WEBVTT 217 00:31:23.175 --> 00:31:26.425 Well, well, well, 2025. 218 00:31:27.615 --> 00:31:29.985 Here we are. Listen, new Year. 219 00:31:30.045 --> 00:31:32.665 How many of you have been at a place in your life? We thought, you know what? 220 00:31:33.425 --> 00:31:37.065 I could use a fresh start. Anybody? Yeah. I mean, 221 00:31:37.305 --> 00:31:40.545 kinda like when you're out golfing, you line up perfect shot, big swing, 222 00:31:41.645 --> 00:31:44.985 big slice, three fairways over. You're like, you know what, 223 00:31:45.625 --> 00:31:47.865 I'm just gonna drop another ball. Here's a mulligan, I'm gonna start over. I, 224 00:31:47.895 --> 00:31:51.785 I've been in some conversations, some intense conversations, uh, 225 00:31:51.786 --> 00:31:53.785 with my wife Diana at times, and I've thought, 226 00:31:54.585 --> 00:31:58.945 I have no idea how I got into a hole this deep, but if I could start over, 227 00:31:59.085 --> 00:32:01.465 I'd take back everything that I said, I'd love to do that. 228 00:32:01.485 --> 00:32:04.425 So we find ourselves in those places. And I know for a lot of us, man, 229 00:32:04.426 --> 00:32:06.745 2024 was a tough year. Then we found ourselves thinking, 230 00:32:06.746 --> 00:32:10.185 if I could just get a fresh start, well, guess what? 231 00:32:10.915 --> 00:32:14.305 Happy New Year we are at a place, uh, 232 00:32:14.306 --> 00:32:17.625 where the majority of Americans, uh, make a decision. Hey, 233 00:32:18.165 --> 00:32:21.425 I'm gonna set a new resolution. Like I'm gonna make a change in my life. 234 00:32:21.505 --> 00:32:23.225 I read a survey this week, uh, 235 00:32:23.226 --> 00:32:27.705 and it said that 57% of American survey decided they're gonna go into 236 00:32:27.706 --> 00:32:30.385 2025 with at least one new resolution. 237 00:32:30.445 --> 00:32:33.025 So 21% said it's to save more money. 238 00:32:34.185 --> 00:32:38.745 19% said it's to eat more healthy. 17% said it's to exercise more. 239 00:32:38.746 --> 00:32:42.485 15% said they wanna lose weight. I think if you add those last three together, 240 00:32:42.505 --> 00:32:45.325 you could put 'em in the same category and have over 50% people saying, 241 00:32:45.405 --> 00:32:46.238 I need to be more healthy. 242 00:32:46.925 --> 00:32:49.605 14% said they wanna spend more time with family and friends. 243 00:32:49.675 --> 00:32:52.405 9% said they wanna quit smoking. I would advocate for that. 244 00:32:52.755 --> 00:32:55.645 9% said that they wanna reduce living expenses. 245 00:32:56.305 --> 00:33:01.285 And then 42% said, I'm probably gonna give up on my resolution anyway. 246 00:33:01.745 --> 00:33:04.605 So, no thank you. And I know there's a lot of folks that would say, look, 247 00:33:05.085 --> 00:33:06.805 resolutions aren't for me. We're not gonna stick to it. 248 00:33:06.806 --> 00:33:09.725 But this is what I would say. Like, if you have a place in your life, 249 00:33:09.726 --> 00:33:12.045 an air in your life where you know you want to take a positive step, 250 00:33:12.215 --> 00:33:14.245 there is no time like the day to do that. 251 00:33:14.246 --> 00:33:17.925 This is the perfect season to start a new day, to start a new era. 252 00:33:18.175 --> 00:33:21.645 Maybe even for you to start a new legacy in your own life. 253 00:33:21.665 --> 00:33:24.965 We can get a fresh start. I know for me in my own life, uh, 254 00:33:25.055 --> 00:33:28.725 there are a number of areas where I could use a fresh start. 255 00:33:28.945 --> 00:33:33.845 And I wrote some things down this week for me personally. And, uh, one is, 256 00:33:34.325 --> 00:33:38.085 uh, I I want to be a better husband and dad. Um, 257 00:33:38.425 --> 00:33:41.045 the good news is I don't think I'm the world's worst. Okay? 258 00:33:41.105 --> 00:33:45.365 So I got that going for me. But man, like life is busy, 259 00:33:45.895 --> 00:33:47.925 right? It's hectic, it's stressful. And, 260 00:33:47.926 --> 00:33:50.405 and I come home from work and I have the best of intentions. 261 00:33:50.406 --> 00:33:52.525 Like this is gonna be the night. We're gonna sit down, 262 00:33:52.535 --> 00:33:55.565 we're gonna talk about the Bible. I'm gonna ask everybody how their day was. 263 00:33:55.785 --> 00:33:56.885 I'm gonna look 'em in the eye. 264 00:33:57.185 --> 00:33:59.725 I'm not gonna get overly angry when things don't go the right way. 265 00:33:59.905 --> 00:34:04.765 And then you get home and the couch is there and you 266 00:34:04.925 --> 00:34:07.645 can so easy to sit down on the couch, to turn on a football game, 267 00:34:08.105 --> 00:34:11.485 to maybe start scrolling social media and the kids are in a different room and 268 00:34:11.685 --> 00:34:15.965 it's quiet in the house. Can I get an amen from anybody? And, 269 00:34:16.605 --> 00:34:19.844 and man, you just, but then you realize, man, 270 00:34:19.885 --> 00:34:22.245 I don't have a whole lot more time with these kids in the house. 271 00:34:22.465 --> 00:34:25.725 My twins are 16, my youngest is 13, my twins are gonna be gone soon. 272 00:34:25.825 --> 00:34:29.005 How much more time do I have with them in the house to laugh every day, 273 00:34:29.344 --> 00:34:32.085 to talk to 'em about their dreams, to set 'em up to succeed, 274 00:34:32.285 --> 00:34:34.165 and what it is that God's calling 'em towards in their life? 275 00:34:35.265 --> 00:34:37.285 And then in my marriage, like Diane and I, I would tell you, 276 00:34:37.364 --> 00:34:40.165 I think she would tell you, we have a strong marriage. Uh, 277 00:34:40.185 --> 00:34:43.725 it ain't perfect , but we have a strong marriage. But man, 278 00:34:43.726 --> 00:34:48.165 we have to constantly fight this, uh, battle of just coexisting in the home, 279 00:34:48.364 --> 00:34:51.325 making the wheels turn, getting everything done. It's a real thing. 280 00:34:51.685 --> 00:34:55.485 But I know that's not the, the marriage that God would have for us. Um, 281 00:34:56.705 --> 00:34:59.565 I'd like to see our church get a fresh start. Um, 282 00:34:59.855 --> 00:35:03.364 we've been through some transition in the last few years, uh, 283 00:35:03.505 --> 00:35:04.605 and I have this dream man, 284 00:35:04.645 --> 00:35:08.205 I I wanna see us as a church family that is unified that, 285 00:35:08.206 --> 00:35:10.405 that the community would look at and say, Hey, look, 286 00:35:10.465 --> 00:35:12.565 that's a rowdy group of folks over there, . 