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. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:10.720 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:12.880 Thanks so much for being here. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:14.640 If we haven't met yet, my name's Chris. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:22.800 I'm one of the pastors here, and I'm just excited to preach today as we continue our For All People series. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:42.799 This has been a series in the midst of the book of Acts of the Apostles, which is a book in your New Testament that tells the story of the movement of Jesus after Jesus had risen from the dead, his followers starting the church and moving uh Jesus' word and message forward. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:48.719 And so we find ourselves really right in the middle, sort of of the book of Acts in Acts chapter 11. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:52.079 If you have a Bible, you can go there as we start. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:55.200 Well, you know, it's interesting. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:01:01.600 Ryan mentioned we're going to be going to two services, and we haven't hosted two services in over a year. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:06.959 And there's so many things that we're getting used to again as a church. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:12.000 And there's so many things that maybe you are getting used to again about regular life. 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:20.079 The pandemic is certainly not over, but Lord willing is really shifting and changing towards a positive direction. 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:29.200 And I've found myself, my wife, and I, we've been married for 10 plus years, and for the first time in a year, we're starting to make plans. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:31.359 You remember plans? 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:32.879 Remember them? 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.680 Remember when you used to have something on Friday nights? 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:38.400 Uh for those of us with kids, you used to get a babysitter. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.000 Do you remember someone would actually come over and act and watch your kid for you? 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:51.680 Um, so Allie and I are starting to make future plans as we're getting our family is getting the vaccine and just really cool, exciting things happening. 00:01:51.760 --> 00:02:05.840 But I'm I'm remembering, even coming to church through these in-person services we do in the last couple of months, it's like habits that I've formed over this year that I have to now correct because I'm I'm I'm now actually living a life again, you know? 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:12.879 Um, like you guys know, you guys know, right, there's a difference between being Zoom presentable and like presentable. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:19.599 You know, like actually like you're gonna see someone in real life versus you're gonna show up on a screen. 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:23.680 Like you just gotta get like hear up good on Zoom. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:32.639 And there's some details about your appearance that you can neglect, uh, that you just can't neglect anymore now that we're seeing each other in real life. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:38.639 Um, there's just all these habits that we form that are just different, and we now have to find ourselves correcting them. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:44.479 Like, you can't just log off of one meeting at 259 to go to your meeting at three o'clock. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:46.560 You know, that's something I'm also remembering. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:51.599 Oh, I need to drive somewhere, and then I need to, I forgot to, like, you have to park sometimes. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:55.199 And like then you park and you have to walk from your parking spot. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:59.280 Like, it's just it's just life again, you know? 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:12.319 And and I think too, as we start two services and we start kind of, you know, Lord willing, coming back really in in-person things as a church, it's it's interesting the spiritual habits that we've developed too, right? 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:20.159 The the ways in which we've engaged with church over the last year and how that has shaped how we view God and how we view one another. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:26.240 There are things we just haven't done in a whole year, and there are things spiritually we haven't engaged in in the same way. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:36.319 Like maybe some of you who are showing up to this in-person gathering, you weren't as consistent through this last year online as you used to be when we were in person every week. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:47.199 You know, or maybe you kind of dropped off of attending one of our midweek groups because like you just kind of wanted, you you kind of lost the accountability of showing up in person. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:49.520 There's people, some of you guys I've talked to, right? 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:52.240 Like over the year, it's like, yeah, I haven't done that. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:53.840 I haven't served in a year, right? 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:55.199 We talked about serving. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.039 Like, yeah, I think it's been about a year since I've served. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:11.840 And I think there's some healthy, like, you know, come to reality moments we're gonna have right now as we think through the habits that have shaped us and that we've changed. 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:19.439 See, what we're interested in looking at in this series for all people is we said the gospel message, the message of Jesus is for everyone. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:21.360 It is for all people. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:27.519 The question we come to today as we look, as we continue our journey through the book of Acts, is we come to this question. 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:35.439 How can a community of all people, if the gospel's for all people, how can a community of all people last for all time? 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:50.319 Because I think in 2020, there's been some pruning in the church, there and the church at large, not just awakening, but just the church in America, the church in this world, because people have fallen out of rhythms of the church. 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:56.480 I think the church that comes out of this pandemic is different than the one that comes, came into the pandemic. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:05:02.000 And the question this story is gonna answer is how can we as a church last? 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:09.120 How can we together go the distance as Christians in church community together? 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:11.199 How can we last for all time? 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:22.480 The story is going to give us three ingredients, it's not the only things, uh, but three ingredients that might be included in a in lasting spiritual growth and community. 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:25.839 And the story, again, I said, is in Acts 11, and it starts like this. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:27.279 Acts 11, verse 19. