1 00:00:01,968 --> 00:00:04,971 Colossians 4:2-6 2 00:00:05,038 --> 00:00:07,374 Continue steadfastly in prayer 3 00:00:07,374 --> 00:00:09,776 being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 4 00:00:09,776 --> 00:00:12,178 At the same time, pray also for us, 5 00:00:12,178 --> 00:00:15,181 that God may open to us a door for the word 6 00:00:15,265 --> 00:00:19,502 to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison. 7 00:00:19,853 --> 00:00:22,939 That I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak. 8 00:00:23,606 --> 00:00:27,477 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 9 00:00:27,811 --> 00:00:30,380 Let your speech always be gracious, 10 00:00:30,380 --> 00:00:33,483 seasoned with salt, so that you may know 11 00:00:33,483 --> 00:00:36,469 how you ought to answer each person. 12 00:00:36,469 --> 00:00:39,472 Ephesians 5:15-16. 13 00:00:39,472 --> 00:00:41,357 Look carefully, then, when you walk. 14 00:00:41,357 --> 00:00:45,662 Not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, 15 00:00:45,662 --> 00:00:48,648 because the days are evil. 16 00:00:50,667 --> 00:00:52,886 Well, good morning and welcome to the weekly 17 00:00:52,886 --> 00:00:55,138 gathering of Christ Community Chapel. 18 00:00:55,138 --> 00:00:56,489 My name is Zach. 19 00:00:56,489 --> 00:00:58,792 I'm one of the pastors here, and I'm so glad you're here. 20 00:00:58,792 --> 00:01:01,828 I'm glad we get to be part of your weekend. 21 00:01:02,178 --> 00:01:04,914 Hey, let's just get the awkward thing out of the way. 22 00:01:04,914 --> 00:01:05,582 It's. 23 00:01:05,582 --> 00:01:08,601 It's weird to be up here on a weekend where you're voting on me. 24 00:01:10,019 --> 00:01:10,854 Probably a little weirder 25 00:01:10,854 --> 00:01:13,857 for me, to be honest, than it is, for you. 26 00:01:13,890 --> 00:01:16,893 It is an honor and humbling 27 00:01:17,026 --> 00:01:21,564 to even be considered the stand in the legacy of Jim Colledge 28 00:01:21,564 --> 00:01:25,368 and Joe Coffey of the long history of this incredible church. 29 00:01:25,368 --> 00:01:27,203 But I just want to encourage you with this. 30 00:01:27,203 --> 00:01:30,206 The what makes this church amazing 31 00:01:30,323 --> 00:01:33,259 is not the guy holding the microphone. 32 00:01:33,259 --> 00:01:34,461 This church is led, 33 00:01:34,461 --> 00:01:35,245 it has been led, 34 00:01:35,245 --> 00:01:38,248 it will always be led by Jesus Christ. 35 00:01:38,364 --> 00:01:40,350 And that's my commitment to you. 36 00:01:40,350 --> 00:01:43,887 If the Lord wills for us to continue to move in that direction 37 00:01:43,887 --> 00:01:46,890 for as long as the Lord allows. 38 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,027 But today we're taking a little break from a sermon series. 39 00:01:51,027 --> 00:01:52,378 We're gonna start a new one. 40 00:01:52,378 --> 00:01:54,047 Next week we're really excited about. 41 00:01:54,047 --> 00:01:57,150 But we want to hit the pause button just for this weekend 42 00:01:57,534 --> 00:02:01,404 to do what we're calling an Every Minute Matters refresh. 43 00:02:01,437 --> 00:02:05,909 Now, if you're unfamiliar with the language of Every Minute Matters 44 00:02:05,909 --> 00:02:08,995 it's probably because you're new here, and we're seeing so many new people 45 00:02:08,995 --> 00:02:09,779 all the time. 46 00:02:09,779 --> 00:02:11,297 It's one of the reasons we want to talk about it 47 00:02:11,297 --> 00:02:12,715 is because if you just started 48 00:02:12,715 --> 00:02:15,351 coming in the last few months, you don't know what that is. 49 00:02:15,351 --> 00:02:18,054 But also vision leaks. 50 00:02:18,054 --> 00:02:20,456 And so if you're like me, I got a lot going on in life. 51 00:02:20,456 --> 00:02:21,708 I get distracted. 52 00:02:21,708 --> 00:02:25,829 It can be pretty easy to forget what we're doing and why we're doing it. 53 00:02:25,829 --> 00:02:29,849 It also makes sense to talk about it because, believe it or not, 54 00:02:29,849 --> 00:02:33,536 one week from Monday, there will be construction equipment here, 55 00:02:33,837 --> 00:02:37,407 and we'll be breaking ground on the first of the projects. 56 00:02:37,941 --> 00:02:40,527 I know it feels like it's taken forever for learning a lot 57 00:02:40,527 --> 00:02:41,761 about different committees 58 00:02:41,761 --> 00:02:45,114 and commissions and building codes and all that kind of thing. 59 00:02:45,114 --> 00:02:46,432 But, it's here. 60 00:02:46,432 --> 00:02:48,601 We're going to be building soon. 61 00:02:48,601 --> 00:02:51,387 By the way, if you really don't know what every minute matters means, 62 00:02:51,387 --> 00:02:53,223 if you just go to our website in the upper 63 00:02:53,223 --> 00:02:56,492 right hand corner as a search bar you can type in, every minute matters. 64 00:02:56,492 --> 00:02:59,762 It'll take you to a web page is also a kiosk right here in the atrium 65 00:03:00,063 --> 00:03:03,566 that you can check out that shows you all of the projects. 66 00:03:03,566 --> 00:03:07,554 It's an initiative, a resource initiative to build some things here on campus 67 00:03:07,787 --> 00:03:11,658 that we think will be vital to reach the next generation. 68 00:03:11,658 --> 00:03:14,093 I want to take a little opportunity to remind you 69 00:03:14,093 --> 00:03:16,796 of why we feel it's so important. 70 00:03:16,796 --> 00:03:18,047 So if you have a Bible, 71 00:03:18,047 --> 00:03:22,202 would you take it out and open it to Colossians chapter four? 72 00:03:22,502 --> 00:03:24,387 Take out your phone, your tablet. 