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Good morning.
If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in Matthew
chapter 10.
If you do not have a copy of God's Word and you would like one, we have some of these black
copies that are available.
They are back in the back at our connections table.
You do not have to wait to the end of the service.
You can go by and get one right now if you would like one.
We want everyone to make sure they have a copy of God's Word, or you can stop by there after
the service.
Feel free to come by and get one.
But also, keep coming to my shelf down here.
At the end of the service today, we will be partaking in the Lord's Supper together, and
we have our elements.
Hopefully, you got some from our greeters as you came in.
If you did not, it's okay.
If you want to take part in this with us, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, we want
to encourage you to go back to the back.
Make sure you grab one of those, and we will do the instructions for that at the end of our
service.
Also, at the very end, we've got another missions team who is going out.
Our young adult team will be headed out this week back to New York City, where the high
schoolers just got back from to do ministry, do a VBS-type event there with our partner church.
And so, if you would like to, we're going to be praying for them, and I want to encourage
you to pray for that team over the course of this week as they minister in New York City.
Also, I hope you all had a wonderful fourth yesterday.
Several years, you ever make a decision, and then look back on that decision and go, yeah,
probably shouldn't have done that?
About five years ago, our family decided to make a purchase.
And we purchased a red-bone coonhound, and then made him an indoor dog.
Now, I'm not sure which one of those was the worst of the bad decisions that we made.
We love our dog.
We love him dearly.
His name is Otis.
If you follow us on Facebook, you can see all type of things with Otis.
But around holidays that have fireworks, we take what's called pupcations, and we get out
of town into the most remote areas that we can find to try to hide our family from fireworks
because of our dog.
Now, our dog does not get nervous with fireworks.
Instead, he gets angry and tries to attack fireworks.
And so, Aaron and him, we've been camping up in McCormick, South Carolina, for the last
several days.
I came back last night.
I don't know how your neighborhood was, but in the suburbs of Red Bank, let me just tell
you, there was about $10 million.
We're blown up right around my house last night.
So, hey, enjoy it.
Have fun, man.
America's birthday.
But I do, I love the 4th of July.
I love being able to get away.
I love being able to spend time.
But I do love what the 4th represents for us as a country.
You know, when we think through the freedoms that we have, and we talk to, especially in my world,
where we talk to pastors who pastor and minister, Christians in other countries and other parts
of the world that do not have the same freedoms that we have, it wears on them and reveals to
us the joys and the privilege that we do have.
And I think what holidays like the 4th of July remind me of within that is not just the freedoms
that I have, but the men and the women and families who made sacrifices in order so that my family
could do things like camp at a state park and boil shrimp and eat them together.
The sacrifices that were made so that we could gather here today.
None of us were afraid when we got out of our car and made that journey here today.
None of us are afraid as we go out into our homes and our neighborhoods to carry the name of Jesus Christ today.
And that has a lot to do with those who made a sacrifice.
What I also like about July 4th is it does remind me of the gospel story.
How Jesus Christ made the sacrifice so that you and I could be set free from our sin.
And there is no tyrant that can come and enforce the rule of sin back on your life and mine, the penalty.
Jesus has paid for it.
And so in light of all that we see, in light of all that's going on and what we can get into,
we can thank God that you and I live in a country that we can celebrate
and people can spend way too much money on fireworks
and we can eat hot dogs and get together with family and go camping and do all those things.
But may it continually remind us about the greatest freedom that we have.
Freedom in Christ Jesus.
And so would you join me as we pray, as we thank God for the freedom that we celebrate both here in this country and in Christ.
Would you join me?
God, I thank you so much for this time that we could be here together today.
God, I thank you for this country, Lord, and your sovereignty and your grace.
God, in all of the places, in all of the time of the history of the world of where you could have placed us,
Lord, you placed us here with purpose and reason.
And God, we thank you for that.
We thank you for that.
God, where we may disagree on things in politics,
where we may disagree from one political party to the next,
Lord, may we thank you that we live in a country that has freedoms that allow us to disagree.
May we thank you that we live in a country that allows us to gather here together today.
But God, may we also remember those who sacrificed so that this would be possible.
But God, could we also lift up the men and women of our armed forces who today are scattered all over this world,
fighting a fight and ensuring that the freedoms that we have maintained.
And God, in that, as in with everything, may it remind us more of who Jesus is and more of what he's done.
That he has fought the battle.
And that today, while it seems that the war is still going on,
God, for those of us in Christ, we stand in the victory.
We stand in the victory.
So, God, as we open your word today, may we respond to you and who you are and what you've called us to.
