Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #20230108 - Heading into 2023 Intentionally - Ephesians 3:20-21

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#20230108 - Heading into 2023 Intentionally - Ephesians 3:20-21 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Amen.
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Take your Bibles, open them to John chapter 12, John's gospel
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chapter 12. And if you want to get ahead,
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you can also open to Ephesians chapter 3 and the title of our
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Bible study. Today is heading into 2023
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intentionally and that's really the key word intentionally that
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we might make good choices wise choices because it's been At the
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entirety of our lives are made up of our choices and it's also
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been said that every church ends up somewhere but some Churches
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end up somewhere on purpose. And this year, I want you to
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make choices on purpose to really consider the direction of
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your life. That's a key.
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We do everything on purpose. Even if you're here today and
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you go well you know I just kind of just kind of wander around.
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I do. I'm just like a more of a free
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spirit and and I kind of make my my choices here and there.
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Well, that attitude right there. You have chosen to adopt in your
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life on purpose. So you can't get away from it.
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Whether you have more of a loose approached or life or your more
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structured person in life, that is a choice that you have made
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and the way that you live your life.
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And so with the choices that you make, I believe it's important
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that we do things in a way that will get us to where God wants
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us to be, because Jesus has a purpose for his church, for the
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bride. Christ, the broader church
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around the world today but he also has a purpose for this
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church. This small gathering.
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That's a part of the larger gathering this church family for
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you. And for me and with all the
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changes around us, one thing that's remained constant Is our
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commitment to focus on worshipping Jesus.
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Singularly and our church, we have a past and we'll be talking
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a little bit about that. Gives some insights on the Past.
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But here we've had we've learned that we love the past but we
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live the future and we have to acknowledge that we all have a
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past but the past is the past, it's behind us.
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There's nothing we can do about it.
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I mean, you look back at 20 22 and maybe you made some
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decisions that you're not happy with some choices that hurt you
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and okay, okay? But you've got to acknowledge
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the past is the past and you just say that with me the past
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is the past and you need to Embrace that and move forward.
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Yeah, it's true. You might have to move forward
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with some consequences and some difficulties, but nonetheless,
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the Lord is with you and he's going to be with you and 2023
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can be different. It can truly be a turning point
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in your life. If you will choose differently
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than you've previously, chosen the power of following Jesus
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closer than ever before. You know, Jesus told us, he said
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in Luke chapter 19, he said do business to like, um, and we're
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to be about our father's business, that's our mandate
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serving him until he returns. And so we don't live in the
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past, we celebrated, in some ways, we learn from it in some
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ways, but we move forward we live today.
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We're live right now and what God is doing in our lives today,
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can't do much about yesterday. We can't really do anything
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about yesterday except we can learn from it.
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Move forward from Um, it and learn how to grow in the Lord
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and he alone is worthy of our worship and commitment and it's
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important that we realize that over the many years that I've
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been here in Colorado, I've seen a lot of churches, come and go,
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which was very surprising to me. I understand, churches coming,
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but I didn't really grasp or understand or in sometimes, I
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still really Russell with churches.
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That closed and just disappear. I mean, I've seen churches move
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and that We've been a church that's moved a couple of times
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ourselves. I've seen churches merged
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together which is wonderful. I've seen churches change, even
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changed theologically, but unfortunately in the past years,
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many churches have just disappeared and and I'd learned
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of a new one this week and it just broke my heart, whatever.
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The reasons are, I don't believe that it's God's will for a
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church to start, and then just be there for a little while and
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move on the Church of God is eternal.
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Especially when he's Placing churches strategically in
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communities. Like God has a purpose for every
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single Church singularly as well as together you know every good
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solid sound Bible teaching church.
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We partner together and reaching the lost and so as churches grow
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and shrink and come and go. It reminds me of the blessing of
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being a part of this church and all the things that we've
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experienced here and it's a blessing to be a part of this
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Fellowship. As in many ways, we continue to
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stay the course of what God has called us to do and so with all
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that God has entrusted to us, we don't want to lose sight of who
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we are, which is the sum of our time today.
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We don't want to lose sight of what God is doing and what God
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wants to do in, accomplishing it through the lives, through our
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lives and the life of this church.
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And we can say with great confidence that God planted this
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church in particular, and it's a joy to be a part of it.
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We I say with confidence that we're here by the will of God.
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Now I know many of you made this Choice, has you maybe heard
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something on the radio somebody invited you you driving by and
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so you know you're like I think I'm going to go to that church
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this week and I think that's a great choice.
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It's good that you're with us but but don't take too much
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credit for the work of God in your life, you are here because
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God's moving in your life. He's speaking to you.
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He is leading you and guiding you and inviting you into a
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deeper relationship with him. It is just not Limited to this
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room, God is at work in your life and so you're not here by
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accident and to think that in the life of this church family
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in this moment, in particular God has a word for you and he
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wants to encourage you and he wants to correct you and he
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wants to instruct you and he wants to challenge you and he
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wants to help you along the way. And for us as a church were
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entering into our 23rd year of ministry, which only represents
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the The amazing grace of God. It is the amazing grace of God
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that we are here today and he's continuing to use us.
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And so many years ago when we were praying about moving out of
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Southern California to a place that was still yet undetermined
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to maybe be used of God in planting a church.
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God gave me a verse that he implanted in my heart, he gave
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me a verse from the same way. You get versus my pastor was
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teaching, he was sharing with us and the verse that he shared
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resonated with my heart and I ask you to open to it.