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:29.120 If you got a Bible, open it up. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.920 Um, if you're on your phone, um, open the app. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:33.680 Acts 11, 19. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:44.079 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:54.079 But there was a there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists, also preaching the Lord Jesus. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:59.759 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:01.199 Let's pause the story right there. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:04.319 There's more to come, but let's look at this real fast. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.680 This little story, it have its set in the midst of persecution. 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:09.279 We've said this as we've studied Acts. 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:15.040 Actually, persecution or oppression of the gospel tends to help it spread more. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:27.600 Through the book of Acts, you'll see like harsh political opposition, you'll see cultural opposition, but that opposition and persecution that is pressed on the church tends to spread the message faster and quicker. 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:29.600 It can't really be contained. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:34.959 It's true throughout church history when you study church history that the gospel flourishes when it's in trouble. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:37.279 The gospel spreads when the gospel's in trouble. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:38.399 It's just something about it. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:40.000 It's happening today, by the way, too. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:59.759 If you look at countries that are structured around certain politics and governments that are less uh uh you know favorable towards Christianity, uh, countries in Asia, countries in Africa, in the Middle East, the gospel is spreading at remarkable rates right now in the places where it is most in trouble. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:08.560 And it's just something about the gospel that makes it powerful, mysterious, and I believe deeply true is that the gospel, when it's in trouble, it spreads. 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:24.000 Um so you'll see in this in the context of this story, there's this persecution that arises and the gospel starts to spread to unknown territories, to these places Cyprus and Cyrene and Antioch, which I know you're all very familiar with first century geography, so I won't need to explain it. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:25.199 But no, it's very simple. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.759 It's kind of going to the ends of the earth, right? 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:36.959 When Jesus originally uh sent his messengers out, he said, You're gonna go to Jerusalem, the current city that we're in, but you're gonna go to the ends of the earth. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:40.319 And Cyprus and Cyrene and Antioch is really getting towards that place. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:45.120 As you read the book of Acts, it starts to move towards um the ends of the earth. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:57.759 And here we are in this story, pushing further out to foreign lands where there are people called Hellenists who would be Greek-speaking Jews or Greek culturally, maybe ethnically uh mixed or something like that. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:02.319 These people uh would be speaking Greek, but would be Jewish believers. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:09.839 This is starting to get more and more towards the edges of the territories of uh where the gospel will go, of the known world. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:19.040 And here, again, we'll see three ingredients for lasting spiritual growth in this little church that's going to be planted and grow in a place called Antioch. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:25.839 The first, though, is an ingredient I want to mention just off of the so much of the story we've read so far. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.680 How do we have lasting spiritual growth? 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:31.839 How are we a church that of all people that will last for all time? 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:34.639 You must have this first ingredient. 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:35.759 It's faith. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:36.480 Faith. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:40.159 It's following the Holy Spirit into uncharted territories. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:49.919 This story is set up and should not be taken for granted that the gospel is moving and the Holy Spirit, God Himself, is moving the message forward. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:59.039 God Himself is pushing his message beyond the normal territories, and his disciples and followers are following that spirit. 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:04.639 Notice in that phrase up there, it says, follow the Holy Spirit into uncharted territories. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:11.360 As we examine this story, we're confronted with the reality that Christianity is a reactive sport. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:18.320 Doesn't mean that you're passive, but Christianity is always essentially reactive. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:23.279 You are reacting to the work of God in your life, to the Holy Spirit working. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:26.320 You see, a reactive sport is something like tennis. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:28.879 An active sport might be something like basketball. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.759 You're actively pursuing a goal or something like that. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:36.799 But tennis works on reacting from the other player, much like baseball, right? 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:38.799 Baseball also is a reactive sport. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:45.360 You are adjusting your defense in order to capitalize on the errors or mistakes of the other person, right? 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:49.200 You're constantly adjusting your position based off the action of the other, right? 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:51.440 Tennis, baseball, it's that kind of thing. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:10:02.159 Spirituality in Christian life is like this: that constantly the Holy Spirit is moving and we are adjusting our position and trying to place ourselves into the places that He's leading us to. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:10.559 And if you want to have lasting spiritual growth, you have to see that the disciples were following the movement of God and reacting to the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:14.799 Look at this section of what I just read, Acts 11, 20 through 22. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.440 Couple of phrases on the screen that'll be highlighted. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:25.840 It says that there were some of them who spoke to the Hellenists, and it says that the hand of the Lord was on them, the hand of the Lord was with them. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.879 And there was a report that came to the church. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:35.279 The report came to the church, and they decided to send someone named Barnabas to Antioch. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.399 Okay, so you see, people start preaching the gospel. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:42.080 And by the way, those who are spreading the message, it's not the apostles. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:50.080 The apostles would be the 12 main leaders of the church, the ones in charge, the ones who have been given the apostolic authority from Jesus Christ Himself. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:57.279 The ones on the forefront of the mission are not the professional Christians or the top Christian leaders or somebody like myself, a pastor. 00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:04.639 It's actually just disciples, in other words, literally the word student or apprentices of Jesus that are moving the gospel forward. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:13.519 The report comes to the leaders, and the leaders do the reactive repositioning and decide we need to send Barnabas down there. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:15.519 They're reacting to the Holy Spirit. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:28.720 One of the ways that you and I are going to grow in our lives over a long time is not missing the ingredient of faith, is not missing the ingredient of following the Holy Spirit and reacting to what he says. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:32.000 The report comes to Jerusalem and Jerusalem moves. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.120 They react. 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:41.120 Your spiritual growth will be stagnant if you are not listening and following to what God is asking of you. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:43.759 And that leads me to ask you this question. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:50.639 Do you have ears tuned to what the Spirit of God is speaking to you? 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:57.679 Does is God's voice a voice that you consider in your life? 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:15.519 Do you wake up, open your phone, and see the barrage of neurological assaults that your phone gives you and respond to those, the news items, the emails, the calendar updates, and you react and respond to those? 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:22.159 Or do you listen to what God is telling you and reacting based off of that? 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.559 The apostles, see, they react in wisdom. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:27.440 They don't just hear this and go, we gotta do something and move. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:31.039 They actually, if you look carefully at the scripture, they react with great wisdom. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.440 They hear, okay, the gospel's going forward, now let's act wisely about this. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:42.960 And I want to give you four questions to consider as you think about your faith and following the Spirit into uncharted territories. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:43.600 What does that mean? 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.480 What does that look like? 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:48.320 Four questions to consider that I see kind of buried in this text a little bit. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:52.080 Number one is a question of what is your story? 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:58.159 When you're considering what is God leading me into, it's important to know where has God led me from. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:04.799 If I'm thinking about what God is doing in my future, I must understand what God has done in my past. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:10.559 Understanding what God has done in my past helps me live faithfully to the future I do not know. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:14.720 They do this, they actually recruit Barnabas. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:17.919 And you might be thinking, how is that have anything to do with this question? 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.799 What's my story? 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:23.039 Well, Barnabas is introduced way back in Acts 4, verse 36. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:26.799 We preached that chapter before, and you remember his name was Son of Encouragement. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.360 That's literally the translation of his name. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:35.679 And it says in Acts 4, 36 that Barnabas was, quote, a native of Cyprus. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.080 Now, where's the gospel moving right now? 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:40.879 Cyprus, Cyrene, and Antioch. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:49.919 So they look at their leadership and they go, who can we send who has a background with the culture where he wouldn't be intimidated by Greek-speaking Jews? 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:51.679 Barnabas is perfect. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:59.039 Barnabas's story was a part of what God had done in his life, and it was about to be what God was going to do in his life. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:08.159 You see, many of the things God has prepared and worked in you through are the very things he will use to take you to the next season. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:19.279 A lot of times in Christian spirituality, we think we receive victories or walk through seasons of suffering and difficulty, and we get to the end of that and we go, good, that's it. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:21.039 I learned that lesson. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:25.600 But God always gives you victory, not for a time of peace. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:28.559 He gives you the victory for the next battle. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:32.799 He gives you assuredness that you will win, that he will win in your life again. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:39.519 He's giving you assuredness that he will equip you with what you need for what's next, because he's done it with what has passed. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:45.759 You see, God's work in your life, sometimes when you're from Cyprus, he's gonna send you back. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.440 Like it's funny, I grew up in Catholic education. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:51.679 I grew up around the Catholic Church. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:57.840 And constantly, you guys, I find the Holy Spirit leading me towards people who come from Catholic backgrounds. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:09.039 I don't have a ministry that's like to ex-Catholics or people kind of questioning the Catholic Church or anything like that, but I constantly find myself reacting to the Holy Spirit just because that was a part of my life. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.399 The same as I've walked through my parents got a divorce, right? 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:22.159 So when I was a youth pastor, I found so often that when kids were going through a divorce, God was using something in my past to lead me into the future through youth ministry. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.440 So what has God done in your life? 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:32.000 Have you catalogued what God has done in your life so that God, you know that God is going to use you for this moment at this time? 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.000 The second question is, what's my gift? 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:37.519 I told you Barnabas' name was Son of Encouragement. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:42.159 And in just a couple verses, you're gonna read what Barnabas does in the church in Antioch. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:45.759 It says, he encouraged and exhorted the church. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.080 His name was Son of Encouragement. 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:56.480 He was obviously gifted in exhortation and encouragement to come and tell them, guys, I'm urging you to remain faithful. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.559 Barnabas was obviously gifted in that, so they knew Barnabas was perfect. 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:03.360 Here's a guy who's gifted in exhortation and encouragement. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:05.120 He's from Cyprus and Cyrene. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:07.360 He will not be intimidated by Greek-speaking Jews. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:09.279 We'll send him down that way. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:11.600 What is your gift? 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:14.159 Let me actually rephrase that a little bit. 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:17.840 What have others said that your gift is, which is probably more important? 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:25.200 I've found that the ways in which your gifts are most pronounced and known is when other people name it. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:30.159 It has to be a question you need to ask your community, you need to ask your group, you need to ask your leaders in your life. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:34.399 Who's your leader in your life that you can ask and say, what do you see me gifted in? 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:38.399 Because that might be the place God is calling to you into your future. 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:44.320 Thirdly, I'm gonna put questions three and four up on the same time because it's kind of two sides of the same coin. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:49.600 I think we have to ask, what am I burdened for, and where is the kingdom need? 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:54.080 What am I burdened for, and what is the kingdom need? 00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:00.799 When Barnabas gets down there, it says that he was glad when he showed up at the church in Antioch. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:08.160 It's that almost God was preparing Barnabas to show up to a place that he had been burdened to encourage. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:18.799 Sometimes the best question in Christian life is like, what are the things that have weighed heavy on my heart that match with question number four, the kingdom need? 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:24.640 So there's some things you're burdened about, like the success of the Portland Trailblazers is something I'm burdened about, okay? 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.400 That's not really a kingdom need. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.319 I mean, I could make a strong argument, but it's probably gonna fall flat, you know? 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:32.559 Um, I can twist some Bible verses, okay? 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.880 But um, it's just not gonna work, okay? 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:40.319 What are you burdened for that is also on the heart of God? 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.640 What do you deeply care about? 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:53.039 A lot of times we want other people, particularly leaders, to care about the things that God has burdened us for so that they can take the step of faith and we won't have to. 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:58.000 Like, I want the church to care about X. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:08.960 Well, God gave you that burden, and maybe He's leading you out in faith to take on and to go to that space, and we'll follow you and we'll support you and we'll encourage you. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:14.079 This great story over the last year and a half or two years has been our homeless outreach team. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.640 It actually came out of these kinds of questions. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:19.680 Angie Chang and Stephen Chung, they recently got married. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:27.279 Um, they were in the our care team led by Annie Chang, and Annie asked them to pray around some of these questions. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:29.119 What are you burdened for? 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:34.000 And Angie, she's like, I'm I've just been burdened for the homeless community. 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:39.519 And I think there's a kingdom need in this neighborhood to walk and to pray. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.519 And many other team members not knowing had the same burden. 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:54.480 And so other people started to assemble, and many of you are a part of this amazing team that goes out every Saturday and walks and prays and gives to the needy and prays for the most vulnerable in this community. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:19:02.640 All because Angie and Stephen and the rest of the team grew in a burden for a kingdom need, and it was easy for us as awakening to go, how do we support? 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.519 How do we come alongside, and how do we grow this ministry? 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:14.000 You see, ministry and church, it's not about generating activities for spiritually interested people. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.839 Like, oh, we're just gonna do all these programs. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:19.039 Like at Awakening, we don't just do programs to do programs. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:25.839 We are reacting to the Holy Spirit and we are following and partnering with what God is doing. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:33.039 And so I I want to I want to know which question do you need to kind of answer today? 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:37.440 And how might God move in you to create and generate faith? 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:41.759 Because here's the deal when you answer these questions, there's so many unknowns still. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:49.359 But they should equip you with a type of emboldenedness that says, God is working in my life, I can follow him. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:53.440 Now, maybe you don't have the answers to these questions, right? 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.039 How do we know the answers? 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:58.799 And maybe you're like, I need help formulating some of these answers. 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.119 Well, faith is just one ingredient to lasting spiritual growth. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:06.079 The second we'll find in the story is formation. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.359 Formation. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:16.720 That we not only need to follow the Holy Spirit into uncharted territories, but as we do that, we need to commit to learn the faith in a healthy church. 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:19.119 Now, notice I did not say a perfect church. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:20.160 You won't find one of those. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.359 They do not exist. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:25.680 A church that is growing in health, like I believe we are at awakening. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.880 We are not a perfect church. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.720 We are growing in health as a church together. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:31.920 Formation. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:33.119 You need faith. 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:36.640 You also need to commit to learning what the faith is in the community. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.279 Now, look at this. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.319 All right, let's continue the story. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:39.839 Acts 11, 23. 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:46.720 When he, Barnabas, came, he sent down towards Antioch, he saw the grace of God. 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:52.000 He saw the power, the gift of God, and he was glad and he exhorted them. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:21:00.000 There's that word, he uses his own gift to exhort and encourage them to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.160 For he, Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and he was full of faith. 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:12.160 And a great many people were added to the Lord, so that Barnabas, look at this, he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, who we heard about a couple chapters ago. 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:15.359 He would become Paul and write three-quarters of the New Testament. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:21.680 He finds Saul or Paul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch from Tarsus. 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:28.880 And look at this, for a whole year, they met with the church and taught a great many people. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:33.920 And it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:44.880 These apostles did not just see conversion and baptism, the movement of God, as a thing to celebrate and leave there. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:47.759 Hey, there's some people becoming Christians down in Antioch. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:51.519 Let's just take pictures of them and post it on social media. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:52.319 You know? 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:56.960 They saw it not as the end, but the beginning. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:09.279 They saw the start of Of new life in Jesus as the start of new life in Jesus that leads you onto a trajectory that is completely different from the old. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:14.799 In other words, they saw conversion as the beginning of spiritual formation. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:21.519 A formative process that all of us, as we trust Jesus, embark on for the rest of our lives. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.920 Spiritual formation, point number one, I want to give you three thoughts on spiritual formation. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.960 Spiritual formation begins at conversion. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:33.440 Here's a definition of spiritual formation from Dallas Willard. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:38.799 Spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the spirit-driven process. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:41.200 Again, we are reacting to the Holy Spirit. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:44.079 The Spirit is driving us into a direction. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:53.279 Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ Himself. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:23:02.319 Spiritual formation is the process of you and I forming our inner being to look just like Jesus' inner being. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:08.400 The inside of who we are, our desires, what we want, our thoughts, what we think about changes. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:13.920 The dreams that we have for the future start to be reshaped in a formation process. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:18.079 Formation is so essential to Christian life. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.799 In fact, it was so important for Barnabas. 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:26.160 He knew he was like, this church in Antioch is not gonna survive unless I form it. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:29.279 And I'm gonna need Saul or Paul. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:30.640 And he goes to Tarsus. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:37.599 I read this one commentary this week studying this passage that said Tarsus was a hundred miles away. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:50.319 This would have taken, depending on the travel routes, uh Barnabas' own access to resources, weather conditions, everything like that in the ancient world, could have taken a month to a month and a half to go to Tarsus and come back. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:54.880 How important was it for Barnabas to form that church? 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:58.000 So much so that he actually gave them a temporary need. 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:01.680 He left them for a month and a half so that he could join with Paul. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:05.839 And it says, if you look back at the text, for a whole year. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:08.000 For a whole year. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:10.400 We have a few letters from Paul. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:14.640 Could you imagine learning from him and Barnabas for an entire year? 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:16.319 Being shaped. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:18.160 Formation is essential. 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:19.759 Formation is the start of everything. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:24.880 It was so important to Barnabas that he brought, he took a long trip to bring another leader. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.720 And that's point number two, spiritual formation. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:29.519 It actually requires leadership and community. 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:36.079 You will not form your spiritual life in isolation. 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:40.880 You will form a selfish life in isolation. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:49.359 That actually, if you desire formation, you must submit yourselves to community and to leadership. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:55.680 Barnabas understood, he was like, I'm gonna pour into you guys for a whole year and just teach you. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:25:00.559 And this church is going to be shaped in a particular way before we leave. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:07.440 What communities are you being shaped by right now? 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:09.599 Who is shaping you? 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:26.799 You know, institutions in this country, institutions like churches, universities, political parties, they are now seen in the modern world as things that we use to affirm our individual identities. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:32.000 So I go to a certain college because I want you to think this about me. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:37.759 You don't go to a certain college anymore to be shaped by that certain community. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.519 It's seen as the reverse. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:50.000 In a hyper-individualized, selfish culture that we live in here in the West, we move towards institutions that affirm the feelings that we have about ourselves. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:55.200 And we go to certain churches because we want people to think that we're this kind of person. 00:25:55.359 --> 00:26:06.240 And when the church starts to act in a way that does not affirm our individualistic identity and singular perspective, we go find another one to match and suit our needs. 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:15.039 But friends, the church is not here primarily to put a stamp on everything that you do. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:31.359 The church that God has given me and to you and for us to submit to together is a church that does not affirm everything we do, but shapes us into a kind of person, forms us, that generates a kind of character within us. 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:35.200 Does the church exist to shape you? 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:37.759 Are you being shaped? 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:44.480 Because point number three, spiritual formation is the vast majority of your life in Jesus Christ. 00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:51.039 If you became a Christian or are a Christian, conversion is sometimes one day. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:54.319 Conversion is sometimes one month or one year. 00:26:54.559 --> 00:27:10.720 But spiritual formation, shaping your inner life to look like Jesus', your character, who you really are, shaping into the likeness of Jesus in humility and generosity and courage, that takes your whole life. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:19.039 And so it's so important for us to submit ourselves to what we in the theological world call sanctification. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:24.960 The stripping off of selfish desires and forming into the likeness of Jesus. 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:27.359 Formation is your life. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.799 Make no mistake, Christianity, you guys, it is about conforming. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:39.279 I know that's a negative word in this culture, but the question needs to be conforming to what? 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:49.039 If I'm conforming to the likeness of a man who died for his enemies and forgave his executioners, I would love to be conformed. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:28:03.440 If conforming means to lazily fall into the cultural streams of this world and to become another hyper-individualist, that will lead to destruction and to a chaotic world. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:14.240 Christianity is about conforming into the image and likeness of God Himself in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:26.480 We are led into such a captivating vision that as my own unique individual, I can actually give my unique individual self to Jesus to be shaped in the process of community. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:32.640 Church is certainly a place to be seen, to be loved. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:40.160 Our care team's mission is to see you and to love you and to make sure that you feel the love of Jesus when you walk in. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:49.599 But friends, I personally don't want to be seen the same way I came into awakening as the time I stay with awakening. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:51.519 I don't want to stay the same, right? 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:56.079 I actually don't want to be like I was when I was 18. 00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:56.799 Okay? 00:28:57.119 --> 00:28:59.279 I actually currently am 33. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.160 When I'm 43, I actually don't want to be like I am right now. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:04.160 I got a lot of problems in my life. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:06.480 I've got a lot of selfish desires. 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:10.640 I want to be on a trajectory towards Christ-likeness and to be formed. 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:14.880 The church exists to help us in that process. 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:19.759 And so, you know, Dallas Willard, he's a master in spiritual formation. 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:24.960 Um, and he says, you know, your soul is being formed right now. 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:29.920 It's just a question of like by who and to what? 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:42.799 Because you can't think you can't be so proud to think that you can exclude yourself from any formation process and just become your own unique individual. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:45.440 That just cannot be true. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:48.720 That something is shaping you right now. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:53.440 And the question is, what is it and to what image are you being shaped towards? 00:29:53.680 --> 00:30:08.319 Because as much as we want to think we are our own powerful person, we really are weak and in need of shaping to become like the humility of Jesus Christ Himself, which the gospel promises us. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:13.839 And so if you desire formation, you know, it's a huge part of what we do here at Awakening. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:15.119 Huge part of what we do. 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:19.359 Pastor Felicia, her title is Pastor of Spiritual Formation. 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:27.200 She and I lead Protege Together, a nine-month journey into leadership development and character formation. 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.400 Many of you are a part of it. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.240 Our proteges are coming to their year end right now. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:31.519 It's a nine-month process. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:32.799 They're coming to the end. 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:36.079 I am so proud of the people they are being shaped into. 00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:45.200 Not because of anything necessarily we as leaders are doing, but the Holy Spirit is shaping them to become like Jesus Christ more and more every single week as we meet with them. 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:47.759 I'm watching them become more like Jesus. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:50.400 Maybe you need to consider protege next year. 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:54.720 It we're gonna be, you know, talking about it, signing up for that in the next month. 00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:56.640 Maybe you're not even in a group. 00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:03.359 Groups are the primary place where we experience the formative process of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:06.000 We have school of faith, our core classes. 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:08.880 Intro is a perfect place to begin the formation process. 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:14.319 You know, in intro, our big heart is like we want to teach you what it's like, like how to select a church and what a good church is. 00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:18.880 And we'll tell you about who we are, but we also want to teach you what you should think about when you're selecting a church. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:20.400 It's a formation process. 00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:24.640 Maybe you need to walk over there right now and change your lunch plans and be a part of intro. 00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:27.599 These are formative processes that we have so much more. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:32.559 Marriage mentoring and care team, all these other things happening at awakening, beautiful, beautiful things. 