73 00:03:24,387 --> 00:03:27,123 Hey, by the way, if you're new here, maybe you're new to church. 74 00:03:27,123 --> 00:03:28,758 Didn't know to bring a Bible. 75 00:03:28,758 --> 00:03:30,593 You don't know where Colossians four is. 76 00:03:30,593 --> 00:03:32,462 Don't don't worry about that. 77 00:03:32,462 --> 00:03:35,448 This service is as much for you as it is for anyone. 78 00:03:35,582 --> 00:03:39,018 And every time I reference some scripture, it's going to be on the screen 79 00:03:39,235 --> 00:03:39,769 behind me. 80 00:03:39,769 --> 00:03:41,604 But if you want to hold something and follow 81 00:03:41,604 --> 00:03:44,607 along in the pew in front of you or in the back of this hall, 82 00:03:45,475 --> 00:03:49,729 you'll find in these Bibles, and Colossians four is on page 926. 83 00:03:49,729 --> 00:03:51,681 Thanks for being here. 84 00:03:51,681 --> 00:03:55,168 But however you get to Colossians four, let me hold out to you an outline 85 00:03:55,168 --> 00:03:57,503 that I'm going to use to guide our time together. 86 00:03:57,503 --> 00:03:59,239 Three points. Very simple. 87 00:03:59,239 --> 00:04:02,642 I want to talk about kingdoms, subway 88 00:04:02,642 --> 00:04:05,695 stops and expectations, kingdoms, 89 00:04:06,212 --> 00:04:09,198 subway stops and expectations. 90 00:04:09,465 --> 00:04:11,117 Let's start with the first one. 91 00:04:11,117 --> 00:04:11,935 Kingdoms. 92 00:04:11,935 --> 00:04:14,570 I want you to notice something interesting in this passage. 93 00:04:14,570 --> 00:04:16,923 This is at the end of the letter that Paul, 94 00:04:16,923 --> 00:04:19,025 the apostle Paul, writes to the church in Colossae. 95 00:04:19,025 --> 00:04:19,826 This is what he says. 96 00:04:19,826 --> 00:04:21,477 Chapter four, verse three. 97 00:04:21,477 --> 00:04:26,249 He says at the same time, pray also for us 98 00:04:26,733 --> 00:04:29,719 that God may open to us a door for the word 99 00:04:30,153 --> 00:04:33,439 to declare the mystery of Christ, on account 100 00:04:33,439 --> 00:04:36,442 of which I am in prison. 101 00:04:36,542 --> 00:04:39,879 Paul writes this letter from a Roman prison. 102 00:04:39,896 --> 00:04:45,952 He is a prisoner of the Roman Empire for preaching the message of Jesus. 103 00:04:46,219 --> 00:04:47,487 Now that's interesting to me. 104 00:04:47,487 --> 00:04:51,090 Here's my here's my question why would you throw 105 00:04:51,090 --> 00:04:54,077 a Christian pastor in prison? 106 00:04:54,927 --> 00:04:57,413 I mean, maybe you've heard of, 107 00:04:57,413 --> 00:05:00,566 treating other people the way you want to be treated. 108 00:05:02,035 --> 00:05:04,037 That's us. 109 00:05:04,037 --> 00:05:07,040 Maybe you've heard it said love your enemies. 110 00:05:07,106 --> 00:05:09,025 Also us. 111 00:05:09,025 --> 00:05:13,713 Maybe you've heard that hospitality is treating strangers like their brothers. 112 00:05:14,130 --> 00:05:15,531 That's us. 113 00:05:15,531 --> 00:05:18,868 Christianity is a message of mercy and forgiveness, 114 00:05:19,102 --> 00:05:22,105 of reconciliation and grace. 115 00:05:22,522 --> 00:05:26,275 Why would you ever take someone who's preaching that message 116 00:05:26,793 --> 00:05:29,312 and throw them in jail? 117 00:05:29,312 --> 00:05:32,899 Well, to understand that, you need to understand that Christianity 118 00:05:32,899 --> 00:05:36,536 is about love and mercy and grace and forgiveness, 119 00:05:36,919 --> 00:05:39,922 but it's also subversive 120 00:05:40,173 --> 00:05:42,375 and competitive. 121 00:05:42,375 --> 00:05:43,509 Here's what I mean. 122 00:05:43,509 --> 00:05:47,063 Two words get thrown around in the church and in the Bible. 123 00:05:47,063 --> 00:05:49,165 A lot to explain Christianity. 124 00:05:49,165 --> 00:05:52,168 Those words are gospel and kingdom. 125 00:05:52,352 --> 00:05:54,470 Now, I might even use those in this message. 126 00:05:54,470 --> 00:05:56,272 Gospel and kingdom. 127 00:05:56,272 --> 00:05:57,957 Those are two really important words. 128 00:05:57,957 --> 00:06:01,961 The word gospel is used to describe the message of Jesus. 129 00:06:01,978 --> 00:06:06,082 We'll talk about the gospel of Jesus, the gospel message. 130 00:06:06,082 --> 00:06:08,267 We talk a lot about the word, the gospel. 131 00:06:08,267 --> 00:06:10,887 Gospel just means good news. 132 00:06:10,887 --> 00:06:12,205 That's all it means. 133 00:06:12,205 --> 00:06:17,043 So when we say the gospel of Jesus, we're just saying the good news about Jesus. 134 00:06:17,043 --> 00:06:20,580 The good news that Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth, 135 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,299 he lived obediently in our place. 136 00:06:23,299 --> 00:06:27,153 He died sacrificially on the cross, carrying our sin, 137 00:06:27,153 --> 00:06:31,524 coming up under the judgment of God that was exhausted on him. 138 00:06:31,674 --> 00:06:34,761 He died and three days later was rose risen from the dead, 139 00:06:34,761 --> 00:06:38,881 so that we might know that he's king, so that we might know 140 00:06:38,881 --> 00:06:44,387 that God accepted his sacrifice, that we can be forgiven and included 141 00:06:44,387 --> 00:06:48,758 in the kingdom that God is building that will last forever. 142 00:06:48,775 --> 00:06:51,978 It's the good news of the life we're looking 143 00:06:51,978 --> 00:06:55,081 for, the good news of the life that will not end. 144 00:06:55,098 --> 00:06:58,518 Now, the reason I say that is because Christianity 145 00:06:58,518 --> 00:07:04,307 is not the only worldview or religion that talks about gospel and kingdom. 