287 00:35:12.785 --> 00:35:16.325 But there is something different about them and the way they love God and follow 288 00:35:16.375 --> 00:35:19.525 Jesus and share hope with the world around 'em. Like they have this, 289 00:35:19.665 --> 00:35:21.525 for some reason, they, they have this, uh, 290 00:35:21.635 --> 00:35:25.045 concern for the collective good of the community. Like for us, I, 291 00:35:25.165 --> 00:35:26.925 I pray that we would have this, this, 292 00:35:27.075 --> 00:35:31.245 this concern for the lostness of our community is that supersedes our own 293 00:35:31.445 --> 00:35:36.165 personal preferences. And I know for that to happen, like I, I need to be a, 294 00:35:36.285 --> 00:35:40.445 a better pastor, a better leader, a better follower of Jesus for myself. 295 00:35:40.645 --> 00:35:42.485 And so there's areas I know I need to get a fresh start. 296 00:35:43.765 --> 00:35:48.185 What about you and your life? Where do you need to get a fresh start? 297 00:35:49.735 --> 00:35:53.905 Your personal life? Maybe it is you need to get more healthy physically 298 00:35:55.465 --> 00:35:59.705 and your home, how you engage in your church family. I mean, 299 00:35:59.975 --> 00:36:02.465 there's gotta be areas I gotta imagine in, in a church, 300 00:36:02.525 --> 00:36:04.985 the size of hope where a lot of us are displaced. 301 00:36:05.085 --> 00:36:09.585 If I could just get to a new starting line. And so if that's you, uh, 302 00:36:09.614 --> 00:36:10.705 I've got some good news for you. 303 00:36:11.805 --> 00:36:15.265 Our God is a God of new beginnings and fresh starts. 304 00:36:16.105 --> 00:36:19.905 And and I hope that you will give yourself permission and the grace to actually 305 00:36:19.906 --> 00:36:22.185 believe that. And so what we're gonna do is we go through the series, 306 00:36:22.186 --> 00:36:26.025 we're gonna see in scripture that when as our hearts align with God's heart, 307 00:36:27.435 --> 00:36:31.165 when our hearts align with God's heart for a new beginning, for a fresh start, 308 00:36:31.395 --> 00:36:35.325 nothing can come against it. If you have your Bibles, uh, I want you, 309 00:36:35.326 --> 00:36:38.485 and I hope you do, uh, I want you to turn to Nehemiah chapter one. 310 00:36:38.486 --> 00:36:39.485 And so throughout this series, 311 00:36:39.495 --> 00:36:41.885 we're gonna be walking through the book of Nehemiah. Uh, 312 00:36:41.915 --> 00:36:45.844 I'll give you a little context while you're turning there. The book of Nehemiah, 313 00:36:46.065 --> 00:36:50.405 it takes place in the fifth century around 464 bc uh, 314 00:36:50.415 --> 00:36:54.165 about 70 to 80 years prior to where we're gonna jump in into the story. 315 00:36:54.185 --> 00:36:58.285 The Israelites, God's people, uh, they had been exiled out of Jerusalem, 316 00:36:58.286 --> 00:36:59.765 the land that God had promised to them, 317 00:37:00.065 --> 00:37:02.925 and then they had been exiled into Babylon. Uh, 318 00:37:02.926 --> 00:37:06.925 after they had been overthrown by the Babylon, by the Babylonians. Uh, 319 00:37:06.926 --> 00:37:09.925 their city was decimated. Their temple had been torn apart. 320 00:37:10.305 --> 00:37:14.245 The wall around the city that provided them protection completely destroyed. 321 00:37:14.344 --> 00:37:15.725 And then probably most importantly, 322 00:37:15.726 --> 00:37:19.685 they were forced to live in a foreign culture where they had lost like their 323 00:37:19.686 --> 00:37:22.765 true identity of who they were as the family of God. 324 00:37:23.705 --> 00:37:25.685 And I just want us to find ourselves in this story. Like, 325 00:37:25.805 --> 00:37:27.844 have you ever been in that place where you just feel like, man, like I, 326 00:37:28.165 --> 00:37:32.035 I don't even know who I am right now. Like, I don't know how I got here. 327 00:37:32.065 --> 00:37:37.035 This isn't what I set out for. And while Babylon conquered them, right? 328 00:37:37.235 --> 00:37:39.475 It, it's easy to look at the Babylonians as the bad guys, 329 00:37:39.495 --> 00:37:42.315 but it's important to note, like when you read scripture, um, 330 00:37:42.344 --> 00:37:46.315 what you see is that their exile was really a result of the Israelites 331 00:37:46.535 --> 00:37:50.795 unfaithfulness to God while they were still in Jerusalem. Uh, 332 00:37:50.796 --> 00:37:53.635 things like worship of other gods were taking place. Uh, 333 00:37:53.636 --> 00:37:56.795 prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah and Amos, 334 00:37:56.796 --> 00:37:59.835 they had condemned them from things that were becoming a part of their society, 335 00:37:59.836 --> 00:38:02.035 like exploiting the poor, uh, 336 00:38:02.045 --> 00:38:06.515 corruption and really the overall moral decay of this society. 337 00:38:06.895 --> 00:38:08.635 And so that's what led to their exile. 338 00:38:08.935 --> 00:38:11.875 And then where we're gonna pick up in the story in Nehemiah chapter one, 339 00:38:11.876 --> 00:38:14.955 the Persian empire had now overthrown Babylon, 340 00:38:15.255 --> 00:38:18.355 and they'd allowed the Jews to return back to their homeland. 341 00:38:18.614 --> 00:38:20.355 And so what we're gonna read in the book of Nehemiah, 342 00:38:20.356 --> 00:38:25.195 it's a first person account from Nehemiah of God's people getting a fresh 343 00:38:25.315 --> 00:38:29.915 start back in the promised land. Couple things to know about Nehemiah. 344 00:38:30.355 --> 00:38:33.315 Uh, he was an Israelite, so he was a Jew. Uh, 345 00:38:33.335 --> 00:38:36.125 he served a prominent role for the King of Persia. 346 00:38:36.545 --> 00:38:38.045 He was a cupbearer to the king. 347 00:38:39.195 --> 00:38:42.405 What a cup bearer did among other things. Uh, 348 00:38:42.425 --> 00:38:47.325 he essentially tasted all the food and all of the drink before the king actually 349 00:38:47.405 --> 00:38:51.765 ate it or drank it. So not a terrible job, right? You live in royalty, uh, 350 00:38:51.766 --> 00:38:55.485 you eat good food, you drink good wine. Uh, but you, 351 00:38:55.825 --> 00:38:59.245 you kind of are like one of the first lines of defense on the king's security 352 00:38:59.265 --> 00:38:59.845 detail, right? 