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:34.000 But let me close with this. 00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:43.680 Look, if we have faith, and that faith is shaped through formation, we're following the Spirit into uncharted territories, we're being shaped into the image of Jesus. 00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:44.640 What's the result? 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:47.039 How will we know we're on the right path? 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:49.759 Well, the result is the final point, it's mission. 00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:54.960 We need to give and serve faithfully as needs arise and change. 00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:55.920 Mission. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:57.119 Mission. 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:02.079 We have something to do, somewhere to go, that we're not just being formed for the sake of being formed. 00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:05.200 We're being formed to be a great gift to this world. 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:06.799 Acts 11. 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:10.799 This is the end of the story, which tacks on a little story at the end of the story of Antioch. 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:11.440 Look at this. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:11.839 All right. 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.279 Now, in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:21.279 So Antioch's growing, the church is being shaped, and they send more leaders from Jerusalem to Antioch. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:23.359 And one of them was named Agabas. 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:28.000 He stood up and he foretold by the Spirit, again, we're always reacting to the Spirit. 00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:34.640 By the Spirit, he foretold that there was going to be this great famine all over the world, took place in the days of Claudius. 00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:43.359 So look, the disciples, the followers of Jesus, determined everyone according to his ability to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:48.720 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:50.079 I want you to notice this. 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:58.559 That story I just read to you is one sentence after the moment the disciples are first called Christians. 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:04.559 In verse 26, if you look in your Bible, it says, the disciples are first called Christians in Antioch. 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:09.599 And in verse 27, a need arises and the disciples meet the need. 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:11.680 Why? 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:19.519 Because they had been formed to the point that other people started calling them little Christ. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:20.880 Little Christs. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:23.039 You know that's what Christian literally means? 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:25.920 Christ's people, the Jesus people. 00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:32.480 Little little Christs, those guys who are acting in small ways like the ways that Jesus acted. 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:39.200 And these disciples are being called Christians, by the way, by outside by outsiders. 00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:40.960 They weren't like, call me Christian. 00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:42.400 They weren't like call me a Christian. 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:44.640 They were like started to be called Christians. 00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:47.039 It's a passive voice sentence structure. 00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:53.119 They start to be called Christians by other people that just look at them and they go, that looks like Jesus to me. 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:56.000 That looks like what Jesus would have done. 00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:58.559 Needs arise and change and they meet the needs. 00:33:58.640 --> 00:33:59.839 They are Christ's people. 00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:01.039 They are a little Christ. 00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:04.319 You may have problems with that word today. 00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:07.200 You know, you're like, I try to avoid that at all costs. 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:10.159 At work, people ask me if I'm spiritual, and I say, yes. 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:12.400 People say, Are you religious? 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:14.320 You say, sort of, you know? 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:16.159 Hedge your bets. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:31.760 But notice, in this, in this original sense of the term, it is literally about outside people looking at the Jesus people and saying, they just look like him. 00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:39.039 They've been formed in such a way that when a need arises, it is a no-brainer for them to contribute to it. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:41.599 This is what Jesus' people do. 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:43.679 They're just following his way. 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:48.239 In fact, they're doing the same thing every other church in the book of Acts did. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:59.119 This should not be, but if you're reading, you did the Acts reading plan with us, maybe, where we read this whole book together over March, um, February and March. 00:34:59.360 --> 00:35:08.159 If you're reading the book of Acts, by the time you get here and you read about disciples giving to a need, it's like, yeah, it's not a shock. 00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:10.480 You're like, yeah, that's what every church has done. 00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:13.599 So it makes sense that Antioch would do it too. 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:20.159 They weren't disrupting the religious landscape, they weren't innovating on the edges of spiritual life. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:23.599 No, they were doing the things that Jesus himself did. 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:30.000 Jesus gave his life and served instead of being served. 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:37.760 And therefore, the little Christians, the little Christ people, they would do the same thing. 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.320 They would lay down their lives and chains. 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:52.079 Jesus provided for something that we could not provide for ourselves through the cross, giving his life so that we could now be in his place and receive the favor of the Father. 00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:55.199 He provided that which we could not provide for ourselves. 00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:57.760 Why wouldn't we do the same for others? 00:35:58.159 --> 00:36:07.280 When others have need, when others need provision, we will be the first to provide for them because we have been provided for by the gospel. 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:11.599 And you, awakening, are Christ's people. 00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:13.360 You are Jesus' people. 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:15.280 You are little Christ's. 00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:17.440 And you have done this exact thing. 