1 00:00:01,317 --> 00:00:04,320 Genesis 15:1-6 2 00:00:05,388 --> 00:00:08,875 After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. 3 00:00:09,292 --> 00:00:11,578 Fear not, Abram, I am your shield. 4 00:00:11,578 --> 00:00:13,797 Your reward shall be very great. 5 00:00:13,797 --> 00:00:16,383 But Abram said, O Lord God, what will you give me? 6 00:00:16,383 --> 00:00:21,137 For I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus. 7 00:00:21,805 --> 00:00:24,357 And Abram said, behold, you've given me no offspring, 8 00:00:24,357 --> 00:00:26,960 and a member of my household will be my heir. 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,729 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him. 10 00:00:29,729 --> 00:00:31,798 This man shall not be your heir. 11 00:00:31,798 --> 00:00:34,801 Your very own son shall be your ear. 12 00:00:34,884 --> 00:00:37,637 And he brought him outside and said, look toward heaven 13 00:00:37,637 --> 00:00:40,640 and number the stars, if you're able to number them. 14 00:00:40,857 --> 00:00:43,943 Then he said to them, so shall your offspring be. 15 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,731 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 16 00:00:49,232 --> 00:00:52,218 Revelation 7:9-12 17 00:00:53,002 --> 00:00:56,489 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude 18 00:00:56,489 --> 00:01:00,143 that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes, 19 00:01:00,143 --> 00:01:03,780 and peoples and languages, standing before the throne, 20 00:01:03,947 --> 00:01:07,851 and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches 21 00:01:07,851 --> 00:01:10,854 in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice. 22 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,325 Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the lamb. 23 00:01:15,775 --> 00:01:19,112 And all the angels were standing around the throne, and around the elders, 24 00:01:19,112 --> 00:01:23,550 and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne 25 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:29,072 and worshiped God, saying, Amen, blessing and glory, and wisdom 26 00:01:29,072 --> 00:01:34,644 and thanksgiving, and honor and power, and might be to our God forever and ever. 27 00:01:34,878 --> 00:01:37,614 Amen. 28 00:01:37,614 --> 00:01:41,301 Welcome to the weekend gathering here at Christ Community Chapel. 29 00:01:41,334 --> 00:01:42,352 My name is Zach. 30 00:01:42,352 --> 00:01:43,620 I'm one of the pastors here, 31 00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:47,357 and I'm so glad that we get to be part of your weekend. 32 00:01:47,390 --> 00:01:49,109 Smart move by you. 33 00:01:49,109 --> 00:01:52,128 You come on Thursday night, and then no matter what happens on Sunday, 34 00:01:52,128 --> 00:01:53,963 it's not your problem, right? 35 00:01:53,963 --> 00:01:54,898 Very smart. 36 00:01:54,898 --> 00:01:57,000 And hey, if you're watching this online, it's 37 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,003 because the roads are shut down and we couldn't be open, 38 00:02:00,203 --> 00:02:02,272 and thanks for watching online, we'll see you next week, 39 00:02:02,272 --> 00:02:04,307 and you should have come on Thursday night. 40 00:02:05,458 --> 00:02:09,229 All right, listen, 2026 is the year of More 41 00:02:09,229 --> 00:02:11,481 Life here at Christ Community Chapel. 42 00:02:11,481 --> 00:02:13,082 That's the theme of our year. 43 00:02:13,082 --> 00:02:16,803 That's the theme of this sermon series is what we're praying for. 44 00:02:16,803 --> 00:02:18,121 It's what we're expecting. 45 00:02:18,121 --> 00:02:21,241 More life in everything in our families, 46 00:02:21,441 --> 00:02:25,612 in our marriages, and our careers, and our relationships with God. 47 00:02:25,612 --> 00:02:28,381 We're expecting it because Jesus told us to. 48 00:02:28,381 --> 00:02:31,367 And John 10:10 Jesus says, I have come 49 00:02:31,434 --> 00:02:35,572 so that they may have life and life more abundant. 50 00:02:35,572 --> 00:02:38,875 And so we're saying, hey, if that's what you're about, that's 51 00:02:38,875 --> 00:02:41,878 why we want more life, 52 00:02:42,028 --> 00:02:45,198 but not just for you and for me. 53 00:02:45,632 --> 00:02:48,801 Not just for our families, not just for our marriages, 54 00:02:48,801 --> 00:02:52,589 our children, our careers, our relationship with God. 55 00:02:52,589 --> 00:02:57,377 I think we're going to see this weekend is that God wants more life 56 00:02:57,527 --> 00:03:01,047 for more people, in more places. 57 00:03:01,447 --> 00:03:05,485 He wants more life for everyone all over the world. 58 00:03:05,485 --> 00:03:09,289 And he wants us to be part of that. 59 00:03:09,439 --> 00:03:13,843 So in fact, if you have a Bible, would you open it up to Genesis chapter 15? 60 00:03:13,860 --> 00:03:14,694 Put a finger there. 61 00:03:14,694 --> 00:03:18,348 Also open it up to Revelation chapter seven, we'll be there. 62 00:03:18,348 --> 00:03:21,034 I recognize that's the two extreme ends of the Bible. 63 00:03:21,034 --> 00:03:22,802 Good luck figuring that out. 64 00:03:22,802 --> 00:03:25,555 If all that sounds way too problematic for you, 65 00:03:25,555 --> 00:03:27,507 it's going to be on the screen behind me, so don't worry about it. 66 00:03:27,507 --> 00:03:29,509 When I reference it, it'll be up there. 67 00:03:29,509 --> 00:03:31,711 But to guide our time together 68 00:03:31,711 --> 00:03:35,031 and talking about more life for more people in more places. 