WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.400 Man. 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:08.720 This again, like I said, this is week 13 of a series we're calling Red Letter Summer, where we're spending every Sunday covering as much about Jesus as possible. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:16.239 Uh the beginning of this year, we spent a lot of time remembering the importance of spiritual disciplines that turn Christians into disciples. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:24.399 And then 10 weeks after that, we spent a long time uh recalling and remembering the importance of all the theology baked into the apostles' creed. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:28.800 And then we spent a couple of weeks remembering the importance of the person, the power, the presence of the Holy Spirit. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:35.359 And now this summer we've been remembering quotes from Jesus and stories from Jesus and stories about Jesus and teachings from Jesus. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:51.679 And because Jesus' words historically show up in red font within our Bibles, that's where we get the idea of our series title, Red Letter Summer, but in the most ironic fashion, for the final sermon of the series, which is today, shocker, surprise. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:59.600 For the final sermon of the series, we are actually not covering a passage where Jesus says a single word. 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:05.760 Instead, we are covering a passage with a lot of words that simply showcases Jesus' heart. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:10.799 And so if you have your Bibles, I want to invite you to open them up to Matthew chapter one. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:13.920 Matthew chapter number one. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.920 Now, I gave you a dig on Tennessee, but how many Go Valls, right? 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:23.840 Like, hell ladies and gentlemen, we're we've started off the season right. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:30.239 I don't know about all these other teams that shall not be named from this platform, but we're doing all right. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:33.920 Matthew one, literally verse number one. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:39.760 AKA, what many of you have referred to as the most boring Christmas verse of all time. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:40.560 Let's check it out. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:41.280 Here we go. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:43.439 Matthew 1, starting in verse number 1. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:44.159 Get ready. 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:45.840 This is a thrilling read. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:52.239 This is the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:02:22.719 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah, the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amenedab, Aminedab the father of Nashan, Nashan the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz, the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obad, the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:54.719 David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been his wife, Solomon, the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abiah, the father of Asah, Asa, the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat, the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Ammon, Ammon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechaniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:24.960 After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah was the father of Sheeltio, Sheeltio the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Akim the father of Elihud, Elihud the father of Eliazar, Eliazar the father of Maton, Maton the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:37.360 Thus were the 14 generations in all, from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile to Babylon, and 14 from the exile to the Messiah. 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:42.639 Like I said, thrilling read, if I say so myself. 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:53.840 This is one of those moments where when this shows up in your Bible plan, you just let the Bible read it for you, and you some of you just skip this altogether. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:55.680 You haven't read this verse in years. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:57.520 You're like, what are all these names? 00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:58.960 I don't understand any of this. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:00.639 So let's talk about it, okay? 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:09.919 For those of you who are here during the Christmas season this past year, you will remember that I preached on this verse for the very first time in my life. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:17.199 And the only reason we're circling back around to this verse today has to do with how we are ending the message, okay? 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:20.879 And you'll understand how we're ending the message sooner rather than later. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:29.839 But with that in mind, if you're taking notes, I want to use this giant list of names to preach a sermon entitled A Mess Worth Mentioning. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:32.879 A mess worth mentioning. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:46.319 Now, within these first 17 verses of his gospel narrative, Matthew is doing more than just simply listing Jesus' family tree. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:05:01.759 He is proving to his Jewish audience that Jesus really is the long-awaited Messiah sent by God, and he's doing this by structuring Jesus' genealogy around the lives of both Abraham and David. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:11.439 And the reason he does this is because by doing this, Matthew is showcasing how Jesus is the fulfillment of both of God's covenant promises. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:17.920 Number one, his covenant promise to Abraham that his offspring would be a blessing to many nations. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:25.279 And number two, God's covenant promise to David that someone from his family line would sit on Israel's throne forever. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:43.360 And so, first and foremost, Matthew's genealogy here is Matthew's ancient Jewish way of saying every scripture in the Old Testament finds its culmination in one man and his name is Jesus. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:52.560 Every promise that God has ever made in our family's history culminates in one man and his name is Jesus. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:06:08.639 He is literally saying that everything that Israel and the rest of the world has been waiting on God to do, it is all found and seen and experienced in the person of Jesus Christ. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:13.040 Okay, now that's a very ancient way of saying all of that. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:24.000 And yet I also believe that while that's probably the primary story being told through this genealogy, there is yet another story being told through this genealogy. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:53.519 You will notice that while Jesus' family history is full of patriarchs and saints and kings and prophets and miracles and covenants and all sorts of God's power, his family history is also full of some shady characters and some bad decision making and some really, I mean, really messy people and some messy storylines and like just some messy human interactions. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:07:05.839 And rather than attempting to whitewash Jesus' family line, which at the time would have been like Jesus' resume, Matthew does something that no one at that time period would have seen coming. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:15.439 Instead of whitewashing Jesus' family line, Matthew chooses to include all of that messiness right there within the story. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:19.680 He chooses to include these stories of scandalously sinful people. 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:32.000 And we could go back through here and talk through the stories of all of these random kings that show up in like 1st and 2nd Chronicles and all these parts of the Bible where many of you just sort of skip through. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:36.959 I mean, it's literally like evil king after evil king after evil king included in this storyline. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:38.720 Very, very embarrassing people. 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:46.000 But let's not even talk about the random people, let's talk about the superstars in this story for just a second. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:50.720 Because sometimes it's easy to think, oh yeah, Jehoram, he was a terrible king. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:53.519 I've read his story multiple times, absolutely awful. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:55.600 But what about Abraham? 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:57.519 Remember Abraham in the Bible? 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:00.079 If in case you're wondering, if you want to write this down, you can. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:03.920 His story is found in Genesis 12 through Genesis 25. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:05.199 This is the story of Abraham. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:07.600 Genesis 12 through Genesis 25. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:15.040 Abraham, uh, he's the guy who models this radical faith and obedience toward God. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:20.800 He leaves his homeland, his family, and everything he knows behind to follow God into the distant unknown. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:22.160 He trusts God. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.920 I mean, he's known as the father of faith. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:32.559 He trusts that God is not only going to give him a son, but he's going to make him the father of many nations, even though his wife struggles to get pregnant for over 25 years. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:38.159 The Bible just says Abraham continues to trust God and continues to believe God, which is obviously a feat. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:52.559 But then when you go back and read the story, this is also Abraham who twice put his wife's life in danger by lying about who she was to pagan kings who then ended up displaying more integrity than Abraham himself. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:09:03.919 This is also the Abraham who forced his slave woman to sleep with him, to conceive his child, to give birth to his child who, mind you, was totally against God's will. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:11.039 And then when things uh shockingly go bad in the household and some tension arises because of that decision, what does he do? 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:18.639 He kicks them to the curb, both the lady and the child, with nothing but like a sack of food, and says, Good luck. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:20.960 This is the father of faith. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:24.559 This is a shady character, in case you've never been told this. 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:33.679 And you don't have to look further than that, because then, I mean, right after Genesis 25, if I'm not mistaken, beginning of Genesis 25, actually, the same chapter you've got, Jacob. 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:35.600 He's the next guy that gets brought up. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:40.159 And his storyline goes from about Genesis 25 through Genesis 49. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:46.480 And Jacob is the guy who loved this girl that he was going to be married to, named Rachel. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:58.879 He loved her so much that even though her dad Laban was sort of a scumbag and took advantage of him for 14 years, he continues working for him for 14 years just so he can marry Rachel and he wrestles with God and he gets renamed Israel. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:04.080 And then he's the father of the sons, the 12 sons, to become the namesakes for Israel. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:07.039 I mean, this guy is literally, his name is Israel. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:08.080 He's pretty important. 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:17.600 And at the same time, Jacob was a lying, cheating, manipulator who literally uses his own family for his selfish gain. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:21.200 He tricks his own brother Esau out of his birthright. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:25.759 He deceives his blind father Isaac to make all this happen. 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:36.960 And then he's such a man of integrity that when push comes to shove and things get awkward, he high tells it and takes off out of his house so that he doesn't have to face up to the consequences of his own decision making. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:41.200 Okay, and these are just two people, and these aren't even the evil kings in the storyline. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:47.840 Let's skip forward a little bit and let's go to someone that is less known in the storyline, just very briefly mention. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:56.240 In fact, she only has one chapter of the Bible where her story is found, and it's Joshua chapter two, and it's this lady named Rahab. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:20.879 Rahab is this Canaanite woman who fears God to the point and honors and respects God and his people to the point that when the Israelite spies show up to begin scouting out the land of Canaan to take it over, because God's told them it's their promised land, she hides them in her home so that they can spy it out and begin the preparation to take it over, right? 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:25.039 And that's, I mean, I think we can all say that's an honorable thing that she would do. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:31.440 At the same time, Rahab wasn't just a Canaanite woman, she was a Canaanite prostitute. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:41.440 She was an immoral pagan prostitute who, mind you, hid spies from another country and double-crossed her own people. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:47.519 Again, maybe not someone that we would celebrate, right? 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.120 And then you can just skip through, and we'll just end it about halfway through. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:57.120 And of course, you've got, I mean, just the most iconic name, probably in the whole list, of course, David, right? 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:08.799 You see his story in 1 Samuel 15, all the way through 2 Samuel 24, but you also see it in the kings and you also see it in the chronicles, and Jesus talks about him all the time. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:10.159 God really loves David. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:13.919 In fact, David is described as a man after God's own heart. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:25.039 This is the David who took down the giant Goliath and he had all these military victories, and he united the 12 tribes of Israel and established Israel as a legitimate nation for the very first time. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:31.120 And this is also David who wasn't just a political figure, he was also a spiritual figure and a spiritual leader. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:44.240 The David who, through his prayers and his songs, and his poems that we call the Psalms teach us what real spirit-filled and spirit-inspired worship is actually supposed to look like. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:55.200 And this is also the David who slept with one of his closest friend Uriah's wives when Uriah was gone fighting a war that David was supposed to be at. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:02.399 And then he gets Bathsheba, the wife, pregnant, and so as to try and cover it up so that he didn't have to take accountability for his own actions. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:09.360 He sends Uriah to the front lines to be killed, which means David doesn't just commit adultery, he then in fact commits murder. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:17.759 And then later on, you keep reading, and this is the same David, who was such a poor father that his own son tries to kill him and take the throne from him. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:29.600 And then, way late in his life, this is the David who decides to orchestrate a census that God never acted or asked for, that then results in the death of 70,000 innocent people. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.519 You see what I'm saying? 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:37.440 When I say that Jesus' storyline includes a lot of mess. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.600 I mean, these are just some of the most popular people in the storyline. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:52.639 We haven't talked about some of the evil kings, that it's like they were kings for three months, and they were the worst king in the history of Israel, and God smote them and they were done for. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:54.480 I mean, you know, we didn't even talk about these people. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:57.039 We're just talking about some of the most famous people. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:10.480 And one of the reasons that I believe that God had Matthew begin the story of Jesus by mentioning all of these messy people and their messy decisions and their messy lives is this. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:22.159 While the blood of Jesus will absolutely cleanse you from all the guilt and all the shame associated with any of your past sins, hear me clearly. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.679 God does not want to rewrite your story. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:28.320 God wants to use your story. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:33.600 And he doesn't just want to use the good parts of your story that make you look impressive and awesome. 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.759 He wants to use all of your story. 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:42.559 He wants to use the messy moments, he wants to use that season of unrestrained sin that you don't like talking about. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:46.639 God wants to use all the family drama that you caused. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:51.120 God wants to use those decisions that you still regret and that you're still paying for. 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:57.200 He wants to use all the stress and the fear and the depression and the anxiety and the anger that you've endured. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:58.480 He wants to use it all. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:15.279 And I notice some of you like you created some messes in your life that you don't really want to talk about, but in the same way that God has used the messes and the milestones of people like Abraham and Jacob and Rahab and David to encourage you. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:48.080 Is that what you see when you look into the mirror? 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:51.759 That's who God's building this kingdom with. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:57.600 And I love the fact that this sermon, and I didn't plan this, this is what's so wonderful. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:05.279 I love the fact that this sermon falls on week one of our fall semester of small groups. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:33.360 Because one of the best features of being in a small group is that not only do you get to hear the stories of how everybody else in that group met God and the story of how God is continuing to transform their messy lives, but you have to share the story of how you met God and how He is continuing to transform your messy life. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:45.120 And personally, week one and week six, which are the weeks that are dedicated to telling those Jesus stories or testimonies, whatever church you grew up in, said called it something different. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:50.720 While those are my two favorite weeks of small group, that's not the case for everybody. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:57.440 Some people get real intimidated by weeks one and week six, and there are many different reasons why. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:00.879 Sometimes it's because they don't have a Jesus story. 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:01.360 Yeah. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:02.960 They have no story with God. 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:08.079 They have a story with church, which is not the same as a story with God, in case you haven't been told this. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:10.079 They have a story about going to church. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:18.559 They may have a story about cussing less, or about learning how to sing while they are at church, but they have no story with God. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:43.279 They have no defining moment that they can look back on and say, this is the moment, this is the day, this is the season of life where I stopped trying to drive, where I stopped trying to control my life, where I stopped making every decision, and I decided to surrender every part of who I am my dreams, my money, my time, my ambitions, everything about who I am, where I surrendered it over to Jesus and made him the Lord and Savior of my life. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.240 They don't have that story. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:53.279 And so obviously, that's kind of a tough night if you have to stand up there and say, I don't have anything to say because I'm still testing the waters. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:53.920 And that's fine. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:55.920 We love that when that happens in our group. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:05.039 Other times, people are intimidated at sharing their Jesus story because their Jesus story stops and starts at nine years old. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:13.519 At nine, they go to VBS, they accepted Jesus into their heart, they get baptized, and that is the same day their story started and stopped. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:18.559 Because after they got baptized, they have no story of God continuing to transform their life. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:21.519 In fact, it seems that it just sort of goes downhill from there. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:30.640 They actually move further and further and further away from God in their high school years and their college years, and then at some point when they're like 41 and they have a couple kids, like, man, man, maybe we should get back in church. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:34.799 And then they get back in church, but they still haven't let God transform anything about who they are. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:38.000 And so their story, it's like it always goes like this. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:44.480 Well, I was nine, and I preached this sermon, and I or someone preached a sermon, and I cried and I got saved and baptized. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:51.359 And that's why we have this little question at the end, and we go, and how has God continued to transform your life now? 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:57.920 Sometimes people stop at that question and they're like, I don't even know how to answer it because they don't have an answer. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:16.079 And then on other occasions, probably more than most of us care to admit, the reason that that moment, a small group, sharing a Jesus story, makes a lot of people nervous is simply because they're not currently in a mountaintop moment with God. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:18.160 You know what I'm talking about when I say that? 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:27.119 There are certain seasons of our life where sharing the story of who God's been to us and what God's done in us and how he's transformed us is awesome. 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:34.480 It is so much fun because you're doing awesome and you're having a great time, and you're in a really great place of life. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:53.680 You are reading your Bible and you're praying and going to church and you're serving on a team, and you went through prayer training and you engaged in the church-wide fast, and you're experiencing all this spiritual growth, and you're changing your family's changing, and you're experiencing spiritual gifts, and you're walking in freedom from these hangups and these addictions that have been plaguing you your whole life. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:20:04.960 Your marriage is good, your kids are good, these prayers are getting answered, your mind is blown, you love God, and then there are the seasons where that's not the case. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:21.519 There are the seasons where it feels like maybe your relationship with God or your experience with his church or your connection with God maybe is on a uh lower level than it was at some point. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:29.759 Maybe you would describe it as uh you just don't feel his presence like you did a couple of months ago. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:36.559 Or maybe you've slipped back into some of those bad habits or those bad mindsets or those addictions that you just sore up and down. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:40.640 You were never gonna go back to, and yet here you are. 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:52.480 Or maybe your marriage is struggling, or maybe you are stressed about money, or maybe you just feel behind or out of control in every aspect of your life, or maybe it's even worse than that. 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:56.000 Maybe it's not just that you're struggling, maybe you're mad at God. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:01.759 Maybe you are jaded because of some circumstances that did or didn't happen in your life. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:08.319 Maybe you're frustrated at God for some prayers that have gone unanswered, and now because of that, you're actually frustrated for two reasons. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:19.440 You're not just frustrated at the fact that the prayer went unanswered, you are, but now you're frustrated at the fact that you're frustrated because you're like, I'm supposed to trust God and I'm supposed to love God, even when He's not moving on my watch. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:26.000 And yet I don't, and so I'm frustrated at how I feel toward God, and I'm frustrated about what hasn't happened. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:43.200 And the idea of sharing that out loud to your closest friends, not even to mention people in a small group, feels at best embarrassing and at worst impossible. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.960 You've been there? 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:49.839 If you have, let me encourage you. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:54.240 Number one, I've been there more than you could ever imagine. 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:58.880 And I can say that without a shadow of a doubt, because I'm a pastor. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:07.759 By the Nature of my actual career path, I am sort of supposed to have it together spiritually. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:10.319 It's like actually my job. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.519 You're like, it's my calling. 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:13.279 I'm like, it's my job. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:15.759 I get paid to have it together. 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:22.480 And yet, if you got inside this brain right here, you would know. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:24.400 This boy is lying. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:26.559 He does not have it together. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.240 He is wow. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:31.759 He is more he says he's unimpressive, but he really is. 