353 00:38:59.845 --> 00:39:02.645 So as long as there's no one trying to assassinate or poison the king, 354 00:39:02.785 --> 00:39:05.965 you're in a good spot. So good king, it's a good job. You got a bad king, 355 00:39:06.155 --> 00:39:06.988 it's a bad job. 356 00:39:07.065 --> 00:39:10.844 But what you need to know is he had proximity and relationship to the King of 357 00:39:10.945 --> 00:39:14.285 Persia. He was trusted and he had this great job, 358 00:39:14.665 --> 00:39:18.285 but he also had a heart for his people. He had a heart for the people of God. 359 00:39:18.465 --> 00:39:21.364 And so here's what we're gonna do, we're gonna jump into Nehemiah chapter one. 360 00:39:21.935 --> 00:39:26.685 We're gonna look at a fresh start. Here we go. The words of Nehemiah, 361 00:39:27.385 --> 00:39:29.844 the son of Haal. Now, 362 00:39:29.845 --> 00:39:34.805 it happened in the month of his live in the 20th year as I was in 363 00:39:35.285 --> 00:39:37.765 Suse, the Citadel and Hanani, 364 00:39:37.766 --> 00:39:41.565 one of my brothers came with certain men from Judah. So his live, uh, 365 00:39:41.885 --> 00:39:44.525 is the ninth month of the Jewish calendar for us. That would be November, 366 00:39:44.844 --> 00:39:47.685 December, uh, when he says the 20th year, uh, 367 00:39:47.715 --> 00:39:51.525 most likely indicating the 20th year of the rule and reign of King Artis, 368 00:39:51.526 --> 00:39:56.085 Xerxes and Nehemiah's brother, he comes to Sosa in the Persian empire, 369 00:39:56.086 --> 00:40:00.844 really to give a report of what he had seen of God's people back in Jerusalem. 370 00:40:01.425 --> 00:40:03.245 So it goes on, he says, 371 00:40:03.405 --> 00:40:07.445 and I ask them to concerning the Jews who had escaped, 372 00:40:07.446 --> 00:40:10.605 who had survived the exile and concerning Jerusalem. 373 00:40:11.585 --> 00:40:12.565 And they said to me, 374 00:40:13.125 --> 00:40:17.125 the remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble 375 00:40:17.344 --> 00:40:18.177 and shame, 376 00:40:18.785 --> 00:40:23.364 the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. 377 00:40:24.864 --> 00:40:29.045 So what you see here is a man who cared enough to ask how his people were doing, 378 00:40:29.555 --> 00:40:33.565 like in the midst of his big, big job in the midst of the, of luxury all around, 379 00:40:33.625 --> 00:40:36.225 he stops and he says, how are my people? 380 00:40:38.505 --> 00:40:39.046 And I wonder, 381 00:40:39.046 --> 00:40:43.565 how many times in our lives do we actually stop and take notice of how the 382 00:40:43.566 --> 00:40:47.725 people are doing in the life in our lives around us? Are we, 383 00:40:47.745 --> 00:40:50.645 are we even actually aware there might be things in our life that aren't what 384 00:40:50.646 --> 00:40:51.165 they should be? 385 00:40:51.165 --> 00:40:53.805 Or are we aware that there's things that are going on in the world around us? 386 00:40:54.085 --> 00:40:57.565 Or are we so caught up and so busy that we actually don't realize it? See, 387 00:40:57.614 --> 00:40:59.364 God's placed us in a specific family. 388 00:40:59.635 --> 00:41:01.405 He's placed us in a specific church family. 389 00:41:01.715 --> 00:41:06.125 He's placed us in a specific community. Do we slow down enough to ask? 390 00:41:07.505 --> 00:41:10.885 So if we wanna align our hearts with guides, and if we need to, 391 00:41:10.886 --> 00:41:14.645 if we wanna see the areas where God would have us, uh, pursue a fresh start, 392 00:41:14.646 --> 00:41:17.325 we've gotta slow down and we've gotta look at the world around us. 393 00:41:17.325 --> 00:41:20.285 And so that's our first point. If we wanna seek God for a fresh start, 394 00:41:20.895 --> 00:41:24.005 we've gotta take inventory of what's going on around us in our lives. 395 00:41:25.505 --> 00:41:28.875 Otherwise we just push through life, man. But we just let life happen to us. 396 00:41:29.295 --> 00:41:32.075 And so ne Nehemiah asks, he says, Hey, what's going on? 397 00:41:32.255 --> 00:41:34.205 And so then his brother tells him the remnant, like, 398 00:41:34.206 --> 00:41:38.205 what's left of our people there? They're in trouble. Uh, 399 00:41:38.265 --> 00:41:41.364 the wall that surrounds the city for protection, it's been destroyed. 400 00:41:41.465 --> 00:41:43.605 And then not only are they in trouble, but he goes on to say, 401 00:41:43.606 --> 00:41:47.405 he says they're in shame. Why would they be in shame? 402 00:41:49.975 --> 00:41:50.705 Because. 403 00:41:50.705 --> 00:41:53.425 As children of God, like this is not the life that they had signed up for, 404 00:41:54.135 --> 00:41:56.825 like in their minds that they've been told they're supposed to be blessed to be 405 00:41:56.826 --> 00:41:59.785 a blessing. This was not their identity. This was not their hope for a future. 406 00:41:59.805 --> 00:42:02.745 And I want you to understand something. When people are in a place of, without, 407 00:42:03.415 --> 00:42:05.225 when they're a pla in a place of brokenness, 408 00:42:05.935 --> 00:42:08.225 there's a level of dignity that gets lost. 409 00:42:10.875 --> 00:42:13.255 And some of you, like you can hear my voice right now, and you're like, 410 00:42:13.256 --> 00:42:15.815 you know, yeah, I, I get it . I'm there right now. 411 00:42:17.915 --> 00:42:18.855 And some of us, man, 412 00:42:18.856 --> 00:42:21.975 we just need to be reminded like there are people around us in our lives, 413 00:42:21.976 --> 00:42:22.416 some of us, 414 00:42:22.416 --> 00:42:25.575 some of them are sitting right beside us in in the comfortable seats wherever we 415 00:42:25.576 --> 00:42:28.775 are, across all of our campuses who are hurting, who were broken. 416 00:42:29.195 --> 00:42:31.335 And I want you to know if that's you, as I told you earlier, 417 00:42:31.485 --> 00:42:34.375 that is not God's heart for his people. We, we, 418 00:42:34.535 --> 00:42:37.535 we have a God who is a God of new beginnings, who's a God of fresh starts. 419 00:42:37.715 --> 00:42:38.536 And so if we want to, 420 00:42:38.536 --> 00:42:41.215 if we wanna pursue these fresh starts that God has for us in our lives, 421 00:42:41.216 --> 00:42:43.614 we've gotta take inventory of what's going on around us. 422 00:42:44.895 --> 00:42:48.695 I want us to look at Nehemiah's response. And I'm gonna tell you right now, 423 00:42:48.925 --> 00:42:52.614 it's the heart of, of truly a godly man. Like of a godly leader. 