WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:52.340 I'm just going to tell y'all, all right, I've heard some pretty things in my life, but sitting 00:00:52.340 --> 00:00:57.460 right over here when Berger backed away from the microphone and the singers backed away, 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.000 and we heard the voices of you guys coming together as one family. 00:01:01.080 --> 00:01:01.920 It was just a blessing. 00:01:02.340 --> 00:01:04.420 So thank you guys so much for being here this morning. 00:01:04.520 --> 00:01:05.840 Thank you so much for worshiping. 00:01:06.160 --> 00:01:07.180 I'm excited. 00:01:07.980 --> 00:01:11.220 This has been one of the best days out of the last 18 months of my life. 00:01:11.260 --> 00:01:13.420 So thank you guys so much for being here. 00:01:13.600 --> 00:01:14.880 I want to echo what Dave said. 00:01:14.940 --> 00:01:17.320 For all of our first-time guests, thank you so much for being here. 00:01:17.320 --> 00:01:20.920 I'll be back here at the welcome table as well after the service is over with. 00:01:21.240 --> 00:01:25.400 If this is your first time here, please come by, and I want to meet you. 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:27.300 I want to learn your name. 00:01:27.360 --> 00:01:28.600 I want to thank you for being here. 00:01:28.700 --> 00:01:32.480 I want to have that opportunity just to engage with you, and so just thank you on your way 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:32.740 out. 00:01:32.800 --> 00:01:37.160 If you would just stop by for just one second, I would just love to have the privilege and 00:01:37.160 --> 00:01:38.600 the opportunity to meet you. 00:01:38.940 --> 00:01:43.600 Now, I'm going to kind of recap a little bit of the announcements that we just heard, 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:45.320 but I'm going to try to do them a little bit differently. 00:01:45.320 --> 00:01:51.400 So as we're going into our series this morning of our family reunion series, kind of getting 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:56.600 us all back together again, what I want to help us understand and kind of see is the things 00:01:56.600 --> 00:02:02.140 that we are doing are being driven by mission and vision of who we are, who God's called 00:02:02.140 --> 00:02:06.300 us to be, and all of these things are drawing us and bringing us together. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:11.900 You know, the reality is within the world, and this has been the case since the fall of 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:16.780 man, go all the way back and look and see the division that is there, and that where Satan 00:02:16.780 --> 00:02:22.620 rules and where Satan reigns is amongst division, amongst strife, amongst hatred. 00:02:22.740 --> 00:02:28.160 And so what we're doing is what we're trying to point into and bring us back to is a unity 00:02:28.160 --> 00:02:30.480 of the body, a unity of the family. 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:35.440 Like God's word says that we are the family of God, and so that we can have the opportunity 00:02:35.440 --> 00:02:37.380 to live and function in this way. 00:02:37.380 --> 00:02:42.080 So as we talk about the things that are going on around here, I know because I've been there 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:46.740 before, it's easy to take a step back and just say, oh, that's some programming stuff that's 00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:48.280 just going on, but that's not our heart. 00:02:48.440 --> 00:02:54.460 The heart is continue to see the body, to continue to see the bride of Christ draw back together 00:02:54.460 --> 00:02:55.040 again, all right? 00:02:55.160 --> 00:02:58.480 And so I want to encourage, if you've got your tickets, fantastic. 00:02:58.940 --> 00:03:03.980 Hopefully, the rain will hold off long enough this evening, or maybe we can get a couple 00:03:03.980 --> 00:03:08.860 innings of baseball in, but we'll be at the baseball game for the Fireflies tonight. 00:03:09.040 --> 00:03:14.520 If you do not have tickets, we do not have tickets, but I do know that the game is not sold out. 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:19.960 So if you would like to go and want to go online and request seats, or even there, in section 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:24.980 109 is where Willow Ridge Church will be, and maybe you can get some tickets that way. 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:29.560 But then if you can't make it tonight, next Sunday, all right, we've rented the entire 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:32.860 JC's bowling alley from four to six. 00:03:33.140 --> 00:03:36.900 And so we can come out there together, we can gather together and go and bowl. 00:03:37.140 --> 00:03:40.600 Your cost for shoe rentals, for bowling has been covered. 00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:46.140 If you want nachos, pizza, hot dogs, 3,000 calories packed into one small basket like I'm 00:03:46.140 --> 00:03:46.620 going to do, right? 00:03:46.760 --> 00:03:48.040 That is going to be there. 00:03:48.040 --> 00:03:53.100 That's all you've got to pay for is for your food, but we would love to see all of us back 00:03:53.100 --> 00:03:54.380 there just bowling. 00:03:54.700 --> 00:03:58.060 And I'll tell you what, what's going to be interesting to see, a couple of things. 00:03:58.340 --> 00:04:00.780 Number one, those of us who will request bumpers, all right? 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:03.640 Like we won't call you out, but it is going to be interesting to see. 00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:06.320 And then the other is this, and this is what I'm going to be watching. 00:04:06.940 --> 00:04:10.320 Who is here to have fun and who is here to compete, right? 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:15.360 And I think that's going to show us a lot within the dynamics of our church family and excited 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:16.020 to see that. 00:04:16.020 --> 00:04:20.220 So that's next Sunday, and then on August 29th, and this might be the night that I'm 00:04:20.220 --> 00:04:22.740 most excited about as we gather back here. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.380 If you've been a part of Willow Ridge Church for several years, you know that we like to 00:04:26.380 --> 00:04:26.980 play games. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.360 We like to have parties, and that's what we're going to do on August the 29th. 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:34.780 And so we've got a fun night of games planned where you can come here, and if you don't 00:04:34.780 --> 00:04:36.060 want to play, you just want to observe. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:38.300 There's going to be an opportunity and a space for you. 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:42.240 But if you want to get out and be a little silly, have a little fun, we're going to have 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:43.940 some games that we're going to be able to play together. 00:04:44.260 --> 00:04:46.960 But then with that, right, we're going to eat because we are Baptist. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:49.640 And so we'll have hot dogs and all the sides with that. 00:04:49.880 --> 00:04:54.260 And then we're going to ask you if you would like to, if you want to enter in to bring a 00:04:54.260 --> 00:04:55.720 homemade churn of ice cream. 00:04:55.780 --> 00:05:01.700 And right now, I'm putting together some professional taste testers amongst our congregation who are 00:05:01.700 --> 00:05:06.480 going to go around, and I crushed a little girl's heart last week because she asked if 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:09.940 she could be on the team, and I said, absolutely. 00:05:10.280 --> 00:05:13.800 And she said, does that mean that I get a big bowl of each one of them? 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:15.720 And I said, no, sweetie, that's not what that is. 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:17.880 But we give you a little sample of all of them. 00:05:17.880 --> 00:05:25.720 And the winner will receive a 14-carat golden painted spoon that we will have and then give 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:26.120 that out. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:28.900 And so encourage everybody to be a part of that. 00:05:29.060 --> 00:05:33.500 But also, not only just those, but the continual week-to-week ministries that we do. 00:05:33.660 --> 00:05:38.480 You know, when COVID kind of came and we had to shut down a lot of things and we started 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:42.440 bringing things back, one of our ministries that I'll be honest with you during this season 00:05:42.440 --> 00:05:47.420 has been so meaningful and so impactful to so many different people in our community has 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:48.780 been our Celebrate Recovery ministry. 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:51.660 And they were one of our first ministries we brought back. 00:05:51.700 --> 00:05:55.780 And if you aren't familiar with Celebrate Recovery, you immediately hear recovery and connect 00:05:55.780 --> 00:06:00.780 it to drugs and alcohol, and there is an aspect of CR that is for people that struggle with 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:01.640 drugs and alcohol. 00:06:01.900 --> 00:06:06.240 But the purpose of CR is to come alongside people that have hurts, habits, and hang-ups. 00:06:06.320 --> 00:06:09.320 And I don't know about you, but I know that I fall into a lot of those categories myself. 00:06:09.580 --> 00:06:11.740 I have been through my own CR study. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.420 In fact, we'll be starting another one this week that I'm going to be a part of on Wednesday 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:15.840 mornings. 00:06:16.320 --> 00:06:20.860 And so if that's where you are right now, maybe you're battling through some depression issues. 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:22.960 Maybe you're battling through some substance things. 00:06:22.960 --> 00:06:26.140 Maybe you've got some hurt that you're kind of navigating through in your life. 00:06:26.460 --> 00:06:30.460 Our CR ministry, and we're going to focus on it over the next couple of weeks, be a wonderful 00:06:30.460 --> 00:06:31.920 opportunity for you to connect. 00:06:31.980 --> 00:06:36.580 And they meet on Thursday evenings, I believe, and now it has left me at 6 or 6.30, Mark? 00:06:37.320 --> 00:06:38.000 6.30. 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:40.540 And so I want you to be here at Thursday at 6.30. 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:45.820 Got a wonderful group of men and women to welcome you, love you, and walk alongside of 00:06:45.820 --> 00:06:45.960 you. 00:06:45.960 --> 00:06:51.520 And I want to, as we look through the dynamics of what it means to be family has existed and 00:06:51.520 --> 00:06:56.980 just been so strong in so many different areas of our church, but especially in our CR ministry. 00:06:56.980 --> 00:06:58.440 And so I want you to be a part of that. 00:06:58.880 --> 00:07:03.980 And so, all right, with that said, we're going to jump into our message this morning. 00:07:03.980 --> 00:07:08.240 And with that, it's going to be a recap for some of us who have been here. 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:12.720 And maybe for, there's a lot of new faces and even new faces that have happened over the 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:13.900 course of this last year. 00:07:14.020 --> 00:07:15.540 It'll be something new for you. 00:07:15.780 --> 00:07:22.000 And what I want us, as we go through this study together, as we go through this next four 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:27.540 weeks, as we talk about family reunion, what's going to build us or bring us into that is 00:07:27.540 --> 00:07:31.400 we're going to talk about our vision and our mission of who we are. 00:07:31.580 --> 00:07:37.760 Right before there was a thing that we knew of called COVID, we had started a series where 00:07:37.760 --> 00:07:41.860 we were working toward and pushing toward a new vision and new mission at Willow Ridge 00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:42.260 Church. 00:07:42.900 --> 00:07:47.800 And in that, we haven't walked away from that over the last 18 months, but it's caused us 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:48.520 to look different. 00:07:49.080 --> 00:07:54.540 And as we gather together back today in one service, it's a great opportunity for us to 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:58.320 remind us of who we are and what God's called us to do. 00:07:58.420 --> 00:08:01.940 And so each week, we're going to be building through and working through this as we look 00:08:01.940 --> 00:08:03.000 at our scripture. 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:07.560 And so I want to remind or maybe educate some of us who don't know about what our vision 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:09.360 and mission is as we begin. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:15.820 And so our vision statement is this, that we are one family, one ministry, one calling. 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:21.580 That when we look at the vision of Willow Ridge Church, this tells us who we are. 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:24.780 This is who we are as a body. 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:32.740 This is what makes us unique as a congregation in where God has placed us in who we are and 00:08:32.740 --> 00:08:34.600 and who we are called to be. 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:39.360 Now, as you notice within here, there's kind of a theme that is centered on through here, 00:08:39.420 --> 00:08:43.000 and it's the importance of us being together in one worship service. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:47.360 And it is this, everything is centered around the concept of one. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:51.280 We are not many, and some churches do that. 00:08:51.800 --> 00:08:52.740 And that's fine. 00:08:53.040 --> 00:08:53.620 And that's good. 00:08:53.680 --> 00:08:55.160 That's who God's called them to be. 00:08:55.500 --> 00:08:59.120 But we're centered and we're built around the fact that we are one. 00:08:59.220 --> 00:09:04.520 Something that is unique within our culture and our context and our setting is that you 00:09:04.520 --> 00:09:08.560 and I, as you look around this room, there are people who have traveled from different 00:09:08.560 --> 00:09:09.000 counties. 00:09:09.160 --> 00:09:11.880 We are not situated in one city. 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:13.920 We have people from West Columbia. 00:09:14.040 --> 00:09:15.180 We have people from Orangeburg. 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:16.240 We have people from Lexington. 00:09:16.420 --> 00:09:17.620 We have people from Red Bank. 00:09:17.680 --> 00:09:18.680 We have people from Columbia. 00:09:18.680 --> 00:09:21.000 People from Irmo that we are scattered. 00:09:21.340 --> 00:09:25.620 We have people that live and work in different areas, in different ways. 00:09:25.820 --> 00:09:27.220 We have different things that are here. 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:29.600 But within this, we are one. 00:09:30.260 --> 00:09:31.540 And so what does that mean for us? 00:09:32.100 --> 00:09:37.580 What does it mean that we are one in Christ, in this, beyond our salvation, in who God's 00:09:37.580 --> 00:09:38.320 called us to be? 00:09:38.740 --> 00:09:43.200 And this is something that we wanted to really press into, that I felt like God was leading 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:45.700 us down to understand what this looks like. 00:09:45.780 --> 00:09:48.780 And so it began with us by saying that we are one family. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:54.960 And by one family, what that means, it does not mean that we are one genetic family here, 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:00.600 that we are one family who controls everything here, but that you and I, regardless of our 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:05.720 background, regardless of where we come from, regardless of our education, regardless of 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:10.900 our socioeconomic status, regardless of the color of our skin, regardless of the language 00:10:10.900 --> 00:10:17.460 that we were born speaking or the language that we still speak today, that you and I are one family, 00:10:17.460 --> 00:10:21.200 a unified body, and it is Christ who unifies us. 00:10:21.800 --> 00:10:22.820 And so that's who we are. 