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:36.160 Like if you just had a second, you could just sit up on my shelf at my house, you would know. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.119 And guess what? 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:53.839 I still got to do write the sermon and preach the sermon and lead the altar call and lead the prayer meeting and sit at a desk and talk to y'all while you're going through something and try to console you and help you through it. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:23:00.799 But in reality, I want to look at you and be like, when you figure it out, tell me, because I mean I don't I don't know. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:01.839 I wish I knew. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:03.519 I wish I could just give you the roadmap. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:06.880 You know, so number one, if you feel like that, boy, I get it. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.559 I get it, and I really get it. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:20.400 Number two, if you feel nervous about talking about like your past with God or life, or maybe even your current reality with God or life, number two, maybe you're nervous because you're just the only person in that room who's honest. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.400 You're the only person in the room who's not just trying to impress everybody else with your cool Jesus story, no matter how God used your life. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:28.000 You know, we do that. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:37.119 I know we like to think that we don't do that, but testimony night is most of the time, it's like the most braggadocious part of being a Christian. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:44.720 Sometimes you brag about how horrible and disgusting you were, and then other times you brag about how good you are and how everything's coming through for you right now. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:54.799 But then you've got the honest people in the room who are like, man, they just hear all these other stories, and it's like, ah, I don't even know if I like God right now. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:59.279 And so you don't even want to say it out loud because you're just the only honest one in there. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:08.240 If that's you, if you're struggling because you're honest, keep being honest, keep being the honest one and pray to God that the rest of us can catch up with you at some point, all right? 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:36.559 Number three, if you find yourself in a moment, or maybe you're nervous talking about your past relationship with God or life, or your current reality with God or life, maybe that's because you're believing the lie that God is looking for strong people or talented people or awesome people when in reality that's a lie. 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:38.960 That's literally never been the case. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:48.880 God doesn't build his kingdom with perfect people, he builds his kingdom with messy people and with forgiven people and with growing people. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:57.279 And I get oh, one of the cool realities of being a pastor is that I get to see this reality play out every single day. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:58.480 Every day. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:12.319 I lead a team, a ministry team of staff and volunteer leaders who collectively, if they're being honest with you, almost on an everyday occasion feel we all feel just unqualified to do what it is that we're doing. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:14.319 We don't feel like the most talented. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:16.640 We don't have the answers to the hard questions. 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:23.119 We are totally unsure of ourselves and feel insecure doing this all the time, and yet we still gotta do it. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:25.119 And God's like, no, no, keep going. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:47.920 And I mean, gosh, when I think about God using messiness and moving through it, anyways, I think about people on a worship in production who have to give hours and hours and hours of the week just preparing for this moment, and then they stand up here and they lead and they're serving back there with every ounce of passion that they have, when in reality they'd much rather be right where you are. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:26:01.920 They must they've gone through hell that week, and they gotta sit up here and saying, You are good, good, and in their minds are like, I I I'm singing it because I know it's true, but I don't feel it right now, and they do it anyways. 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:06.079 And I look at them and I just think worship power, right? 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:07.039 You know what I'm saying? 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:13.920 I see it in so many of our volunteer team members every week. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:26.799 People who I don't know, raise their voices at their spouses, they slip back into old habits and addictions or deal with different kinds of sins, some big, some little, and yet they continue pressing forward. 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:31.119 They continue saying yes to God, they continue being used by God. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:33.119 I think it's really cool. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:52.160 And again, if you find yourself in a position where you feel like you're too weak or too insufficient to be loved by God or to belong by God or to be used by God in some kind of cool or special way, then you gotta go back and read Matthew chapter one and remind yourself that Jesus didn't whitewash his family history. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:58.799 Abraham was impatient and driven by fear, Jacob was lying, self-serving, and a manipulator. 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:14.640 Rahab was an immoral pagan prostitute, David is an adulterous murderer, Solomon is grossly rich and self-indulgent, and all of it was written by Matthew, a guy who's a tax collector, aka, a professional extortionist and a national traitor. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:22.000 If Jesus is not ashamed to be associated with them, Jesus is not ashamed to be associated with you. 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:28.240 And if Jesus can redeem his family line, he can redeem your story as well. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:36.799 It's all he does, it's all he's ever done. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:48.799 And I'm reminded of it every time I look into the mirror, and I'm supposed to look at an impressive man of God who knows the scriptures and who only thinks about prayer and serving the poor all day long. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:28:02.240 And instead, I look in the mirror and I see someone who's full of pride, or maybe insecurity, or maybe selfishness, or maybe he's mean, or maybe that week it's laziness and inconsistency. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:04.720 And that's just that's just last week. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:09.680 And yet, God is still using me. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:20.079 And you want to know why I don't mind like mentioning that mess, and why I don't mind owning it and bringing it to the light, and why you shouldn't either? 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:24.400 Because God's not ashamed of your story, God knows your story. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:27.200 You ain't hiding nothing from him, anyways. 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:45.519 We are talking about the Jesus who stepped right into a family that is literally defined by brokenness and sin and messy, messy storylines. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:49.599 And I think that's the point. 00:28:50.240 --> 00:29:07.519 You know, I think that's the point because we love sitting on our high horse and looking down on everybody else who's still dealing with the sins that we only stopped dealing with six weeks ago. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:08.960 We love it. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:11.680 It makes us feel makes us feel incredible. 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:18.000 It's why, that's why sometimes I'm not saying I'm rooting for people to fail or that I like sin, not saying that at all. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:26.319 Sometimes, though, I look back on moments like that and I'm deeply grateful for them because now I can weaponize that against the enemy. 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:39.279 Some of you have been allowing the enemy to weaponize your past against you when in reality you should be weaponizing it against him and saying, no, no, no, no, no, yeah, I did that, should not have done that. 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:43.279 But now, I tell you one thing, I'm never gonna be self-righteous. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:46.480 I'm never gonna deal with looking down on somebody else. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:49.920 I mean, you you you you you caused me to go through that, and you know what you did? 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:58.079 You made me stronger, you made me a better Christian because now I'm never gonna judge anybody else for their stuff because I, I mean, I am so clearly messed up, right? 00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:04.880 We're not supposed to be sitting on our high horses looking, oh, and it's the it's the I just got saved Christian disease. 00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:07.359 You know what I'm talking about. 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:16.079 People who have literally lived their entire lives in just embarrassing debauchery, they get saved, and one week later they're like telling their family how they oh need to repent or they're going to hell. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:18.480 It's like maybe just calm down. 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:28.079 Maybe just live this thing out consistently for seven minutes before you start grabbing everybody else by the throat and telling them how they need to change. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:36.720 Maybe just show up consistently to church for nine weeks in a row before you start shouting about how they don't raise their hands and they don't care about God. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:39.920 Well, that's what was you three weeks ago. 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:42.079 So maybe just, I don't know. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:44.079 Tone it down, boss. 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:49.519 Like you're allowed to calm that down a little bit. 00:30:50.079 --> 00:31:02.400 Remind yourself, like when Jesus said that he came for the sinners and for the sick, he wasn't talking about whoever just came into your mind when you thought about the worst sinner in your family. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:04.160 He's talking about you. 00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:06.960 You are the sinner he's talking about. 00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:12.640 You are the weak, unimpressive, sinful, sick, broken person that he's talking about. 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:14.160 That's who you were, at least. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:17.680 Maybe that's not who you should identify as now, but it is who you were. 00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:20.480 We're all messy, we're all broken. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:25.839 We all have our bad moments and our bad days and our bad weeks and our bad years. 00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:34.640 And the good news is that it's not your consistency and your holiness and your knowledge of God's word that ever got you in good with God to begin with. 00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:38.799 The message isn't work harder and do better, and then God will like you. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:47.599 The message is Jesus worked hard and he did perfect, and because of Jesus and Jesus alone, now you can have the opportunity for God to like you. 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:49.440 It all goes back to Jesus. 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:54.799 The message is you all your only job of this is to recognize how broken you really are. 00:31:55.039 --> 00:32:00.160 You have to come to the reality that, man, I am struggling and I can't please God on my own. 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:04.720 And there's only one person who ever did please God, and his name is Jesus, and he did it on my behalf. 00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:07.279 And so I'm giving you everything, every part of who I am. 00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:15.920 I'm repenting from my sins, I'm turning to you, and I'm receiving your love and your mercy and your grace, even on days when I don't feel like it or I don't feel it at all. 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:19.519 I choose to believe that you are more than enough. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:29.440 And if you sometimes, if you don't feel like if you don't feel like you're good enough or holy enough or churchy enough to be loved by God and used by God and belong to God's family, then you're actually in a pretty good position. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:35.759 Because Jesus is clear, he disdains people who view themselves as sitting atop the holiness food chain. 00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:43.200 He disdains people who find themselves looking down on all these other bad Christians who need to get it together and be more like me. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:46.160 He hates that, he distances himself from those people. 00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:50.960 I've heard it said like this: Jesus isn't just a friend of sinners, he is only a friend of sinners. 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:52.880 He is only a friend of sinners. 