69 00:03:35,031 --> 00:03:37,433 I have four points I'm going to use as an outline. 70 00:03:37,433 --> 00:03:38,101 Very simple. 71 00:03:38,101 --> 00:03:42,272 They go like this I want to show you that God has a mission. 72 00:03:43,022 --> 00:03:45,658 It will succeed. 73 00:03:45,658 --> 00:03:48,061 We can miss it. 74 00:03:48,061 --> 00:03:49,612 Why would we want to? 75 00:03:49,612 --> 00:03:52,382 God has a mission. It will succeed. 76 00:03:52,382 --> 00:03:54,384 We can miss it. 77 00:03:54,384 --> 00:03:56,269 Why would we want to? 78 00:03:56,269 --> 00:03:57,387 All right, let's start with the first one. 79 00:03:57,387 --> 00:03:59,722 God has a mission. 80 00:03:59,722 --> 00:04:03,559 I love vision, I love strategy, 81 00:04:03,559 --> 00:04:08,398 I love dreaming big, I love it, I mean, when somebody says, let's do this. 82 00:04:08,398 --> 00:04:12,869 And even if the this is just absolutely bonkers, I get excited. 83 00:04:13,219 --> 00:04:19,359 Like I believe that we are hardwired to want a big idea to 84 00:04:19,375 --> 00:04:23,763 to to collaborate together in something bigger than ourselves. 85 00:04:23,763 --> 00:04:25,381 I think psychology tells us 86 00:04:25,381 --> 00:04:29,902 that sociology, anthropology, we are wired for vision I. 87 00:04:29,969 --> 00:04:31,471 In fact, I think that's one of the problems 88 00:04:31,471 --> 00:04:35,725 with our country these days, is we just lack some kind of rallying vision, 89 00:04:35,725 --> 00:04:39,512 like I would have loved to have been around when President Kennedy said, 90 00:04:39,862 --> 00:04:42,715 we're going to put somebody on the moon, like, I would have been fired up. 91 00:04:42,715 --> 00:04:43,533 I would said, man, 92 00:04:43,533 --> 00:04:44,267 I mean, 93 00:04:44,267 --> 00:04:47,120 I'm really not good at math or science, so I wouldn't have got to be part of that, 94 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,723 but I would have been fired up about it because I love vision. 95 00:04:50,723 --> 00:04:52,909 You know, even in business, there's this idea 96 00:04:52,909 --> 00:04:55,912 that if you want to galvanize people, if you want to rally people, 97 00:04:56,095 --> 00:05:02,185 you should use what's called a B hag, a big, hairy, audacious goal, 98 00:05:02,485 --> 00:05:07,190 like a goal so big that that we have to get started right now. 99 00:05:07,190 --> 00:05:10,293 A goal so big that if we don't work together, 100 00:05:10,376 --> 00:05:14,897 it isn't going to happen because you're just something about a dream, 101 00:05:14,897 --> 00:05:18,685 a vision, a bag that excites us well. 102 00:05:18,685 --> 00:05:21,871 And if you resonate with that, then I'm happy to tell you 103 00:05:21,871 --> 00:05:25,458 that God is a vision kind of God. 104 00:05:26,009 --> 00:05:28,644 God is a dreamer. He. He's a visionary. 105 00:05:28,644 --> 00:05:33,199 God has a bag, a big, hairy, audacious goal. 106 00:05:33,199 --> 00:05:37,253 In fact, the Bible is really the story of God 107 00:05:37,253 --> 00:05:40,473 establishing his big hairy, audacious goal. 108 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,943 And then fulfilling it throughout human history. 109 00:05:44,027 --> 00:05:48,381 You can actually find that big goal in Genesis 15. 110 00:05:48,381 --> 00:05:52,368 Let me read it to you and see if you notice what I'm talking about. 111 00:05:52,385 --> 00:05:54,771 Genesis 15 verse one says this. 112 00:05:54,771 --> 00:05:59,242 After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. 113 00:06:00,259 --> 00:06:01,461 Fear not Abraham, I 114 00:06:01,461 --> 00:06:04,680 am your shield, and your reward shall be very great. 115 00:06:05,248 --> 00:06:08,267 But Abraham said, O Lord God, what will you give me? 116 00:06:08,668 --> 00:06:13,823 For I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus. 117 00:06:14,307 --> 00:06:17,510 And Abraham said, behold, you have given me no offspring, 118 00:06:17,727 --> 00:06:20,730 and a member of my household will be my heir. 119 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,832 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him. 120 00:06:22,832 --> 00:06:24,684 This man shall not be your ear. 121 00:06:24,684 --> 00:06:27,003 Your very own son shall be your heir. 122 00:06:27,003 --> 00:06:31,524 And he brought him outside and said, look toward heaven and number the stars. 123 00:06:31,524 --> 00:06:33,292 If you are able to number them. 124 00:06:33,292 --> 00:06:36,829 Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. 125 00:06:37,346 --> 00:06:41,184 And he believed the Lord, and he counted to ten as righteousness. 126 00:06:41,567 --> 00:06:45,321 The story of the Bible is the story of God coming to an elderly, 127 00:06:45,505 --> 00:06:50,493 childless man named Abraham, a man who had been married for a long time. 128 00:06:50,493 --> 00:06:53,713 He and his wife, Sarah, had been married so long 129 00:06:53,713 --> 00:06:57,750 and were so old they had long since given up the dream of having children. 130 00:06:57,750 --> 00:07:00,770 And God speaks to Abraham and he says, not only am 131 00:07:00,770 --> 00:07:04,607 I going to give you a son, but your family is going to grow. 132 00:07:04,607 --> 00:07:07,710 So large that you can't even number them. 133 00:07:07,710 --> 00:07:10,379 They're going to be like the stars in the sky. 134 00:07:10,379 --> 00:07:13,616 In fact, in Genesis 12, God will say, not only is your family 135 00:07:13,616 --> 00:07:16,819 going to be big, but through your family. 