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:25.340 And that makes things complicated sometimes. 00:10:25.780 --> 00:10:29.840 But we are the body of Christ of Willow Ridge Church. 00:10:29.940 --> 00:10:32.860 Now there's the church outside of that, and we celebrate that. 00:10:32.920 --> 00:10:34.240 We work with church planning. 00:10:34.560 --> 00:10:38.180 We pray for our brother and sister churches that surround us. 00:10:38.280 --> 00:10:44.740 But when it comes to who we are, that we are one body, a unified body. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:47.640 But also within there, we're one ministry. 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:53.400 And what's going to be important for us with this is this is unified in what we do here. 00:10:54.100 --> 00:10:58.700 And so just a second ago, you took your elementary and your preschool kids, and you took them 00:10:58.700 --> 00:11:01.340 over into a different building, and you dropped them off there. 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:06.000 Just earlier this morning, we had one of our small groups where we're meeting in a classroom 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:06.960 space over here. 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:10.140 We got our CR, that group that is meeting on Thursday night. 00:11:10.280 --> 00:11:14.100 We've got our small groups, some of them that are still operating, some that will start back 00:11:14.100 --> 00:11:14.300 up. 00:11:14.300 --> 00:11:18.180 We've got our student ministry that's been operating all throughout the summer, and it's 00:11:18.180 --> 00:11:21.600 going to pick back up in several weeks once we're done with our Sunday nights that we're 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:21.860 doing. 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:27.800 And that when you look at all of the ministries that we have here, there's one common theme, 00:11:28.040 --> 00:11:31.280 one ministry that keeps us unified in what we do. 00:11:31.380 --> 00:11:36.360 And we get this from Jesus because it's what he called us to do, that we are called to go 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:37.320 and make disciples. 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:38.480 And so that's what it's about. 00:11:38.560 --> 00:11:44.720 So in our ministry, the goal of what we're working through as we do snack packs upstairs, 00:11:44.940 --> 00:11:49.980 as we gather together for CR, as we gather for our small groups, as we're dropping our kids 00:11:49.980 --> 00:11:54.740 off in the nursery, as we're sending them to youth camp when we drop our students off, that 00:11:54.740 --> 00:11:59.880 in all of what we do, of what we're pressing for, of what we're about is one ministry, and 00:11:59.880 --> 00:12:01.280 that ministry is discipleship. 00:12:01.400 --> 00:12:02.680 We're not here to entertain. 00:12:02.880 --> 00:12:07.260 We're here to grow in our relationship with the Lord and to understand who he's called us 00:12:07.260 --> 00:12:08.480 to be and to do that. 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:15.900 And which brings us to the last part of our vision, which is one calling, that you and I 00:12:15.900 --> 00:12:19.320 are called to go, that we're called to go. 00:12:19.880 --> 00:12:24.760 What I love about what Sunday morning provides for us, what I love about the feel of what 00:12:24.760 --> 00:12:28.760 we're trying to create and what we're trying to do here, it is a point in time where we 00:12:28.760 --> 00:12:32.580 can come together and rally together as brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:12:32.880 --> 00:12:36.020 As we were here, and if you weren't able to be here earlier, I just want to tell you this 00:12:36.020 --> 00:12:41.380 is a fantastic time of men and women and kids kind of coming in and gathering together and 00:12:41.380 --> 00:12:45.440 getting some snacks and getting some coffee and getting some juice and having conversations, 00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:49.780 seeing people who hadn't seen each other in a long time, seeing individuals who didn't 00:12:49.780 --> 00:12:53.120 know each other until this morning kind of coming and gathering together. 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:55.040 And we had that wonderful time of fellowship. 00:12:55.420 --> 00:13:00.080 And now we're going to come here and we're going to be fed and the Spirit of God has already 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:03.420 moved and worshiped and continue as we look at God's Word. 00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:08.220 But then at some point in time, maybe a little bit longer than some of us are anticipating 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:10.860 because I could kind of get going and going and going and going, right? 00:13:11.020 --> 00:13:16.620 But I promise you, if this is your first time here, we will leave and we will go. 00:13:17.780 --> 00:13:18.840 And that's the call. 00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:23.340 And it's not just that we go from here, but you are called to go. 00:13:24.300 --> 00:13:27.500 The Great Commission says literally that the word go is as you go. 00:13:27.780 --> 00:13:33.180 So in every aspect, in every moment, in every relationship of where God has placed you is 00:13:33.180 --> 00:13:35.520 an opportunity where He is leveraging you for the gospel. 00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:44.000 And so it's not just missionaries and pastors and elders and ministers that go, but it's you. 00:13:44.700 --> 00:13:47.340 And it's you and it's you and it's you. 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:53.620 That when we are in Christ, when we've been saved by Him, when we have the beautiful privilege 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:58.920 of partaking in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, that you and I get a mission. 00:13:58.920 --> 00:14:01.540 And this is our calling, all of us. 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:04.300 It's our calling to go. 00:14:05.160 --> 00:14:07.840 So it's not just about being discipled, right? 00:14:07.900 --> 00:14:08.700 That's our ministry. 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:13.840 But it's our calling to go and make disciples. 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:18.620 And we believe that this is who we are, that this is what we're about. 00:14:19.020 --> 00:14:23.260 We are one family, one ministry, one calling, and that's who we are. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:25.320 But we also have to look at our mission of what we do. 00:14:25.980 --> 00:14:27.140 And this kind of fleshes out. 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:28.640 Our mission statement is this. 00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:34.140 We are engaging, equipping, and sending people to make known the truth of the gospel. 00:14:34.920 --> 00:14:38.580 Of what this is building and what all of this from the vision has poured into. 00:14:38.680 --> 00:14:40.100 And this is what God's called us to do. 00:14:40.920 --> 00:14:47.020 And so what we want to do here in this congregation, what we want to do here in this moment, in this experience, 00:14:47.540 --> 00:14:50.220 is set an example for what God has called our lives to. 00:14:50.780 --> 00:14:54.260 So that we take on the things that are happening here and we take them to our homes. 00:14:54.400 --> 00:14:55.460 We take them to our work. 00:14:55.660 --> 00:14:56.740 We take them to where we play. 00:14:56.740 --> 00:15:02.740 And in every aspect of where God has sent us, as He's mobilized every single one of us as missionaries. 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:07.700 And so it's our mission, engaging, equipping, and sending people to make known the truth of the gospel. 00:15:07.920 --> 00:15:09.500 And so we want to be engaging here. 