00:32:53.119 --> 00:33:01.039 The only way Jesus is your friend is you have to admit that you got problems and that you need help. 00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:22.000 You don't have to be perfect to be Jesus' friend, you have to be honest to be Jesus' friend, you gotta be humble to be Jesus' friend, and you gotta remember that God is not trying to build his kingdom with perfect people, he is building his kingdom with messy, forgiven, and growing people. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:26.880 That's been the story of the gospel this entire time. 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:40.720 And today, the hope, the goal is that some of you just walk out encouraged that you are messy, and God is still not done with you. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:59.039 You haven't been perfect, and God still likes you, He thinks you're cool, and He wants to be around you and help you and bless you, and others of you, maybe the response today is you have to come to grips with the fact that you haven't started your story with God yet. 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:01.039 You haven't said yes to him. 00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:07.440 And for those of you that you'd honestly assess your situation and think, you know, you're probably right. 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:20.639 I don't think I've gone all in, surrendered my life, place my faith in Jesus because it's not proven by how I've been living, and I'm ready to do that, repent of my sins, and I'm ready to go all in, give him everything and receive his love and his mercy. 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:22.239 If you need to do that, do that. 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:24.719 I'm not gonna walk you through a prayer out loud. 00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:26.320 You can do it right there where you're at. 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:39.039 Your prayer doesn't have to be perfect, you're allowed to have messy prayers too, as if you've ever had a perfect prayer or the right prayer or a prayer that's worded so correctly that God finally answers it as if that's the goal. 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:41.280 If you need to do it, do it. 00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:45.599 Or at better yet, at the end, we invite our prayer team up and you go to walk out, they'll be up here. 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:48.239 They're ready to walk you through that moment and help you with that. 00:34:48.320 --> 00:35:07.360 But let me say this if there is a group of people in our church who understand the reality of God's love toward people who are messy, who deal with hurts, hangups, and habits, it is our celebrate recovery crowd. 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:15.519 And today I want to end by giving you the opportunity to hear from three Celebrate Recovery rock stars. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:19.199 So if you guys would, can you welcome them as they take the stage real quick? 00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:29.039 All right, I'm gonna introduce them to you real fast. 00:35:29.280 --> 00:35:30.880 First, this is Miss Tabitha. 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:32.559 She actually leads Celebrate Recovery. 00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:35.199 You're gonna hear from her in just a second about this. 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:40.559 But secondly, big dog, man. 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:45.920 This guy is one of the longest running members of Overflow Church. 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:51.760 He he was hanging out at this building before it was Overflow Church. 00:35:52.320 --> 00:35:55.760 Hanging out at the building before it was a nice way to put it, right? 00:35:56.000 --> 00:36:04.480 Uh uh and Robert, Robert Harrison, he just recently celebrated 13 years of sobriety, man. 00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.920 Is that incredible or what? 00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:11.440 Hey, take a minute, say whatever you want to say, encourage him. 00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:24.079 Um I'm a faithful believer in Jesus Christ, and I fight many addictions and habits, hang ups, and my name's Robert. 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:31.280 Uh God has got me and and and you know, we're here for celebrate and recovery. 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:37.840 God has put me in this position, you know, to help out guys like this next guy we're gonna introduce, you know. 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:41.280 If it wasn't for people like him, I wouldn't be where I'm at today. 00:36:41.679 --> 00:36:49.679 You know, because God has done so much in my life, brought me from the bottom to where I'm at today. 00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:54.559 You know, he's given me a family, he's given me a life to begin with, you know, family. 00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:56.400 This church. 00:36:57.119 --> 00:36:59.760 You know, uh, I thank him every day for it. 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:08.639 You know, he he has done so much, you know, you you guys just don't even know where I come from and what I've been through. 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:14.480 But if you if you want to come hang out tonight at eight o'clock over here, you can hear the whole story for an hour. 00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:18.000 You know, because I'm gonna speak at this young man's birthday. 00:37:18.320 --> 00:37:28.960 And uh that's where that's where God has helped me out so much he put me in recovery to help out another person with the same problems. 00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:35.440 And you know, them people don't understand that they're helping me out more than I'm helping them. 00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:39.119 You know, that's how how God works in my life. 00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:46.880 You know, it's just a reminder that it's still out there for me to pick up and go back to, and I don't want to do that today. 00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:48.320 You know, thank you. 00:37:48.639 --> 00:37:50.320 Hey, thank Robert, real quick. 00:37:54.559 --> 00:37:57.280 This next gentleman, his name is Bobby. 00:37:57.840 --> 00:38:01.599 Recently celebrated one year of sobriety. 00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:07.280 All right, thank you, Pastor Alex. 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:09.360 Uh my name is Bobby. 00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:14.400 I'm a grateful believer in Jesus Christ, and thank y'all for listening, and thank y'all for showing up today. 00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:18.880 Um, I'm not a stage man, so please forgive me and bear with me. 00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:35.440 Um I fought I fought drug addiction for for over 30 years, and uh it was a very, very long, hard, painful road for me, not just for me, but for my family, my daughters, uh, my grandbabies, just all my family and friends. 00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:42.079 Um I lost a lot, but I've gained a lot more through Jesus Christ and celebrate recovery. 00:38:42.320 --> 00:38:44.079 And you know, I owe it all. 00:38:44.239 --> 00:38:45.760 I owe it all to God. 00:38:47.599 --> 00:38:49.920 First and foremost is God is my savior. 00:38:50.079 --> 00:38:52.079 Jesus Christ is my savior. 