not because our schedules are so busy, but because we don't want to deal with our struggling marriage, so we just want to work our way to avoid it. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:45.360 Some of us don't want to deal with our financial situation, so we just continue to spend and go on vacations and hope that it works itself out. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:56.159 But when stopping does what Sabbath does, it allows us to come to a halt and stop keeping Pharaoh's calendar and allows us to get our lives in order with the presence of God. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:02.320 What if all the activity in your life was causing you to act outpace the action of God in your life? 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:11.839 God is asking us, He's telling us that I need you to stand still, dedicate, and have a regular rhythm where there's a day where you're willing to stop. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.200 But the thing about stopping is it requires preparation. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:23.039 Because many of us know that there's a big difference between slamming on your brakes and leaving everything disoriented and slowly coming to a stop. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:30.400 Last week we talked about the manna and how every day God allowed fresh manna, fresh revelation to be available to his people. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:38.000 But on the sixth day, a double portion was provided so that they were able to get double so that they could rest on the seventh day. 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:44.400 Here's the question: What adjustments do you need to make in your life today so that you can genuinely rest tomorrow? 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:51.279 They had a system that allowed them to walk in freedom because free people keep the rhythms of free people. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:56.240 I believe the Spirit of God is saying for some of us, it is time for you to stop. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.079 Stop, stop running from God. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.920 Stop using work as an excuse. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:08.880 Stop allowing the busyness and the needs of others to keep you missing out on what God wants to do in the still small moments where the still small voice of God wants to whisper in your ear. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:09.599 Just stop. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:11.440 Stop while the email is not complete. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.279 Stop while the laundry still needs to be done. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:15.440 Stop when there's one more thing that's pulling away at you. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.680 God's trying to free you up to understand you are not bound by Pharaoh's system anymore. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:23.759 I want you to create a rhythm in your life where at one point you can just stop. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.720 There will always be more that needs to be done. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:32.400 But there's something that God wants to do in you and he can't do it as long as you keep on moving. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.920 Jesus had a rhythm where he regularly would stop. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:46.880 The Lord who doesn't need to stop, the Lord who had tons of miracles that still needed to be performed, but he had a regular rhythm every week he would allow things to come to a stop. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.079 Because free people keep the rhythms of free people. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:53.039 But there's something else that we see in this text that I think is important. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:19:02.880 Not only was there a rhythm in Jesus' life where they would stop, but there was also a rhythm in his life where every single week they would gather together in community. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.119 See, Jesus went into the synagogue on a Sabbath. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:09.599 That was an every week rhythm. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:13.759 Every week the people of God would gather together. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:30.640 Now Jesus, who doesn't need to hear anyone's sermon because he is the sermon, Jesus who doesn't need to hear a message because he is the message still had a rhythm where every week he would come together with the community of faith and gather around the word of God. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:32.559 Why is that so significant? 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:41.119 Because Exodus 25 says that God says to his people, I want you to build me a tabernacle that I can dwell amongst my people. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:48.480 The vision of God had always been for people centered around him, centered around his word to gather together in community. 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:51.839 The tabernacle was built, and then I evolved into the temple. 00:19:51.920 --> 00:20:07.680 But then when a temple was torn down during Babylonian captivity, the Bible says that the people began to scatter, and when they were scattered, they began to gather in small rooms centered around the word of God, and that is what gave birth to the synagogue, which is the foundation that the church is built on. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:13.200 People in small communities gathering around the word of God, having communion together. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:15.440 This is the room that Jesus steps into. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:18.079 This is what he invites us to step into. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:21.279 The address kept changing, but the purpose has never changed. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:26.880 God has always wanted his people to gather in his presence regularly together. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.559 What does the Bible say in Hebrews 10 about this very subject? 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.960 Hebrews 10 24 says this. 