136 00:07:16,919 --> 00:07:20,540 I'm going to bless all the families of the earth. 137 00:07:21,057 --> 00:07:25,495 In other words, what God is saying is that I'm going to do something incredible 138 00:07:25,611 --> 00:07:28,764 and that something is going to affect 139 00:07:29,182 --> 00:07:31,818 every single family on earth. 140 00:07:31,818 --> 00:07:35,238 It's going to change all the peoples of the earth. 141 00:07:35,238 --> 00:07:37,440 God is thinking global. 142 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,442 God is thinking big. 143 00:07:39,442 --> 00:07:43,830 God is being a big, hairy, audacious God. 144 00:07:43,830 --> 00:07:48,201 After all, he's saying this dream to a childless elderly man. 145 00:07:48,201 --> 00:07:51,437 He's talking about global and Abraham doesn't even know 146 00:07:51,437 --> 00:07:54,657 what's ten miles in any given direction. 147 00:07:54,657 --> 00:08:00,229 God has a mission, and God's mission is more life 148 00:08:00,413 --> 00:08:05,034 for more people in more places. 149 00:08:05,785 --> 00:08:11,691 You see, God is an exciting, action oriented, visionary kind of God. 150 00:08:11,691 --> 00:08:14,660 Is that what you think of when you think of God? 151 00:08:15,678 --> 00:08:16,562 Is it that maybe the 152 00:08:16,562 --> 00:08:20,500 first thing we're learning in 2026, a year of more life, is that it? 153 00:08:20,550 --> 00:08:22,218 One key to experiencing 154 00:08:22,218 --> 00:08:25,221 more life is we're going to have to change our understanding of God. 155 00:08:26,239 --> 00:08:29,308 We're going to have to break out of the mold that we have put God in. 156 00:08:29,308 --> 00:08:31,827 We're gonna have to let God speak for himself. 157 00:08:31,827 --> 00:08:33,262 And if when you think of God, 158 00:08:33,262 --> 00:08:36,532 you don't think of bags, when you think of God, if you don't think 159 00:08:36,682 --> 00:08:40,670 of dreaming a vision of global, then you're not thinking big enough. 160 00:08:41,337 --> 00:08:44,423 God has a mission. 161 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:46,742 But let me show you something even cooler. 162 00:08:46,742 --> 00:08:50,029 Here's the second point it will succeed. 163 00:08:50,546 --> 00:08:53,132 You know the thing about big, hairy, audacious goals? 164 00:08:53,132 --> 00:08:56,485 If you buy the leadership books, the business books that talk to you about 165 00:08:56,485 --> 00:09:00,356 setting these goals, what they'll say is it doesn't even matter if they succeed. 166 00:09:00,706 --> 00:09:02,909 Like if you set a goal big enough, 167 00:09:02,909 --> 00:09:07,980 then even if you get halfway there or three quarters of the way there, 168 00:09:08,030 --> 00:09:12,018 then then you still have experienced something really incredible. 169 00:09:12,018 --> 00:09:16,222 So when you set an impossible goal, you kind of do it with a wink 170 00:09:16,222 --> 00:09:18,708 like, hey, don't worry about it. We'll give it our best shot. 171 00:09:18,708 --> 00:09:20,092 It's going to be great. 172 00:09:20,092 --> 00:09:24,347 Like here at KCC, we use the iOS operating system. 173 00:09:24,347 --> 00:09:25,998 Some of you may be familiar with it. 174 00:09:25,998 --> 00:09:30,019 We set quarterly targets and our goal is to achieve 175 00:09:30,019 --> 00:09:33,956 about 80% of our quarterly targets every quarter. 176 00:09:34,340 --> 00:09:38,811 If we only complete 60%, we probably didn't work hard enough. 177 00:09:38,811 --> 00:09:42,982 But if we complete a 100%, we didn't dream big enough. 178 00:09:43,199 --> 00:09:46,802 We want some goals that are so big that maybe we never get there. 179 00:09:46,802 --> 00:09:50,690 But even by trying, we see something incredible happen. 180 00:09:50,690 --> 00:09:55,645 Maybe your organization is like that, so it could be tempting then to think 181 00:09:55,645 --> 00:09:59,999 when God sets a bag that he doesn't really intend to get there. 182 00:10:00,566 --> 00:10:03,919 Then when he takes Abraham out, he says, look at all the stars in the sky. 183 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:09,408 He's being metaphorical that when he says in Genesis 12 that through your family, 184 00:10:09,592 --> 00:10:12,595 I'm going to bless all the families of the earth. 185 00:10:12,595 --> 00:10:15,448 He just means, hey, if we if we aim high enough, then 186 00:10:15,448 --> 00:10:19,318 even if we get half the families, that will be incredible. 187 00:10:19,702 --> 00:10:22,171 But that isn't what he means. 188 00:10:22,171 --> 00:10:23,072 Let me put it this way. 189 00:10:23,072 --> 00:10:26,125 Have you ever seen a movie that starts with the end? 190 00:10:26,642 --> 00:10:29,612 Like maybe it starts the opening scene? 191 00:10:29,612 --> 00:10:33,199 Is this kind of average looking guy, and he's got a beautiful girlfriend 192 00:10:33,199 --> 00:10:35,217 and there's a voiceover and he's like, hey, 193 00:10:35,217 --> 00:10:37,737 you're probably wondering how I got this girlfriend. 194 00:10:37,737 --> 00:10:40,339 And you're thinking, I was wondering that you're kind of ugly. 195 00:10:41,424 --> 00:10:43,142 And he goes, this is the story. 196 00:10:43,142 --> 00:10:44,960 And then they go all the way back to the beginning. 197 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,480 And the movie takes a lot of twists and turns, 198 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:51,600 but you're interested because somehow it results in a pretty average looking guy 199 00:10:51,751 --> 00:10:53,602 ending up with her. 200 00:10:53,602 --> 00:10:56,605 The Bible is that kind of story. 