00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:55.199 Uh celebrate recovery has brought me a long way. 00:38:55.360 --> 00:38:57.679 This year has been remarkable for me. 00:38:57.840 --> 00:39:00.800 I have I have I've working full time. 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:04.000 My parents' relationship and I have just grown. 00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:05.840 My brothers, my sisters. 00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:12.159 Uh it's just it's just been unbelievable, and I couldn't ask for anything better than what's going on in my life right now. 00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:15.199 Uh, and I owe it all to Jesus Christ, my Savior. 00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:17.119 And and I owe it to this church. 00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:24.719 I owe it to Robert for speaking, Tabitha for helping me along the way, and and Pastor Alex for inviting me up here. 00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:25.519 Thank you so much. 00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:30.000 I'm honored to be up here, and it's a blessing to me to see everybody out here. 00:39:30.159 --> 00:39:33.280 And uh thank you for listening, and God bless you all. 00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:40.800 It's your fruit we're looking at right now. 00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:44.320 So take a second, tell them about Celebrate Recovery. 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:46.639 You can even tell them about who you are for a second. 00:39:46.719 --> 00:39:50.639 But for anyone out there that needs to be a part of this, let them know how they can. 00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:52.960 My name is Tabitha French. 00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:56.159 I'm the ministry leader of Celebrate Recovery on Monday nights here. 00:39:56.320 --> 00:39:59.760 I have eight years sober, but I'm still working on me. 00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:06.960 Uh only 10% of the people nationally go to Celebrate Recovery for addiction. 00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:14.159 It's for unforgiveness, it's for depression, anxiety, eating habits, poor relationships. 00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:19.519 So there's not a reason that everybody in this room shouldn't be at Celebrate Recovery on Monday nights. 00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:23.280 Uh, it's there for healing, and you can start it. 00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:28.880 We start at 5:15 with some refreshments and great coffee and fellowship out here in the lobby. 00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:39.440 Then we have a big meeting in the big room, and then we break off in gender uh groups, and you know that's where we share our struggles, what we're struggling with. 00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:43.840 And our brother, our sisters lift us up, and uh, there's many a night. 00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:50.400 I wanted to turn around and go back home because I didn't think I was worth being here. 00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:56.960 But when I walked in here, my team made me feel that I was worth it. 00:40:57.519 --> 00:41:03.679 And I thank every one of them, and I thank every one of you, if you're struggling, please come see us tomorrow night. 00:41:03.760 --> 00:41:06.480 We're here every Monday night, even holidays. 00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:07.599 In Jesus' name. 00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:09.119 Thank you for letting me share. 00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:11.920 Come on, as they make their way off the stage. 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:12.880 Thank you guys so much. 00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:15.760 Do me a favor, stand up on your feet. 00:41:19.599 --> 00:41:31.840 I promise you, go to CR, you will find a group of people who are fully aware of the fact that God does not build his kingdom through perfect people, but through messy people, forgiving people, and growing people. 00:41:32.079 --> 00:41:40.400 For those of you who may, maybe you're never gonna go to CR, again, that's obviously okay, but do me a favor, if you're scheduled to be on our prayer team, I want you to make your way down here real quick. 00:41:40.639 --> 00:41:45.840 Maybe your response isn't being a part of celebrate recovery, maybe it's not getting baptized after the 11:30. 00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:50.239 Maybe your response today is just talking to someone, letting someone pray for you. 00:41:50.400 --> 00:41:57.360 If you need to make a that that fresh start, or you maybe it's for the very first time, you've never given your life to Jesus, you're ready to, you're ready to go all in. 00:41:57.519 --> 00:42:01.360 Or maybe you're making a fresh start with God for the first time in a long time. 00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:10.239 You had that moment, but for years now it's felt like you're kind of far away from God and you're ready to get back right and to continue following Him. 00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:13.840 Hey, anyone that's on this team is ready to walk you through that moment. 00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:15.199 They're ready to help you. 00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:26.079 Of course, if you do make that fresh start, if you go to Guest Experience, fill out one of those cards and you mark it on there that you made the fresh start, I'll text you this week or maybe next week. 00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:27.039 This is a really big week. 00:42:27.199 --> 00:42:30.000 Either way, within 10 days, you'll get a text from me. 00:42:30.079 --> 00:42:38.719 And me and you can chat and text and go get coffee and get on a phone call and talk about what it is God's doing in your life and how it is we can help you as a church. 00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:42.079 So if you need that, as soon as we dismiss, make sure that happens. 00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:43.679 Otherwise, let me pray for you one last time. 00:42:43.760 --> 00:42:45.280 Lord, thank you for our church. 00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:53.840 Thank you for the stories that were represented on this stage just then for Robert, Bobby, and Tabitha, and for what you're doing in their lives and their families' lives. 00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:58.719 But thank you, God, for what you're doing in all of our lives, our messy storylines. 00:42:58.880 --> 00:43:14.480 Thank you that you're moving despite our mess, that you are um that you're blessing us, that you're answering prayers, that you're speaking to us, that you're working all things together for the good of those who love you and who are called according to your word. 00:43:14.880 --> 00:43:15.599 Thank you for that. 00:43:15.760 --> 00:43:18.079 We love you, we honor you in Jesus' name. 00:43:18.239 --> 00:43:20.079 Everyone said, Amen and amen. 00:43:20.239 --> 00:43:21.920 One last time, can we praise Jesus? 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:22.480 Come on. 00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:24.800 Eight o'clock, you guys are dismissed. 00:43:24.960 --> 00:43:26.960 We will see you next week.