146 00:07:04,307 --> 00:07:07,710 In fact, I've spent much of my academic career studying 147 00:07:07,910 --> 00:07:10,830 other religions and other worldviews, and I can tell you 148 00:07:10,830 --> 00:07:14,634 that every single religion, every single worldview, 149 00:07:14,634 --> 00:07:19,622 every single person has a gospel and a kingdom. 150 00:07:20,339 --> 00:07:24,594 They're looking to some good news to bring them to the life 151 00:07:24,927 --> 00:07:27,630 that they want, some good news to bring them 152 00:07:27,630 --> 00:07:30,716 to a life that will last. 153 00:07:31,017 --> 00:07:34,470 Now, the old way of teaching this would have been to tell you to walk 154 00:07:34,470 --> 00:07:36,272 down, go to a Barnes and Noble. 155 00:07:36,272 --> 00:07:38,841 Remember those poor won out Barnes Noble. 156 00:07:40,643 --> 00:07:41,027 But you would 157 00:07:41,027 --> 00:07:44,063 go to Barnes and Noble, and you would walk down the magazine aisle. 158 00:07:44,063 --> 00:07:45,565 And when you walked down the magazine aisle, 159 00:07:45,565 --> 00:07:48,985 what you would see on the cover of all the different magazines are different 160 00:07:48,985 --> 00:07:53,122 gospels that if you want life, real life, if you want a life 161 00:07:53,122 --> 00:07:56,876 that really will last, then you need muscles like that guy. 162 00:07:57,326 --> 00:07:59,512 You need to cook like her. 163 00:07:59,512 --> 00:08:00,930 You need to drive that car. 164 00:08:00,930 --> 00:08:03,866 Buy this shotgun. You need to get married. 165 00:08:03,866 --> 00:08:05,485 You need to get unmarried. 166 00:08:05,485 --> 00:08:08,488 Depends on the magazine. 167 00:08:08,521 --> 00:08:09,989 Now no one reads magazines anymore. 168 00:08:09,989 --> 00:08:12,024 And no one goes to Barnes and Noble anymore. 169 00:08:12,024 --> 00:08:13,409 So instead, think about this. 170 00:08:13,409 --> 00:08:16,529 Is this not what social media influencers do? 171 00:08:17,697 --> 00:08:19,799 Aren't they selling different ways? 172 00:08:19,799 --> 00:08:22,768 Different? Good news of how you can really live. 173 00:08:22,768 --> 00:08:25,972 Maybe they're telling you you should eat more or eat less. 174 00:08:25,972 --> 00:08:30,409 It depends on if you follow chef, Instagram or fitness Instagram. 175 00:08:31,561 --> 00:08:33,713 You see, our world is full of gospels. 176 00:08:33,713 --> 00:08:34,830 It's full of kingdoms. 177 00:08:34,830 --> 00:08:40,503 Whether that gospel is Islam or Buddhism or Hinduism, or whether it's materialism 178 00:08:40,503 --> 00:08:45,091 or conservatism or liberalism, all of them are selling a message. 179 00:08:45,241 --> 00:08:50,730 Here's the good news if you listen to us, you will really live. 180 00:08:51,781 --> 00:08:53,216 And you might say, well, big deal. 181 00:08:53,216 --> 00:08:54,467 So we all have our own gospel. 182 00:08:54,467 --> 00:08:56,402 We all have our own kingdom. Live and let live. 183 00:08:56,402 --> 00:08:57,537 But here's the problem. 184 00:08:57,537 --> 00:09:02,491 What the Bible also tells us, and this is what got Paul in prison, is it? 185 00:09:02,491 --> 00:09:05,478 Only Christianity is actually true? 186 00:09:06,429 --> 00:09:07,613 Does make sense if you think about it. 187 00:09:07,613 --> 00:09:09,415 Because God made us. 188 00:09:09,415 --> 00:09:12,501 God knows what it means for us to really live. 189 00:09:12,501 --> 00:09:15,571 God knows what paths lead to life. 190 00:09:15,571 --> 00:09:18,391 God knows what leads to his forgiveness. 191 00:09:18,391 --> 00:09:22,044 God knows what leads to his eternal kingdom. 192 00:09:22,044 --> 00:09:25,731 So Paul doesn't just show up saying, hey, maybe you follow this on Instagram, 193 00:09:25,731 --> 00:09:29,552 or that maybe you read that magazine or this, maybe you vote this way or that. 194 00:09:29,635 --> 00:09:34,607 But let me add now he's not adding, he's saying all of those are selling you a lie. 195 00:09:36,409 --> 00:09:38,778 Here's the good news of Jesus, 196 00:09:38,778 --> 00:09:41,581 of how you can actually be included 197 00:09:41,581 --> 00:09:44,567 in God's kingdom. 198 00:09:45,618 --> 00:09:47,870 Because you see, what the Bible is telling us 199 00:09:47,870 --> 00:09:52,408 is that each of us must find a way out of the Gospels. 200 00:09:52,408 --> 00:09:55,761 We're believing out of the kingdoms we're seeking, 201 00:09:56,729 --> 00:09:58,798 and into the kingdom of Jesus. 202 00:09:58,798 --> 00:10:02,568 That actually leads me to my second point, which is, say, not just kingdoms, 203 00:10:03,953 --> 00:10:05,605 but subway stops. 204 00:10:05,605 --> 00:10:09,809 Early on in my career, I lived in Washington, DC. 205 00:10:09,809 --> 00:10:11,510 It was before I worked in ministry. 206 00:10:11,510 --> 00:10:14,330 I lived there by myself and I didn't have a car. 207 00:10:14,330 --> 00:10:19,352 So to get around I use the subway system, which in DC is called the Metro. 208 00:10:19,702 --> 00:10:21,954 And I learned this lesson the hard way. 209 00:10:21,954 --> 00:10:24,023 The Metro doesn't run 24 hours, 210 00:10:25,107 --> 00:10:25,641 so if you get 211 00:10:25,641 --> 00:10:28,644 there late enough, you are on the last train. 