424 00:42:52.614 --> 00:42:55.614 This is what he says, verse four. He said, as soon as I heard these words, 425 00:42:56.655 --> 00:43:01.094 I sat down and wept and mourned for days. 426 00:43:02.175 --> 00:43:05.135 I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 427 00:43:06.395 --> 00:43:09.055 So neman his heart, it was broken. Uh, 428 00:43:09.725 --> 00:43:14.575 when we actually take the time to do an inventory of what's going on around 429 00:43:14.576 --> 00:43:17.255 us, and we see things in our lives that aren't what they should be, 430 00:43:17.315 --> 00:43:19.935 it should jolt us. Like when I sit down and ask my wife, 431 00:43:19.995 --> 00:43:22.975 so how are things going in our marriage? And she gives me a hard word, 432 00:43:23.285 --> 00:43:24.575 like it will shake me. 433 00:43:26.045 --> 00:43:29.655 Like when we look out around us and we see brokenness and hurting like people 434 00:43:29.656 --> 00:43:32.614 around it, it should jolt us. It should stop us in our tracks. 435 00:43:32.615 --> 00:43:35.295 And so point number two, if we're seeking a fresh start, 436 00:43:35.296 --> 00:43:38.535 if we're trying to align our hearts with Gods for a fresh start in our lives, 437 00:43:38.825 --> 00:43:40.895 we've gotta be broken over our current reality. 438 00:43:44.265 --> 00:43:45.555 Tony Robbins, uh, 439 00:43:45.705 --> 00:43:49.715 he's quoted as saying Change happens when the pain of staying the same is 440 00:43:49.716 --> 00:43:54.605 greater than the pain of change. That's what this tells us, 441 00:43:54.625 --> 00:43:59.045 is we've gotta give ourselves an opportunity to recognize the pain of not 442 00:43:59.285 --> 00:44:01.605 pursuing a fresh start. 443 00:44:03.695 --> 00:44:06.015 Like we've gotta sit in the brokenness. And so I wanna ask you this, 444 00:44:06.016 --> 00:44:09.415 when's the last time that you were actually broken over something in your life? 445 00:44:12.645 --> 00:44:14.855 Like when you look at your own self in a mirror, 446 00:44:14.856 --> 00:44:19.425 like when's the last time you were broken over your own sin? Uh, 447 00:44:19.426 --> 00:44:22.505 when's the last time that you were broken over the fact that your relationship 448 00:44:22.506 --> 00:44:25.585 with God maybe isn't everything that you could, that it could be? 449 00:44:25.645 --> 00:44:28.344 When's the last time you were broken over the impact, uh, 450 00:44:28.345 --> 00:44:30.905 that your church is having in the community? When's the last time you were, 451 00:44:30.940 --> 00:44:35.405 were broken over The truth that at the majority of our campuses on any given 452 00:44:35.406 --> 00:44:35.915 weekend, 453 00:44:35.915 --> 00:44:40.045 it's a normal thing that we actually have to close the doors in our kid city 454 00:44:40.046 --> 00:44:40.965 classrooms and say, listen, 455 00:44:40.985 --> 00:44:43.725 we can't take any more kids right now because we don't have enough vol, 456 00:44:43.735 --> 00:44:45.605 adult volunteers, uh, 457 00:44:45.606 --> 00:44:48.844 to create space for them to come in and hear about the good news and the hope 458 00:44:48.845 --> 00:44:49.765 that we can have in Jesus. 459 00:44:52.075 --> 00:44:55.655 When's the last time that we were broken o over the lack of physical resources, 460 00:44:55.656 --> 00:44:58.215 or even worse, the spiritual deadness of our communities. 461 00:45:00.145 --> 00:45:02.015 There are men and there are women, 462 00:45:02.235 --> 00:45:06.185 and there are students who are in trouble and who are in shame. 463 00:45:09.185 --> 00:45:11.715 Does that lead us to weeping and mourning? 464 00:45:13.425 --> 00:45:17.995 Because it did Nehemiah it also led him to praying, uh, and to fasting. 465 00:45:17.996 --> 00:45:21.795 I want you to look at what he prayed. Verse five, it says, and I said, oh Lord, 466 00:45:21.895 --> 00:45:22.495 God of heaven, 467 00:45:22.495 --> 00:45:27.355 the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant and steadfast love with those 468 00:45:27.555 --> 00:45:29.875 who love him and keep his commandments. Yeah, 469 00:45:29.915 --> 00:45:32.915 I want you to see his confidence in, in who God is and the character of God. 470 00:45:33.015 --> 00:45:36.795 He says, great and awesome God who is faithful to keep his promises. 471 00:45:36.855 --> 00:45:40.995 And then don't miss the last part he says with those who love him and keep his 472 00:45:40.996 --> 00:45:43.114 commandments. Remember what, 473 00:45:43.275 --> 00:45:47.995 what he knew was God's people were in the situation that they were in because of 474 00:45:47.996 --> 00:45:52.075 their disobedience to God. And if we're not careful, 475 00:45:52.225 --> 00:45:55.515 like we can kind of lose sight, especially in today's world, right? Like you do, 476 00:45:55.516 --> 00:45:56.715 you, you do what's comfortable to you. 477 00:45:56.716 --> 00:45:59.275 Like there is an aspect of this to recognize, man, 478 00:45:59.276 --> 00:46:02.594 we need to be faithful to God who keeps his promises to us. 479 00:46:03.535 --> 00:46:05.594 But I also want you to see Nehemiah like He's, 480 00:46:05.665 --> 00:46:09.075 it's clear he's not turning to somebody who, who might be able to rescue them, 481 00:46:09.094 --> 00:46:11.515 who might be able to address the situation. He's saying, no, no, no, 482 00:46:11.614 --> 00:46:14.475 our God is strong. He is able, he's faithful. 483 00:46:15.895 --> 00:46:18.955 He goes on to pray. Verse six, he says, 484 00:46:19.275 --> 00:46:21.635 remember the word that you commanded your servant, Moses, 485 00:46:25.785 --> 00:46:28.685 If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 486 00:46:29.175 --> 00:46:30.725 which is what's happened, verse nine. 487 00:46:30.864 --> 00:46:34.525 But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them though your 488 00:46:34.605 --> 00:46:37.325 outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there, 489 00:46:37.445 --> 00:46:41.005 I will gather them and bring them to the place where I've chosen to make my name 490 00:46:41.006 --> 00:46:45.285 dwell there. They're your servants and your people who you have redeemed. 491 00:46:47.565 --> 00:46:51.795 Uh, I want you to notice like the brokenness and desperation of his prayer. 492 00:46:53.395 --> 00:46:57.035 This is God. Like I'm praying before you day and night 493 00:46:58.785 --> 00:47:01.635 like this is a big deal to, to Nehemiah. And I'm gonna, 494 00:47:01.636 --> 00:47:05.075 I'm gonna jump back here 'cause listen, pardon me, I jumped to verse eight. 495 00:47:05.094 --> 00:47:07.594 My Bible's highlighted in the wrong color here. This is really important. 