201 00:10:56,989 --> 00:11:00,860 God tells you the end so that you'll know it's coming. 202 00:11:00,860 --> 00:11:02,428 Look at revelation seven. 203 00:11:02,428 --> 00:11:04,847 I want you to see the connection. 204 00:11:04,847 --> 00:11:06,382 I don't want to go Bible nerd on you, 205 00:11:06,382 --> 00:11:10,653 but I want you to see the connection between revelation seven and Genesis 15. 206 00:11:10,653 --> 00:11:12,355 Here's what it says. 207 00:11:12,355 --> 00:11:15,358 After this I looked, and behold, 208 00:11:15,358 --> 00:11:19,462 a great multitude that no one could number. 209 00:11:19,462 --> 00:11:22,465 You see the connection God takes Abraham out and he says, 210 00:11:22,465 --> 00:11:23,366 look at the stars. 211 00:11:23,366 --> 00:11:25,584 If you can even count them, you're going to have okay, 212 00:11:25,584 --> 00:11:28,137 I look at it, see a multitude no one could number. 213 00:11:28,137 --> 00:11:34,110 Listen from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, 214 00:11:34,310 --> 00:11:38,030 standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white 215 00:11:38,030 --> 00:11:42,234 robes with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice. 216 00:11:42,234 --> 00:11:47,390 Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the lamb. 217 00:11:47,873 --> 00:11:50,009 And all the angels were standing around the throne, 218 00:11:50,009 --> 00:11:52,411 and around the elders and the four living creatures, 219 00:11:52,411 --> 00:11:57,383 and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, Amen. 220 00:11:57,566 --> 00:12:01,020 Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor 221 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:04,523 and power, and might be to our God forever and ever. 222 00:12:04,523 --> 00:12:06,842 Amen. Do you see what that is? 223 00:12:06,842 --> 00:12:08,210 Revelation seven. 224 00:12:08,210 --> 00:12:11,931 The book of Revelation about the end of all things, tells us 225 00:12:12,047 --> 00:12:15,568 that human history exists between two points. 226 00:12:15,768 --> 00:12:20,122 The promise God makes to Abraham, and the promise completed 227 00:12:20,272 --> 00:12:21,774 and the end of all things. 228 00:12:21,774 --> 00:12:23,959 The revelation passage says that I look. 229 00:12:23,959 --> 00:12:26,812 Can I see a multitude that no one can number? 230 00:12:26,812 --> 00:12:31,283 And it's from all the nations, every tribe, every tongue, every people. 231 00:12:31,283 --> 00:12:32,752 Let me explain that to you. 232 00:12:32,752 --> 00:12:35,421 So you and I think of ourselves as Americans. 233 00:12:35,421 --> 00:12:36,322 That's it. 234 00:12:36,322 --> 00:12:39,475 Like my my dad is German, my mom is English. 235 00:12:39,625 --> 00:12:41,877 But I don't think of myself as German English. 236 00:12:41,877 --> 00:12:43,946 I just think of myself as an American. 237 00:12:43,946 --> 00:12:46,682 But around the world, that's not how it works. 238 00:12:46,682 --> 00:12:50,252 Like if you go to Africa, they won't say, oh, I'm from Ghana. 239 00:12:50,252 --> 00:12:52,188 They will say, I'm from this people. 240 00:12:52,188 --> 00:12:54,440 I'm from this tribe. 241 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:55,191 What, what? 242 00:12:55,191 --> 00:13:00,830 The Bible is telling us is that in heaven there will be someone from every people 243 00:13:00,830 --> 00:13:06,869 group, not every country, every people group, every language, every tribe. 244 00:13:07,820 --> 00:13:09,889 Now, there are two reasons why that's significant. 245 00:13:09,889 --> 00:13:11,090 Here's the first one. 246 00:13:11,090 --> 00:13:14,610 When God made this promise to Abraham, Abraham had no idea he's 247 00:13:14,610 --> 00:13:15,528 going to shock you. 248 00:13:15,528 --> 00:13:18,531 He had no idea where Hudson, Ohio was. 249 00:13:20,966 --> 00:13:24,737 The fact that you are hearing the gospel tonight on a Thursday 250 00:13:24,737 --> 00:13:29,241 night, is God keeping the promise that he made to Abraham. 251 00:13:29,241 --> 00:13:31,460 But here's the second thing. 252 00:13:31,460 --> 00:13:33,078 Let me just give you an example. 253 00:13:33,078 --> 00:13:38,033 One people group in the world are the mock Ronnie Bowker and people 254 00:13:38,150 --> 00:13:42,121 they are in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan. 255 00:13:42,121 --> 00:13:47,126 There are 10 to 15 million people in this people group. 256 00:13:47,209 --> 00:13:50,579 There are at present not a single Christian among them. 257 00:13:51,747 --> 00:13:54,300 The Bible does not exist in their language 258 00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:56,969 and there is no church around them. 259 00:13:56,969 --> 00:14:00,356 Meaning, as we sit here right now, 10 to 15 million 260 00:14:00,356 --> 00:14:04,310 people have no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 261 00:14:04,310 --> 00:14:06,378 But here's what revelation seven is saying 262 00:14:07,413 --> 00:14:10,382 that when you're in heaven, you're singing praises to Jesus. 263 00:14:10,382 --> 00:14:13,819 Someone's going to bump into you and it won't bother you because it's heaven. 264 00:14:14,904 --> 00:14:16,739 You'll say, oh, you bumped into me. 265 00:14:16,739 --> 00:14:18,173 And I'll say, oh, where are you from? 266 00:14:18,173 --> 00:14:19,792 And you'll say, Northeast Ohio notes. 