212 00:10:29,028 --> 00:10:32,632 And speaking here purely hypothetically for a friend, not me. 213 00:10:33,416 --> 00:10:36,419 If you fall asleep and missed your stop, 214 00:10:37,503 --> 00:10:40,973 then you end up in northern, I mean, Northern Virginia 215 00:10:40,973 --> 00:10:43,976 or Southern Maryland, and they don't care. 216 00:10:44,927 --> 00:10:46,412 They're not going back. 217 00:10:46,412 --> 00:10:49,398 You're going to have to figure it out. 218 00:10:49,465 --> 00:10:52,218 Now, I say that because what the Bible says 219 00:10:52,218 --> 00:10:55,221 is that that's a great metaphor for actually our lives. 220 00:10:56,372 --> 00:10:58,441 Every one of us is born 221 00:10:58,441 --> 00:11:01,494 a rebel in a world in rebellion to God. 222 00:11:01,494 --> 00:11:07,350 We are born on a train that is going the opposite direction from God. 223 00:11:07,433 --> 00:11:09,835 And the problem with that, the Bible tells us, 224 00:11:09,835 --> 00:11:13,973 is that every time we move away from God, we move to less life, not more. 225 00:11:15,775 --> 00:11:16,642 We move away from God. 226 00:11:16,642 --> 00:11:19,111 Your marriage withers. It doesn't get better. 227 00:11:19,111 --> 00:11:21,147 You move away from God. Your parenting withers. 228 00:11:21,147 --> 00:11:24,767 Your career withers, of course, because God knows how life works. 229 00:11:24,784 --> 00:11:27,987 God is the source of life. He's our creator. 230 00:11:27,987 --> 00:11:30,056 When we run away from him, we wither. 231 00:11:30,056 --> 00:11:34,610 If you don't believe me, consider this we have never been freer in society. 232 00:11:35,544 --> 00:11:38,397 We've never been more anxious, 233 00:11:38,397 --> 00:11:41,217 never been more depressed, 234 00:11:41,217 --> 00:11:44,437 never been more conflicted because we're moving away from God. 235 00:11:44,437 --> 00:11:46,288 And when you move away from God, you wither. 236 00:11:46,288 --> 00:11:48,357 But here's the other problem. When you move away from God, you 237 00:11:48,357 --> 00:11:52,261 not only wither, but you're headed towards death. 238 00:11:53,129 --> 00:11:54,930 And the Bible says, after death comes judgment. 239 00:11:54,930 --> 00:11:57,900 After judgment comes eternal separation from God. 240 00:11:57,900 --> 00:12:02,571 We're on a train and the last stop is not one we want. 241 00:12:05,307 --> 00:12:06,242 But the Bible also 242 00:12:06,242 --> 00:12:10,129 tells us that so great is God's love, so great is his mercy. 243 00:12:10,129 --> 00:12:13,916 So great is his kindness, that from time to time he will stop 244 00:12:13,916 --> 00:12:18,587 the train we're on, the doors will open, and he will say to us, 245 00:12:19,472 --> 00:12:22,308 do you want to get off? 246 00:12:22,308 --> 00:12:24,210 Do you want to get out of this gospel, 247 00:12:24,210 --> 00:12:28,197 out of this kingdom and step into mercy, step into forgiveness. 248 00:12:28,197 --> 00:12:31,283 Step in to love. Step in to grace. 249 00:12:31,283 --> 00:12:34,937 Maybe for some of you, that's what he's doing this weekend. 250 00:12:34,937 --> 00:12:37,523 That's why you're here, 251 00:12:37,523 --> 00:12:39,859 is God is saying, don't you see if your career 252 00:12:39,859 --> 00:12:42,027 was going to fix your life, it would have done it. 253 00:12:42,027 --> 00:12:43,913 If getting married was going to fix your life. 254 00:12:43,913 --> 00:12:46,532 If getting unmarried was going to fix your life, it would have done it. 255 00:12:46,532 --> 00:12:51,137 Don't you see you're on a train going the wrong direction. 256 00:12:51,137 --> 00:12:55,407 God invites us off of that train and into the one that is led 257 00:12:55,407 --> 00:12:59,779 by Jesus, headed towards eternity with God, not away from him. 258 00:12:59,779 --> 00:13:04,433 And Paul says, this is the Christian message, this is the Christian mission. 259 00:13:04,433 --> 00:13:06,469 And he also says is urgent. 260 00:13:06,469 --> 00:13:09,472 Look with me. Colossians chapter four. 261 00:13:09,955 --> 00:13:14,043 He says, verse five, walk in wisdom towards outsiders, 262 00:13:14,043 --> 00:13:18,030 those believing other gospels, those on other trains going the wrong direction. 263 00:13:18,030 --> 00:13:21,600 Here's what he says making the best use of the time 264 00:13:22,218 --> 00:13:25,521 in Ephesians, the passage that was read, he'll say, make the most of the time 265 00:13:25,521 --> 00:13:27,289 because the days are evil. 266 00:13:27,289 --> 00:13:28,224 What is he saying 267 00:13:28,224 --> 00:13:32,211 every day our friends and family members and neighbors are on a train. 268 00:13:32,211 --> 00:13:35,214 Going away from God is another day further 269 00:13:35,214 --> 00:13:38,217 into withering and closer to judgment. 270 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:38,868 Every day. 271 00:13:41,453 --> 00:13:42,087 What Paul is 272 00:13:42,087 --> 00:13:46,442 saying is he says he's in prison for preaching, and he's saying, 273 00:13:46,442 --> 00:13:49,728 pray for me, that I can get out so I can do this right back again. 274 00:13:49,728 --> 00:13:55,401 It's like, Paul, don't tell your parole officer that. Why? 275 00:13:56,485 --> 00:13:58,637 Because they're on a train and it's going the wrong direction. 276 00:13:58,637 --> 00:14:01,640 Listen, everything this church does, 277 00:14:02,808 --> 00:14:05,211 everything that we're doing and every minute matters, 278 00:14:05,211 --> 00:14:08,881 is designed to create as many subway stops as possible 279 00:14:09,648 --> 00:14:12,651 for our friends and family members and neighbors. 280 00:14:12,685 --> 00:14:16,138 Why turf a soccer field so that we can do soccer camps? 