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:11.600 And it's the point of Coffee Talk. 00:15:11.740 --> 00:15:17.340 It's the point of that group of people that were standing out there in the blazing hot sun the entire time, 00:15:17.400 --> 00:15:19.080 kind of welcome you as you're coming in. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:21.800 And they're dripping sweat and having to change shirts. 00:15:21.800 --> 00:15:26.720 I know some of them, like, brings their backup shirt each Sunday morning in case it gets too sweaty out there. 00:15:26.760 --> 00:15:28.140 Because we want to be engaging. 00:15:28.640 --> 00:15:29.880 It's what Coffee Talk is about. 00:15:30.020 --> 00:15:30.720 What one serves. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:32.180 It's about what's welcoming. 00:15:32.400 --> 00:15:35.880 It's our hope for you as our first-time guests that we want to engage you and say, 00:15:35.960 --> 00:15:36.280 You know what? 00:15:36.460 --> 00:15:36.900 Here's the thing. 00:15:37.100 --> 00:15:38.900 We want you to be a part of this family. 00:15:39.560 --> 00:15:41.520 We want you to feel welcome. 00:15:41.880 --> 00:15:43.560 We want you to feel a part. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.060 I'll never forget. 00:15:45.140 --> 00:15:49.900 It was like the first time that I went out on a date with, I didn't know she'd be my wife, 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:51.920 but I'd seen her and I'd hoped that she'd be my wife. 00:15:52.180 --> 00:15:57.480 And I went to Erin's house and I met her mom and her mom met me with a big old smile on her face and her hug. 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:03.440 And immediately within that moment I felt like I was family because I was engaged in that. 00:16:03.940 --> 00:16:05.180 I was brought in. 00:16:05.180 --> 00:16:09.180 And so we want to be engaging, but we also want to be about equipping. 00:16:10.180 --> 00:16:14.480 Equipping in all that we do so that it's not just about what we do here. 00:16:14.640 --> 00:16:20.280 It's not just about being fed, but it's about learning to feed yourself. 00:16:21.180 --> 00:16:23.260 To sow the hope of what we have here. 00:16:23.920 --> 00:16:29.140 We don't want it to be where we are dependent on the pastor, that we are dependent on the elders, 00:16:29.340 --> 00:16:32.860 that we are dependent on the ministers, that we are dependent on the leaders, 00:16:32.980 --> 00:16:39.120 but that in the attempt to feed is so that you and I can grow and learn together 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:44.600 and learn to feed ourselves so that when we learn how to feed ourselves, 00:16:44.820 --> 00:16:47.380 then we can feed others as well. 00:16:48.160 --> 00:16:48.360 Right? 00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:54.580 So I feed so that I can feed you so that you can feed yourself so that you can feed others. 00:16:55.660 --> 00:17:01.440 And then the mission, the last part is we're sending so that we leave and that we will go. 00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:02.980 And we will go. 00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:04.300 And we will go. 00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:13.920 So we gather together in our home and we grow together so that when it's time that God calls us and we leave. 00:17:14.800 --> 00:17:19.280 Now what we're going to do over the next four weeks is we're going to look at Ephesians chapter 4. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.960 We're going to look at the first six verses this morning, 00:17:23.120 --> 00:17:28.200 but then we're going to continue to build on that throughout the next three weeks after this. 00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:33.240 And what we're going to do is we're going to look at what Paul's called them to do 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.460 and what God's called them to be. 00:17:35.640 --> 00:17:41.880 And what we're going to notice that within here is the scripture transcends time, culture, language, 00:17:42.300 --> 00:17:43.840 socioeconomic, and everything else. 00:17:44.560 --> 00:17:49.080 That in this example of the church that begins with the unity of the body of Christ, 00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:51.900 of what this will look like, is that this is the calling. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:57.280 And you and I, what we want to do through this is we want to examine who we are corporately together. 00:17:57.820 --> 00:18:02.240 But I want to be honest with you, like take the step back also this morning 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:07.280 and have this examine and lay against your life as who you are as an individual. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:10.200 Who you are in your walk with Christ. 00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:14.220 What we do here, what we're about here, where you are here, 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:19.460 should be a reflection, an example of who you are everywhere else. 00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:24.320 That this should not be the different you because you are here. 00:18:24.840 --> 00:18:28.160 This should be the reflection of who you are here and who you are there 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:34.040 because it's who Christ has you to be, who he's called you, who he's transforming you to be. 00:18:34.760 --> 00:18:40.020 And so let's jump in and we'll go through these first six verses, I promise, relatively quickly. 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:43.700 Starting in verse one, Paul writes and he says, 00:18:43.800 --> 00:18:51.060 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling 00:18:51.060 --> 00:18:52.840 to which you have been called. 00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:59.500 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 00:19:00.520 --> 00:19:04.920 eager to maintain the unity of the spirit and the body of peace. 00:19:05.760 --> 00:19:12.640 There is one body and one spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:22.040 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:26.120 And so this is what Paul writes to the church at Ephesus. 00:19:26.780 --> 00:19:31.440 And so what we want to see first is individually what Paul addresses to the individuals 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:34.380 and to the corporate gathering is the calling. 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:39.760 Our calling as individuals, our calling as a corporate body of believers. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:46.760 Paul says this, walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:48.740 Now there's a lot of calls within there. 00:19:48.820 --> 00:19:51.180 So what exactly is Paul saying? 00:19:51.360 --> 00:19:58.420 And he's saying this, you and I are responsible for reflecting the Savior that has saved us. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:03.200 That you and I, that Jesus has saved you. 00:20:03.800 --> 00:20:07.200 Jesus has saved me if he has saved you. 00:20:07.840 --> 00:20:14.920 And so now live your life authentically as if you are saved. 00:20:15.280 --> 00:20:17.980 If you've been saved, live like it. 00:20:18.360 --> 00:20:24.520 And so his words that he uses is walk in a manner worthy of the calling. 00:20:24.520 --> 00:20:33.000 So what Paul's saying is it's not about the physical way that you walk, but it's about being on this path that says when people see you, 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:38.940 when they see who you are, when they see what you embody, that it reflects Christ. 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:46.560 One of the most godly men that God's ever given me the privilege of knowing is my grandfather. 00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:51.500 And I'll never forget, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:58.240 And oftentimes when I would leave my granddad's house, he would look at me, I was heading out the door, 00:20:58.620 --> 00:21:02.800 and he'd say, when you leave here, represent us well. 00:21:04.080 --> 00:21:08.260 What he meant was, you're a reflection of me, don't mess it up, right? 