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:46.319 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as others are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:56.720 He says, Let us consider how we can stir up one another for love and good works and not neglect the coming together, the gathering, as other people are in the habit of doing. 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:02.160 I want to highlight a couple of key words here because I think the Bible is doing some work that we can often overlook. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:12.400 That word neglect is often connected to the idea of forsaking, which means to abandon, which means to walk off, or ultimately to rebel or leave your post. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.599 In other words, it's a word that is used for desertion. 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:18.640 It's not absence, it's I'm abandoning my post. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:22.720 But but there's another word that's standing out here, and that word is gathering. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:32.240 The Bible says, make sure that we are meet together, gathering, assembling, gathering around the word of God, a regular rhythm of that that we prioritize. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.440 It means to come together. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:38.319 Literally, it gives you the image of troops falling into formation. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:43.599 So the warning is not about missing a service, it's about deserting your formation. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:47.759 In other words, the gathering is a part of your spiritual formation. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:59.359 In the same way as when a soldier deserts his troops, he's no longer in formation, so he's no longer being formed by the formation, but the person that he's supposed to be standing next to and having their back is now vulnerable. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:02.720 This Why the text says, so stir up one another. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.880 Now, when you look at that word stir up, it's meant to stir some things up. 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:10.640 Because that word stir up in Greek literally means to provoke. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:16.319 So the Bible is saying, make sure that when we gather together, that we provoke one another. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:18.079 That we're that we're provoking one another. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:20.000 That word translates into agitate. 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:32.640 It's a word that we often use whenever there's like stain on your clothes, that we put some, we put a little bit of um, I was about to say secret sauce, but it's not sauce, detergent on it, and we and we rub it together to allow the stain to come up. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:34.079 I want y'all to get a good look at this. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:36.559 You may not see this, but right here I have a big stain on my shoulder. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:37.440 Big stain. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:42.400 Somebody gave me a big full face hug and rub their face in my shirt, and now I got the stain on my shirt. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.039 Watch this. 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:49.920 When we gather in community, it's possible that there may be some things in my life that are stains to my witness. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.599 But because I'm in community, somebody can say, Hey, I'm here to stir up. 00:22:53.680 --> 00:23:04.400 In other words, I'm a person that loves you well enough to say that we need to put some grace on that, but we need to confront it so that you can walk without spot or blemish the way that Christ has called us to function and operate. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:22.000 This is what God is calling us to do, to not live in a world where we can't confront and challenge and lovingly love one another, because it's about trying to agitate, not cause friction, not cause tension unnecessarily, but it's trying to say that Jesus says, if you love me, then you will do what I told you to do. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:24.000 This is what discipleship looks like. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:28.160 And when we're in community with one another, I'm not stirring you up to look like me. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:32.480 But the Bible says we look unto Jesus, who's the author and finisher of our faith. 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:42.000 And if I'm in a relationship with you and you're living in a life that is not consistent with the word of God, I'm supposed to agitate that and say, But God's word says that He has better for you. 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.000 God's word says that he has more for you. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:49.200 God says that that's not the standard for your life, and I love you enough to stir up that love in your life. 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.680 I'm supposed to stir you to do the things of God. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.960 I'm talking to somebody right now. 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:57.759 We need to stop running away from those moments that confront us, that makes us comfortable in our sin. 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:05.279 When we're part of community and people love you enough, they'll say you have a stain on your shirt, and we need to rub that out, and my glove is going to help you get it out of your system. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:10.319 That's what it means when we're in community, what it means to stir up one another. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:21.039 But stirring up to love, not stirring up to judge, not stirring up to be critical, but stirring us up to love one another well because we are better together. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:26.400 The gatherings were never meant to be a place that we come to receive a product. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:33.519 I understand how challenging it is to find a place that you can genuinely have fellowship with God and other believers. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:38.400 That's why there's so many amazing churches, so you can find the place that you can have your right fit. 