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In John chapter 12 verse 21, it is the very essence and
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foundation of the church here. It is the beginning verse that
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God bird in my heart, that if I ever had the privilege of
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pastoring a church, it would center around this church.
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This verse I should say, John 12:21, and it's a kind of an
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obscure verse, isn't it? It says, then they came to
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Philip who was from bethsaida of Galilee and they asked him
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saying, sir, we wish To see Jesus and that really is the
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responsibility of the church that we point people to Jesus
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Christ. We know him personally and we
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make him known. That is the purpose of the
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church God's will for your life. Is that you have a personal
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vibrant alive, growing relationship with Jesus.
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It's the most important thing in your life and I use the word
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relationship on purpose just like any other.
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Nation ship that grows through time and testing that grows
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through conversation and grows through sharing of hard and
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intimate things. That's the kind of relationship
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that God wants to have with you. He's given to you his word.
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He's invited you. And he's invited you into a
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relationship through prayer and communication so that you might
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know him and make him known that.
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You might know his love experience his grace and then
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share his God. People and invite other people
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into a similar relationship where they could have the true
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purpose and experience a true purpose of their life.
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Now, I was thinking back when we moved to Colorado, twenty three
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and a half years ago, I came the way that we came to Colorado as
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I took a promotion with my job and I took a promotion with my
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job, for the sole purpose of being used of God and planning a
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church, and I was 23 and a half years.
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We actually moved a little bit earlier.
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Then the church started and God gave us a direction, he put on
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my heart to go into a city and preach.
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The good news of Jesus Christ to go into a city and and
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prophetically my pastor gave a word that that City would be
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Aurora and we had already checked Aurora, our, we already
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had had some open doors here and my pastor when he prayed over,
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as he prayed actually over Calvary Chapel Aurora before it
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ever existed. And as we were praying to come
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to the city, we didn't even know.
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You know, to think about leaving to step out in faith, because
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that's really what it amount of me.
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Oh, I have my small little family, just my wife, and three
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kids. We just had a baby and the Lord
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was like, I want you to go and it was a, just a thousand miles,
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but that was a long way for us as we grew up in a in Southern
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California. I mean Marine I got married, we
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didn't even move more than 10 miles from where we grew up and
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all of our family and our friends and everyone there and
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God saying, no, it's time for you to go and we didn't know
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Exactly at the time, you know, when not first started but as we
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continue to pray, God narrowed it down to come here.
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But I didn't know how to plant a church.
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I didn't know what to do. I we had there wasn't books to
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read or seminars to go to, but we were taught that if you go to
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a community, just open up your home.
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Invite people into your front room, love on them, sing with
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them, and teach them the Bible and if people come back, you're
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probably going to see a church plant it.
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If they don't come back, just go home, you know, just go home.
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Home. It's not going to work and so
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that's what we did and through a lot of different things.
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We ended up having a, there was a group of people already
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meeting in Aurora. We were given oversight of that
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group and we started Sunday morning Services, December 26
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1999 right behind us here behind the coals over here.
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Caddy corner of us. There was a there's a school
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back there, Columbia Middle School.
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We rented the cafeteria invited people to come put signs on the
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street. And said, here, we're going to
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be for bye. Study and God wanted God was the
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origin of all this and that's the important part.
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Certainly, I was a part of it. We are praying, but we were
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praying for God's will not our will.
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And so God revealed that he wanted to take this little
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family from Southern California. Pick them up.
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Completely bring them to a new city so that he might do a fresh
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new work with the gospel in Aurora.
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And he has called me to teach the Bible verse by verse and
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chapter by chapter and book. By book, he is called me to
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Shepherd, the flock of God. He's called me to be a servant
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and to be used by him to love and to feed and to care and to
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tend and to nurture his flock and, you know, back in that
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first service on 50, people showed up about 50.
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People showed up, we didn't count.
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But that's about considering how many chairs we put out there was
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about 50 people that first Sunday and it was very exciting.
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It was a excitement in the room. What's God want to do?
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What does he desire? For this city and maybe there
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was a little nervousness and apprehension is who is this guy
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and what kind of church is this. But I'll tell you what week
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after week and month after month.
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And now year after year, God has been faithful to his word and he
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uses the Bible to grow up men and women in him and he uses the
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Bible to help us live our lives and most importantly, he uses
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the Bible that we might understand who he is, what his
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character and his nature is. And as I write in all those
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little baby dedication Bibles, I give I write the child, even if
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they're a baby, when they grow up, they'll be able to read it
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or their parents can read it. I write a part of it.
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It's a little different each one but I say, hey, look, God loves
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you. Jesus loves you gave his life
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for you and he also gave you his Bible so you can read it and
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learn more of his love for you. That's what you've ever
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wondered, what's in those Bibles, that's what's in them
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because I want the children, I want the parents.
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I want us to know about the love of God that will Your life.
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It's the goodness of God. That leads to repentance.
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God. Loved us first.
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We love God. Why?
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Because he loved us first. And it's amazing as we look back
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over the years here of what God has done through this church,
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you know, first Sunday, 50 people.
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The next Sunday was a lot less. Let me just say it was a lot
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less people. It was maybe from 50 to 20, who
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knows? But I learned, I learned
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something as the church would go up and down, especially during
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football season. When the Broncos are playing and
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you only have one service and they're on TV during the service
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people stay home like you know, and so people go well you need
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to change the service times. We're not changing the service
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times for the Broncos, just so you know, if you don't want to
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come to church, don't come to church and suffer for it.