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:19.240 Paul's saying this, if Christ has saved you, if you've experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ, 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:24.240 if you've experienced what Jesus has done for you on the cross, 00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:27.740 if you're being transformed in your very being, 00:21:28.180 --> 00:21:32.040 you are no longer the person who you were, you are new in him. 00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:37.560 The old has gone, the new has come, the dead man, the old man is there, 00:21:37.560 --> 00:21:40.260 and there's new life here, live like it. 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:45.480 And so in our life, what we're called to do, what we're called to be, 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:50.120 our calling is to pursue something, and is to pursue holiness. 00:21:51.340 --> 00:21:59.060 I think so often where you and I fall into a lie that's been masked under the guise of Christianity 00:21:59.060 --> 00:22:03.240 is the understanding that we aren't to pursue holiness, 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:06.200 because holiness in and of ourselves is not obtainable. 00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:09.820 And I'll admit, like, I can't achieve my own holiness. 00:22:10.200 --> 00:22:13.420 In fact, it's imparted to me through the work of Christ, 00:22:13.520 --> 00:22:16.140 but in that, in what God's called me to be, 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:18.480 in what God's called me to do, I'm to pursue it. 00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:21.400 So I'm not to pursue the things of this world, 00:22:21.580 --> 00:22:23.120 I'm to pursue the things of God, 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:26.660 and I'm to chase after that, I'm to keep my eyes focused on him. 00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:28.100 So that's what it needs to be. 00:22:28.300 --> 00:22:31.960 So as I walk in a manner worthy of the calling that you have, 00:22:32.080 --> 00:22:34.260 there's pursuits that I need to go on, 00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:36.320 and that pursuit is holiness. 00:22:37.620 --> 00:22:44.920 And that as I do this, what I know in the process that's happening is I'm being sanctified. 00:22:45.600 --> 00:22:46.300 I'm being sanctified. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:51.080 So there are people who teach that once you are saved, 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:54.460 that you are free from, meaning you will never sin again. 00:22:54.760 --> 00:22:56.240 Well, there's only a problem with that. 00:22:56.340 --> 00:22:58.120 The Bible doesn't preach that, right? 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:01.180 And here's what the Bible says, 00:23:01.280 --> 00:23:04.980 that in this, in our pursuit as God saved us, 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:08.360 that what he is doing is he is sanctifying us, 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:11.120 that he is working through us, 00:23:11.360 --> 00:23:14.840 that he's taken those actions and those attitudes and those thoughts 00:23:14.840 --> 00:23:17.380 and those words that were sinful and apart from him, 00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:19.440 and as we're growing and as we're maturing, 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:22.880 he's removing and removing and removing more and more of those. 00:23:23.180 --> 00:23:26.300 And so this life that we're on, this journey that we're on, 00:23:26.320 --> 00:23:27.980 is the process of sanctification, 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:32.020 that every single day as we walk and pursue after him, 00:23:32.100 --> 00:23:35.660 we become more and more like Christ. 00:23:37.080 --> 00:23:39.300 My son Grayson came with me to church this morning, 00:23:40.520 --> 00:23:44.700 and we were riding, and we got in the car together, 00:23:44.860 --> 00:23:45.340 and I said, 00:23:45.620 --> 00:23:47.820 Hey, buddy, what did you eat for breakfast this morning? 00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:50.920 And he said, I didn't eat anything. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.440 I said, you didn't eat anything? 00:23:54.060 --> 00:23:55.060 It's 7 o'clock in the morning. 00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:56.440 He's been up for an hour, right? 00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:58.040 Why didn't you eat anything? 00:23:58.660 --> 00:24:00.040 And he looked at me and he said, 00:24:00.120 --> 00:24:02.220 Because you're taking me to Bojangles, right? 00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:07.680 And I said, well, I mean, I am now, 00:24:08.040 --> 00:24:11.920 but hey, next time, get a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles, right? 00:24:13.520 --> 00:24:17.520 And then I thought, but that's what I would have done, right? 00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:21.460 More and more looking like his father. 00:24:23.020 --> 00:24:25.360 And that's not always good in that instance, right? 00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:38.960 But you and I should have this time and part within our life where we're realizing that there's the more and more as we walk and go about our journey that we're looking more and more like our heavenly father. 00:24:39.660 --> 00:24:40.880 And that's our calling. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.020 And that's our pursuit. 00:24:42.020 --> 00:24:44.380 But here's where it gets sticky, all right? 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.720 We're called together. 00:24:46.320 --> 00:24:48.100 We're called together, all right? 00:24:48.300 --> 00:24:49.380 Paul's word says, 00:24:50.040 --> 00:24:52.920 With one another in love. 00:24:53.040 --> 00:24:53.680 Now, I'll tell you this. 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:56.760 This is the hardest thing for us to do. 00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:59.340 This is so hard. 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:12.320 You know, it's not that you and I are just responsible to work ourselves down this path, but you and I are responsible to work each other together as we go through this. 00:25:12.600 --> 00:25:13.600 Now, I was thinking about this the other day. 00:25:13.740 --> 00:25:18.020 It is very easy for me to do something that I know how to do. 00:25:18.520 --> 00:25:20.000 I know that's a profound statement, right? 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:22.880 It's easy for me to do something that I know how to do. 00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:28.880 But sometimes it is very difficult for me to teach you something that you don't know how to do, 00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:30.280 even though I know how to do it. 00:25:31.040 --> 00:25:35.400 And when we look at this life, that's what God has called us to be. 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:39.420 That we are called together, one another. 00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:41.420 It's not about independence. 00:25:41.800 --> 00:25:44.160 It's not about what we're to do alone. 00:25:44.340 --> 00:25:49.120 But it's who God has called us to be and what God has called us to do together. 00:25:49.320 --> 00:25:50.880 And it's what he models for us. 00:25:51.060 --> 00:25:57.720 When you were saved, what God did, the most gracious thing that he could do in your life and in your sanctification, 00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:59.860 is he gives you his spirit. 00:26:00.280 --> 00:26:02.520 The Holy Spirit comes and dwells in us. 00:26:02.760 --> 00:26:08.000 The Holy Spirit of God lives in every man, woman, and child who is a believer. 00:26:08.140 --> 00:26:11.420 Because God says we're not made to do this alone. 00:26:11.580 --> 00:26:14.640 So the Holy Spirit comes and resides in us. 00:26:14.780 --> 00:26:18.080 So from the very beginning, in and of everything that we're going to do, 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:21.300 it should be imprinted into our hearts that we can't do it alone. 