WEBVTT 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:04.080 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:08.960 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:10.720 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:18.480 We've been in a series called For All People, and here's what we said. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:24.079 We said that the gospel is good news for all people, not just some people. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:26.000 Actually, Jesus was explicit. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:30.800 He said, following me is good for all people. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:42.880 And then he went even further than that, and he said that we are to go share it with all people, that the gospel is fundamentally good news for all people, not just some people or certain people. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:52.719 And we are, according to Jesus, to go share it, to go proclaim it to all people, not just some people. 00:00:52.880 --> 00:01:13.359 And we've been studying uh the book of Acts, which chronicles the journey and the birth of the church and how this Jerusalem-based Jewish movement of Jesus followers expanded and spread into this worldwide movement that changed the world as we know it. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:19.040 And today's title of the sermon is simply this never, Lord. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:21.519 You ever said that before? 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:23.760 You ever said never, Lord. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:24.640 No, no, no. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.319 I'm never doing that. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:27.439 I, you know what? 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:28.480 Never, Lord. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:32.799 And maybe for some you said this of like, I'm never becoming a Christian. 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:34.239 I'm never gonna follow Jesus. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:35.599 I'm not the religious type. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:36.560 Never, Lord. 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:40.319 Or maybe you said, you know, never, Lord, like, um, you know what? 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.200 I I'm never gonna go on a missions trip. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:46.719 Uh, uh, I'm never gonna, I never want to stand out for my faith. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:51.280 Never make me, God, I want to follow you, but don't send me to Africa. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:54.400 And then my friends from Africa go, why do you always use Africa? 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:56.879 I don't know why we do that. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:03.040 And so, and we have this thing where we say, I'll follow you, but and never, Lord. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.040 And yet, here's what we know. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:15.919 And here's what some people will say is like, don't ever say never, because somehow God seems to say those nevers and lead us into those never places. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:32.879 You know, it's like um like 10, maybe 12 years ago, uh, I remember Jenny looking at me and she said, You know, Ryan, I never want you to plan a church, and I never want you to lead a church. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:36.319 And because I never wanted to do those things, that was easy. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:38.479 I said, fantastic, me neither. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:46.719 You know, I watched my dad, he was a lead pastor for much of my life, and how hard and how difficult and the pressure and demands. 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.360 Like, I never wanted to do that. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:58.960 And then, you know, Jenny and I were part of a church plant in Georgia, and it went sideways and it was, we got hurt and burned by the church. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:03.120 And we're like, we never want to be a part of a church plant. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:13.520 And then, like about 10 years ago, Steve Clifford at Westgate, I was working at Westgate at the time, uh, Westgate Church, local amazing church here, which birthed awakening. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:18.240 Uh, he said, Hey Ryan, would you ever be willing to plant a church? 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:20.159 And I already knew my answer. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:27.199 I went back to Jenny, told what Steve had said, and you know, I gave this half-hearted prayer, honestly. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:32.719 And then I went back to Steve and said, No, no, I don't want to plant a church. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.719 You know, never, never, Lord. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:36.400 That's not in our cards. 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:39.360 And then a year later, something had shifted in our hearts. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:44.800 We just felt like our season at Westgate was over, but we weren't sure what was next. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:46.400 So we're praying, we're seeking God. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:47.280 What do you have? 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:55.520 And finally we were open to the possibility of God using us to plant awakening church. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:04:03.520 And if you come to intro next week, you'll get to hear more of the story of how God led us to that point. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:15.520 Now, here's what's amazing is my never, I had no idea what my never really was saying against. 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:28.079 I had no idea on the other side of never, what I would have missed out had we never stepped into leading a church, had we never stepped into uh planting awakening church. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:40.399 And here's what I've learned come to discover, and maybe some of you who've said never Lord came to discover simply this on the other side, or often our forever good is on the other side of a never Lord. 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:49.360 Often a forever good, our good and other people's goods, things that have the weight of eternal impact in it. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:55.199 Often a forever good is on the other side of a never lord. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:04.079 And I just think about if we had held and said, never are we ever gonna plant a church or lead this church, what we would have missed out on. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:09.279 I couldn't imagine in that moment the impact that we would have had at Del Mar High School. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:16.079 I also said, by the way, I never want to do a you know church plant in a high school setup and teardown. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:23.839 Here we are, nine years later almost, and I couldn't imagine the impact and the relationship God there, God has given us there. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:39.439 I couldn't imagine, you know, to see this incredible community of passionate Jesus followers and seeing lives changed and baptisms and people stepping forward in their relationship and experiencing new life with Christ. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:48.000 I never could have imagined that a job I never wanted to do, I'd look back and go, I realized God had made me to do it. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:55.439 And though, yeah, difficult and hard brings such joy and fulfillment. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:00.800 You see, often a forever good is on the other side of a nevermore. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:12.560 And I would have, and we would have missed out on the grand story that God was writing in this moment because of our never Lord. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:24.160 Now, in Acts chapter 10, we actually see one of the biggest never Lords, I think, in all of the church. 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:31.279 And it actually opens up uh the way for what we're doing today. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:41.279 It is this never lord moment that opened up the way for most of us who are followers of Jesus who attend awakening to be a part of the church. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:51.680 And if Peter in his Never Lord moment didn't go to the other side of it, we may not be doing what we're doing now. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:55.600 In fact, we pick up the story in Acts chapter 10, verse 1. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.360 Acts chapter 10, verse 1. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:58.639 It begins this way. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:03.199 It says, At Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:07.920 It was uh in what was known as the Intalian Regiment. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.600 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:17.120 He gave generously to those in need and prayed uh to God regularly. 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:25.920 Now, this centurion, uh Cornelius, he was over um about a hundred men. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:31.519 He was part of this elite legion that was directly connected to Rome. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:49.680 And if you had to like paint a picture of someone who a Jewish person would say never lord, it was a centurion who was a part of the oppressive Roman Empire who was in their region to enforce Rome's way of life. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:59.279 Uh, and then not only is he a centurion, he's in Caesarea Philippi, it's this beautiful, amazing Mediterranean coastal town in the Palestinian area. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:08.399 I mean, it's just beautiful, and it's named after Caesar himself because it was the Roman outpost or capital city for Rome in the Judean area. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.120 And you go, never, Lord, here. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:16.240 But yet he wasn't any typical centurion. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:17.199 He was a God fear. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:24.240 He actually leveraged his power and his resources for the good of others and those who were in need. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:28.639 It goes on to say, one day, about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:33.279 He distinctly saw an angel of God who came to him and said, Cornelius. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:36.879 I don't know if the angels actually had that high pitch of voice. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:38.240 He probably said, Cornelius. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:40.879 Sorry, I just realized it sounded a little strange. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:44.480 Uh Cornelius stared at him in fear, obviously. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:45.840 What is it, Lord? 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:46.559 He asked. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:53.759 The angel, the angel answered, Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:58.879 Now send men to Joppa, that's about 35 miles south down the coast there. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:04.879 Uh send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:12.000 He is staying with Simon the Tanner, a bunch of Simons hanging out in one house, whose house is by the sea. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:18.639 And so Cornelius grabs a few of his guys and sends them down to Joppa immediately. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:27.200 The next day it says, about noon the following day, as these men were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:30.240 He became hungry and wanted something to eat. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:34.559 And while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:42.000 He saw heaven open and something like a large sheep being let down to earth by its four corners. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:47.440 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.879 Then a voice told him, Get up. 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:52.000 Where did it say? 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:53.039 There it is. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.000 Get up, Peter, kill and eat. 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:57.840 And then here's Peter's response. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:09:58.879 Surely not. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:01.039 This is where we get the title of our series. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:10.799 One translation says, Never, Lord, Peter replied, I have never eaten anything impure or unclean. 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:25.200 And for us to understand why Peter has such a strong response to this vision of God unfurling these, you know, animals and saying, get up and kill, it's not that he was squeamish about killing as some of us, I certainly would be. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:33.840 It's actually goes back to when God led the people of Israel out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:43.200 And as he's establishing a new nation, he gives them these laws by which they're to live by that sets them apart from all the other nations. 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:46.320 In fact, they're to be a blessing to all the other nations. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:53.039 All the nations are to look on the way they live and the blessing and favor of God and be drawn to God. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.039 That was the goal and that was the purpose. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:11:06.320 And so, so Moses on Mount Sinai receives these laws from God about how uh Israel is to go about their ways of life. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:14.799 In fact, it's a lot of laws, 613 laws to be exact, and we call it the Mosaic Law or the Law of Moses. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:26.480 But what we often miss or don't really totally get is there's actually three types of law in the Mosaic law or in the Old Testament, in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:29.840 The first law is one we all know and get, the moral law. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:37.279 It's the Ten Commandments, you know, don't lie, don't murder, uh, don't uh commit adultery, don't steal. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.360 We get that, the moral law. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:43.840 And in fact, all of the moral laws reiterated back into the New Testament. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.960 As Christians, we are under the moral law. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:53.840 And it's fulfilled in what's known as Christ's royal law, to love our neighbor as ourselves. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:59.600 In fact, all of the moral law is just the lowest barrier to loving someone. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:00.799 Think about this. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:04.159 Like I'm loving you by not lying to you, right? 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.159 If I don't lie to you, that is a loving act. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:07.919 If I don't steal from you, right? 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:11.200 That's the lowest bar possible of love. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.639 Uh, you know, the lowest possible bar of love is not murdering you. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:15.679 Yeah, thank you very much. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:17.360 Not gonna do that. 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:20.639 The Mosaic law, the first law is the moral law. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:29.120 That's what something that all of us as followers of Jesus and all of humanity, this is the way God has designed and ordered life to operate and to work. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:32.639 The second, though, and we're not as familiar, is the civil law. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:36.000 You remember, God's establishing a nation. 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:44.879 Uh, and so they need civil laws in which upon which they are to go about their life, you know, just like the laws we have in our land. 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:56.399 So if somebody injures my ox uh and I'm not able to do my work, what what then compensation do I get from the person who injured my ox, right? 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:00.480 Though that is a that's actually a legitimate thing in uh Leviticus there. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:12.960 And the civil law is unpacks those sort of things, eye for an eye, would be the idea of a civil law that are specific for the nation of Israel. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:18.720 And then finally, the third law that we find in the Mosaic Law is the ceremonial law. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:36.080 The ceremonial laws are the things upon which the people of Israel uh did to separate or to keep themselves consecrated for God or clean, uh, to worship in a way that was utterly distinct from the nations around them. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:47.120 And so there's this ritual and these ceremonies, uh, and some of it had to do with washing, some of it had to do, uh a lot of it had to do actually with what they ate. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:54.320 We know that uh in our day, we talk about it as kosher, and that for them to eat certain foods, i.e. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:14:01.919 like a pig or something like that, that would make them ceremonially unclean and unable to worship in the temple of God. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:13.200 And yet, here's what we know is that in the birth of the church, uh, God's doing something completely uh new, and the spirit of God is now deposited inside every single person. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.720 And so you don't have to go to a place anymore. 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:21.519 Uh the temple is no longer a place, but it's in the people of God. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:35.600 And so God's showing up and he's saying to him, this incredible line, you know, uh, the voice that spoke to him a second time, do not call anything impure that God has made clean. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:45.360 And Peter said, I've spent my whole life, I've never broken the I can't even think of how to say it again. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.320 Ceremonial law, thank you very much. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:56.399 I've never done these things, and now you're saying this is okay. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:00.879 And this happens three times. 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.519 And he's sitting and he's trying to figure out okay, what is going on? 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:06.720 God, what are you doing? 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:17.440 He's thinking about this, and and as he's pondering uh this reality, uh, the Spirit of God says, Hey, there's three men downstairs looking for you, and I want you to go with them. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:21.360 So you go down, greet them, and then wherever they're going, you go with them. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.720 He goes down, greets them. 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:26.320 And uh, since he was hungry, he said, Why don't you come have dinner with me? 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:27.360 They have dinner. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:32.879 The next day they set out back for Caesarea to go to Cornelius' house. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:39.600 And we pick it up and says, the next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:47.120 The following day he arrived in Caesarea, Cornelius was expecting them, and he called together his relatives and close friends. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:51.200 Now, notice this as Peter entered the house. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:16:01.679 Now, this is incredible because because of the ceremonial law, a Jewish person would not enter the house of a gentile afraid of becoming unclean. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:06.399 A Jewish person wouldn't eat with another Gentile, afraid of being unclean. 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:10.240 A Jewish person wouldn't associate with the Gentiles. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:15.440 And so you see how this all of a sudden changed in a day. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.240 As Peter entered the house, that's an incredible line. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:21.360 Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:22.639 But Peter made him get up. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:23.840 Stand up, he said. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.679 I'm only a man. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:44.720 While talking with him, Peter went inside, found a large gathering of people, and he said to them, You're well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:53.679 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objections that I may ask, uh may I ask why you sent for me. 