267 00:14:19,792 --> 00:14:21,227 Never heard of it. 268 00:14:21,227 --> 00:14:24,897 You'll say, that's a little hard to believe, but okay, where are you from? 269 00:14:25,497 --> 00:14:28,884 And he will say, I am a macaroni 270 00:14:29,251 --> 00:14:32,238 bowl Quran from Afghanistan, 271 00:14:32,421 --> 00:14:36,141 because someone from that people group is going to be in heaven. 272 00:14:37,309 --> 00:14:39,828 You see, it isn't just that God has a mission 273 00:14:39,828 --> 00:14:42,648 to get more life to more people in more places. 274 00:14:42,648 --> 00:14:43,315 Is it is it? 275 00:14:43,315 --> 00:14:49,338 The Bible tells us he will not fail, which means when we join 276 00:14:49,338 --> 00:14:55,261 God in his mission, we give our lives to something that will succeed. 277 00:14:55,344 --> 00:14:56,245 Do you know what this means? 278 00:14:56,245 --> 00:14:57,813 By the way, if you're here this evening and you're like, 279 00:14:57,813 --> 00:15:00,799 dude, I'm not even a Christian, this is all a little much for me, 280 00:15:00,933 --> 00:15:03,686 that's fine. Here's your only takeaway for this evening. 281 00:15:03,686 --> 00:15:06,689 You are part of God's plan. 282 00:15:07,139 --> 00:15:09,325 He wants more life for you. 283 00:15:09,325 --> 00:15:13,579 God is always looking for who isn't here, always looking for who 284 00:15:13,612 --> 00:15:19,401 he can bring any promises to fill a heaven with every kind of person. 285 00:15:19,468 --> 00:15:22,938 God isn't setting a goal and settling for 70%. 286 00:15:23,038 --> 00:15:28,460 God will succeed in his mission, which means 287 00:15:30,112 --> 00:15:30,746 that the local 288 00:15:30,746 --> 00:15:34,800 church should be a place of joining him in his mission, 289 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:38,604 which means the local church should be the most 290 00:15:38,604 --> 00:15:41,607 exciting place on the planet. 291 00:15:43,792 --> 00:15:46,795 But is it? 292 00:15:47,212 --> 00:15:50,449 Why don't we have this view of God? 293 00:15:52,067 --> 00:15:53,602 Why are we excited 294 00:15:53,602 --> 00:15:57,172 to join him in his mission to reach people 295 00:15:57,172 --> 00:16:01,110 all over the world, including our friends and family and neighbors? 296 00:16:01,110 --> 00:16:05,431 Well, if you wonder that it's my third point, God has a mission. 297 00:16:05,431 --> 00:16:06,348 It will succeed. 298 00:16:06,348 --> 00:16:09,351 But we can miss it. 299 00:16:10,202 --> 00:16:13,555 Jesus tells a story in Luke 14 that I think is appropriate. 300 00:16:13,555 --> 00:16:16,458 Here. Let me read it to you. Here's what he says. 301 00:16:16,458 --> 00:16:18,444 But he said to him, He is Jesus. 302 00:16:18,444 --> 00:16:22,765 He said to him, A man once gave a great banquet and invited many, 303 00:16:23,515 --> 00:16:27,086 and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say 304 00:16:27,086 --> 00:16:31,040 to those who had been invited, come, for everything is now ready. 305 00:16:31,857 --> 00:16:34,143 But they all alike began to make excuses. 306 00:16:34,143 --> 00:16:38,030 The first said to him, I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. 307 00:16:38,030 --> 00:16:40,132 Please have me excused 308 00:16:40,132 --> 00:16:44,036 and another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. 309 00:16:44,119 --> 00:16:46,288 Please have me excused. 310 00:16:46,288 --> 00:16:50,776 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 311 00:16:50,793 --> 00:16:53,879 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. 312 00:16:54,079 --> 00:16:56,965 And then the master of the house became angry, and said to his servant, 313 00:16:56,965 --> 00:16:59,968 go out quickly to the streets, in the lanes of the city, 314 00:17:00,002 --> 00:17:03,922 and bring in the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame. 315 00:17:04,039 --> 00:17:07,376 And the servant said, sir, what you commanded has been done. 316 00:17:07,376 --> 00:17:09,111 And still there is room. 317 00:17:09,111 --> 00:17:12,564 And the master said to the servant, go out to the highways and the hedges, 318 00:17:12,564 --> 00:17:15,918 and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 319 00:17:15,918 --> 00:17:20,606 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. 320 00:17:20,689 --> 00:17:22,825 Jesus says, the kingdom of God. 321 00:17:22,825 --> 00:17:24,960 The mission of God is like this. 322 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,179 God is throwing a party. 323 00:17:27,179 --> 00:17:29,665 And if you're too busy, he'll just do it without you. 324 00:17:31,967 --> 00:17:33,168 Isn't it funny that in this 325 00:17:33,168 --> 00:17:36,922 story he says, I invited all the people you'd expect to be there? 326 00:17:36,922 --> 00:17:38,690 They can't make it. 327 00:17:38,690 --> 00:17:41,126 So go out and get the poor, the crippled, and the lame. 328 00:17:41,126 --> 00:17:45,114 Did you know that Christianity is exploding in South America, 329 00:17:46,532 --> 00:17:50,002 exploding in Asia, exploding in Africa, 330 00:17:50,569 --> 00:17:53,572 and dying in America? 331 00:17:55,107 --> 00:17:58,110 Because, you see, God is throwing a party. 332 00:17:59,578 --> 00:18:02,247 And if we're busy, 333 00:18:02,247 --> 00:18:05,250 he'll just do it without us. 334 00:18:05,667 --> 00:18:06,652 You know, you read the story. 