281 00:14:16,138 --> 00:14:18,924 Why put in a walking track so that you can walk with your friends? 282 00:14:18,924 --> 00:14:20,659 Why do an indoor playground? 283 00:14:20,659 --> 00:14:23,779 Why do a preschool? Why why why why why? 284 00:14:23,779 --> 00:14:27,266 To create as many opportunities as we can 285 00:14:27,266 --> 00:14:30,803 for the doors to open and for God to whisper. 286 00:14:30,803 --> 00:14:31,921 Do you want to get off? 287 00:14:35,507 --> 00:14:36,325 People say, 288 00:14:36,325 --> 00:14:39,328 Zach, why are you targeting the next generation? 289 00:14:40,012 --> 00:14:40,980 Why not everybody? 290 00:14:40,980 --> 00:14:42,498 Well, first of all, we are targeting everyone. 291 00:14:42,498 --> 00:14:45,718 We want every single person to come to faith in Jesus. 292 00:14:45,718 --> 00:14:47,453 But here's why we're targeting the next generation. 293 00:14:47,453 --> 00:14:48,587 Two reasons. Very simple. 294 00:14:48,587 --> 00:14:51,590 Number one, everyone here in this room loves a child. 295 00:14:53,208 --> 00:14:55,578 The best way to build a relationship with them, the best way 296 00:14:55,578 --> 00:14:58,581 to build commonality with them, the best way even to invite them 297 00:14:58,647 --> 00:15:01,650 to hear about Jesus is to love the kid they love 298 00:15:01,817 --> 00:15:03,152 to bless the kid. 299 00:15:03,152 --> 00:15:05,988 They love to serve the kid they love. 300 00:15:05,988 --> 00:15:07,406 Do you remember? Of course you remember. 301 00:15:07,406 --> 00:15:10,409 If you're here for the outdoor service, we had 4000 people. 302 00:15:10,442 --> 00:15:12,778 I had to write a lot of apology notes for you. 303 00:15:12,778 --> 00:15:14,546 Driving through people's yards. 304 00:15:14,546 --> 00:15:16,081 I appreciate that. 305 00:15:19,368 --> 00:15:20,636 You know why we had so many people? 306 00:15:20,636 --> 00:15:23,639 Because the week before was kids camp. 307 00:15:24,590 --> 00:15:26,342 You love the kid they love. 308 00:15:26,342 --> 00:15:27,593 They want to know why. 309 00:15:27,593 --> 00:15:29,628 Here's the second reason. 310 00:15:29,628 --> 00:15:31,997 Did you know that 72% of people 311 00:15:31,997 --> 00:15:35,000 that become Christians become Christians before the age of 18? 312 00:15:35,851 --> 00:15:39,838 That's not accidental, because actually, as children were more open than we ever. 313 00:15:39,838 --> 00:15:42,641 You get the older we get, we get more stubborn, more set in our ways. 314 00:15:42,641 --> 00:15:45,477 And we be honest. We get more guilty, more ashamed. 315 00:15:45,477 --> 00:15:47,179 It's harder to believe that God could forgive 316 00:15:47,179 --> 00:15:49,164 us, harder to believe that God could love us. 317 00:15:49,164 --> 00:15:50,816 We carry a lot of baggage. 318 00:15:50,816 --> 00:15:53,669 By the way, if you're here and you're older than 18, God will take you. 319 00:15:53,669 --> 00:15:54,386 That's not what I'm saying. 320 00:15:56,839 --> 00:15:59,008 I'm just saying, on average, 72% of people. 321 00:15:59,008 --> 00:16:02,461 Can I tell you that last year, within a ten mile radius of this church, 322 00:16:02,461 --> 00:16:06,081 last year, 2383 kids graduated from high school. 323 00:16:07,616 --> 00:16:10,619 Most of them to this church are gone. 324 00:16:11,787 --> 00:16:13,038 They're going to move away. 325 00:16:13,038 --> 00:16:14,123 They're going to go to college. 326 00:16:14,123 --> 00:16:15,174 They're going to take jobs. 327 00:16:15,174 --> 00:16:18,177 We miss them. 328 00:16:18,177 --> 00:16:20,546 This year, another 2300, 329 00:16:20,546 --> 00:16:23,515 then another 2300, then another 2300. 330 00:16:23,515 --> 00:16:28,704 And what we're saying is we need to create as many subway stops as possible 331 00:16:29,788 --> 00:16:31,890 before we list, before we lose them. 332 00:16:31,890 --> 00:16:35,094 An indoor playground is not about your kids having a good time 333 00:16:35,094 --> 00:16:38,547 in the winter, unless your kids are having a good time with a friend 334 00:16:38,547 --> 00:16:41,700 and you're sitting next to the mom or the dad, that's a subway stop. 335 00:16:42,651 --> 00:16:43,852 Can you see that? 336 00:16:43,852 --> 00:16:45,270 That's a subway stop. 337 00:16:45,270 --> 00:16:48,590 And Paul says it's urgent because every train 338 00:16:48,657 --> 00:16:53,095 that is not driven by Jesus is headed in the wrong direction. 339 00:16:54,863 --> 00:16:58,400 That leads me, though, to my third point, which is to talk about expectations. 340 00:16:58,967 --> 00:17:00,569 Listen, I don't want you to be pessimistic. 341 00:17:00,569 --> 00:17:02,337 That's not my goal, okay? 342 00:17:02,337 --> 00:17:03,172 It's bleak. 343 00:17:03,172 --> 00:17:06,025 People are on a train borne on a train headed away from God. 344 00:17:06,025 --> 00:17:08,460 I was born on a train headed away from God. 345 00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:09,028 That's bleak. 346 00:17:09,028 --> 00:17:10,763 But the Bible is not pessimistic. 347 00:17:10,763 --> 00:17:13,465 Some of you Christians need to hear that. 348 00:17:13,465 --> 00:17:16,468 If you're feeling cynical, if you're feeling pessimistic, 349 00:17:16,518 --> 00:17:17,720 you're not reading the Bible. 350 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,723 You're listening to the wrong news source 351 00:17:21,323 --> 00:17:23,509 because the Bible tells us, no matter how bleak the world 352 00:17:23,509 --> 00:17:26,512 get, God is doing something incredible. 