00:26:22.340 --> 00:26:25.840 We're so incapable of doing it alone that God sends his spirit. 00:26:26.620 --> 00:26:33.320 And that is only through his power, it is only through his leading that you and I can even do anything that glorifies God. 00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:36.740 But then also God gives us each other. 00:26:37.900 --> 00:26:41.220 Like you and I are blessings for each other. 00:26:41.820 --> 00:26:47.320 You and I are examples of God's grace and God's kindness for one another. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:50.040 God has given you each other. 00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:52.080 God has given you to me. 00:26:52.300 --> 00:26:57.280 God has given me to you for our betterment, for our holiness, and for our sanctification. 00:26:58.280 --> 00:27:05.100 So in every step and every process of what you are, every hiccup that you've had, every victory that you felt, 00:27:05.360 --> 00:27:09.680 every defeat that you've experienced, in all of those things, 00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:17.160 God has given us one another to come alongside one another so that we can do this together. 00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:24.380 Your walk with God was never intended to be alone, isolated, and in your own power. 00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:31.420 Our walk with God was always designed to be in community, and the power of the Spirit, 00:27:31.800 --> 00:27:39.680 and please church, hear me with this, not depending on one another, but leaning into one another. 00:27:40.780 --> 00:27:48.260 Your walk and my walk with the Lord and our relationship with him cannot be dependent on one another 00:27:48.260 --> 00:27:54.660 because we will fail, and if it's dependent on me or dependent on you, then it'll fall apart. 00:27:55.620 --> 00:28:01.520 It's dependent on God, but what God gives us the beautiful picture of being able to do 00:28:01.520 --> 00:28:12.800 is be able to lean in and press in and come alongside and grow and strengthen and encourage and teach 00:28:12.800 --> 00:28:18.320 and even in some areas rebuke because it's who he's called us to be. 00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:25.500 And that when God does what God's doing in this, there's a purpose and there's a reason behind what he does. 00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:33.760 It may seem like silly on a Sunday night to gather in here and to play games on a Sunday night at the end of the month, 00:28:33.840 --> 00:28:35.020 but there's a reason behind it. 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:40.220 There's a reason why it was so important for a team of individuals to come here this morning 00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:44.060 and to get coffee and to get orange juice and to stand there and to serve you. 00:28:44.220 --> 00:28:45.520 There's a reason for it. 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:50.140 And there's a reason why God gives us each other and calls us in this, 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:52.700 and it's what we want to make sure that we focus on, 00:28:53.340 --> 00:28:54.860 and it's for unity of the Spirit. 00:28:55.820 --> 00:29:04.440 For unity of the Spirit, Paul says eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:11.080 Now, for you and I to understand this, that our life, we talked about this last week, 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:19.080 our life is a reflection of God, that you are here on this planet to bring God and give God glory. 00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:19.500 That's it. 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:20.360 That's it. 00:29:20.940 --> 00:29:21.740 That's my call. 00:29:21.840 --> 00:29:22.600 That's your call. 00:29:22.800 --> 00:29:23.580 That's my kid's call. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.440 That's my wife's call. 00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:27.460 That's every person who's on this planet. 00:29:27.780 --> 00:29:30.620 God puts them here to give him glory. 00:29:31.260 --> 00:29:35.220 And so as he calls us to do things, as he calls us to be something, 00:29:35.340 --> 00:29:38.380 it is in that that we would reflect and give him glory. 00:29:38.600 --> 00:29:41.720 So your relationship with mine, my relationship with you, 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:46.700 and your relationship with each other is for a purpose and for a reason, 00:29:46.860 --> 00:29:53.300 for the unity of the Spirit to show the world what the gospel means and what the gospel looks like. 00:29:53.380 --> 00:30:01.280 And so in order to maintain the unity of the Spirit, it's for you and I to embrace and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:05.680 Not that it just saves us, but it then calls us to live our life. 00:30:05.800 --> 00:30:12.080 Because what it means is that you and I, that we understand through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:13.640 that we obtain something. 00:30:14.300 --> 00:30:20.500 That something is given to us, something that was not there before, and what that is, is peace. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:25.700 The Bible tells us that when you and I, when we were lost in our sin and our trespasses, 00:30:25.840 --> 00:30:28.420 there was a wall that was put between us and God. 00:30:28.580 --> 00:30:31.780 There was a barrier that was there, and it was our sin. 00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:40.560 And it was through the sacrifice of Christ that that wall has been completely destroyed for those who are found in him, 00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:44.560 for those whom he has saved, that that wall is broken. 00:30:44.560 --> 00:30:50.400 And now the hostility and the war that was there, guess what we have between us and God? 00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:53.100 We have unity and we have peace. 00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:55.260 And that's what we gain. 00:30:56.200 --> 00:31:00.020 We are no longer enemies of God, but we are sons and daughters. 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:05.900 There's no longer strife between us, but there's unity and peace and hope. 00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:13.500 Now as we go and make disciples, we're called to reflect that in the world. 00:31:14.100 --> 00:31:20.900 And God's word says that as that's been established, Paul says we are to maintain it. 00:31:21.580 --> 00:31:30.660 That you and I and how we treat, how we interact, how we talk about, how we live amongst each other 00:31:30.660 --> 00:31:37.140 is to be done in the spirit of maintaining the unity of the spirit. 00:31:37.520 --> 00:31:41.220 Because as the world sees us is how the world sees God. 00:31:42.260 --> 00:31:46.820 Jesus in John chapter 13, it's verse 35 if you want to make a note. 00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:49.000 Jesus says this, 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:54.280 They will know that you are my disciples by your love for one another. 00:31:55.260 --> 00:31:55.760 Love that. 00:31:56.780 --> 00:32:00.520 Jesus doesn't say they'll know you're my disciples by how many classes you've taken. 00:32:01.600 --> 00:32:04.200 How many books of the Bible that you've read. 00:32:04.800 --> 00:32:07.280 How many verses that you've memorized. 00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:10.500 How many mission trips that you've gone on. 00:32:10.760 --> 00:32:13.040 By how much knowledge that you've obtained. 00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:18.800 Jesus says, no, no, no, what they're going to know that you are my disciples by your love 00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:19.620 for one another. 00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:20.760 So think about that. 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:27.540 How we love each other is how Jesus says, this is what marks, this is what shows, this 00:32:27.540 --> 00:32:31.180 is what lets everyone know that you are my disciples. 00:32:32.280 --> 00:32:37.140 And so many times we think it's about the words that I can say, the things that I know, 00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:40.160 the arguments that I can have, the points that I can prove. 