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That's your heel but I learned the culture.
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I learned the community, I learned back then like it's a
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little different today but back then like I was a serious thing
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and Ben can interrupt watching of the Broncos, I mean I even
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had to do that says that we can bring a TV in here like dude,
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I'm teaching the Bible, man, we're not watching the game and
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those are pre phone days where I, you know, I see you guys
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watching the yeah, I know what you guys are doing.
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Check in the score that whatever it doesn't matter.
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It doesn't matter. We've seen and been through a
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lot over the years up and down up and down.
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And I know some of you you can't resonate with these stories
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because you weren't with us but I share with you that your
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church has a history. And even that, even though we
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have a history of days, you know, when we had less people
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and now we have more people and up and down along the way.
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It's God's faithfulness, he is the one that planted this
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church. He's the one that started.
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I mean, if you think about it for a second, just thinking
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about where you're sitting right now, if you go back, 20 for 25
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years, just 24 or 25 years where you are right now, did not
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exist. I mean, if we're on the second
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floor here and then I'm a little bit higher, The second floor and
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then you go all the way down if you erase this building here, 24
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years ago. This was just dirt and rocks and
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tumbleweeds and a bunch of old dead trees that were all in this
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property. You go back a few more years
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before that, then to the east of us.
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None of those houses were there all the way to the dump out
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there. If you go do a few years back,
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then those houses down down south, they weren't there.
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And God had a heart for this city and made.
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It is used as we're studying the book of Acts.
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You're going to learn about this city, about how God uses
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churches, is that he kind of has this spoken wheel, this Hub and
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spoke system where he will send somebody to a city that will be
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the Hub and then the spokes from that church in the city will
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then plant churches everywhere else.
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And so I can see now looking back I didn't know this then but
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I can see now looking back. Why God would call me to a city
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and what he wanted to do in my life and so if you think about
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it God had you like this. This church exists, God planted
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this church. And you can say this in a very
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real way for this particular moment in time right now, just
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this moment in time God planted this church for you.
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For you and your spiritual life and your spiritual growth in
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this moment, no matter how long you've been with us.
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If this is the very first time you visit, it's just as equal
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for you as anyone that's been with us for 20 years.
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God planned to this church for you because he loves this city
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and he desires to reach the city and your family and friends.
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And and as we've seen over the years, all the people that move
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here, all the people that move out all the people that come in
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through Buckley and all the people that had out when they're
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orders are changed, God's will is for the city, he planted this
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church. I know there are a lot of great
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churches in the city, who we're, I believe this is a great church
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who are my family grew up, where I raised my kids, but there are
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a lot of great churches in this city and collaboratively and
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collectively. We get to partner together, as
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we're faithful to our calling to reach this city.
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And yet you're here and it's God's will for you to be here.
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And it may be God's will for you to stick around for you to step
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up for you to begin to serve, to use your gifts and talents, not
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just to come in religiously constantly.
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So, your own personal edification but also for your
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gifts and talents to be used, so that you can be a stronger
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person in your community. Because I mean, in a few
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minutes, you guys are going to leave And you're going to spend
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more time living life outside of this building than you ever will
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inside this building. And so, the building becomes
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representative of a place to be built up in to be strengthened.
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It's a church family, it's where God, introduces you to other
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people, some people, you need some people need you and it
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becomes the family of God and it reminds me as I think of the
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church looking back, looking back, you know what we're living
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in and what we've experienced in?
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The years was never on my radar. I remember thinking that if we
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could gather a group together of God would just use me, we could
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gather a group together and as a church we maybe had a hundred or
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two hundred adults. That would be enough maybe to
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quit my job and I can just Shepherd this little flock and
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just be used of God and teach the Bible and that would be fine
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with me. But obviously we're walking in
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something that's far bigger than even my little mind.
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Can contain far bigger than what I even expected and I mean, you
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have to understand something as well.
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There was a time very real in those early days where I was
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ready to go home like I mean, leave Colorado and go to church
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planning's, not for me. I don't want to be here anymore
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and I even called my boss, and ask to see if my job was still
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there in Southern California and he says, oh Eddie boy, your job
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is still here. Come on back.
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Back and Marie's over here in the other room saying, hang up
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the phone. We're not going back in the
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Warfare and the difficulty, and the challenges.
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Because I believe this. And I've come to believe that
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whether it was me or another Pastor, God was going to do what
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he wanted to do in this church. This is his heart for this city
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and he's nowhere anywhere near being done until he returns.
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Ends. And he invites you to be a part
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of it. He wants you to be a part of it,
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maybe put it in stronger words, He commands, you To be a part of
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what he's doing on the Earth today.
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So, remind me another scripture. And I asked you to open to, in
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Ephesians, would you turn there with me?
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Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 20.
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It remind me of a scripture because as God is inviting you
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into what he is doing. Because that's, that's really
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the essence. We want to, we want to see what
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God is doing. Want us want to observe what God
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is doing and then we want to run to it.
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We don't want to create it. Or try to make something happen.
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We want to find out what God's already doing.
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And then get there and just jump in and what he's doing, what his
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will is. And here's the verse that so
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exciting in Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 20 as you make choices
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for this coming year as you look forward to what God has for your
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life. Listen.
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He says, now to him, who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly
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above all that we ask or think, according to the power that
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works in us to him, be the glory in the church.