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:42.160 And this is a pet peeve of mine, so y'all just stick with me on this. 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:52.160 But let us stop saying we're church shopping because that means I'm a consumer and I'm walking into a holy place saying, Lord, what can y'all do for me? 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:54.400 How can you satisfy my needs? 00:24:54.559 --> 00:25:08.160 Now I understand you have to have a space that fits the season of your life, but when we approach the household of faith like consumers, we end up consuming everything in the moment that somebody tries to stir up something better in us, we're offended and then we're leaving. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:12.960 But what God is saying that when we're connected to community, I'm called to be here. 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:25.680 I'm called to be here through transitions of leadership, I'm called to be here when it's uncomfortable, I'm called to be here when I'm not getting along with everybody, but I'm called to be here because this is the place that allows me to be sharpened in the presence of God. 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:30.559 This is what God is calling us and commissioning us to do. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:37.279 Not to be consumers who get comfortable, but to be people who are disciples who don't have an issue with being confronted. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:39.359 That's what it means to grow. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:43.039 Now I want to I want to say something very honestly. 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:49.279 A couple of weeks ago, or a couple years ago rather, we we did a series called Deconstruction. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:55.680 And it was about a four-week series, and we talked about all the things that have really impacted people's faith. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:59.680 And inside of that series, we have a message called church hurt. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.799 And it's real. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:12.640 There are places and people who are deeply wounded from people and environments that are supposed to care for you and love you. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:21.519 My heart grieves at the stories I've heard of mismanagement, abuse, a lack of grace, inconsistency, lack of accountability. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:23.279 The list goes on and on. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:28.400 That needs to be confronted, it needs to be called out, and these are these are wolves in sheep's clothing. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:33.119 And it's doing significant damage to people, their faith in the body of Christ. 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:34.240 Full stop. 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:43.440 New paragraph, however, comma, we have to be careful that we don't let our pain build our theology. 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:53.519 Because if we're not careful, I will allow my pain to create doctrine that allows me to ignore large portions of scripture. 00:26:54.160 --> 00:27:10.160 Because the Bible says that we're supposed to gather together, and I know it's not comfortable, and I'm dealing with some offense, and maybe this community isn't my community, but I'm not giving up on the community of faith because Jesus showed up, and because Jesus showed up, I'm going to show up. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.599 His disciples showed up. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:16.880 The church is not the problem, the people are the problem, but I'm people, so I'm a part of the problem. 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:28.000 We have to be careful of the algorithms that we allow to feed us. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:31.599 It's a reason that it's called a feed. 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:37.039 And one of my one of my biggest grievances, I'm a mental health professional. 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:39.279 I'm I've been walking with God for a long time. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:43.039 I have dealt with so much significant church hurt trauma. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:46.559 I could write 10 books on it, and I might write three if y'all will buy them. 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:54.960 But I'm telling you, I've I've been betrayed by people, I've been heartbroken by people, I've been disappointed by people, I have disappointed people, I have hurt people. 00:27:55.119 --> 00:28:01.839 It's a part of the journey of us trying to figure out what it means to walk in fellowship and calling each other out and confronting one another. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:02.960 I didn't know I did that. 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:13.519 It's a part of the journey, but but somehow that's gotten reduced to people who have never built anything, who have never led anything, critiquing people who've built things and who've led things. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:21.359 Be careful of the algorithm that you let feed you because I'm gonna tell you right now the comment section isn't showing up when your grandmother dies. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:27.200 The comment section isn't showing up when there's sickness in your family, the comment section isn't gonna lead you to Christ. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:33.759 The comment section isn't gonna baptize you, the comment section isn't gonna help you to move when you gotta get kicked out of your office. 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:35.599 The comment section doesn't show up. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:49.759 I've been hurt in the church, but I also have been loved in the church, I've been built up in the church, I've been encouraged in the church, I've been strummed in the church, I've been made better in the church, so I will not give up on the bride of Christ because it did not give up on me. 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:56.400 Don't let your pain build your doctrine. 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:58.720 We're better together. 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:10.880 And Jesus, who's the one that we look to, the author and finisher of our faith, he gathered weekly amongst people who would eventually betray him and he still showed up. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:16.559 He gathered weekly with people that would deny who he was and he still showed up. 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:21.200 My encouragement for us is if you've been wounded, take your time. 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:28.480 Go at the pace of grace, but don't allow your pain to justify being disconnected from the fellowship of believers. 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:39.039 That we are better together, that Jesus came so that we can be united, be sharpened, and stir or provoke one another to love God and to love each other. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:50.960 Some of us may be asking the same question that I asked early in my faith because I remember I sat up under a leader and he would often refer to the old testament. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:53.200 It's probably why I do it so much. 00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:56.799 And I remember thinking to myself, like, why are we reading from this so much? 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.720 Like, aren't we New Testament believers? 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:00.160 Didn't Jesus do away with that? 00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:03.119 We don't have to do Sabbath anymore, we don't have to do these things. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:08.960 We see a lot of these things written, but but but Paul says something really profound in First Corinthians chapter 10. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:16.319 He he actually says that we look to those things because they teach us, they reveal things to us. 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:17.680 So, so watch this. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:31.839 The reason why we look back at the children of Israel because their story is our story, because they were once in Egypt bound, we were once in sin bound, but then there was someone who showed up that led them out. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.480 Guess what? 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:39.759 Jesus showed up and led us out, and then they went through the Red Sea, which Paul refers to their baptism. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:42.799 Because of Christ, we get baptized into Christ. 00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:48.400 Their story is our story, it's never irrelevant, it's a part of what we do. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:54.000 So, do we have the archaic the the judgment matters of hey, you didn't rest, so you're gonna be stoned? 00:30:54.079 --> 00:31:03.920 No, but now it becomes an invitation, an opportunity for us to slow down weekly and say, God, I am going to prioritize you and stop. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:12.400 God, I'm gonna prioritize you and have a regular rhythm where I'm a part of the formation and gathering with your believers. 00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:14.160 This is what we do. 00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:19.440 It's the same way as when the children of Israel would pass this on from generation to generation. 00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:22.880 They said that this is just what we do. 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:34.000 We honor the Sabbath, we take communion, this is what we do, and so for us, we may have questions, we may have challenges, we have critiques, and all of those things are welcome. 00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:37.039 But can I give you the most biblical answer I can give you? 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:38.559 Why do we come to church? 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:40.319 Because this is what we do. 00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:41.599 Why do we serve? 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:44.160 Because the Bible says so, and this is what we do. 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:48.000 Why do we give because the Bible says so and this is what we do? 00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:53.599 We do it because the Bible says to do it, and this is what we do, and we get better along the way. 00:31:55.440 --> 00:32:00.079 With every head bowed and every eye closed, I simply want to ask a question. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:08.160 Maybe, maybe right now you recognize that you are not in rhythm with God. 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:15.359 Maybe you're stuck in a rut, and your rut is I I occasionally engage God and then I drift. 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.440 I've never engaged God. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:20.960 I do it on my own terms, I I do it from a distance. 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:28.880 I I I watch three services online, that kind of gives me the nutrients that I feel, and I'm thankful for these resources, but but God wants more. 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:32.240 He wants you to recognize that you're free. 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:46.400 And if your schedule is so packed that you can't stop, and if your schedule is so packed that coming to church for two hours on a Sunday is a non-negotiable, the issue isn't with those things, the issue is with all the other things you're prioritizing. 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:53.839 You need to change some things in your life so that I can prioritize rest and I can prioritize coming into the presence of God. 00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:58.000 But my question for the next group of people is really specific. 00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:00.640 Maybe you're away from God right now. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:12.400 You're not in fellowship with him, you're not in union with him, and we recognize that God is offering you an invitation to sit at his table and have an unbroken fellowship with him. 00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:14.079 So that's you. 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:26.160 The Bible says that after all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but his mercy is made renew every day, and he's extending an invite with your name on it, and all we need to do is respond and say yes. 00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:27.359 So that's you. 