00:32:40.340 --> 00:32:43.340 And Jesus says, no, no, no, no, it's about how you love one another. 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.380 That's what it's going to look like. 00:32:46.120 --> 00:32:47.200 And that's what it's going to be. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:52.620 And so I want to conclude in this last point, and we're going to go into time of worship. 00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:54.680 What does that look like? 00:32:56.040 --> 00:32:58.980 What does it mean to love each other in that way? 00:32:59.780 --> 00:33:05.100 What does it look like tangibly to say, I'm going to maintain the spirit of unity. 00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:07.460 This is who that I'm going to be in my life. 00:33:08.060 --> 00:33:11.140 Well, Paul gives us four words that we need to embrace. 00:33:12.140 --> 00:33:21.380 He says, with all humility and gentleness, with patience and forbearance with one another in love. 00:33:22.380 --> 00:33:25.120 And so in closing, I want to define these four words for us. 00:33:25.780 --> 00:33:27.040 And the band's going to come up. 00:33:27.100 --> 00:33:28.460 We're going to have some more time in worship. 00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:29.940 I want to close in this. 00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:38.740 If we're going to be one in Christ, if we're going to work toward and maintain the spirit that God has 00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:42.400 called us to of unity, that we have to be a people marked with humility. 00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:43.620 Humility. 00:33:44.520 --> 00:33:52.220 Now, our world defines words differently sometimes than the way God defines them. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:58.340 You know, I think it's kind of funny sometimes when people say, well, I'm looking at the Bible, 00:33:58.680 --> 00:34:00.620 and so I jump to the dictionary to see. 00:34:01.040 --> 00:34:07.120 And what we're doing is we're making sure that the world has defined something that God is choosing to define. 00:34:07.660 --> 00:34:12.360 So I want to make sure that we see these words and understand what they mean according to God's word. 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:17.040 And to be humble, the humility that we are seeing is servanthood. 00:34:18.020 --> 00:34:18.620 Servanthood. 00:34:19.700 --> 00:34:23.480 Jesus humbled himself by coming and serving. 00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:26.780 That's what it means to be humble. 00:34:27.160 --> 00:34:30.040 That's what the humility that God is pointing us to, 00:34:30.180 --> 00:34:33.760 that you and I are not looking about or thinking about ourselves, 00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:37.820 but we're looking at our brothers and sisters and saying, how can we come along? 00:34:38.040 --> 00:34:39.020 How can we serve? 00:34:39.220 --> 00:34:40.120 How can we love? 00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:41.120 How can we care? 00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:44.720 Without looking forward and return. 00:34:45.740 --> 00:34:45.880 Right? 00:34:45.960 --> 00:34:48.360 Like, this isn't an I owe you kind of thing. 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:51.660 Or this isn't even better, a you owe me kind of thing. 00:34:52.220 --> 00:34:58.000 That our servant minded is when we don't get anything in return, but how can we love you? 00:34:58.160 --> 00:34:59.340 So I want to ask you this question. 00:34:59.700 --> 00:35:00.380 Who are you serving? 00:35:01.660 --> 00:35:02.400 Who are you serving? 00:35:03.420 --> 00:35:07.020 Who are you looking at in relationship within the context? 00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:09.820 Who are you serving with all humility? 00:35:10.460 --> 00:35:12.680 But then also, gentleness. 00:35:13.580 --> 00:35:14.040 Gentleness. 00:35:14.160 --> 00:35:16.320 Now, I love this definition. 00:35:17.180 --> 00:35:22.980 Gentleness in this context is defined by restraint or controlled strength. 00:35:23.860 --> 00:35:24.040 Right? 00:35:24.560 --> 00:35:29.260 Not what I could do, but what I'm going to do. 00:35:30.120 --> 00:35:31.160 That's gentleness. 00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:39.300 So that when you and I, in the context of our relationship, as we enter at, because we are still people who struggle with sin, 00:35:39.520 --> 00:35:43.820 that as we engage with one another, I don't know if you know about this, but sometimes there's conflict in churches, right? 00:35:43.840 --> 00:35:44.660 Like, we have that. 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:52.920 But the response to it, the response to you and I in this moment is gentleness, is restraint, 00:35:52.920 --> 00:35:59.540 is holding back from what our flesh is wanting us to do and what God is calling us to do. 00:36:00.180 --> 00:36:01.120 No, no, no, no, no, no. 00:36:01.620 --> 00:36:02.660 Just step back. 00:36:03.300 --> 00:36:04.340 Just hold back. 00:36:04.960 --> 00:36:06.380 Just let there be gentleness. 00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:08.140 Let there be restraint. 00:36:08.700 --> 00:36:11.820 Let there be controlled strength in the moment. 00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:13.880 And then I love this. 00:36:14.740 --> 00:36:16.420 With patience. 00:36:17.300 --> 00:36:18.180 With patience. 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:25.180 And when we look at this patience, what patience means is a reluctance to avenge wrongs. 00:36:26.200 --> 00:36:26.340 Right? 00:36:27.140 --> 00:36:28.780 So you wrong me. 00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:31.580 Oftentimes, it's my response then. 00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:34.460 What you've done to me, watch now what I'm going to do to you. 00:36:35.060 --> 00:36:37.960 Watch how I'm going to take care of this and handle this. 00:36:38.040 --> 00:36:41.060 That I do this to you so that you may never do this again. 00:36:41.180 --> 00:36:45.840 But patience within the context of the body is the reluctance to say, 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:46.840 No, no, no, no, no, no. 00:36:46.980 --> 00:36:48.940 You're on your journey. 00:36:49.220 --> 00:36:50.100 You're on this. 00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:54.180 And it's not my goal to avenge wrongs. 00:36:54.600 --> 00:37:00.260 But it's my goal to help you see who Christ has called you to be. 00:37:01.040 --> 00:37:02.120 That's discipleship. 00:37:02.640 --> 00:37:03.720 That's sanctification. 00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:05.640 That's working through. 00:37:06.120 --> 00:37:13.340 That's understanding that as I've been wronged, it pales into comparison to how much I've wronged God in my life. 00:37:14.160 --> 00:37:20.000 And then the last, with forbearance, or the ESV says bearing with one another in love. 00:37:20.580 --> 00:37:23.600 And I love the definition of the commentator that I read about this. 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:25.160 And he described forbearance. 00:37:25.220 --> 00:37:32.120 Forbearance is a love, but specifically a love that holds others up. 00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:34.800 And that's what we're called to do in the church. 00:37:35.540 --> 00:37:37.160 That that's who we're called to be. 00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:43.120 That there's going to become points and times in our life where we can't stand any longer. 00:37:43.860 --> 00:37:50.020 There's going to become points and times in our life where our weakness begins to overtake us and overcome us. 00:37:50.100 --> 00:37:58.300 There's going to be points and times in this journey from where we are to where we will be in eternity that we experience falls and failures. 00:37:58.300 --> 00:38:05.180 That we experience shortcomings and we begin to experience where sin is beginning to win and to battle within there. 00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:12.820 And that what forbearance calls us to the type of love is not to kick someone while they're down, but to pick them up. 00:38:13.640 --> 00:38:21.860 And to hold them up and to carry them so that they can be renewed and strengthened in Christ. 