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Church of Jesus Christ, Jesus notice to all generations,
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forever and ever, amen. I mean, first of all, I noticed
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that the church is to go to all generations and that's why I
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don't want to see our church just disappear one day.
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I mean, to even to look around the city there's churches that
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were very prominent and very useful in our community that are
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literally gone now. Changing the sign or, you know,
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they got, they sold the building or whatever it might be, they
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are just gone and dissolve and even this last week I learned of
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another one in another city that shut down in my heart breaks
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because I don't believe I believe the church is to go onto
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every generation. Now again I realized things
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happen behind the scenes stuff. I know nothing about and that's
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not my business. I give it unto the Lord but as
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far as our church like I want to see our church continue to reach
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this city. Even long after I'm gone, On our
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long after you're gone, because there we knew people in this
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city. This city will continue to grow.
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It will continue to build. It, will continue to be a
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destination for people to move and as long as there are people
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in the city, I mean, even if not another person came to this
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city, like, you know, four hundred plus thousand people in
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Aurora. I mean there are 390 some
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thousand people in need to get saved.
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Like there's a lot of people in our city that need to be to need
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to be introduced and experience the love of God.
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And that's not just our city, right?
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As we'll see in a moment. Mint.
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Our responsibility is far larger than just this little city that
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were in and I believe God wants us to ask and think great things
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in this city. Specifically, I think he wants
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us to ask for great things and think great things in our lives.
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So that we might bring glory to his name and the church
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continues to other Generations. Sometimes you hear that
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described as like God I believe wants you to dream big.
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For his glory, I think he wants you to really ask, how do you
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want me to use me? God, and how do you want to use
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this Talent on and what do you want from my life?
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And, and then begin to make choices that way?
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And just to think that whatever choice you make.
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And I think you can dream big, big and huge because it doesn't
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matter. It doesn't matter how big it is.
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God is going to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that you
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can think or ask. But the real question is, how
23:25
often you know what's been going on in your life where you've
23:27
been thinking and asking from God?
23:30
I mean Jesus said continue to ask continue to seek continue to
23:35
knock but so many just stopped and they just quit.
23:38
And I get it man because they're all kinds of burdens and
23:41
barriers and family issues and pain and and life.
23:46
I get it trials and tribulations and challenges and just like,
23:50
you know what, I don't have any energy.
23:52
I don't even know what to do. I don't even want to ask God
23:54
anymore but you would make a great error.
23:56
That's a bad choice. Because Jesus said to seek Him
24:01
First and his kingdom. And then, all these things will
24:03
be added unto you because all of us go through challenges.
24:07
And yeah, maybe you need to take a breather and you need to get
24:10
catched. Get your equilibrium again.
24:12
Again, I know that things happen, we've got to pause and
24:15
we gotta put got it's not God's will for you to pause to the
24:18
point where you get out of the race he wants you to finish.
24:21
Well, he wants you to run, not just to the tape but he wants
24:25
you to run through the tape. That you continue and that a new
24:31
year represents, you know what, you know, I haven't been asking
24:34
lately. All right, we'll change it.
24:36
I haven't been seeking lately. Well.
24:37
Okay, then change it. You're not having served the
24:40
Lord and many years. Okay, well, what's your problem?
24:43
Why are you not? So why are you not serving your
24:46
pastors just asked me what my problem is.
24:48
Yes, Like what happened to you? Remember when you are new
24:52
believer, remember, when all matter is just worshiping God.
24:57
Do you remember when I like it was just so sweet that you learn
25:00
something new in the Bible and, and you had a prayer, you like,
25:02
I'm talking to God. Do you remember when you wanted
25:05
to tell people about what you learned and tell people about
25:08
who Jesus is, and how you for sip this?
25:10
And how you're doing, remember that when it wasn't religious,
25:14
when it wasn't tied to a room or, you know, Mehmet now now,
25:18
now everybody wants to argue about something.
25:20
What version of the Bible do you use?
25:22
Just use one man. Don't worry about the version,
25:24
just open it up and read the Bible.
25:26
All there's some bad ones out there.
25:28
Will get it out of your hands read the Bible.
25:30
No. You know Pastor you can't use
25:32
that version, seriously, what would happen to you?
25:36
Are you serious? Well, you know you can't do that
25:39
in search. What are you talking about?
25:40
Is that sin? Well, it's not send but I just
25:43
don't like it. What is your problem?
25:49
No wonder the church makes no progress.
25:52
We just walk into a room like this and it's like all about us.
25:57
That's not God's will. It's not about us at all.
26:01
And I mean if God brought you here and I'm just talk to our
26:03
little church here, right? I know goes out on the radio and
26:06
around the country and that's fine.
26:08
But I'm just talking about when I'm responsible for What
26:12
happened? The now Church surrounds,
26:16
everything about what you want in your preferences and what's
26:20
going to make you happy. And you have forgotten the lost
26:23
and dying world that you live in and that you're only going to
26:26
spend 90 minutes here for so and maybe if you serve another
26:29
couple hours but real, where the rubber meets the road is.
26:32
When you're out of this building serving people, loving people,
26:36
helping people caring for people, ministering to people
26:42
Life is found at the foot of the cross.
26:45
Life is found in surrender to Jesus.
26:49
And I don't know exactly who I'm speaking to or not, I don't
26:52
know, I don't know what's happening.
26:55
I don't know what the holy spirit is trying to draw from
26:58
you, but I do know this for some of you, if you don't make
27:02
fundamental changes in your relationship with God.