496 00:47:07.755 --> 00:47:10.155 I could skip this and go right on and you'd never know. Um, 497 00:47:10.695 --> 00:47:14.675 that's not a good idea for this message. We gotta see this. Verse six, God, 498 00:47:14.815 --> 00:47:15.556 his prayer, he says, 499 00:47:15.556 --> 00:47:18.915 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant 500 00:47:18.916 --> 00:47:22.235 that I now pray before you day and night, the people of Israel, 501 00:47:22.236 --> 00:47:25.995 your servants confessing the sins of the people of Israel, 502 00:47:25.996 --> 00:47:29.485 which have sinned against you, even I and my father's house of sinned. 503 00:47:29.486 --> 00:47:33.205 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept your commandments, 504 00:47:33.505 --> 00:47:36.645 the statutes and the rules that you have commanded your servant Moses. 505 00:47:37.585 --> 00:47:39.285 So you see the brokenness there. He saying, man, 506 00:47:39.405 --> 00:47:41.005 I I'm praying day and night over this thing. 507 00:47:41.006 --> 00:47:44.285 And I want you to see the humility that he takes ownership of it himself. 508 00:47:44.286 --> 00:47:47.165 He recognizes their sin has led them to where they are. 509 00:47:47.405 --> 00:47:48.485 Then we get to verse eight. 510 00:47:49.005 --> 00:47:51.165 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses saying, 511 00:47:51.305 --> 00:47:53.605 if you are unfaithful, I will scatter you, which he's done. 512 00:47:53.606 --> 00:47:55.205 But if you remain to me, 513 00:47:55.425 --> 00:47:58.805 and if you keep my commandments and do them though your outcast are in the 514 00:47:58.806 --> 00:48:00.245 uttermost parts of heaven, from there, 515 00:48:00.364 --> 00:48:03.965 I will gather them to the place I've chosen to make my name dwell. 516 00:48:03.966 --> 00:48:07.844 There they are your servants and your people whom you have redeemed. 517 00:48:08.465 --> 00:48:10.325 If we wanna seek God for a fresh start, 518 00:48:10.326 --> 00:48:12.765 what you see from Nehemiah is we've gotta turn to God in prayer. 519 00:48:14.344 --> 00:48:17.445 And this might seem obvious, right? Like, yeah, when a fresh start, 520 00:48:17.825 --> 00:48:20.285 we got a God that we're following. Of course, we want to turn to him in prayer. 521 00:48:20.625 --> 00:48:25.525 But I want you to recognize a lot of times when we go to God in prayer is 522 00:48:25.526 --> 00:48:29.045 to say things like, Hey, God, I I need you to gimme the money for the bills. 523 00:48:30.495 --> 00:48:32.555 God, I need you to heal my sickness. And God, 524 00:48:32.556 --> 00:48:34.315 I need you to help me make an a on this test. 525 00:48:34.435 --> 00:48:37.155 I know we've got some college students back over here in the corner. Um, God, 526 00:48:37.156 --> 00:48:39.915 I need you to fix my spouse God, I need you to fix my leadership. 527 00:48:40.055 --> 00:48:42.635 If you're a leader, God, I need you to fix the people that that, that, 528 00:48:42.795 --> 00:48:44.955 that you've called me to, to lead those that are following. 529 00:48:45.094 --> 00:48:46.475 But when you see Nehemiah's prayer, 530 00:48:46.535 --> 00:48:49.035 you can tell he is noticeably aware of two things, 531 00:48:50.075 --> 00:48:54.035 his and Israel's dependency on God for a fresh start. Right? Great almighty God. 532 00:48:54.255 --> 00:48:56.035 You are faithful to fulfill your promises. 533 00:48:56.036 --> 00:48:57.555 He recognizes he needs to turn to God. 534 00:48:57.825 --> 00:49:02.594 He's also aware of his and Israel's role and contributing to the brokenness 535 00:49:02.595 --> 00:49:07.195 around him. Nehemiah recognizes clearly. 536 00:49:07.295 --> 00:49:11.275 He says, you, you're an amazing God. It's you who rescues us. 537 00:49:11.335 --> 00:49:12.168 We need to do that, 538 00:49:12.395 --> 00:49:15.075 but we need to look to an infinite God because when we do that, 539 00:49:15.175 --> 00:49:18.675 our problems and the challenges and the brokenness that we see in our lives, 540 00:49:18.676 --> 00:49:22.195 they pale in comparison to the creator of the universe. 541 00:49:25.015 --> 00:49:28.675 But we gotta see, like Nehemiah, he hasn't even asked God for anything yet. 542 00:49:30.855 --> 00:49:33.435 He humbly recognizes the sins of his people, 543 00:49:33.735 --> 00:49:37.795 of God's people and his own sins are really a part of the problem. 544 00:49:40.035 --> 00:49:42.575 And you gotta be careful here. He, he doesn't say, Hey God, 545 00:49:42.775 --> 00:49:46.135 your people have jacked this whole thing up and so just let 'em be right. 546 00:49:46.136 --> 00:49:48.255 He doesn't say God, your people have jacked this whole thing up. 547 00:49:48.256 --> 00:49:50.975 And so in spite of their foolishness do it. He basically says, God, 548 00:49:51.155 --> 00:49:54.215 we have all played a role in the brokenness that we find ourselves in. 549 00:49:54.235 --> 00:49:55.068 And in humility, 550 00:49:55.235 --> 00:49:59.735 he can confesses his own sins and he confesses sins on behalf of the people. 551 00:50:02.685 --> 00:50:05.585 You know, we see this model in the life of Jesus, right? Like, 552 00:50:05.586 --> 00:50:10.305 this is the gospel. Jesus came to earth, he lived a perfect life. 553 00:50:10.306 --> 00:50:13.065 And if there was anyone who ever lived, you could say, listen, uh, 554 00:50:13.066 --> 00:50:15.065 they can save themselves, or God, 555 00:50:15.066 --> 00:50:16.745 you can come up with another way to save them. I'm, 556 00:50:16.765 --> 00:50:19.105 I'm not paying the price for them. But he didn't, 557 00:50:19.205 --> 00:50:22.505 he humbly went to a cross and with his arms stretched wide, what did he say? 558 00:50:22.506 --> 00:50:25.605 What did he pray? He said, father, forgive them. 559 00:50:27.195 --> 00:50:31.885 They don't know what they're doing. And, and as a church family, 560 00:50:32.715 --> 00:50:37.045 like if we're called to love God and to follow Jesus and to share hope, 561 00:50:37.046 --> 00:50:39.925 like we just have to know what's gonna come and follow in the ways of Jesus. 562 00:50:40.665 --> 00:50:42.405 And I'm telling you right now, 563 00:50:42.545 --> 00:50:46.285 one thing that the world is good at is blaming other people. 564 00:50:48.395 --> 00:50:52.055 One thing the world is good at is not showing ownership over current situations. 565 00:50:52.455 --> 00:50:57.055 Uh, we live in a world that models a lack of ownership. It models blaming it, 566 00:50:57.215 --> 00:51:00.855 it models pointing fingers looking for a scapegoat, gaslighting even canceling. 