00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:18.400 Do you know this? 00:36:18.639 --> 00:36:21.519 This last year, have the needs arisen and changed? 00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:24.559 Yes, needs have arisen and changed. 00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:26.639 And you have stepped up. 00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:38.480 Our above and beyond campaign is closing in on$1.5 million raised so we can be more radically generous than ever before and more committed to our mission than ever before. 00:36:38.719 --> 00:36:39.199 Yeah. 00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:40.079 Yeah. 00:36:40.239 --> 00:36:41.840 It's worth clapping. 00:36:44.320 --> 00:36:45.920 It's incredible. 00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:49.519 Because we saw the needs arise and change and you responded to that. 00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:53.519 When there were wildfires, you responded and gave. 00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:59.119 And we were able to meet needs we never anticipated that we would need to meet through generous gifts. 00:36:59.519 --> 00:37:00.159 Right? 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:10.719 Haiti, the ways in which that country has needed support over the years, you consistently and faithfully give to this mission so that we can be generous and be Jesus' people. 00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:13.920 Well, now, friends, there are new challenges. 00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:15.760 There are new needs. 00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:17.280 You have been faithful. 00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:18.960 God has worked in your past. 00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:22.079 How will he lead you in faith into the future? 00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:25.519 What will he do by his spirit to lead you into what's next? 00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:26.320 You heard it. 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:28.159 We've got two services coming up. 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:34.320 Two services at the beginning of May that will double so many of our efforts and our team needs here. 00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:36.400 And we need you to serve. 00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:40.480 We need you to give, yes, and we need you to serve. 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:43.599 To give and serve faithfully as needs change and arise. 00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:48.800 So our space team shows up here hours before some of you and sets up. 00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:52.400 And maybe you're like, I can lift things for Jesus. 00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:55.119 Put that on your connection card. 00:37:55.280 --> 00:38:02.960 Because we need to grow our space team because our space team's gonna have to change how we set up now that we're gonna have a 9:30 service and not just this one at 1115. 00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:06.159 And we're gonna need teardown, right? 00:38:06.559 --> 00:38:11.039 After this service is over, we all tear this down, we pack it up, we put it in there. 00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:12.639 Nick leads our space team. 00:38:12.800 --> 00:38:14.719 We need you on space team. 00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:16.880 What about our connections team? 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:21.840 As we move to two services, you're not just getting greeted once on your way in and once on your way out, but we're doubling that. 00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:30.960 Because now that we have another service, we're gonna need another set of people greeting and connecting new people as people come in to help them feel seen and loved and known as they walk into the church. 00:38:31.280 --> 00:38:36.719 And so maybe you can have that gift of giving that first impression of awakening. 00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:39.199 Put that on your connection card, that black card. 00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:41.519 Put, I wanna be a part of connection team. 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:43.039 I wanna be a part of space team. 00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:45.039 One of these needs, or how about our kids? 00:38:45.199 --> 00:38:51.920 Ryan said one of the main reasons we want to do a second service is so that we can have our kids' ministry volunteers sit in service. 00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:58.480 So could you attend a service and could you serve in our children's ministry where we're teaching young people about Jesus? 00:38:58.719 --> 00:39:00.719 We need help in the classrooms. 00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:05.039 We're gonna need help at check-in, because now you're not gonna just check-in kids once, but for two services. 00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:05.599 Do you see? 00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:06.960 It multiplies the needs. 00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:11.599 But here's the here's the vision: it also multiplies the possibilities. 00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:16.079 It also multiplies the possibilities of us growing in selflessness. 00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:18.480 I can grow in selflessness and serve more. 00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:25.280 And it also opens us up, as Ryan shared, to two services that can impact double the amount of people right here. 00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:32.719 And so, friends, how are you demonstrating the formation Jesus has done in your life? 00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:34.159 Because we need you. 00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:39.519 We are a church, and we do this together as a family of brothers and sisters. 00:39:39.679 --> 00:39:45.599 If we want spiritual growth to last for all time, for all people, we're gonna need faith. 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:48.320 We don't know what's coming, but we're following the Spirit. 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:55.280 We need the formation of Jesus' work in our life, and we need to give and serve as needs change and rise. 00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:56.719 We gotta be on mission together. 00:39:56.960 --> 00:40:00.400 Lasting spiritual growth requires these things. 00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:03.599 And so let's take just one step together as a church. 00:40:03.760 --> 00:40:04.800 Let me pray. 00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:08.880 Heavenly Father, we need you. 00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:14.639 We confess, God, that we don't have what it takes. 00:40:15.360 --> 00:40:18.480 We confess we don't know the future. 00:40:19.440 --> 00:40:24.000 We confess our own anxieties about the future. 00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:30.320 But in faith, we trust you to provide and lead us to spaces we've never been. 00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:35.360 Help us, God, be the church that you desire us to be. 00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:40.239 Through the power of your spirit, God, shape us and help us. 00:40:41.199 --> 00:40:45.440 We pray that you would grow us in these ways. 00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:46.960 In Jesus' name. 00:40:47.280 --> 00:40:47.920 Amen. 00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:52.000 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:40:52.239 --> 00:40:57.199 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:40:57.440 --> 00:40:59.679 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:06.000 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection cards at awakeningchurch.comslash cards.