27:04
Right now as a result things will get worse, not better.
27:10
You'll be less inclined to worship.
27:13
You'll be less inclined to read your Bible.
27:15
I mean, I'm a pastor I know. I mean I'm not naive enough to
27:19
think that there are people among us right now that you
27:22
would consider yourself a Christian but you don't even
27:24
read the Bible. That's like saying yeah.
27:27
You know I work over there but you never show up.
27:29
You know what that's called? You don't work there.
27:33
Well, yeah, I got a job there. You've, she don't work there and
27:36
she's like, well, I'm a Believer.
27:38
Would you read your Bible? No.
27:42
I mean what does that mean exactly for you?
27:46
Again, it could be a dry spell. Could be some difficult time.
27:50
I get it. I know life hits Us in different
27:52
ways, but church, God is calling you to something so much higher
27:58
than religion. But we like routine so much that
28:04
we just get into a rhythm and a routine and we just stopped, and
28:08
God wants to do exceedingly abundantly, more than that.
28:10
He wants your life and my life to bring him glory.
28:14
He wants your testimony where you've been what you've been
28:17
through, what you've been delivered from to be an
28:19
encouragement to other people. When you share your testimony,
28:22
when you share your story, when you give that piece of your life
28:27
that's close and intimate, some of us, you know, we have some
28:30
really bad story. So it Hurts even when we share
28:32
them. But even through the hurt, God's
28:35
going to use your story of his power in your life to bring him
28:38
glory. Get somebody's attention.
28:41
And you have course we wish we didn't have a testimony, but
28:44
man, we do. So that's the way it is.
28:46
We're going to share it because when we share it, God gets the
28:49
glory and you're a walking miracle and this world needs to
28:52
see and hear about more walking Miracles because they're all
28:55
beat up and messed up, and fearful and wondering.
28:58
And I mean, if you only live for this world, if this is all you
29:01
live for when you be scared, I think so.
29:03
Like if this is all there is man.
29:05
We are jacked up, man. This is it like we are in
29:09
trouble but the Bible is very clear that this world is not all
29:13
there as we're just passing through.
29:15
We have a hope that is centered in Jesus Christ and so let me
29:21
remind you before we head out to your of a couple things that's
29:24
important because in our life of our church even though there's a
29:28
lot of great churches we have there is a purpose like a vision
29:32
for our church a mission and a vision.
29:34
I mean that's those are the language that's used today.
29:37
Like you know, what are we about?
29:38
Why are we here? What are we about?
29:40
There is a vision and we've summarized it into just one.
29:45
Word to make it easy for you. Why do we exist?
29:49
Why are we on the corner here? Why have we gathered together
29:51
known as Calvary Church right here?
29:53
In Aurora, why? Why was there was this was once
29:56
dirt and then God planted a church and the word plant comes
29:59
to us from the garden. That's what it means.
30:01
It's like you plant a seed and you watch it grow.
30:04
That's why they use the word church.
30:06
Planting that where you see something planted and you
30:09
nurture it and watch it grow. And so why would God start a new
30:13
church in Aurora? And and here's the vision.
30:15
None of this church. This particular your home
30:18
church. This is why we're here.
30:19
The vision of our church is evangelism, that is why we're
30:24
here. God has put you on the planet to
30:27
connect you with other human beings for the purposes of
30:30
sharing. The good news of Jesus Christ,
30:33
evangelism. That's it.
30:35
So why am I alive? You are alive to connect with
30:37
other people. Why am I on the planet?
30:39
So that God might use you to connect with other people but
30:42
I'm so introverted. Well, God will connect you with
30:45
other. Inverted people.
30:46
And you can sit at the table with your head down talking to
30:49
each other. About the love of Jesus, no
30:51
excuses. You see how easy is so excuse at
30:54
10, you know? It's just not how God made me
30:56
exactly. He will do exceedingly,
30:58
abundantly above all that you think or ask?
31:00
He's the one doing the work, just make yourself available,
31:04
extrovert introvert, whatever, whatever your personality type
31:07
is, that's what God put you on the earth for evangelism.
31:10
So with that, because we have the vision of evangelism.
31:13
We have a responsibility. I want you to Hear that word,
31:16
you are responsible for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has
31:20
changed your life. And so we are vision of our
31:23
churches evangelism with a three-fold responsibility and
31:26
we've summarized it in another three words, when disciple and
31:31
send and I know for some of you, it's review butts for some of
31:34
you, it's brand-new and I want you to know that's what this
31:37
church. This is the grid that we put
31:40
everything through. Will this help us win?
31:42
Someone to Christ will it help us disciple?
31:45
Someone in Ice. Will it help us?
31:46
Send someone out for Christ. If not, we don't want to do it
31:51
which is very important for you that are new to the church but
31:54
she became from another church because there are ideas.
31:57
You have you came from another church and they had this
31:59
ministry, you came from another church and they did this and you
32:02
came from another church and they did that and you were
32:04
watching something on YouTube and they're doing something.
32:06
And so the idea is you come in and go Pastor, why aren't we
32:09
doing this? Why are we doing this?
32:10
Why aren't we doing this? I want this.
32:12
Why can't we do this? And here's the answer, we're not
32:14
called to do that. And we're glad other churches
32:17
are doing not but we're not called to do that.
32:20
And this is a very important principle when you any church
32:23
you're in, but especially ours and for your life, you ready,
32:27
it's very important to write it down, we can't do everything.
