WEBVTT 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:08.320 Welcome to Celebration Baptist Church Podcast, where we help people connect with God and others. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:16.800 Each week you'll find biblical teaching, practical encouragement, and conversations designed to help you follow Jesus in everyday life. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:23.120 To learn more about Celebration Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, visit iCelebration.org. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:24.800 Now let's get started. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:26.480 Hey, celebration. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:28.160 This is uh Pastor Nate. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:30.879 I have the wonderful joy of being one of the pastors here. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:39.600 I am in studio today, and I have the wonderful, wonderful opportunity to do this podcast with two of my four daughters. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:42.960 Uh we have London and we have Meadow. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:44.399 London is 11. 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:46.479 Uh London, go ahead and say hello really quick. 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:47.920 She's giggling up a storm. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:49.280 Okay, we got the camera. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:50.560 No, there's no camera. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:51.439 Just say hello. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:51.920 Hi. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:54.799 And then I have Meadow, who is seven. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:55.920 Meadow, how are you? 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:56.799 I'm good. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:57.520 And hi. 00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:58.079 Hi. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:58.719 That's awesome. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:00:59.840 I have both of them today. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.200 Today we are recording this. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:02.719 This is actually Labor Day. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:06.959 Meadow said in the car ride over here that she actually feels like she's skipping school. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:08.239 Doesn't it feel like it today? 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:09.200 Yes, it does. 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:12.159 Yeah, you were wondering, you're like, what is my teacher doing today? 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:13.280 Who knows? 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:13.920 Who knows? 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:14.560 Shout out. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:15.519 What's your teacher's name? 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:16.719 Miss Blackburn. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:18.319 Shout out to Miss Blackburn. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:21.040 And then you are in uh you're in second grade? 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:21.519 Yes. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.920 And you are in sixth grade, right? 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:25.519 You're in middle school. 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:26.719 And so it's great. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:29.840 So today we are going to talk about shining light. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:37.200 Obviously, with me being the missions pastor, I uh am encouraging people to talk about the gospel, to share the gospel to the ends of the earth. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:42.799 But before we talk about that, we need to talk a little bit about just how weird our family is. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:47.200 Uh we're we're a little weird. 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:54.799 We do something unique that probably most people don't do in the fact that we love scaring one another, right? 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:56.319 Yes, we do. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:56.959 We do. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.359 We enjoy pranking one another, right? 00:01:59.599 --> 00:01:59.920 Yeah. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:10.319 So let's give the audience just a little bit of kind of a glimpse behind the curtain into the Maddox household and share maybe a little bit of some of the things we do to try to prank one another. 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:12.319 So what do you do? 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:18.479 Uh I we have a clown we do use, and like we put it in somebody's closet. 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:21.199 Yeah, so we have a big cutout clown. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:22.240 It's a scary clown. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:22.800 Someone made it. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:26.800 It's like a an old carnival game, so it has a it's a creepy-looking clown. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:30.560 And if you are listening to this and you ever want to see it, I'll gladly send you a picture. 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:38.080 But we try to hide it in each other's closets, and so when they open up the closet, especially at night or whatever, it it tear, it's actually quite terrifying. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:39.039 It really is. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:42.400 Um, you guys scared my oldest daughter, Addison, one time. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:42.879 Yeah. 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:44.240 And it was quite funny. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:45.120 Uh, what else? 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.199 What else other things do we do that we try to do? 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:48.479 Oh, do you have one? 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:49.120 Yeah. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:57.680 So we would we would like buy these fake snakes and like spiders and cockroaches from like the Dollar Tree and put them like around. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:01.199 Yes, yes, that is actually one of my favorite things to do. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:02.719 Your mom does this a lot. 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:07.199 Yeah, she finds major joy out of this, and she loves to scare Carly. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:09.840 Uh, my cocklets with the cockroaches. 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:11.680 She is terrified of bugs. 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:13.680 Yeah, of cockroaches. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:14.639 Yeah, that's right. 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:17.439 Uh, and so we also like to hide in the dark. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:17.919 Yeah. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:18.159 Yeah. 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:22.159 And then jump out at one another and scare each other in the dark. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:23.360 I had to go to the bathroom the other day. 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:28.319 I come in from the house and I uh start to move in, and your mom's hiding behind that couch right when you walk in. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:34.639 It's pitch black, it's in the middle of the night, and she jumps out, and uh, I almost had to go to the bathroom so bad. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:35.439 It was awful. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:37.599 So I was like, I she scared me. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:38.560 It was it was terrifying. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:40.960 They always see a being almost. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:42.159 Almost. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:48.240 Um, but that is something we do, and uh that is a weird thing our family loves to do. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:56.000 We love to scare something, and there's something kind of interesting about walking into a completely dark room with a flashlight. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:56.960 Think about it, girls. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:01.280 As you, you know, think about a room being completely dark and then walking in with a flashlight. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:09.520 If I walked into this room today with a flashlight and I turned that flashlight on and I pointed it directly into your eyes, do you think you're gonna notice the light? 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:10.719 Yeah, definitely. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:16.240 Let's be honest, you're probably gonna be a little annoyed with me and you're gonna be like, Dad, don't shine the light in my eyes. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:18.800 I think I've said that to you before when you get out the flashlights, right? 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:25.120 You drain all my batteries, and then if a storm happens, we don't have any flashlights because you all use it the entire time. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:30.639 Um, but that's not really what a flashlight is for, is to shine in the light or shine the light into someone's eyes. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:35.120 The purpose of a flashlight isn't to draw attention to the flashlight. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:39.600 The purpose of the flashlight is to illuminate something else. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:49.759 I shine it down a dark hallway so I can see where I'm going, see if your mom's hiding in the corner, or one of you girls have hidden a snake or something there. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:54.319 I shine it underneath the couch because maybe one of us has lost a toy. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.279 Maybe maybe the channel changer, right? 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:02.879 The remote is under there, and we shine it under the batteries for the remote because we don't have a back for our remote. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:07.759 We shine it outside at nighttime to see what our dog is barking at. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:15.439 Um, the light serves its purpose when it allows us to see something we couldn't see before. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.120 Let me say that again. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:25.839 The light, the flashlight, the light serves its purpose when we allow us, it allows us to see something that we couldn't see before. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:36.240 And I think that's a helpful picture for us uh when we think about what Jesus means when he tells his followers that we are the light of the world. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:41.360 Uh, listen to what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5, verses 14 through 16. 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:44.079 He says this you are the light of the world. 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:47.040 A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:54.240 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all the house. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:06:02.959 In the same way, let your light shine before people so they can hear your good deeds and give honor to your father in heaven. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.439 And for many of us, this passage is familiar. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:07.680 Probably you've heard this passage before, right, girls? 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:08.000 Yeah. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.160 This is probably one of the megaverses, isn't it? 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:10.560 Yeah. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:11.199 Yeah. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:17.040 And so you've heard this light or this passage about uh light before. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:19.839 Uh, and it tells us to shine our light. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:28.480 But I want you to think about something else, maybe that we've missed if you only listen to Matthew chapter five, because Jesus says something else in John chapter eight. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:33.759 He says this when Jesus spoke out again, he says, I am the light of the world. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:39.839 The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:41.600 So think about these two statements. 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:51.120 Jesus says that I am the light of the world, and then he looks at me and you, he looks at his followers, and he says, You're the light of the world. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:56.240 Now, those sound contradictory, but they're not actually contradictions. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:04.240 They're actually telling us something really important about the Christian life, the one that your dad is a pastor of, and the one that you girls are actively pursuing. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:19.040 Before God calls us to shine his light, he first calls us to follow it, not to try to manufacture it, not try to recreate it, but try or not trying to convince the world that we're better people. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:21.439 Jesus tells us to follow him. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:27.600 And as we follow Jesus, our lives begin to display the reality of the one we're following. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:29.759 And I think that order matters. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:32.319 So let's talk about the order again, girls, right? 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:36.319 It's follow the light, then shine the light. 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:37.600 Say it for me. 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:40.800 Follow the light, shine the light. 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:42.639 Carl, London, why don't you say it? 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:45.199 Follow the light, then shine the light. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:48.720 Oh, follow the light and shine the light. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:49.519 That's right. 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:56.720 And that uh that means shining isn't first about what we do, it flows from who we belong to. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:02.959 And Jesus says this in Matthew 14, he uh Matthew 5, 14, he says, you are the light of the world. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:04.319 Now, I want you to know this. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:05.839 This is important for both of you. 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:10.319 He doesn't say one day you'll be spiritually mature enough. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:16.319 He doesn't say when you become a grown-up, he doesn't say, hey, if you become a pastor, no, no, no. 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:20.319 He doesn't say you have to become mature, big, old enough. 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:27.759 He says, once you become a Christfaller, once you start to follow the light, you are then the light. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:30.480 So here's a cool thing for both of you girls. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:33.200 It's not something that you have to wait on. 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:39.440 Like, you don't have to like get bigger, get older, become your dad, start to work at the church, right? 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:42.000 You girls love that dad works at the church, right? 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:42.320 Yeah. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:43.039 Right? 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.679 What do you love about dad working at the church? 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:53.440 Getting to run up and down the hallways and coming up to the gym and doing all the things, get to hang out in the podcast room and chatting all those things. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:56.240 But he's not saying that you have to wait on those moments. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.559 He says the moment you give your life to Christ, that you then become the light of the world. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:06.320 If you belong to Christ, then you've been given a new identity, scripture says, and a new purpose. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:11.840 And wherever God has placed you, you have the opportunity to display Christ. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:14.639 I think sometimes we make this kind of a little more complicated. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.080 We were just talking about this, right? 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:18.480 You think about like you have to go on a mission trip. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:21.360 You girls, your dad goes on a lot of mission trips, right? 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:21.679 Yes. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:24.720 I think I'm gone 18 days out of this entire month. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:24.960 Oh. 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:26.320 Because on mission trips. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:28.639 Your sister went on a mission trip. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:30.240 Uh, which sister went on a mission trip? 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:30.799 Cardi. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:31.840 Where did Carly go? 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:33.120 South Africa. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:34.879 Yeah, she went to South Africa. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.519 And you girls you girls want to go on a mission trip one day. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:38.559 Yes, I want to go. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:41.759 Yeah, where do you you you have you talked about where you want to go? 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:42.960 Um, no. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:44.639 You don't know where you want to go yet? 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:45.279 Do you know? 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:46.960 I kind of want to go to Mexico. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:47.759 Oh, okay. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:48.480 There you go. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:49.200 I like that. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:49.759 I like that. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:51.279 I'm gonna get to two places. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:52.720 Okay, where do you would you want to go? 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:56.559 South Africa and um Palace. 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:57.679 Oh, oh, okay. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:01.279 Yeah, your mom had to stop at uh in Paris uh on her way to Egypt. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:02.879 Oh, Egypt, yeah. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:04.559 Yeah, that's where your mom went. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:11.679 Uh and so what I want you to realize in this point in time is I think so many people, oh, I have to shine a light when, right? 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:14.480 I can only shine a light when I'm on a mission trip. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:18.879 I only shine a light when I'm uh you know working for the church. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:20.720 I can only shine my light when I do this. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:24.320 But the question I really want to ask is well, what about Tuesday morning? 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:27.679 What about tomorrow when you're at school with your friends? 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:32.399 When you're uh when maybe the person listening to us is at the office. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:37.600 Yeah, last last Bible study, Jameson had like a her lesson was about this. 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:38.399 Oh, was it? 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:39.440 Okay, what did she say? 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:45.759 She was saying, like, your mission field isn't like across the country, it's like in your backyard. 