353 00:17:26,695 --> 00:17:29,098 God is on a mission to reach people. 354 00:17:29,098 --> 00:17:31,350 And by the way, if you think that isn't true, consider 355 00:17:31,350 --> 00:17:34,369 this Paul wrote this letter from a prison in Rome. 356 00:17:34,503 --> 00:17:37,489 We're reading it 2000 years later in a part of the world 357 00:17:37,489 --> 00:17:40,409 he didn't even know existed. And there is no more Rome. 358 00:17:41,810 --> 00:17:43,645 There's a city, not an empire. 359 00:17:43,645 --> 00:17:46,648 It's. 360 00:17:47,149 --> 00:17:49,918 Because that's what God does. 361 00:17:49,918 --> 00:17:52,171 Listen, our hope here at the church 362 00:17:52,171 --> 00:17:54,623 is not that somehow we might be so incredible 363 00:17:54,623 --> 00:17:56,692 that God would say, hey, I like what's going on there. 364 00:17:56,692 --> 00:17:59,128 I think I'll partner with them. 365 00:17:59,128 --> 00:18:01,880 Everything we're doing, we're doing because the Bible tells us 366 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,133 that God is on a mission to reach people. 367 00:18:04,133 --> 00:18:06,618 He's more passionate about it than we will ever be. 368 00:18:06,618 --> 00:18:09,388 He he's more driven towards it than we will ever be. 369 00:18:09,388 --> 00:18:13,108 All of our enthusiasm, all of our excitement, all of our dreaming 370 00:18:13,108 --> 00:18:15,861 comes from him. 371 00:18:15,861 --> 00:18:20,249 We're doing all of this because God is a God of reaching people. 372 00:18:20,249 --> 00:18:22,768 That's who he is. 373 00:18:22,768 --> 00:18:26,488 By the way, that's not just who he was in history, in the Bible. 374 00:18:26,488 --> 00:18:29,091 That's who he is. Here. 375 00:18:29,091 --> 00:18:32,127 We launched the reimagined vision in 2021. 376 00:18:32,127 --> 00:18:32,995 In January 377 00:18:32,995 --> 00:18:37,850 and four and a half years since launching that vision, we've baptized 817 people, 378 00:18:39,201 --> 00:18:40,669 all of them over the age of 12. 379 00:18:40,669 --> 00:18:42,020 All of them, having met with a staff 380 00:18:42,020 --> 00:18:45,991 member, shared their story, articulated faith 817 381 00:18:45,991 --> 00:18:49,128 if we keep that rate, that in 30 years we'll have baptized 382 00:18:49,128 --> 00:18:52,131 5500 people. 383 00:18:53,899 --> 00:18:56,001 Does that surprise you? 384 00:18:56,001 --> 00:18:57,719 It shouldn't. 385 00:18:57,719 --> 00:18:58,937 It shouldn't listen. 386 00:18:58,937 --> 00:19:02,875 When you read the New Testament, the church, the local church 387 00:19:02,875 --> 00:19:07,229 is supposed to be the most exciting place on earth. 388 00:19:08,297 --> 00:19:11,600 It's supposed to be the very center of what God is doing. 389 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:17,673 Read the book of acts, miracles, life change, families restored. 390 00:19:17,873 --> 00:19:18,540 All of that. 391 00:19:18,540 --> 00:19:20,843 By the way, if you don't believe that, consider the guy writing 392 00:19:20,843 --> 00:19:24,062 this letter was not a good dude before he met Jesus. 393 00:19:25,497 --> 00:19:26,849 That's what the church is supposed to be. 394 00:19:26,849 --> 00:19:30,269 But let me tell you this it's not just about having expectations for God. 395 00:19:30,419 --> 00:19:33,422 It's about God having expectations for you. 396 00:19:34,223 --> 00:19:35,657 He wants you to be part of it. 397 00:19:35,657 --> 00:19:38,310 Look at what Paul says here in Colossians two different times. 398 00:19:38,310 --> 00:19:42,331 He urges the colossian church, not him them, to get involved. 399 00:19:42,331 --> 00:19:42,931 Here's what he says. 400 00:19:42,931 --> 00:19:45,984 Verse two continue steadfastly in prayer, 401 00:19:46,101 --> 00:19:49,104 being watchful, and it with thanksgiving. 402 00:19:49,371 --> 00:19:54,409 Verse six, let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, 403 00:19:54,543 --> 00:19:58,280 so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 404 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,782 Paul says, look, I'm a professional Christian. 405 00:20:00,782 --> 00:20:02,184 Paul is like me. 406 00:20:02,184 --> 00:20:05,571 He does this for a living, but he says, But God's expectations 407 00:20:05,687 --> 00:20:09,107 are that every Christian participates. 408 00:20:10,609 --> 00:20:12,144 Listen, let me put it to you this way. 409 00:20:12,144 --> 00:20:13,795 I coach junior high football. 410 00:20:13,795 --> 00:20:16,798 You know, I talk about it probably too much. 411 00:20:17,449 --> 00:20:20,452 And every year I have about 40 kids on the football team. 412 00:20:20,552 --> 00:20:21,320 And I think football. 413 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,273 I got to tell you, I think football is the greatest game ever invented. 414 00:20:24,273 --> 00:20:25,440 I think it teaches toughness. 415 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,427 Moms, listen, listen to me. 416 00:20:28,577 --> 00:20:29,628 It teaches toughness. 417 00:20:29,628 --> 00:20:32,297 It teaches how to handle adversity. It teaches teamwork. 418 00:20:32,297 --> 00:20:34,132 It teaches trust. 419 00:20:34,132 --> 00:20:36,235 It's a great, great game. 420 00:20:36,235 --> 00:20:40,339 And every year there are a group of kids on our team that don't participate. 