32:34
Did you guys hear that? Not only that we won't do
32:37
everything because it can't do everything well.
32:41
But even though we can't do everything, we will do something
32:45
and that's something. Will be led from the Holy
32:48
Spirit. So we can't do everything.
32:52
You just got to understand, we can't do everything.
32:53
But pastor Pastor, you understand, it was so good in
32:56
the church that I came from and you know, they're across town
32:59
and we need that over here, okay?
33:01
Either you're really married to that Ministry and, you know, go
33:03
back to that church. So you can enjoy that Ministry,
33:06
or you got to realize that God brought you here and you're
33:08
doing a new thing. God is doing a new thing, and we
33:11
can't do everything and so just a head up to see, you're not
33:14
disappointed when you hear that like we know we're not called to
33:17
do that. There was a time when every
33:19
Church in town was Cutting the same exact book, not the Bible,
33:22
but the same exact book doing the same, exact teaching, some
33:25
popular pastor and I can't tell you how many times somebody go.
33:28
Why are we studying that book? Why don't we start in that book?
33:30
Why are we studying that book? Why are we doing all those small
33:32
group wire? And and I had to repeat myself
33:34
over and over again. We are not called to study a
33:38
book. We are called to study the Bible
33:42
and we just because every Church in town is doing something.
33:45
Doesn't mean we're supposed to do something?
33:48
We are very singular. Like, if you were here, Here on
33:50
that first Sunday and you were here and we, what do we do?
33:53
We open the Bible, we study the Book of Revelation, that's what
33:56
we did that for Sunday and now, you're just your back for the
33:59
very first time, 23 years later. And guess what?
34:02
Oh, and you're doing the same exact thing.
34:03
You're teaching the Bible and singing.
34:06
Yes. Yes, we are.
34:09
Yeah, might be different we're in a room now.
34:11
We got lights and different things and different technology.
34:14
Yes, it's a little different, but it's also the same.
34:17
And that's our commitment to teach you the Bible verse by
34:20
verse because we know it's the Bible is going to change your
34:22
life and I want to operate not with personality and not with
34:27
clever sayings, I want to operate in the gifting of Pastor
34:30
teacher. I want to be used by God, I want
34:33
to be able to say things that God inspires and he uses from
34:37
his word to explain it to give you the meaning.
34:41
But more importantly to teach you how to live the Bible, not
34:44
just learn the Bible. Like the Bible that you don't
34:46
just study the Bible. Zico, you know I can win it.
34:48
Bible trivia. Now know you study the Bible so
34:51
you can know God and live your life for him and which is one of
34:57
the reasons why people don't read the Bible because it can be
35:00
so challenging as you keep looking at it as a mirror.
35:03
You know, the Bible says it's a mirror and you're like, oh man,
35:06
I need to fix that. I need to take care of that.
35:08
I need to make that change but that's God's will for your life.
35:12
So our vision is evangelism with the responsibility.
35:14
Number one to win a person to Christ mark In verse 15, he says
35:19
Jesus said, go into all the world and preach the gospel.
35:23
I don't want you to confuse the word when it's not being used in
35:26
the sense of competition where there's winners and losers.
35:29
That's not it. It's matter of fact, the Bible
35:31
uses the word win as a as something that he who wins Souls
35:36
is wise. It's like you're winning.
35:38
Someone's love over to God. That's the idea where they're
35:41
changing allegiances. And so when you hear when it's
35:45
just the idea of evangelism, you're you're seeing Someone's
35:47
heart won over by God. So Jesus said, we were saved to
35:51
share the good news. Go preach the gospel.
35:53
Secondly, once a person is saved, we have a responsibility
35:57
to disciple that person. So the word disciple.
36:00
It means learner. That's what a disciple is a
36:04
learner. So that for someone to learn how
36:07
to follow Jesus, then is required a teacher.
36:12
So, you have a learner and a teacher.
36:14
And so that's why we are committed to teaching you a
36:16
whole Bible. God gave us the whole Bible so
36:19
that you might become the whole follower of Christ, a disciple,
36:22
and not the scripture. There is Matthew chapter 28, in
36:25
verse 19, where Jesus said go, therefore and make disciples so
36:30
preaching the gospel and make disciples, they go together.
36:35
And then, finally, when disciple send we have a responsibility to
36:40
send people for Jesus and we learn that in Acts chapter 1 and
36:44
verse 8. Jesus told those early
36:46
disciples, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
36:49
come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea
36:52
Samaria to the end of the Earth. So we were saved to share.
36:56
The good news, we were saved to teach others to follow Christ,
37:01
and then finally, we were saved to go and help others.
37:04
Now I know that sending becomes very exclusive in people's minds
37:09
to like worldwide missions, of course, we send missionaries, we
37:13
send missionaries and we do that has been from the beginning of
37:16
our church. We have sent missionaries around
37:18
the world. Yes.
37:20
But I want you to consider sending in your own personal
37:23
application, like, in just a few minutes, you're going to be sent
37:26
out. As I mentioned earlier, you're
37:27
going to live most of your life outside of this building your
37:30
sent out. And so it's not merely that
37:32
doesn't apply to me because I'm never going to go to The mission
37:34
field. No, no, you're going to, you may
37:36
not go across the world, but you need to go across the street.
37:39
You need to go across the workroom to the other cubicle,
37:42
or to the break room, like you are, and I am sent out and
37:46
Scattered throughout the world every single day.