567 00:51:00.975 --> 00:51:02.575 And, and I wanna tell you hope 568 00:51:04.375 --> 00:51:06.665 that is not the way within the family of God. 569 00:51:09.175 --> 00:51:14.075 And so whether you're a leader, uh, or a follower or a wife or a husband, 570 00:51:14.335 --> 00:51:18.515 or a child or a parent, the way of God's people is to recognize in humility, 571 00:51:19.405 --> 00:51:20.515 we're all part of the problem. 572 00:51:21.895 --> 00:51:25.235 And unless we humble ourselves before God and our lives, 573 00:51:26.015 --> 00:51:27.195 we won't see a fresh start. 574 00:51:29.975 --> 00:51:31.755 And I want you to hear this in love. But, 575 00:51:31.756 --> 00:51:35.475 but one of the greatest obstacles within our lives and within the church 576 00:51:36.805 --> 00:51:37.665 is our own pride. 577 00:51:40.455 --> 00:51:44.335 Two Chronicles seven fourteens. And look, every time I read this verse, 578 00:51:44.395 --> 00:51:48.015 it like punches me in the face. Like this is a verse that like the, 579 00:51:48.016 --> 00:51:49.535 the church of of America, 580 00:51:49.715 --> 00:51:53.575 of the world that might forget that like if we as hope community church and 581 00:51:53.576 --> 00:51:58.015 under our own roofs could get this. Second Chronicles seven 14, it says, 582 00:51:58.016 --> 00:52:03.015 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and 583 00:52:03.085 --> 00:52:05.695 seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, 584 00:52:06.165 --> 00:52:10.335 then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 585 00:52:11.035 --> 00:52:14.815 If we wanna seek God for a fresh start, we've gotta turn to God in prayer. 586 00:52:17.114 --> 00:52:18.655 He wraps up his prayer. Verse 11, 587 00:52:19.025 --> 00:52:23.135 let's make sure I'm at the right verse this time. He says, oh Lord, 588 00:52:23.195 --> 00:52:27.055 let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of 589 00:52:27.056 --> 00:52:31.135 your servants who delight to fear your name and give success to your servant 590 00:52:31.225 --> 00:52:34.535 today and grant him mercy and the sight of this man. 591 00:52:35.364 --> 00:52:37.335 What means He talking about? Uh, 592 00:52:37.725 --> 00:52:41.055 what you might not know is Nehemiah is about to go before the king of Persia, 593 00:52:41.995 --> 00:52:45.815 who is the most influential and and powerful man in his known world. 594 00:52:45.995 --> 00:52:47.535 And he's gonna ask for his favor. 595 00:52:47.915 --> 00:52:51.895 And he's gonna ask him to empower him with time and with resources to actually 596 00:52:51.896 --> 00:52:54.575 go help his people get a fresh start. So this is a bold move. 597 00:52:56.205 --> 00:53:00.175 Like this could cost him something. The king could say no, 598 00:53:02.035 --> 00:53:04.055 the king could remove him from a cush job. 599 00:53:04.114 --> 00:53:05.895 The king could take his life if he wanted to, 600 00:53:07.875 --> 00:53:10.975 but Nehemiah was in a place where he'd taken inventory of the situation, 601 00:53:12.045 --> 00:53:14.255 he'd been broken by what was going on around him, 602 00:53:15.155 --> 00:53:19.655 and he'd spent time in humble prayer and it led him to action. 603 00:53:22.635 --> 00:53:25.390 And so the fourth and final point is we, is we wrap this thing up. 604 00:53:25.391 --> 00:53:29.925 If we wanna seek God for a fresh start, we've gotta be willing to act. Um, 605 00:53:30.805 --> 00:53:34.685 I don't know how many of us are out here that have asked God to help us lose 606 00:53:34.686 --> 00:53:37.645 weight, but continue to eat Twinkies at the end of the night. 607 00:53:38.715 --> 00:53:40.005 Like it just doesn't work, right? 608 00:53:40.035 --> 00:53:43.525 Like if you want to see God move and you ask God to move in your life, 609 00:53:43.585 --> 00:53:46.605 you've gotta will be willing to show up. I mean, we ask God, 610 00:53:46.606 --> 00:53:48.844 we take inventory of what's going on around us in our lives. 611 00:53:49.025 --> 00:53:51.364 We sit in the brokenness. We see what we need to change. 612 00:53:53.295 --> 00:53:57.594 We go to God in humble prayer. But unless we actually take a step of faith, 613 00:53:57.755 --> 00:54:00.195 I mean, when David was facing Goliath, yes, he prayed, 614 00:54:00.855 --> 00:54:04.315 but you know what else he did? Like you picked up a rock. 615 00:54:05.645 --> 00:54:09.495 Like we've gotta be willing to get our hands dirty if we want to see change. 616 00:54:11.215 --> 00:54:13.775 Nehemiah wraps up, uh, 617 00:54:15.135 --> 00:54:17.985 chapter one with this one statement. 618 00:54:20.045 --> 00:54:21.785 Now, I was the cupbearer to the king. 619 00:54:24.485 --> 00:54:28.665 And I want you to see that's more than a statement of fact. 620 00:54:30.915 --> 00:54:34.295 That's Nehemiah saying, listen, I I don't know what's gonna happen, 621 00:54:36.344 --> 00:54:40.285 but I know who I am and I know what God's called me to do. 622 00:54:42.795 --> 00:54:47.614 And so with confidence, he says, I am a cup bearer to the king. 623 00:54:49.705 --> 00:54:53.215 We're gonna see over the next few weeks what what plays out throughout the rest 624 00:54:53.216 --> 00:54:56.815 of the story. Um, but as we wrap up this week, uh, 625 00:54:57.335 --> 00:55:01.015 I want us to take a look at, at ourselves. Do you know who you are? 626 00:55:03.735 --> 00:55:05.594 Do you know what God's calling you to in your life? 627 00:55:05.655 --> 00:55:08.435 Do you know the area in your life where you need a fresh start? 628 00:55:11.575 --> 00:55:13.835 And I wonder, man, as we kick off 2025, 629 00:55:13.836 --> 00:55:18.635 like what would happen if each one of us like took what Nehemiah did here in 630 00:55:18.636 --> 00:55:20.435 chapter one and just applied it to our own lives? 631 00:55:20.436 --> 00:55:24.114 Like what would happen in our families? What would happen in our communities? 632 00:55:24.115 --> 00:55:26.395 What would happen in our church? And so this week, I, 633 00:55:26.475 --> 00:55:31.475 I wanna call each and every one of us that can hear my voice and to following 634 00:55:31.476 --> 00:55:33.235 these steps from Nehemiah this week. Number one, 635 00:55:33.236 --> 00:55:37.355 I want us to take an inventory of what's going on in our personal life and our 636 00:55:37.356 --> 00:55:42.075 church in our community. And man, 637 00:55:42.076 --> 00:55:43.555 that might mean you need to ask some people. 