335 00:18:06,652 --> 00:18:08,270 If you're an introvert, you're like, I don't get it. 336 00:18:08,270 --> 00:18:11,273 These are great excuses. I don't. 337 00:18:11,573 --> 00:18:14,726 One guy throws his wife under the bus like, look, man, I would come. 338 00:18:14,726 --> 00:18:17,012 You know how she is, 339 00:18:17,012 --> 00:18:18,680 right? 340 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,683 But the party goes on. 341 00:18:21,867 --> 00:18:23,118 Listen, if you and I 342 00:18:23,118 --> 00:18:26,822 feel as though God is not dynamic, God is not active. 343 00:18:26,905 --> 00:18:29,424 God is not visionary. 344 00:18:29,424 --> 00:18:31,260 It's because we are not at the party. 345 00:18:32,878 --> 00:18:34,463 In fact, 20 years of ministry. 346 00:18:34,463 --> 00:18:38,934 Let me give you a four step cycle for why American churches 347 00:18:39,201 --> 00:18:42,571 are missing out on participating in the mission of God. 348 00:18:42,571 --> 00:18:44,423 It goes like this. I've seen it a million times. 349 00:18:44,423 --> 00:18:44,990 It goes like this. 350 00:18:44,990 --> 00:18:47,993 Number one, God gets small. 351 00:18:48,710 --> 00:18:51,713 You see, if we don't immerse ourselves in Scripture, 352 00:18:51,747 --> 00:18:55,284 acquaint ourselves with a God who is active and powerful 353 00:18:55,367 --> 00:19:00,472 and promise making and promise keeping, he becomes something less than that. 354 00:19:00,772 --> 00:19:03,392 And all of a sudden, if you don't have a really big God, 355 00:19:03,392 --> 00:19:06,378 you stop showing up to church expecting anything to happen. 356 00:19:06,445 --> 00:19:08,397 You just kind of show up and go through the motions. 357 00:19:08,397 --> 00:19:12,835 God is small, and when God is small, here's the second stop. 358 00:19:12,835 --> 00:19:14,419 When God is small, I get big. 359 00:19:18,357 --> 00:19:20,192 I have my own plans, 360 00:19:20,192 --> 00:19:23,846 my own dreams, my own bags, my own vision. 361 00:19:24,062 --> 00:19:25,631 And so when I show up at church, not only do 362 00:19:25,631 --> 00:19:26,999 I not expect anything to happen, 363 00:19:26,999 --> 00:19:30,419 but I'm like, just stay out of the way of those things. 364 00:19:30,419 --> 00:19:32,638 Church becomes about me. 365 00:19:32,638 --> 00:19:36,091 So the church is no longer a battleship on the mission of God. 366 00:19:36,208 --> 00:19:39,211 It's a cruise ship. 367 00:19:39,378 --> 00:19:43,048 A place where Christians expect the music they like and the chairs they like 368 00:19:43,048 --> 00:19:46,368 and the food they like, and we just decide which church we go to based on 369 00:19:46,501 --> 00:19:49,855 where the preaching is good or the music is good, or our friends go. 370 00:19:49,855 --> 00:19:52,524 Because after all, God is small and we are big. 371 00:19:52,524 --> 00:19:56,395 And the result of that third step is if God is small and I'm big, 372 00:19:56,395 --> 00:19:57,512 then we start to fight 373 00:19:59,281 --> 00:20:01,099 because I come looking for my preferences. 374 00:20:01,099 --> 00:20:03,352 But my preferences aren't your preferences. 375 00:20:03,352 --> 00:20:05,304 I don't like the music you like. 376 00:20:05,304 --> 00:20:06,922 I don't like the chairs you like. 377 00:20:06,922 --> 00:20:10,108 That's why in any given town in America, there are 50 churches. 378 00:20:10,492 --> 00:20:13,862 Sometimes it's theological differences, mostly 379 00:20:14,997 --> 00:20:18,000 there's a group of people who fought with each other and started a new one. 380 00:20:18,951 --> 00:20:23,422 Because when God gets small and I get big, who are you to not give me what I want? 381 00:20:23,422 --> 00:20:25,107 And then here's the force that makes sense. 382 00:20:25,107 --> 00:20:29,628 If God is small and I am big and we are fighting, they don't come. 383 00:20:31,230 --> 00:20:33,232 Why would our friends and family and neighbors 384 00:20:33,232 --> 00:20:36,235 want anything to do with that? 385 00:20:38,387 --> 00:20:40,072 And then churches die. 386 00:20:40,072 --> 00:20:41,657 You know, I was a church planner in Cleveland. 387 00:20:41,657 --> 00:20:44,693 My wife and I long time ago moved to the city to start a church, 388 00:20:44,693 --> 00:20:47,396 and we started one, and we never really had a lease. 389 00:20:47,396 --> 00:20:49,314 It was kind of like we weren't squatting, but whatever. 390 00:20:49,314 --> 00:20:50,399 One step above that is, 391 00:20:51,984 --> 00:20:54,870 I hope there's a statute of limitations. 392 00:20:54,870 --> 00:20:58,257 And so we'd occasionally go to other churches to, to visit their property 393 00:20:58,257 --> 00:21:01,193 to try to figure out, hey, could we ever use this in a pinch if we needed it? 394 00:21:01,193 --> 00:21:04,579 And we visited one church and lovely lady showed us around. 395 00:21:04,579 --> 00:21:06,748 She was great, but I hadn't seen a nursery. 396 00:21:06,748 --> 00:21:08,750 So I said to her, hey, do you have a nursery? 397 00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:10,052 And she said, I think we do. 398 00:21:10,052 --> 00:21:13,138 And we go down to the basement and she opens the door and there's a room 399 00:21:13,138 --> 00:21:16,375 with like Noah's Ark wallpaper, and it's full of storage. 400 00:21:17,793 --> 00:21:19,378 And I said to her, well, 401 00:21:19,378 --> 00:21:22,981 what would you do this weekend if a family with young kids came? 402 00:21:23,298 --> 00:21:26,001 And she said, oh, we haven't had a family with young kids in three years. 