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:55.200 He still doesn't fully know. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:57.600 And so Cornelius says, Well, I had this vision. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:04.000 He tells him the whole thing about the angel, and he says, We're here to listen to what you have to say. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.240 And this is an incredible moment. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:07.920 Listen to what Peter says. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:18.720 He says, I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation, unheard of in the ancient day, by the way. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:22.400 The one who fears him and who does what is right. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:37.519 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of not just the Jewish people, of all people, for all people. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:43.039 The text goes on to say, then Peter began to preach about Jesus and what he did and who he was. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:52.079 And as he was preaching this good news, the Spirit of God fell on the Gentiles and on Cornelius' house and all those who were hearing. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:18:03.200 And he's, I mean, Peter's just astounded, and he's looking at this, and and in that day, his entire household gets baptized in those who were there. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:12.480 Often, often a forever good is on the other side of a never Lord. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:20.799 And it was this moment that opened the gospel for all people on the other side of Peter's never Lord. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:32.640 Forever good for you, forever good for me, that opened the door that we might be a part of the forever family of God. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:35.359 Powerful. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:37.440 It's amazing. 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:52.000 God actually wants us to, by way of application, change some of the narratives of our nevers. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:19:08.079 Change some of the storylines that we're telling ourselves that keep us from experiencing that forever good, from being a part of that story, from experiencing God's own goodness in our lives in deep and profound ways. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:17.759 And there's a couple just main narratives that I hear over and over from people when it comes to never, Lord, that He says, I want to change that narrative. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:19.519 I want to change that storyline. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:25.119 Listen, here's the first changing the narrative of never. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:28.720 The first one is this never I hear all the time. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:32.480 God could never use me. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.720 God could never use me. 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:36.799 I'm not Peter. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:38.799 I'm not a pastor. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:41.680 I'm not trained. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:44.640 I'm too old. 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:46.319 I'm too young. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.079 I have doubts myself. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.440 I'm struggling. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:53.680 It's been a hard year. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.640 I'm not gifted enough. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:59.680 I don't know enough. 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:01.359 I'm not smart enough. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:05.359 And we believe this narrative that God could never use me. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:13.920 And here's the crazy thing: the Bible is filled, absolutely filled with people who on the outside look like God could never use. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.160 I mean, just chock full of it. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:29.359 Think about Abraham, who's the father of our faith, and call God said, You'll be the father of many nations, and he's old as dirt, literally 90 years of age, and still doesn't have a child, not many child, a child. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:32.880 And God says, I can use you wherever you are. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:35.200 Think about Moses. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:41.039 Moses who led Israel out of bondage from Egypt. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:44.400 I mean, Moses, he murdered the Egyptian. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:50.000 He he fled, hid out in the wilderness with tendon sheep, hiding. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:58.480 When God called him, he's like, you know what, God, I'm not a good speaker, and you want me to speak to Pharaoh? 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:00.559 I have a speech impediment. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:09.039 And God used Moses to lead the people of Israel out of bondage and into freedom. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:11.200 I think about Rahab. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:13.200 Rahab, who's who's amazing. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:22.559 If you look in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter one, she is in the genealogy of Jesus, in the storyline of the Savior to come. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.759 And Rahab wasn't an Israelite. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:33.359 In fact, she was a prostitute for the enemy city of Jericho. 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:38.559 And God says, I want to use you. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.720 And he used Rahab. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:45.119 Think about David, who was the greatest king Israel ever had. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.079 He was known after as a man after God's own heart. 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:58.559 And when Samuel showed up, think about this when Samuel showed up to anoint a new king over Israel, David's own dad didn't even invite him to the party. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:05.680 He's a young Ruddy kid, he just sent to look at after the sheep, and he's got other boys. 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:08.480 He said, Surely these are king material. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:13.200 See, God can use you. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:15.039 Well, let's take Peter. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:26.960 I mean, Peter, the great founder of the church, that Jesus said, Upon this rock, Peter, I'll build my church. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:29.519 Remember? 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:31.680 He's just kind of a loudmouth. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.440 Just always put his foot in his mouth. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.640 Brash. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:39.759 I mean, at one point, talk about never. 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:42.720 He said, I'll never deny you, Lord. 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:44.240 Never, ever. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:50.000 And then he denies Jesus three times and just sulks away. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.960 And God says, I can use you. 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.160 I can use you. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:23:02.160 See, the narrative that needs to change of our narrative, of our never, that is, is God could never use me. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:07.279 Listen to how Peter says it now on the other side of the never. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:15.279 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:18.160 That here's why. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:25.200 That you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:26.240 Like God chose you. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.920 We talked about that last week. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.640 A royal priesthood, a holy nation, special. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.960 He says, that you may declare, I want to use you. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:48.480 I want to use your life and your giftings to declare my excellencies of how I called you out of darkness into my wonderful light. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:51.039 This is who you are in Christ. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:54.720 God longs to use your life. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:24:02.079 You know, I'm actually terrible at receiving compliments. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:08.319 In fact, I've been told I'm no fun to give compliments to because I deflect them. 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:09.680 I say it's no big deal. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:17.599 I often critique and say, you know, this is how I could do it better, or this is, you know, begin to nitpick things. 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:23.200 Um and I got to grow in that because I'm actually, words of affirmation is like a love language of mine. 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:26.079 And yet then I push those down in there. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:34.160 And I remember Judy, who we're praying for, saying to me, or really actually reproving me, this powerful line. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:36.799 And it's changing the narrative of never. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:42.559 And here's what she said: never minimize the gifts God's placed in you. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:47.920 Never disdiminish or dismiss the gifts God's placed in you. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:50.640 Our tendency is to say it's no big deal. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.440 You know what? 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.400 It comes naturally. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:55.920 I, you know, and we just push it down. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:00.160 Do not put down the gifts God's put in you. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:06.160 You see, humility, humility is not thinking less of yourself. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:12.960 It's actually thinking accurately of yourself and then thinking of yourself less. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:16.160 And going, God has gifted you. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:19.279 God has deposited gifts inside of you. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:24.400 And He wants to use you in such incredible ways. 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:31.039 And when you just begin to look in and go, you're chosen, you're royal, you're holy, and you're gifted by God. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:49.440 And don't minimize it, don't dismiss it, don't uh, you know, disu diminish it and go, okay, God, you've placed this in me to use me to declare your excellencies of him who's called me out of darkness into his glorious, wonderful light. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:51.519 Changing the narrative of never. 00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:57.279 God can never use me, change it to never minimize the gifts God's placed in you. 00:25:57.440 --> 00:26:02.160 The second never is God could never reach them. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:15.440 I know I'm talking to somebody right now, and the minute that came up, a family member came to mind who's always made fun of you or put you down for your faith. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:25.759 Who, when you're sitting around at the family gatherings and uh, you know, they they just can't help like, you know, throw those little daggers at you, and God can never reach them. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:35.039 Or maybe it's a friend, maybe somebody you've known your whole life that you grew up with, but but so antagonistic to your faith and you love them dearly, but they just seem so far from God. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:43.279 Maybe it's a coworker, uh, you know, and maybe it's your boss, or maybe it's an employee where the environment just feels so hostile. 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:46.480 They're not spiritual, they're not even interested in things. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:48.240 God could never reach them. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:54.720 Maybe it's some of your neighbors, maybe it's people, you know, that your kids play sports with. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:59.920 Maybe it's friends that you hang out with at the gym. 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:03.680 That you can really be at the gym right now. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:09.119 But then we go, God could never reach them. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:13.680 And the reality is, is there's no lost cause with God. 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:23.200 Remember last week what we said, we said there is no path you can go down where Jesus is not also lovingly pursuing you. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:24.799 Now think about this. 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:42.960 No one would have thought, no one would have imagined that a gentile, centurion military leader, his family, his household, and his friends in the Caesarea would have stepped into faith in Jesus. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:28:04.079 No one would have thought that Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the faith on the road to Damascus to enact such harm, would encounter Jesus, give his life to him, and then become the most prolific preacher for Jesus to the Gentile world. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:22.319 No one would have thought that a persecution that broke out on the church would have then opened up the doors for a revival to take place in the Samaritan area, where there was such deep animosity between Jews and Gentile. 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:29.279 And all of these friends, in their day was lost causes and what you would think beyond their reach. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:31.680 God could never reach them. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:37.759 And the truth is, God is never, they are never beyond the reach of God. 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:43.519 Listen, then this is why Peter yet again says this. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:49.200 As a result, then, but in your hearts revere or set apart Christ as Lord. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:51.119 Always be prepared. 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:54.799 See, if we think they could never be reached, we'll never be prepared. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:29:16.880 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, that you're in people's lives and they see your life in such a way, and it's so distinct in the midst of turbulence, so distinct in the midst of uh the craziness of a world that they go, there's something hopeful about your life. 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:20.400 There's something that's at peace in the midst of the storm. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:29.680 And I can't quite put my finger on it, but I want what you have, and that means we have to be living in proximity in relation to people. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:33.680 And he says, but do this with gentleness and respect. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:40.319 Our answer, our response, and our preparation is always going to be in humility and gentleness and respect. 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:46.559 There is no one that's outside or beyond the reach or the grace of God. 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:48.640 And so here's the narrative change for us. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:53.519 From God could never reach them, here's what I want us to embrace instead. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:56.720 Never say someone's no for them. 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.720 Never say someone's no. 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:00.640 We do this, I do this. 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:02.480 Oh, they're not interested. 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:06.000 They're not really spiritual or the religious type. 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:08.640 It's not their thing, or they're too busy. 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:11.680 They don't seem to need Jesus. 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:26.240 And I don't know if this is true for you, but this has been my experience over COVID and shelter in place, like being isolated from everybody, like the avenues upon which I was in life with people was taken away. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:30.960 And I work at a church, and so everybody I'm around is Christians. 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:34.960 Around virtually most of the time. 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:44.400 You know, and even the times we used to hang out with our neighbors because of uh COVID, we no longer would do those outdoor gatherings. 00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:50.319 And we have to be so intentional, and I'm preaching to me right now. 00:30:51.119 --> 00:31:02.240 We have to be so intentional because sometimes our no's isn't like we're not inviting someone, it's just that we're not in their life. 00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:15.839 We're not connected, we're not with them, and it takes such great intentionality and effort in this season, doesn't it, to be in somebody's life because we don't cross paths the way we used to? 00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:23.839 And we're never gonna say they're never beyond their reach, we're just not gonna say someone's no for them. 00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:29.279 And I just wonder, I just wonder, how would our prayer life change? 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:37.519 How would our prayer life change if we really believed there was no one beyond the reach and the grace of God? 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:44.319 You know, when we started this series, I left us with a prayer leading into Easter. 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:56.720 And it's simply this prayer, and it's a prayer we've prayed many, many times as a church, but it's one that I find my heart that I have to re-engage consistently. 00:31:56.960 --> 00:32:04.799 And it's the prayer that says, Heavenly Father, would you give me an opportunity to share with someone in some way about you today? 00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:16.960 But I don't know what that some way is, and it might just be an encouragement, it might just be being present, it might be that they they're asking, you know, hey, could you pray for me? 00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:18.480 Or could I pray for you? 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:26.400 But Heavenly Father, would you give me an opportunity to share with someone in some way about you today? 00:32:26.880 --> 00:32:34.799 See, often a forever good is on the other side of a never Lord. 00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:45.039 And just imagine, just imagine if Peter never moved beyond never Lord, where we would be, where the church would be. 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:47.279 And aren't you so glad? 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:50.000 And I'm so glad that he did. 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:52.880 And what is it for us? 00:32:53.839 --> 00:33:01.920 What is the nevers in our lives that God's saying, I want you to move to the other side. 00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:06.240 There's a forever good in your life, there's a forever good in someone else's life. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:14.559 There's there's things that I'm wanting to do, but but the never Lord is in the way, and we go, okay, God, instead have your way. 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:16.880 I'm yours. 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:22.240 And imagine what God wants to do in and through. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:25.119 Let's pray. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:31.599 Jesus, I pray for my friends right now as we're hearing your word and challenged. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:39.519 And when the nevers come up because of our own fears, our own insecurities, our own doubts. 00:33:39.839 --> 00:34:05.839 And God, right now, would you move in this moment to draw us closer to you, to say, Lord, have your way that we might be used of you to declare your excellencies, your grace, your love, your hope to a hurting world, to hurting friends and co-workers and family with gentleness and respect. 00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:07.839 Would you make us that kind of church? 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.360 In Jesus' name. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:10.320 Amen. 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:14.159 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:19.360 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:21.840 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:27.920 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.