638 00:55:43.875 --> 00:55:46.155 'cause sometimes we're always not the best judge of what's going on in our own 639 00:55:46.156 --> 00:55:49.594 lives, you know? And so if you're married, you might need to ask your spouse, 640 00:55:51.785 --> 00:55:56.445 don't fight back. Just listen. You might need to talk to your roommate. 641 00:55:57.225 --> 00:56:00.405 Hey, what are you seeing in my life? What do you think? 642 00:56:00.965 --> 00:56:03.565 I tell you what you wanna make your campus pastors weak? 643 00:56:04.065 --> 00:56:05.605 Go to your campus pastor and say, Hey, 644 00:56:05.835 --> 00:56:08.844 what are some things around here that need some attention that would make this 645 00:56:08.845 --> 00:56:13.015 campus family stronger? And just see what they say. I I, your, 646 00:56:13.016 --> 00:56:15.535 your campus host is gonna come out and tell you later, like, go to next steps. 647 00:56:15.635 --> 00:56:18.415 That's fine. You can go to next steps, but go to your campus pastor. 648 00:56:22.265 --> 00:56:26.685 Secondly, allow yourself to sit in the brokenness of this situation. 649 00:56:27.885 --> 00:56:31.885 And Nehemiah said, he sat and he wept and he mourned for days. Like, 650 00:56:31.886 --> 00:56:36.375 don't just hear it and then move on about your life. Like actually sit in it. 651 00:56:37.205 --> 00:56:41.855 Like, how is this impacting my life? How is this impacting my family? 652 00:56:41.915 --> 00:56:43.735 How is this impacting the world around me? 653 00:56:43.795 --> 00:56:45.655 How is this impacting my church family? 654 00:56:48.375 --> 00:56:51.695 'cause what happens when we sit in it, we realize, man, there, there's hurt, 655 00:56:52.325 --> 00:56:55.295 there's brokenness, there's shame. Third, 656 00:56:55.375 --> 00:56:57.695 I want us to spend time in humble prayer. 657 00:57:00.635 --> 00:57:03.355 Nehemiah said he's, he spent time in prayer day and night 658 00:57:05.375 --> 00:57:09.315 humble prayer. Recognize it doesn't completely depend on us, 659 00:57:10.935 --> 00:57:14.295 right? We look to God, we declare his goodness, his greatness. 660 00:57:14.355 --> 00:57:17.455 We recognize who he is, his character. We recognize that he's faithful. 661 00:57:19.315 --> 00:57:20.775 But then we also spend time 662 00:57:22.565 --> 00:57:25.325 recognizing we've probably played a part in getting where we are. 663 00:57:27.345 --> 00:57:28.725 And so we confess our sins, 664 00:57:30.375 --> 00:57:34.305 confess sins on behalf of those maybe even that are in a situation that we're 665 00:57:34.306 --> 00:57:38.885 going to serve. We spend time confessing maybe, uh, 666 00:57:38.945 --> 00:57:40.965 our own passivity in our own apathy. 667 00:57:44.425 --> 00:57:48.325 And then lastly, I, I wanna challenge us to take a step of faith 668 00:57:49.915 --> 00:57:54.365 Like we gotta act. And I don't know what it is for you, it, 669 00:57:54.366 --> 00:57:56.485 it could be for you personally. It could be like, man, I. 670 00:57:57.245 --> 00:57:58.078 I. 671 00:57:58.085 --> 00:58:01.365 I know that I need a fresh start in my relationship with God. 672 00:58:02.465 --> 00:58:06.045 And so I wanna spend some more time engaging with God in scripture. Um, 673 00:58:07.425 --> 00:58:11.245 if that's you, we have an app. It's called the Hope in Real Life app. We've got, 674 00:58:11.485 --> 00:58:13.645 um, I think it's a 30 day, uh, 675 00:58:13.646 --> 00:58:15.645 journey that we're gonna be walking through scripture together. 676 00:58:15.646 --> 00:58:16.845 It starts January 6th. 677 00:58:16.905 --> 00:58:19.205 So you can download that app and you can walk through that. 678 00:58:19.225 --> 00:58:22.285 If that's a place that you want to grow, maybe it is your physical health. 679 00:58:22.305 --> 00:58:25.005 And if that's you, I would encourage you to take the steps that you need. 680 00:58:25.055 --> 00:58:28.245 Maybe it's engaging your church family. Maybe it's saying, Hey, look, 681 00:58:28.405 --> 00:58:31.765 I I've been around here enough. I just show up, um, on, 682 00:58:31.785 --> 00:58:36.005 on a Thursday night or on a weekend, but I'm not really known. 683 00:58:37.805 --> 00:58:40.565 I don't really know anybody. There's no real way for me to even know needs. 684 00:58:40.566 --> 00:58:45.425 Like I'm, I'm gonna get into a small group, maybe say, 685 00:58:45.645 --> 00:58:46.478 you know what, 686 00:58:47.135 --> 00:58:51.865 it's not gonna happen on my watch that there are young people who are in a time 687 00:58:52.005 --> 00:58:56.065 and a place and a space to hear about the good news in the gospel of Jesus. 688 00:58:57.605 --> 00:58:58.505 And on my watch, 689 00:58:58.555 --> 00:59:01.985 we're not gonna allow them to be limited as to how many kids we can take in Kid 690 00:59:01.986 --> 00:59:04.385 City because enough adults haven't jumped in and said, you know what? 691 00:59:05.505 --> 00:59:06.338 I'll do what it takes. 692 00:59:09.825 --> 00:59:14.545 Maybe it's to give financially and not because it's hope, 693 00:59:14.565 --> 00:59:16.385 but like maybe it's to say, you know what? 694 00:59:16.525 --> 00:59:19.625 It is time for me to take a step to realize everything that I have in my life 695 00:59:19.645 --> 00:59:23.365 has been given to me by God. And I have been blessed to be a blessing. 696 00:59:23.425 --> 00:59:25.805 And so I'm not gonna be a part of a church to just consume. 697 00:59:25.905 --> 00:59:29.445 I'm gonna be a part of the mission and vision and what it is that God wants to 698 00:59:29.446 --> 00:59:33.045 do to advance his work through the ministry of my church family, 699 00:59:39.185 --> 00:59:41.725 our God is a God of new beginnings and fresh starts. 700 00:59:44.795 --> 00:59:48.975 My hope is that as we head into 2025, man, 701 00:59:48.976 --> 00:59:52.735 that this could be a year for all of us personally and for us as a church family 702 00:59:52.975 --> 00:59:54.735 at at Hope, like we've never seen before. I mean, 703 00:59:54.736 --> 00:59:58.935 I believe we can blow the doors off in 2025, but it's gonna take us being, 704 00:59:58.985 --> 01:00:01.455 being aware of what's going on in the world around us. 705 01:00:01.685 --> 01:00:05.295 It's gonna take us actually sitting in the brokenness, recognizing it by, 706 01:00:05.535 --> 01:00:09.215 by praying to the God who actually can change our hearts and actually by taking 707 01:00:09.225 --> 01:00:13.605 steps. Now, If you're here, uh, 708 01:00:14.425 --> 01:00:17.085 and can hear my voice across the knee of our campuses, 709 01:00:17.105 --> 01:00:20.365 if you're driving down the road and listening to this and you think, man, I, 710 01:00:21.185 --> 01:00:24.485 the fresh start thing sounds good. Like I see it in Nehemiah. 