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:33.759 If you want to commit or recommit your life to Christ, today and now is a time of salvation. 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:39.839 So on a count of three, I would love for you to indicate it by lifting up a hand so we can celebrate and pray with you. 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:41.759 One, two, three. 00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:42.480 Hands up. 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:43.839 Amen. 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:44.640 Amen. 00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:45.440 Amen. 00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:46.160 Amen. 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:47.279 God bless you, amen. 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:48.400 Come on, celebration church. 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:50.880 Let's celebrate with those who are saying yes to the gospel. 00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:51.440 Amen. 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:51.839 Amen. 00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:53.519 If you're joining us online, amen. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:55.200 If you're in a family lounge, amen. 00:33:55.599 --> 00:33:58.000 God bless you, God bless you. 00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:02.880 We're gonna go into worship in just a moment, so I want to invite everyone to stand on our feet. 00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:14.559 Today is a significant day because not only do we have people that have said yes to Jesus, the lifting of a hand is simply an indication of what God is already doing in your heart. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:15.840 We celebrate that. 00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:20.000 But also today is a day of baptism. 00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:34.159 And the Bible says that when we put our faith in Jesus, our next step is to get baptized the same way that the Israelites, even though they were freed from Egypt, they went into the water to come out on the other side. 00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:41.599 I believe that that's the next step for many of us in this room today is to go into the water and come out in the newness of life. 00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:48.079 Going into the water is a symbol of the funeral, and coming out of the water is a symbol of the resurrection. 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:53.920 So if you came here today and prepared, already knowing that today is the day you're gonna get baptized. 00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:57.360 I want to invite you to go ahead and slip out of the seats now so you can start preparing. 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:59.119 We're gonna meet you out there and in just a moment. 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:03.039 We have a team that would love to give you a change of clothes, give you everything that you need. 00:35:03.199 --> 00:35:07.840 But we want you to ask that you invite you to go ahead and take a step out of your seat so you can prepare for this. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:15.199 But I also know that there may be others in this room that you didn't come prepared, you didn't register, but we still have what you need. 00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:18.000 We have a change of clothes, we have towels. 00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:19.679 It's okay if you don't have these things. 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:36.239 We we anticipate moments where people will recognize that their next step is to allow the past of Egypt to be buried so we can come up in the newness of life, because this is what we do, and as a family and as community, we celebrate that and cheer you on. 00:35:36.559 --> 00:35:46.559 The next thing I want to say is that as we're concluding our service, um, we want you to grab your children if they're checked in to see kids, bring them outside with you so that we can all celebrate this incredible milestone together. 00:35:46.719 --> 00:35:54.400 But I want to pray, we're gonna go into worship, then we're gonna continue our service outside by celebrating baptisms and taking communion together as a family. 00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:56.639 Lord, we thank you so much for your faithfulness. 00:35:56.800 --> 00:36:00.639 We thank you for the reminder that Jesus is the standard. 00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:04.000 And God, we will not build our doctrine off of our pain. 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:17.760 So, Father, I pray in the name of Jesus for every single one of us who are overextended, who find ourselves stretched, so stretched that we don't have the time or the ability to stop without feeling guilty or without things being disrupted. 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:28.159 Father, I pray that you implement rhythms into our lives that allow us to prepare so that we can have a day where we can just stop, delight in the Lord, recharge, reflect, and rest. 00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:32.639 God, I pray that we can prioritize the importance of resting in your presence. 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:42.079 And Lord, I also pray over every precious person, God, that we can begin to prioritize gathering in the household of faith because that is what we do. 00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:49.920 We come together, we stir up love amongst one another, we serve one another, we care for one another, we do all these things together because we're better together. 00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:53.199 And Lord, I pray for every precious person that said yes to the gospel. 00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:54.960 I pray that they take their next step. 00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:56.800 It's in Jesus' name that we pray. 00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:57.599 Amen. 00:36:57.840 --> 00:36:58.639 Amen and amen. 00:36:58.719 --> 00:37:03.039 Come on, church, let's put our hands together for the goodness of God and let's celebrate one more time as a family. 00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:15.840 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. 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:24.559 Follow us on social media using the handle at celebrationorl or visit our website, celebrationorl.org.