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.120 Yeah, that's right. 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:51.919 And I think it's really interesting because Jesus says this, and that was actually a really great point, London. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:56.799 Um, because Jesus uses a very interesting an analogy here. 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:02.159 He says, No one takes a lamp and just uh hides it under a blanket. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:06.000 And he uses something really ordinary, a lamp, right? 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:08.000 Just think about that lamp in the room. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:10.399 It's just there, right? 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:14.080 It's just kind of ordinary, and that's kind of what a lamp is, an ordinary thing. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:18.159 It it shines a light in ordinary places wherever it is. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.519 And so Jesus uses that analogy to talk about you and I. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:27.519 He says, Hey, when you're doing the ordinary things, when you're at the grocery store, picking up like Fruit Loops, right? 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:27.919 Yeah. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:31.600 When you're uh when you're walking home from school, right? 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:37.200 Or when you're riding the school bus, or uh maybe you're at a sporting event or whatever. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:39.200 When you're what? 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:40.159 Soccer game. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:49.120 When you're at a soccer game, or maybe you're even in the uh in the the the audience standing in the the the bleachers, cheering one of your sisters on, right? 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:56.960 And that what he says at this point is people don't hide a lamp, they don't put it under a basket, they don't throw a blanket over it. 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.360 No, light is meant to be seen. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:09.519 Um, but I think this is where we have to be careful because there's a difference between letting people see the light and trying to get the people to look at us, right? 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:15.519 You or my two most probably outgoing girls looking at you, London. 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.080 All right. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.279 Uh, you know, London is very funny, right? 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:20.879 And she's very outgoing. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:23.200 Uh, she she's oh, you don't think she's that funny? 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:30.399 The face, the the people in the audience can't see the face you just made, but you just gringe uh thinking she's not that funny. 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:32.240 I am really funny. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:45.759 We would agree, but I think for for what we have to understand is that there is a difference between letting people see the light of the Lord and trying to get people to look at us. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:47.679 It's about a heart issue, right? 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:49.759 This is back to that flashlight. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:55.360 If I'm constantly pointing the flashlight at myself, I misunderstand the purpose. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:13:02.240 The purpose of my life isn't to convince everybody to look and to think, wow, he's a really good pastor. 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:04.320 Wow, he's a really good Christian. 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.879 Man, she's a really good dude. 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:08.480 She's a good person. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.519 Um, they are to look in and go, look at all the amazing things they do. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:14.879 That is not the goal. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:17.600 We don't shine so people will notice us. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:21.279 We shine so that people will see Christ. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:23.840 Have you ever heard someone say this? 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:28.960 You might only be the Bible someone ever reads. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:30.720 So you better live your life right. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.320 Have you ever heard that said? 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:40.879 Yeah, someone may have said, uh, you know, you you listen, you gotta understand, you may only be the Bible that someone may ever read. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:42.159 So live your life right. 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:49.120 Now that that statement isn't wrong, but our but our actions are not the only thing we need to do. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:51.679 We are called to tell people about Jesus. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.799 Romans chapter 10 tells this our words matter. 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:56.720 What do I say all the time at home? 00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:58.080 Your words matter. 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:00.320 Yep, I always say words matter, right? 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:02.320 And so our words matter. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.360 Is shining the light through our actions important? 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:06.480 Absolutely. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:12.879 Think about this shining your light may look like patience when all of your sisters are losing their mind. 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:14.080 Yeah. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:14.559 Yes. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:23.519 Uh shining the light may look like uh shining the light looks like integrity when cutting corners in the office is easier and everyone else is doing it. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:31.840 Or maybe like integrity in your perspective is not cheating on the test when everyone else in your class wants to. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:38.000 Shining the light looks like forgiveness when everyone else wants to stay angry. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:42.240 Shining the light looks like generosity when no one else expects it. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:45.840 It's the way you raise your children, audience, church. 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:50.399 It's the way you conduct yourself at work, it's the way you respond when somebody hurts you. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.600 Light is most noticeable in darkness. 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:58.000 When you're in the middle of the storm, your light can shine bright. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:01.679 But our actions are not the only thing they need to see. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:04.399 They also need to hear the word proclaimed. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:05.679 Romans chapter 10. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:06.960 Listen to these words, girls. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:09.039 Verses 14 and 15 says this. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:15.519 How are they called on how are they to call on the one they have not believed in? 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.320 And how are they to believe in the one they have not heard? 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:21.360 And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:25.519 And how are they to uh how are they to preach unless they are sent? 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:31.600 For as it is written, how timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news? 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:41.120 Maybe just maybe this week, God has ordained your actions and your words to collide into someone's life this week. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.720 Let me say that again. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:54.879 Maybe just maybe this week, God has ordained your actions and your words to collide into someone's life this week, stepping into the mission he has for you. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:01.200 Now, uh I I'm all about going to the other side of the world on a mission trip, right? 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:02.080 We've talked about this. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.000 Your dad does that, and he travels a lot. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:09.120 And frankly, I believe every Christian should, who is able, should go on a mission trip. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:14.000 But my question I'm asking you today is are you even willing to go across the street, right? 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:19.360 You were saying that in your Bible study, I guess this was your girls' Bible study that happens on Tuesdays. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:22.799 Shout out to Nola, who leads that every Tuesday. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:29.440 She allows a bunch of teenage girls to just compiling into her living room and they talk about Jesus. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:32.080 So Nola's crushing it in that department. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:41.120 And so if you have a teenage daughter and you're listening and your teenage daughter does not go to Nola's group on Tuesday nights, we would love to give you more information about it. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:50.240 But like you said, we are the light in our neighborhoods around the people we say, around the people we're with, because you are the light of the world. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.120 Why? 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:53.600 Because Jesus has changed you. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:55.519 This is your identity. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.679 You are the light of the world. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.600 What Christ has done in us should be visible through us. 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:05.119 And ultimately, Jesus tells us exactly what it's supposed to do, right? 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.240 Listen and remember. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:16.160 Matthew 5, 16 says this in the same way, let your light shine before people so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your father in heaven. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:16.880 That's the goal. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:17.839 What's the goal, girls? 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:18.960 What did he just say? 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:23.440 To give honor to your father in heaven, right? 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:24.640 So we shine the light. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:25.279 Why? 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:28.559 So that people will see our good deeds and then what? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:33.519 Turn around and give honor to our Father in heaven, right? 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:37.440 So they're not gonna sit here and go, man, Meadow, you're awesome, right? 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.400 They're not gonna sit here and go, oh, London, you're super great. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:44.480 They're gonna sit here and go, Wow, how holy is our God? 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:47.279 How amazing is our God. 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:50.960 When they see our lives, they should see our Father. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:52.480 That is Christianity. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:55.680 Not to look at me, but to look at him. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:02.799 And that's worth thinking about because we live in a culture that constantly encourages us is us to build our own platform. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:03.680 Think about YouTube. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:05.359 You girls like to watch YouTube, right? 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:10.720 And YouTube has a tendency to build a platform around what? 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.400 A person, right? 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:12.880 Yes. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:16.720 Think about a person on YouTube right now that they kind of build it around themselves. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.839 Give me a name. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.039 Dude Perfect. 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:20.160 Dude Perfect, yes. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:24.880 They're great Christians and they they do have the opportunity, but the whole brand is these five guys, right? 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:25.759 Who are they? 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.240 It's tall guide, tall guide, Tyler, beard. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.119 What do they call it? 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:34.400 Tall guide, beard, twins, purple hoser, right? 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.039 That's what it is. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.319 It's that that's their identity. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.960 Their identity is hey, one of them is tall, right? 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.559 One of them has a beard. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:44.000 Well, two of them are twins, and then the other guy is a purple hoser. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.359 I don't know what a purple hoser is. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:46.559 You know what a purple hoser is? 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:46.960 No. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:47.839 I don't either. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.359 But we're not a sports family. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:50.640 It's probably a sports thing. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:56.960 Hey, if you're listening to this one day, uh out there and you know what a purple hoser is, just tell me, Meadow London. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:01.440 Uh, if you see my wife say, hey, I'll tell you what a purple hoser is, because I don't know what a purple hoser is. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.400 But you think about like Mr. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.039 Beast, right? 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:03.279 Mr. 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:10.160 Beast's whole platform is like he's building his brand, the the feastable bars, right? 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.440 The what? 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:24.079 His his he's got even like toys out and little beast toys and different things that he's building his brand, the beast games, and that is countercultural to what Christian Christianity says. 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:26.000 Is it okay to build a business? 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:26.720 Absolutely. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:29.119 Is it okay to be famous? 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.480 Sure, absolutely. 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.400 Is it okay to have a YouTube following? 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:35.039 Yeah, the dude perfect is a great example of that. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:43.519 But at the end of the day, we should be pointing people to Jesus, not just pointing people to look at us. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:53.119 Live in such a way that when people see your life, their attention is ultimately drawn beyond you to your father in heaven. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:58.640 That is radically different than how the world tells us to leave to uh to live. 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:05.359 You also mean that you know must there must be times that you're gonna shine your light and no one's gonna recognize it. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:05.759 Right? 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:08.240 You're gonna shine your light and no one will see you. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:13.680 You're gonna shine your light and maybe forgive someone and no one's gonna be there to applaud you. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.960 Maybe you're gonna do something nice for someone and no one will ever know. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:18.880 Does it still matter, girls? 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:20.000 Yes, yes. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:26.480 Absolutely, because you're not living for the applause of people, we're living for the glory of God. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.720 And maybe here's a challenge this week. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:30.000 Ask yourself two questions. 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:32.000 Here's the two questions I'm gonna ask the audience. 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:33.039 Hopefully they'll answer. 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:36.319 The first question I want them to ask is are they following the light? 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.039 Because everything starts there. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:43.440 Did Jesus come merely to make us nicer peepers people? 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:50.319 No, we were separated from God by our sin, and we needed the grace of God to forgive us. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:54.000 But Jesus, the light of the world, stepped into our darkness. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:59.519 He lived the life we could not live, he died the death uh our sins deserve. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:06.400 He rose from the grave and he calls us to turn from our sins, trust him, and follow him. 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:13.680 So before we start talking about shining the light, we need to ask ourselves are we actually following Jesus? 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:21.839 And then once you answer that question, I think you would ask yourself, if you're following him, where has God placed you to shine? 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:25.680 Lenin, give me a one area God has placed you to shine. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.599 Uh like my school. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:28.480 Yeah, okay. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.480 Maybe go give me a class. 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:32.960 Um like lunch. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:33.759 Oh, okay. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:34.480 That's even better. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:35.200 That's even better. 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:36.720 That's a great class, right? 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:38.480 Lunch is the great class. 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:39.759 That's the the best class, right? 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:40.799 What don't you think, Meadow? 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:41.279 Yes. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:43.440 I mean, PE may be o meal. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:45.039 No, PE's not better. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.079 It's it's hot. 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:48.480 We live in Florida and all those different things. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:55.200 But we are called to shine the light in our schools, in the lunchroom, uh, in our neighborhoods with our family. 00:21:55.599 --> 00:22:04.400 Uh, and then um we at that point in time, uh, we should put our actions and our words together. 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:08.880 Our actions and our words should point someone towards Christ. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:09.759 That's the goal. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.640 Jesus is the light, so follow him. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:18.079