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:24.820 And that's what it means to be one. 00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:29.820 And that's what it means to see unity within the body. 00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:33.420 I'll tell you today, it's fantastic. 00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:38.720 Hearing what we heard as you lifted up your voices. 00:38:39.960 --> 00:38:47.100 Seeing what we saw as we saw families interacting that had not seen each other in a while. 00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:55.140 Seeing new people connect with one another and exchange names and begin to learn and begin to hear people's story was all beautiful. 00:38:55.140 --> 00:39:06.940 But if we walk out and that was just a moment, and if this isn't who we are, one family, one ministry, one calling, 00:39:07.580 --> 00:39:11.760 then we've just completely missed who God's called us to be. 00:39:12.700 --> 00:39:13.520 Would you pray with me? 00:39:22.700 --> 00:39:28.220 Lord, we thank you so much for this opportunity that we could have to be here. 00:39:30.560 --> 00:39:34.300 Lord, I just thank you for this time. 00:39:36.440 --> 00:39:41.920 Jesus, where you've brought us together in the midst of all the craziness that is existing right now. 00:39:44.200 --> 00:39:45.860 One people, one family. 00:39:47.740 --> 00:39:53.600 Lord, we celebrate you and we thank you of who you've called us to be, Lord, and what you've called us to do. 00:39:54.680 --> 00:40:00.400 Lord, I pray that in our life that we would walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 00:40:01.620 --> 00:40:07.640 Lord, I pray that we would embrace that, Lord, that this is the life, this is the path that you've set us down. 00:40:07.740 --> 00:40:09.320 This is who you've called us to be. 00:40:09.400 --> 00:40:10.940 And, Lord, that we would embrace that. 00:40:14.540 --> 00:40:19.100 Lord, I pray that we would not just give lip service, that this is where we attend church. 00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:23.680 But, Lord, that this would be where we have family. 00:40:26.120 --> 00:40:31.860 Family that live in different neighborhoods, in different cities, with different backgrounds, with different stories. 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:37.440 Family who we struggle with. 00:40:37.620 --> 00:40:39.400 Family who we celebrate with. 00:40:40.500 --> 00:40:43.300 Family who we're reminded of our hope in Christ with. 00:40:43.300 --> 00:41:03.460 Lord, may your words that you gave Paul in Romans 12 ring true in our life. 00:41:03.560 --> 00:41:06.080 May we rejoice with those who rejoice. 00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:07.860 Weep with those who weep. 00:41:08.160 --> 00:41:09.640 Live in harmony with one another. 00:41:09.640 --> 00:41:16.100 Jesus, we thank you for the peace that you brought us. 00:41:17.220 --> 00:41:19.360 The unity of the Spirit. 00:41:21.520 --> 00:41:25.000 Lord, that our sin has kept us separated. 00:41:27.880 --> 00:41:29.520 Through your work on the cross. 00:41:30.380 --> 00:41:33.240 Through your death, burial, and resurrection. 00:41:33.940 --> 00:41:34.940 We find life. 00:41:39.240 --> 00:41:42.340 I'm going to ask if, just for a moment, guys. 00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:45.440 Just with every head bowed, every eye closed. 00:41:47.400 --> 00:41:49.840 Kevin, if you could bring up the house lights just a little bit. 00:41:54.360 --> 00:41:55.640 No one looking around. 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:08.900 This life that I'm talking about is not found because we've taken a church class. 00:42:11.100 --> 00:42:14.000 It's found because Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. 00:42:15.900 --> 00:42:19.140 And so, I want to make sure that we're careful on something today. 00:42:20.540 --> 00:42:37.380 That this life that God has for you and that God has for me is not found because we agree and align ourselves with a pastor or with a church. 00:42:40.080 --> 00:42:43.440 It's because we are found in Christ and in Christ alone. 00:42:45.700 --> 00:42:54.640 And all of this is because he loved you and I enough that he paid the price for your sins on Calvary. 00:42:55.040 --> 00:43:02.340 That he gave up his life so that you may have life and that you may have hope and that it may be eternal set for you. 00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:10.580 And so, this morning, with every head bowed and every eye closed, I want to ask one question. 00:43:13.640 --> 00:43:19.620 Is today the day that God is calling you to your salvation? 00:43:21.400 --> 00:43:26.640 Is today the day that Jesus Christ becomes your Lord and Savior? 00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:33.080 If that's you and that's you today and that's where you are, just, I want to get, no one else is looking. 00:43:33.180 --> 00:43:34.200 The band's not looking. 00:43:34.420 --> 00:43:35.660 People upstairs aren't looking. 00:43:35.900 --> 00:43:36.460 No one's looking. 00:43:36.640 --> 00:43:38.200 It's just me and you and the Lord. 00:43:39.000 --> 00:43:42.740 And I want to ask, if that's you, would you just look up here at me? 00:43:42.740 --> 00:44:11.060 Lord, I pray that today, as my brother just indicated, 00:44:12.340 --> 00:44:15.080 that today would be the day that, Lord, that he would be found in you. 00:44:15.880 --> 00:44:22.100 The day would be the day that Jesus, that you would save him as he repents of his sins, 00:44:23.540 --> 00:44:26.420 as he understands the work of what you have for him, Lord, 00:44:26.900 --> 00:44:30.720 and that his new life and his new hope is found in you and in you alone. 00:44:31.220 --> 00:44:37.900 And today we celebrate that there's one person that moved from death to life. 00:44:39.020 --> 00:44:40.240 And it's your name we pray. 00:44:40.960 --> 00:44:41.280 Amen. 00:44:41.940 --> 00:44:45.600 In just a minute, we're going to stand and we're going to respond and worship. 00:44:46.420 --> 00:44:49.340 Something that we've been able to do today, that we haven't been able to do in a while, 00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:51.280 is we've got prayer encouragers. 00:44:51.380 --> 00:44:53.160 If y'all raise your hands where you guys are. 00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:55.260 We've got prayer encouragers on either side of the auditorium. 00:44:56.600 --> 00:44:57.760 And I'll be down front. 00:44:57.900 --> 00:44:59.000 I'll be right here. 00:45:00.020 --> 00:45:02.740 And maybe today you need somebody to pray with you. 00:45:03.820 --> 00:45:06.060 Maybe today you gave your life to Christ. 00:45:06.160 --> 00:45:10.040 You feel like God's calling you and you've been saved and you want somebody to pray with. 00:45:10.100 --> 00:45:11.060 We want to pray with you. 00:45:11.100 --> 00:45:11.900 We want to talk to you. 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:15.120 As the band plays, I want to encourage you to respond. 00:45:15.600 --> 00:45:18.600 There's places where they can go and pray with you and they would love to do that. 00:45:18.660 --> 00:45:21.220 There's places where I can go and pray with you and I would love to do that. 00:45:22.120 --> 00:45:24.120 We just want you to respond how God's leading you. 00:45:25.220 --> 00:45:28.300 But as we're going to go into a little bit of an extended time of worship this morning, 00:45:29.080 --> 00:45:34.100 maybe it's just a time between you and the Lord to celebrate Him for all that He's done. 00:45:34.780 --> 00:45:35.760 Don't respond to me. 00:45:35.860 --> 00:45:36.820 Don't respond to the band. 00:45:37.420 --> 00:45:39.860 Just respond to Him as we worship Him. 00:45:40.340 --> 00:45:41.400 You stand as we worship Him. 00:45:41.400 --> 00:46:01.460 Thanks again for listening to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:46:02.000 --> 00:46:04.280 We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message. 00:46:04.480 --> 00:46:08.280 If you'd like to learn more about who we are or explore additional resources, 00:46:08.900 --> 00:46:13.340 visit us online at www.willowridgechurch.com 00:46:13.340 --> 00:46:16.900 or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook and Instagram.