403 00:21:27,686 --> 00:21:28,787 That church is on Cedar Road. 404 00:21:28,787 --> 00:21:31,790 It's a doctor's office now. 405 00:21:31,857 --> 00:21:35,093 Because you see, when God gets small and we get big and we start fighting 406 00:21:35,093 --> 00:21:38,096 and they stop coming, God takes the party somewhere else. 407 00:21:38,930 --> 00:21:40,682 And I know you think, well, that would never happen to this place. 408 00:21:40,682 --> 00:21:41,717 Look how big it is. 409 00:21:41,717 --> 00:21:44,720 You ever driven through Akron? 410 00:21:45,654 --> 00:21:47,072 Some pretty big mausoleums. 411 00:21:47,072 --> 00:21:49,675 I mean, old churches. 412 00:21:49,675 --> 00:21:52,260 Testimonies to the fact 413 00:21:52,260 --> 00:21:55,731 that God will say, if you guys want to fight, 414 00:21:56,665 --> 00:21:59,668 if you guys want to make things about your comfort, 415 00:22:00,902 --> 00:22:03,889 we'll just take the party somewhere else. 416 00:22:05,340 --> 00:22:06,508 God has a mission. 417 00:22:06,508 --> 00:22:09,511 It will succeed. But you and I, 418 00:22:09,778 --> 00:22:11,396 we can mess it. 419 00:22:11,396 --> 00:22:13,498 So fourth point, here it is. 420 00:22:13,498 --> 00:22:16,501 Why would we want to? 421 00:22:16,768 --> 00:22:19,588 You know, have in my mind this week, 30 years from now, 422 00:22:19,588 --> 00:22:23,575 two Christians of my generation sitting in rocking chairs and one 423 00:22:23,575 --> 00:22:24,976 Christian says to the other, you know, 424 00:22:24,976 --> 00:22:28,997 I read the Bible for 30 years and I see all these incredible stories, 425 00:22:28,997 --> 00:22:33,352 and I just wanted so badly to see something like that in my lifetime. 426 00:22:33,352 --> 00:22:35,303 But I never did. 427 00:22:35,303 --> 00:22:37,639 And then the other Christian saying that that Christian really 428 00:22:38,690 --> 00:22:39,141 I saw 429 00:22:39,141 --> 00:22:42,210 all kinds of incredible things that God did. 430 00:22:42,210 --> 00:22:45,197 Which future do you want? 431 00:22:45,981 --> 00:22:47,032 Who do we want to be? 432 00:22:47,032 --> 00:22:50,969 You see, if we want more life, God says, great, I'm all about more life. 433 00:22:51,086 --> 00:22:55,941 But if more life means you and I and not them, God says you're not invited. 434 00:22:56,992 --> 00:22:59,578 More life for more people, in more places. 435 00:22:59,578 --> 00:23:03,565 God's eyes are always on who isn't here. 436 00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:06,752 So you say, well, if I don't want to miss the mission of God, 437 00:23:06,752 --> 00:23:10,505 how do we make sure as a church that we don't miss the party? 438 00:23:10,522 --> 00:23:11,339 Pretty easy. 439 00:23:11,339 --> 00:23:14,342 You reverse those four steps. 440 00:23:14,459 --> 00:23:18,413 Number one, we commit ourselves to making sure 441 00:23:18,447 --> 00:23:21,450 God stays big. 442 00:23:22,350 --> 00:23:23,402 We read the Bible. 443 00:23:23,402 --> 00:23:24,536 We sing the Bible. 444 00:23:24,536 --> 00:23:27,539 We pray the Bible. We know the stories. 445 00:23:27,622 --> 00:23:30,892 We worship a God who changes the world. 446 00:23:30,892 --> 00:23:32,394 We say, God, you stay big. 447 00:23:32,394 --> 00:23:34,112 Here's what happens when God stays big. 448 00:23:35,097 --> 00:23:37,532 I get small, 449 00:23:37,532 --> 00:23:38,750 see if I show up to worship 450 00:23:38,750 --> 00:23:42,621 a God who is amazing, I become acquainted with the fact that I'm not that amazing. 451 00:23:42,621 --> 00:23:43,972 And that's okay. 452 00:23:43,972 --> 00:23:44,573 And all of a sudden 453 00:23:44,573 --> 00:23:48,160 I don't care if the music is my favorite or the chairs are my favorite, or 454 00:23:48,210 --> 00:23:51,663 or whether we got the best boba tea or or whatever is going on. 455 00:23:51,663 --> 00:23:52,981 What I care about 456 00:23:52,981 --> 00:23:56,902 is that God is being made much of and people are coming to know him. 457 00:23:57,018 --> 00:23:57,452 Do you know, 458 00:23:57,452 --> 00:23:59,004 can I just tell you, one of the more privileges 459 00:23:59,004 --> 00:24:01,623 of being a pastor is I know more people than you do 460 00:24:01,623 --> 00:24:04,259 who go to church here, and it would blow your mind. 461 00:24:04,259 --> 00:24:07,679 We have people here at this church whose jobs would amaze you, 462 00:24:07,762 --> 00:24:09,047 and they're taking out the garbage 463 00:24:10,916 --> 00:24:13,051 they're serving you Thursday night dinner. 464 00:24:13,051 --> 00:24:16,037 It would shock you to know who they were. 465 00:24:16,171 --> 00:24:17,222 You know how you get that? 466 00:24:17,222 --> 00:24:19,040 God is big 467 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:20,058 and I am small. 468 00:24:20,058 --> 00:24:21,326 And when I'm small, guess what? 469 00:24:21,326 --> 00:24:23,011 We don't fight 470 00:24:23,011 --> 00:24:26,481 because I didn't come expecting my preferences to be met. 471 00:24:26,481 --> 00:24:28,049 It's not about me. 472 00:24:28,049 --> 00:24:29,401 And so all of a sudden, I can think about you 473 00:24:29,401 --> 00:24:31,169 and you can think about me. And we begin to love each other. 474 00:24:31,169 --> 00:24:33,805 We begin to serve alongside each other. And you know what happens? 475 00:24:33,805 --> 00:24:36,708 God gets big, I get small, we work together, 476 00:24:36,708 --> 00:24:39,711 and all of a sudden they go, what's going on there? 477 00:24:41,079 --> 00:24:44,082 They start showing up. 478 00:24:46,818 --> 00:24:49,821 I want to be part of the party. 