37:49
And you should be sent out in scattered as a stronger
37:52
disciple. Whose Hearts been won over by
37:55
Jesus. That's the heart of this church
37:58
and it is very simple. We have to fight really hard and
38:02
work really hard to keep it simple because it's far easier
38:07
to let it become so complex and so upset.
38:10
You like it's just that there's so many layers of life and
38:14
dealing with people in such that we can we can count make it all
38:17
complex, but it's not as complex as it seems.
38:20
So those that are in leadership here, those that serve here, we
38:23
do a lot of work behind the scenes, we get things in order
38:26
and we stay above reproach, why? So we can keep things simple.
38:31
And so we can't do everything but we will do something and I
38:35
love this because Jesus laid it out for the disciples and he led
38:39
them to do the impossible. You got to understand something
38:41
when they were told to go around the world, this is a group of
38:45
people that never really left the Galilee region, except to go
38:48
to Jerusalem. Occasionally, like it's not that
38:51
big of a country, it's not that big of an area that go around
38:54
the world. It's not that you're going to
38:55
hop a plane or get on a train or drive a Tesla across the
38:59
country. There they aren't going to that.
39:01
World was an impossibility. That could not even been thought
39:05
of which reminded me to as a church.
39:08
Like, where's the impossibilities?
39:10
Where when's the last time? You pray for something that you
39:13
don't have enough money to do? You don't have enough smarts to
39:16
do, like you can't do it. But only God can when's the last
39:19
time you laid your life down on the impossibilities of God and
39:23
which leads us back to asking and seeking and knocking in
39:27
these last days because I know if you don't make a substantive
39:30
change, Another year is going to be wasted, and I don't know too
39:35
many people. I don't know too many people
39:39
that really would say out loud. Yeah, I just kind of want to
39:41
waste my life. I want to religiously waste my
39:45
life. I want to pretend to be a
39:48
Christian say I'm a Christian maybe dabble go to church but
39:52
otherwise I don't want my life to amount to anything.
39:54
Truly that's not in your heart. And if you're a real born-again
39:58
believer, God did not put that in your heart.
40:00
For sure. He doesn't want you to waste
40:02
your life but invested in the Kingdom.
40:06
He wants to use you and I don't know how.
40:09
I don't know, I know what God's called me too, but even what
40:12
else would he have for me. I mean, there are things that
40:14
when I first came here compared to where I am now, very, very
40:17
different. I never thought I never knew but
40:19
I put myself Soul or whatever you want to do in my life.
40:22
I'm ready to be used. I think of just the the blessing
40:26
just one little story that we kind of take for granted but
40:29
don't ever take Grace FM for granted as a church family.
40:34
Don't ever do that because I want you.
40:36
Think about this when you go to bed tonight and you are snoring
40:39
away at sleep tonight, when you are out of it at 3:00 in the
40:43
morning you or you and your church are reaching out to the
40:47
Lost you're sleeping but you're still reaching out.
40:51
And you know how that started it started with just a little AM
40:55
radio station here in Denver. We were praying as a leadership.
40:58
Team way back in the day we're like what can we do for this
41:01
city? How can we and what do we have
41:03
for this city? And we're looking around with a,
41:04
we don't have anything We don't have anything to give this city,
41:07
except I was teaching the Bible and we had a few recordings that
41:12
we had trance changed to edited and and produced and even the,
41:18
the production back then was just the same intro, same outro.
41:21
And we were just right Bible study and you know what?
41:24
God used it. And then he opened doors for
41:26
more stations and then he laid before us, this desire, you
41:30
don't want. I think God wants to do even
41:32
greater, and then he put this station in front of us up here
41:35
in Denver. We're like boom will take it and
41:38
then he opened a door down in the springs and boom will take
41:40
it and now we're still in a position of waiting of God.
41:43
What do you have? Because we have a couple of me,
41:45
we have a couple of wants, you know, I'm going to certainly
41:47
needs, but we have a couple of wants when it comes to this
41:50
consistent. 24-hour, seven-day-a-week Ministry of
41:55
worship in the word throughout our city.
41:58
Not just because you know the Jerusalem Judea Samaria kind of
42:02
relates to us as well. We learn this in Acts 1 so I
42:04
know it's repetitive but we have Jerusalem.
42:06
It's Aurora. That's our responsibility, no
42:10
matter where you live. This is your church.
42:12
Our responsibility is start here in Aurora.
42:14
But then, as you look at your Bible map, you notice Judea and
42:17
Samaria regions around Jerusalem.
42:19
So we have regions around Aurora, we have the Denver metro
42:21
area, we have the state of Colorado and by extension, we
42:25
have the United States. And so we want to be responsible
42:28
for them. We want to go forward and
42:30
whatever God has for us, not just in a roar we're not just
42:32
this little church on the corner.
42:34
That's happy to have these little holy Gatherings and will
42:37
only care about one another and we'll just talk to one another
42:40
and would just be. So insulated, it's not God's
42:43
will for us to be isolated church.
42:45
It's God's will for us to infiltrate this world with the
42:49
gospel in a way that we speak the truth in love.
42:52
We don't have to make everybody upset and and just like, you
42:55
know, being away where the gospel is not attractive.
42:58
If you ever deliver the gospel, and it's not attractive.
43:01
That was your fault not gods. The invitation to have your sins
43:05
forgiven as a pretty cool invitation.
43:08
The god of the universe is we read.
43:10
Today, would invite you into relationship with him.