421 00:20:41,506 --> 00:20:45,294 They don't get in drills in practice, they don't get in in the game. 422 00:20:45,811 --> 00:20:48,563 And I hate it for them because I know at the end of the season, 423 00:20:48,563 --> 00:20:49,648 what they're going to say is 424 00:20:49,648 --> 00:20:53,702 football is boring, football is lame, football is not fun. 425 00:20:53,702 --> 00:20:55,737 And I want to say to them, how would you know? 426 00:20:55,737 --> 00:20:57,239 You never played it. 427 00:20:58,457 --> 00:20:59,725 You wore the jersey, you 428 00:20:59,725 --> 00:21:02,728 put on the pads, you put on the helmet, you stood on the sideline. 429 00:21:02,761 --> 00:21:05,814 But the adventure of football is not on the sideline. 430 00:21:05,897 --> 00:21:07,916 It's on the field. 431 00:21:07,916 --> 00:21:10,919 I cannot think of a better metaphor for the American church 432 00:21:11,970 --> 00:21:16,458 friends, if you feel like church is boring, church is lame, church is stale. 433 00:21:16,458 --> 00:21:19,461 It's because you're on the sideline. 434 00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:23,282 The action is on the field. 435 00:21:23,849 --> 00:21:26,301 We're reaching so many people here. 436 00:21:26,301 --> 00:21:29,087 All glory to God, reaching so many people here at Christ in the chapel. 437 00:21:29,087 --> 00:21:29,538 In fact, 438 00:21:29,538 --> 00:21:30,622 one of the things I'm supposed to tell you 439 00:21:30,622 --> 00:21:33,992 in this sermon is we have so many people coming on the weekend, we can't fit them. 440 00:21:33,992 --> 00:21:38,297 So on November 9th, we're going from three Sunday services to four 441 00:21:39,531 --> 00:21:44,703 8:00, 915, 1030 and 1145. 442 00:21:45,137 --> 00:21:46,588 We just got to make room, look around. 443 00:21:46,588 --> 00:21:49,157 There's nowhere for people to sit. 444 00:21:49,157 --> 00:21:50,842 That's awesome. 445 00:21:50,842 --> 00:21:53,395 But it also means there's incredible opportunity 446 00:21:53,395 --> 00:21:56,398 for you to participate. 447 00:21:56,515 --> 00:22:01,203 Let me give you three ways that I think you can go from the sideline to the field. 448 00:22:01,203 --> 00:22:04,189 Here's the first one. Invite someone. 449 00:22:04,323 --> 00:22:05,724 Invite someone. 450 00:22:05,724 --> 00:22:08,193 Listen, you and I, we're a team. Here's how it's going to work. 451 00:22:08,193 --> 00:22:08,910 You ready? 452 00:22:08,910 --> 00:22:11,780 You invite people close to you here. 453 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:14,783 I will tell them that God loves them in Jesus. 454 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,203 Do you know how weird it would be if I invited them? 455 00:22:18,670 --> 00:22:20,756 Just see me at the grocery store and say, 456 00:22:20,756 --> 00:22:23,759 hey, Pastor Zach, you buy bananas. 457 00:22:24,259 --> 00:22:24,710 You know what? 458 00:22:24,710 --> 00:22:26,461 You know what else is bananas? God's love. 459 00:22:27,479 --> 00:22:30,482 See you on Sunday. 460 00:22:31,233 --> 00:22:32,851 It's weird right? 461 00:22:32,851 --> 00:22:34,953 Smooth but weird. 462 00:22:34,953 --> 00:22:39,441 When you invite him, I'll tell him about Jesus. 463 00:22:39,441 --> 00:22:41,843 And then you buy lunch afterwards. 464 00:22:41,843 --> 00:22:43,729 And here's how it works. That works pretty simple. You just me? 465 00:22:43,729 --> 00:22:46,732 What you think? What do you think? 466 00:22:47,099 --> 00:22:48,233 What do you think? 467 00:22:48,233 --> 00:22:50,402 8:00. Now what? We're trying so hard. Is it church? 468 00:22:50,402 --> 00:22:53,155 If you can't come on the weekend? We got Thursday night. 469 00:22:53,155 --> 00:22:54,773 If Thursday night doesn't work, how about 8:00? 470 00:22:54,773 --> 00:22:57,743 8:00 to early? How about 915? 915? Too early? 471 00:22:57,743 --> 00:22:58,760 How about 1030? 472 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,413 1030 doesn't work. How about 1145? 1145? Does it work? 473 00:23:01,413 --> 00:23:04,399 What do you do? It? 474 00:23:07,202 --> 00:23:07,969 We're not a church. 475 00:23:07,969 --> 00:23:09,738 It makes people feel guilty about their schedule. 476 00:23:09,738 --> 00:23:13,225 We're a church that says whenever you are free, we want to tell you about Jesus. 477 00:23:14,159 --> 00:23:15,677 Invite them second, second, 478 00:23:16,762 --> 00:23:18,480 give, 479 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:20,132 give. 480 00:23:20,132 --> 00:23:22,250 Those pastors are uncomfortable talking about money. 481 00:23:22,250 --> 00:23:23,702 I probably shouldn't tell you this on a weekend. 482 00:23:23,702 --> 00:23:25,921 You're voting on me, 483 00:23:25,921 --> 00:23:27,806 but I'm not. 484 00:23:27,806 --> 00:23:29,941 And here's why we tell you why I just told you. 485 00:23:29,941 --> 00:23:33,111 I believe God is more passionate about reaching people than I will ever be, 486 00:23:33,111 --> 00:23:36,565 than you will ever be if you don't give, God will bring it from somewhere else. 487 00:23:37,349 --> 00:23:39,951 I really believe that this is God's mission. 488 00:23:39,951 --> 00:23:42,504 It's God's church. It's God's bill. 489 00:23:42,504 --> 00:23:46,525 I believe that asking you to give isn't about supplying our need. 490 00:23:46,525 --> 00:23:47,959 Here's what it's about. 491 00:23:47,959 --> 00:23:50,962 It's about you being on the field. 492 00:23:51,113 --> 00:23:53,748 A week from Monday, there's going to be construction equipment in the parking lot. 493 00:23:53,748 --> 00:23:55,667 And if you've partnered with us in every minute Matters. 494 00:23:55,667 --> 00:23:57,352 I hope you get your kids in the car. 495 00:23:57,352 --> 00:23:58,069 You drive by. 496 00:23:58,069 --> 00:24:00,872 That equipment is everybody. Look, that's our equipment. 