479 00:24:50,155 --> 00:24:53,458 I want to see God move, don't you? 480 00:24:53,808 --> 00:24:56,361 I want more life for more people, in more places. 481 00:24:56,361 --> 00:24:58,880 And not just the mock Ronnie Barker and people, 482 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,817 but your friends, your family, your neighbors. 483 00:25:02,817 --> 00:25:04,703 And that's who God is. 484 00:25:04,703 --> 00:25:06,688 And that's what God is about. 485 00:25:06,688 --> 00:25:09,140 Let me let me kind of conclude with this thought. 486 00:25:09,140 --> 00:25:12,360 You know, the best relationships I've ever had in my life 487 00:25:12,444 --> 00:25:13,612 are the relationships 488 00:25:13,612 --> 00:25:16,915 where I'm partnering with someone to do something bigger than us. 489 00:25:17,449 --> 00:25:17,883 That's what I think. 490 00:25:17,883 --> 00:25:21,203 Marriage is so great, but my wife and I are working together to raise 491 00:25:21,203 --> 00:25:24,539 five incredible children to serve the church. 492 00:25:24,656 --> 00:25:25,790 We're teammates. Right? 493 00:25:25,790 --> 00:25:30,078 I think about back to playing sports in the locker room and and the atmosphere 494 00:25:30,078 --> 00:25:32,247 that is built. I love the people I work with. 495 00:25:32,247 --> 00:25:34,649 We come in every day trying to figure out how to help. 496 00:25:34,649 --> 00:25:37,669 You know that God loves you and grow in that knowledge, 497 00:25:37,669 --> 00:25:41,990 and there's just something powerful about a relationship where you're pulling 498 00:25:41,990 --> 00:25:43,225 in the same direction. 499 00:25:43,225 --> 00:25:46,528 What I'm telling you is that's the relationship God wants with you. 500 00:25:49,948 --> 00:25:52,951 He wants you to partner with him. 501 00:25:54,386 --> 00:25:55,370 And getting more life 502 00:25:55,370 --> 00:25:58,373 to more people in more places. 503 00:26:01,076 --> 00:26:03,111 Don't you want that? 504 00:26:03,111 --> 00:26:04,796 I know I do. 505 00:26:04,796 --> 00:26:07,382 I know I do. 506 00:26:07,382 --> 00:26:08,567 And if you 507 00:26:08,567 --> 00:26:11,570 if you're not sure, consider this. 508 00:26:11,603 --> 00:26:14,606 How many people had to want that 509 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,359 for the gospel to be preached 510 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,362 in Hudson, Ohio? 511 00:26:20,512 --> 00:26:23,214 How many people had to die 512 00:26:23,214 --> 00:26:26,217 so the Bible could be translated into English? 513 00:26:27,168 --> 00:26:29,838 How many people had to give their lives 514 00:26:29,838 --> 00:26:32,574 to getting the gospel to this continent? 515 00:26:32,574 --> 00:26:35,961 How many men and women have sacrificed and and given 516 00:26:35,961 --> 00:26:40,231 so that this building could be built so that you could hear the gospel? 517 00:26:40,248 --> 00:26:42,951 You know who's behind all of that? Not men and women. 518 00:26:42,951 --> 00:26:44,819 If they were here, they would tell you, don't talk about me. 519 00:26:44,819 --> 00:26:45,804 Don't focus about me. 520 00:26:45,804 --> 00:26:48,840 It's a God who is never content with who's 521 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,860 here, who's always looking for who isn't. 522 00:26:52,010 --> 00:26:56,514 And here's what I believe in 2026 God will blow the roof off this place 523 00:26:56,514 --> 00:27:00,719 if we will join him in not looking in the mirror, but looking to the horizon. 524 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,222 Who isn't here? 525 00:27:04,222 --> 00:27:05,724 Who should be? 526 00:27:05,724 --> 00:27:08,426 How do we get to be part of that? 527 00:27:08,426 --> 00:27:10,261 More life for more people 528 00:27:10,261 --> 00:27:14,182 in more places in 2026? 529 00:27:14,182 --> 00:27:16,801 Let me pray for us. Father God, 530 00:27:16,801 --> 00:27:19,788 thank you for your incredible back 531 00:27:21,389 --> 00:27:22,741 you that you spoke to 532 00:27:22,741 --> 00:27:26,127 a childless elderly man. 533 00:27:27,228 --> 00:27:29,447 Talk about impossible. 534 00:27:29,447 --> 00:27:31,700 Thank you for the promise of revelation seven. 535 00:27:31,700 --> 00:27:33,802 You are outside of time and space. 536 00:27:33,802 --> 00:27:36,354 You know there's already a throne room 537 00:27:36,354 --> 00:27:40,075 filled with people of every tribe and every tongue and every nation. 538 00:27:40,075 --> 00:27:43,862 Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you through global 539 00:27:43,862 --> 00:27:47,449 missions, through church planning, through inviting our friends 540 00:27:47,449 --> 00:27:50,485 and neighbors to church to partner with you in the space 541 00:27:50,485 --> 00:27:54,923 between the promise to Abraham and the fulfillment of revelation seven. 542 00:27:54,923 --> 00:27:56,541 God, we want to be part of what you're doing. 543 00:27:57,776 --> 00:27:59,010 We want you to be big. 544 00:27:59,010 --> 00:28:00,979 We want to be small. 545 00:28:00,979 --> 00:28:03,331 We want to work together 546 00:28:03,331 --> 00:28:05,667 to reach who isn't here. 547 00:28:05,667 --> 00:28:10,288 God in 2026, you know, last four years, God, we we baptized 912 people. 548 00:28:10,288 --> 00:28:11,189 It's been incredible. 549 00:28:11,189 --> 00:28:14,192 We want to baptize 912 this year. 550 00:28:16,227 --> 00:28:18,930 We believe that's who you are. 551 00:28:18,930 --> 00:28:21,416 Help us 552 00:28:21,416 --> 00:28:23,785 to be part of the party 553 00:28:23,785 --> 00:28:26,037 in Jesus name. We pray. Amen.