43:12
That's pretty cool. I know there are layers that you
43:15
have to get through of, to get to the heart of a matter.
43:18
But I'm telling you the longing and everyone's heart is to be
43:21
read right with their creator. And they just spent their whole
43:25
life running running running sometimes because they've been
43:27
deeply hurt. They've been abused taken
43:31
advantage of grew up in a very difficult home with difficult
43:34
people. Who knows the kind of pains and
43:36
hurts that it even in this room today.
43:40
But I get the privilege of reminding you that God invites
43:42
you to himself, to experience his love and his healing.
43:48
The Bible says that he's the God of All Comfort who comforts Us
43:51
in all our tribulation. And so, when you think about
43:55
just something simple, like Grace FM, that's an
43:57
impossibility. And so what we're praying for
43:59
the next impossibility. God has done that.
44:02
We use it. Great now.
44:03
What's next Lord? What's next until you return so
44:08
that we could be a church where they're hurting in the sick can
44:13
come and will minister to you. Where you can be relieved of
44:17
your addiction. You could learn of your value in
44:20
Christ of who you really are. I know how you've been treated
44:24
and I know how people have spoken to you.
44:26
But you know, your value in Jesus Christ is far above what
44:30
you could ever think or ask. How important you are to him,
44:35
how precious you are, you're not an object, you're not someone to
44:39
be taken advantage of in Christ. You are a son and a daughter of
44:43
the king. He loves you.
44:47
Wants you to follow him. And so we want to be a place of
44:50
healing. You just have to understand a
44:52
lot of sick. People were in this church even
44:54
right now you're sitting next to some some really bad centers.
44:58
Did you know that? Don't ask them just trust me.
45:03
I walked into a church, a really bad sinner, just really
45:06
overwhelmed by the choices of my life.
45:10
And I happened to walk into a church.
45:12
That was a hospital. Spiritually, took the time to
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tell me the truth and help me in my life's work, you know, to
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help me along the path, not only that, but we want to be a church
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where you're well-fed like a restaurant.
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Where the Bible is given to you not the opinions of man or some,
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you know, things that substitute the Bible.
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But just now and you're well-fed well-nourished.
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Not only that, but we want to be a place where you can exercise
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your spiritual gifts. I could Jim, you know, when you
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go to the gym, you're exercising, you're healthy.
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You want to take care of yourself?
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Fantastic. This is the churches like a gym,
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but exercise is different here, you're exercising for the sake
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of the Kingdom. Now, and for loving other people
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and helping them on their journey.
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And not only that, we want to be a place where you can launch
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off, be used of God and great ways.
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And I'll tell you this, as we look back now, When you really
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see Jesus like that, passage in John 12.
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This is what you're going to see.
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Humility sacrifice and servanthood.
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That's the Heart of Jesus. And that's what we have to offer
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this city. So, what we have to offer, you
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humility sacrifice and servanthood, not much more and
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not much less. And as a church, we're here to
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point you to him, to his love and his grace and forgiveness
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and even as the church has grown over the years, our church has
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grown significantly over the years, a lot of different phases
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in 23 years, but what we're experiencing now is more.
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Then when we started, this is something you can't forget,
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because Jesus himself to was surrounded by multitudes.
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It started with just a few and then it exploded in thousands
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upon thousands of people following Jesus, but I want you
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to remember this. No matter how many people come
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in and out of our Lives, how many people call Calvary their
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home. Jesus still sees you singularly.
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Always and forever, you're not nameless or faceless or just one
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in the crowd. Although I know some of you
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would like that, that's not God's will for your life.
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You're not some forgotten person.
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You're not someone like you are a meaningful valuable person
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that Jesus sees individually so we can't kick caught up on
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Church growth and how many people are coming and oh the
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church is growing. Oh the church is shrinking, none
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of that matters. Yes, that's not on our control.
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Anyway, Jesus himself said he's going to build the church so
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we'll trust him. And while Jesus is building his
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church, we're ministering to each other one at a time.
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And we don't get caught up in things that aren't going to lead
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us to Jesus. And so, listen, precious Church.
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Brothers and sisters, it's not too late for you to choose to
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live for something. And it's not too late for you to
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choose to live for someone. For every minute that I'm here.
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And every moment that I have to share, that will be my message.
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That Jesus is Alive and worthy of your wholehearted, undivided
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exclusive devotion and surrender.
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And it's just that invitation at a may we live it and speak it.
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That God would be are all in all and I love that vet you know he
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uses the picture of vessels like a container and it's like me.
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We just be containers and vessels where he can pour
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himself into and that we as a church will continue to be a
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blessing to our community. And when we say we as a church
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that's you That's us to collectively.
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This church is here by the will of God.
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You are here by the will of God so step up and be used by God.
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Amen, amen, father, thank you for the time today and your word
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and and you know it's stirring stuff in the new year.
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But like I think what else are we going to do?
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We don't want to waste our lives.
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God, so help us Help us. We ask for your mercy upon us.
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Lord. We pray these things in Jesus
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name. Amen, we pray that you've been
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encouraged by this Bible. Study delivered live from the
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sanctuary of Calvary Church for prayer.
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Call us at 877, 30 Grace. That's eight 77304, 2:53 to
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listen to this message in its entirety or to join us for our
49:55
live stream Services. Visit us online at Calvary Co
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dot church or download our free copy.
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Every Church app be blessed as you worship Jesus this week.
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Every Church app be blessed as you worship Jesus this week.