711 01:00:24.565 --> 01:00:27.645 I see a guy whose heart was broken for God's people, 712 01:00:29.425 --> 01:00:33.285 but like that probably isn't gonna work for me. 713 01:00:33.725 --> 01:00:37.805 Like I'm too far gone. I've taken all my mulligans already , 714 01:00:37.955 --> 01:00:39.685 I've taken all my do-overs already. 715 01:00:41.045 --> 01:00:41.878 Um. 716 01:00:42.765 --> 01:00:47.605 I want you to know, over 25 years ago, um, 717 01:00:47.965 --> 01:00:51.085 I showed up to Hope Community Church for the first time. Uh, 718 01:00:51.225 --> 01:00:53.965 the church was about 250 people. Uh, 719 01:00:54.005 --> 01:00:56.605 I think I was the first college student ever, uh, 720 01:00:56.775 --> 01:00:59.965 first college student that had ever been at hope. Uh, 721 01:01:00.965 --> 01:01:01.965 I was in a place in my life. 722 01:01:02.045 --> 01:01:05.005 I was in a relationship that I didn't have any business being in. Uh, 723 01:01:05.085 --> 01:01:08.045 I was involved in a party scene, drugs, alcohol, you name it. 724 01:01:08.085 --> 01:01:10.605 I had just been told I was never gonna be able to wrestle again. Uh, 725 01:01:10.606 --> 01:01:15.005 like had no idea where my, talk about a person who lost their identity. 726 01:01:16.345 --> 01:01:19.045 And week after week after week, I heard our founding pastor say, 727 01:01:19.105 --> 01:01:22.005 it doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter how far you've gone, 728 01:01:22.235 --> 01:01:24.765 it's never too late to turn back to the father that loves you. 729 01:01:25.545 --> 01:01:27.525 And he wasn't talking about behavior modification. 730 01:01:27.675 --> 01:01:31.645 What he was talking about is there is a God who loves you so much that he sent 731 01:01:31.646 --> 01:01:35.445 his son to this earth and he lived this life that you never did live, that you, 732 01:01:35.465 --> 01:01:36.325 you could never live. 733 01:01:36.545 --> 01:01:40.645 And he went to a cross to pay for the penalty of your sins so that you could 734 01:01:40.646 --> 01:01:42.245 have a restored relationship with him. 735 01:01:44.025 --> 01:01:47.765 That's what we just celebrated at Christmas. Jesus coming to earth as a baby, 736 01:01:49.765 --> 01:01:54.685 our God is a God of new beginnings. Our God is a God who can take a, a dried up, 737 01:01:54.715 --> 01:01:58.965 calloused heart and give it new life our God. 738 01:01:59.405 --> 01:02:03.925 It is the same God who can take a troubled shame filled man 739 01:02:04.275 --> 01:02:09.045 like me. And just like Nehemiah said, I'm the cup bearer to the king. 740 01:02:10.145 --> 01:02:14.445 He can take my heart and he can take your heart and he can get us to a place to 741 01:02:14.446 --> 01:02:17.925 where we can stand proudly with our chest out and our head up and say, 742 01:02:18.125 --> 01:02:22.925 I am a child of God. And if that's you, 743 01:02:22.926 --> 01:02:24.645 and if that's the fresh start that you need, 744 01:02:25.205 --> 01:02:28.525 I pray that you will take the steps that you need to take. All that really is, 745 01:02:28.526 --> 01:02:29.805 is just calling on the name of Jesus. 746 01:02:30.865 --> 01:02:32.405 And if you wanna talk to somebody about it, 747 01:02:32.425 --> 01:02:34.605 you can go to our next steps area at one of our campuses. 748 01:02:34.745 --> 01:02:37.445 And I'm sure somebody would love to just tellem us and hey, I want, 749 01:02:37.525 --> 01:02:41.285 I wanna get a fresh start with Jesus. And they love to talk to you about it. 750 01:02:41.625 --> 01:02:43.965 Hey, look, as we wrap up this series, man, we're gonna, again, 751 01:02:44.005 --> 01:02:47.405 I told you we're gonna continue to walk through this book of Nehemiah and look 752 01:02:47.406 --> 01:02:51.885 like and look at what does it look like as you pursue, uh, a fresh start. Uh, 753 01:02:52.025 --> 01:02:55.205 but for now, as we wrap up this week across all of our campuses, 754 01:02:55.206 --> 01:02:56.925 just as a prayer of unity, uh, 755 01:02:57.005 --> 01:02:59.725 I just wanna have us all stand together and I'm gonna pray for us. 756 01:03:00.105 --> 01:03:02.805 And so go ahead just across all of our campuses, if you'd stand to your feet. 757 01:03:05.265 --> 01:03:08.325 Father, I thank you for your word. Uh, I thank you for the truth, 758 01:03:08.395 --> 01:03:10.925 that you are a God of new beginnings and fresh starts. 759 01:03:12.465 --> 01:03:16.005 And I know so many of us are in a place right now that are like, good gosh, 760 01:03:16.265 --> 01:03:18.445 I'm so glad to get 20, 24 behind me. 761 01:03:21.965 --> 01:03:24.705 And some of us might be in a good spot, and then some of us might be like, Hey, 762 01:03:24.706 --> 01:03:28.185 it wasn't just 2024, it was 2023 and 2022 and 2021. 763 01:03:30.175 --> 01:03:34.505 Lord, we thank you that your word is true. Father, I prayed that this week 764 01:03:36.045 --> 01:03:40.505 we would take the time to do inventory in our own hearts. 765 01:03:41.055 --> 01:03:43.345 Lord, what are the areas in our lives that need attention, 766 01:03:44.015 --> 01:03:47.345 whether it's personally for us, whether it's in the lives of others, around us? 767 01:03:47.855 --> 01:03:51.265 Lord, would you allow us to be broken over the things that break your heart? 768 01:03:53.435 --> 01:03:56.585 Would you allow us to recognize the part that we play? Lord, 769 01:03:56.785 --> 01:03:58.945 would we confess our own sin? Would we be so humble, 770 01:03:59.185 --> 01:04:04.105 is to confess the sins on behalf of others? And Lord, would we take a step? 771 01:04:04.106 --> 01:04:07.545 Would we take the step that you have for us in our lives? Father, 772 01:04:07.665 --> 01:04:12.385 I pray that 2025 would be a year filled with favor and blessing. 773 01:04:16.335 --> 01:04:16.626 Lord, 774 01:04:16.626 --> 01:04:19.665 we look forward to what it is that you want to do in our lives personally and 775 01:04:19.666 --> 01:04:23.585 through the lives of all those who call hope, community, church home. Uh, 776 01:04:23.586 --> 01:04:26.385 we love you and we pray these things in Jesus' name and everyone said together. 777 01:04:27.175 --> 01:04:28.665 Amen. Love you guys.