497 00:24:02,457 --> 00:24:05,460 That's part of what we're doing as a family. 498 00:24:05,460 --> 00:24:08,447 We get to be a part of what God is doing. 499 00:24:09,147 --> 00:24:10,465 That's the adventure. 500 00:24:10,465 --> 00:24:13,018 And then here's the third one you can serve. 501 00:24:13,018 --> 00:24:14,252 You can serve. 502 00:24:14,252 --> 00:24:17,873 I know we have incredible volunteers here, so it's tempting to see what's going on 503 00:24:17,873 --> 00:24:20,792 and go, man, there, do such a good job. They don't need anyone. 504 00:24:20,792 --> 00:24:23,778 Listen, we do such a good job, but it's a mirage. 505 00:24:25,013 --> 00:24:26,448 We need people. 506 00:24:26,448 --> 00:24:27,382 We need people. 507 00:24:27,382 --> 00:24:30,652 Listen, I just told you, we go from three Sunday services to four. 508 00:24:31,253 --> 00:24:33,421 That means we have a whole nother service. We need. 509 00:24:33,421 --> 00:24:35,607 I need some of you to serve in two services. 510 00:24:35,607 --> 00:24:37,442 I need some of you to serve all day. 511 00:24:37,442 --> 00:24:39,294 I need some of you to start serving. 512 00:24:39,294 --> 00:24:40,729 But here's what I want to tell you. 513 00:24:40,729 --> 00:24:43,465 If you serve, you are on the field. 514 00:24:43,465 --> 00:24:47,402 Listen, every one of those 817 people we baptized, 515 00:24:47,486 --> 00:24:50,906 if you ever held them in the nursery, you were part of that. 516 00:24:52,107 --> 00:24:54,693 If you taught them in children's ministry, you were part of it. 517 00:24:54,693 --> 00:24:55,861 You greeted them at the door. 518 00:24:55,861 --> 00:24:59,731 If you told them where to park, you were part of that. 519 00:25:00,749 --> 00:25:02,968 That's the adventure of the Christian life 520 00:25:02,968 --> 00:25:06,321 is you're experiencing what God is doing in people's lives. 521 00:25:06,321 --> 00:25:09,174 Why would you want to be on the sideline? 522 00:25:09,174 --> 00:25:12,077 In fact, take out your phone if you don't already have it out. 523 00:25:12,077 --> 00:25:12,677 Most of you do. 524 00:25:12,677 --> 00:25:14,029 Take your phone out 525 00:25:14,029 --> 00:25:17,299 if you're not serving currently, it's easy for him to throw this on the slide. 526 00:25:17,549 --> 00:25:18,083 Here you go. 527 00:25:18,083 --> 00:25:19,968 You text, serve, seek. 528 00:25:19,968 --> 00:25:20,719 This is is easy. 529 00:25:20,719 --> 00:25:22,821 If you're like me, I don't. I'm just. 530 00:25:22,821 --> 00:25:25,824 Full disclosure I don't do the QR codes. 531 00:25:25,824 --> 00:25:27,509 I don't know about you. 532 00:25:27,509 --> 00:25:31,229 Here it is five five text text to 55498. 533 00:25:31,229 --> 00:25:33,748 Just text serve seek. We're going to do the rest. 534 00:25:33,748 --> 00:25:34,983 That's all you have to do. 535 00:25:34,983 --> 00:25:35,567 We're going to work with you 536 00:25:35,567 --> 00:25:39,538 to find a time, your available talent that you have a slot that works. 537 00:25:39,688 --> 00:25:42,290 You only got once a month, once a quarter, twice a year. 538 00:25:42,290 --> 00:25:44,943 We'll find you a place. 539 00:25:44,943 --> 00:25:48,747 But I want you to know it's because we believe the excitement 540 00:25:48,747 --> 00:25:54,052 God has wired you for is found in the ministry of the local church. 541 00:25:56,238 --> 00:25:57,022 Friends, I want you to 542 00:25:57,022 --> 00:26:00,175 know that I think God is going to blow our minds 543 00:26:00,175 --> 00:26:03,178 with what he's going to do here for the next 30 years. 544 00:26:04,079 --> 00:26:06,531 It has nothing to do with me. 545 00:26:06,531 --> 00:26:09,534 It has everything to do with him. 546 00:26:12,387 --> 00:26:14,940 But I don't want you 547 00:26:14,940 --> 00:26:17,943 to be part of it on the sideline. 548 00:26:19,561 --> 00:26:22,347 I don't want you to miss 549 00:26:22,347 --> 00:26:25,367 the incredible role that God has for you 550 00:26:26,151 --> 00:26:29,454 in his mission to reach people 551 00:26:30,572 --> 00:26:32,757 before it's too late. 552 00:26:32,757 --> 00:26:33,742 Let me pray for us. 553 00:26:33,742 --> 00:26:36,978 Father God, thank you so much for the mission you have given us here 554 00:26:36,978 --> 00:26:40,682 at KCC that every minute matters. 555 00:26:40,682 --> 00:26:43,668 It's your mission to your church. 556 00:26:43,768 --> 00:26:44,786 It's your kingdom. 557 00:26:44,786 --> 00:26:47,572 It's your gospel 558 00:26:47,572 --> 00:26:52,611 God, would you raise our expectations of who you are and what you want to do? 559 00:26:52,644 --> 00:26:53,311 Would you? 560 00:26:53,311 --> 00:26:57,115 Would you show us the unique role that you have for us to play? 561 00:26:57,115 --> 00:27:01,469 And even right now, I pray for someone sitting here who does 562 00:27:01,469 --> 00:27:05,957 not yet know how much you love them in Jesus for them to meet you right now. 563 00:27:07,759 --> 00:27:08,360 God, would you 564 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:11,579 make this local church for your glory, not for ours. 565 00:27:11,579 --> 00:27:12,497 For your glory? 566 00:27:12,497 --> 00:27:17,068 Would you make it the single most exciting thing that any of us do 567 00:27:18,053 --> 00:27:20,305 for your glory, for the good of Northeast 568 00:27:20,305 --> 00:27:23,308 Ohio and the world, and for our joy? 569 00:27:23,808 --> 00:27:25,677 In Jesus name we pray. Amen.