And it's in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
If you know me, you know one of my favorite TV shows of all time is the Andy Griffith Show.
It was the first TV show that my wife and kids and I could come together and watch.
And honestly, we were all four entertained.
I've got some characters.
In fact, our dog, Otis, right?
And then there's Otis.
But we've got all the characters.
We've got all of our favorites.
But one of my favorite episodes,
one of my all-time favorite episodes,
happens in season three.
And it's entitled Barney's First Car.
I hear some of you chuckling.
How many of you remember that episode, Barney's First Car?
I've got a handful.
If you haven't seen it, let me kind of summarize what happens in this.
Barney, who's always the guy who gets himself in trouble, right?
He's the illogical one.
Andy is the voice of reason.
And Barney decides to buy a car.
Now, with all the guidance that his boss, the sheriff, Andy,
and best friend since childhood has given him of what he needs to do
before he buys this first car,
Barney caught up in all of the emotion of buying a car from little old lady Lesh,
who's selling her husband's car that she only puts five miles a month on, right?
Barney gives all of his money over and then decides,
to take everyone out for a nice Sunday afternoon ride.
A couple of things amazed me about that.
Number one, it's the fact that how everyone in choosing in that time frame to relax still
decided to wear dresses and suits, right?
But they're all out in the car and they're all out on their Sunday drive to enjoy this new car.
Barney gets in, he's got a straw hat on, he's so proud, he's got a salt and pepper suit with his little bow tie on and they begin on their journey.
And if you know how these shows go, you know what happens.
Miss Lesh turns out to not be kind, sweet, little widow Miss Lesh.
And instead, she's a con artist and she's ripped Barney off.
And sure enough, over the course of the drive, the car begins to experience trouble.
The car begins to overheat, the car breaks down and Barney is left with no money and without a car.
Miss Lesh had hidden and held back all of the issues that Barney would face.
And conned him so that he would give something to her and she would give him something that wasn't really what she promised it would be.
Today, in our passage of Scripture, we're going to look at some verses.
We're going to look at verse 7 to 42.
Let me pause real quick.
I know we got the kids in here and I promise, I promise we're going to move fast this morning.
Jesus is not going to hide the struggles that the disciples will face when they give their yes to him.
When they say to him, we're going to be obedient and do what you've called us to do,
then Jesus prepares his followers for what they will face when they give their yes to God.
This morning, I want us to look at this with that in mind.
If you, and hopefully building off of last week's message, are giving your yes to God,
to live as a missionary in a scent culture where God has placed you,
what to expect when I give God my yes?
You see, Jesus in this passage is not going to try to bait and switch.
He's not going to try to con you.
He's not going to try to lead you to something, hoping that it's this and then under-fulfill.
Jesus is going to lay out, this is what you should expect as you follow me.
Last week, we looked at the passage where Jesus says the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few.
And the challenge was within that, within the calling in first century for Christ in that moment for his people,
is the calling that he extends to us today.
Would you and I be willing to live every day, not looking for the time that we are going to go on a mission trip,
but would we live every single day, right here, right now, with our yes to him,
that I will live every single day on mission, looking for opportunities, everyday moments,
everyday conversations, to turn them into conversations with others about Jesus.
What if we did that?
And the very last thing that we looked at is Jesus goes and he sends the 12.
He sends the 12.
And I want you to look with me in verse 7 of Matthew 10,
as Jesus lays out what they will face.
And it's what you and I will face if we honestly and earnestly give our yes to God.
Starting in verse 7.
And proclaim as you go, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, cast out demons.
You receive without paying, give without pay, acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belt,
no bag for your journey or tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.
The first thing that I want us to see within this, if we're going to give our yes to God,
is God is calling us to go to the great need.
God is calling us to go to the great need.
Now, while the gospel and what we're called to, all are welcomed to come and hear.
All are welcome to come and hear.
I don't care where you've found yourself.
If you found yourself here today, you are welcome.
There's a message that God has for us, the truth of the gospel.
And we hope that we can all come together and hear of the truth of the gospel.
But at the heart of the gospel is not simply a come and hear message.
At the heart of the gospel is a go and tell message.
That you and I are to go and to tell, to go and to proclaim, to leave and go into the world
where God has placed us in this world.
Look at the imagery of where he's sending them to.
Go and heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leopards, cast out demons.
He sends them to the most difficult of the difficult that they would find in their times.
In fact, he sends them to the group of people that you would avoid if you were religious.
But Jesus says, in a relationship with me, these are not the people that you avoid,
but that these are the people that you go to.
Wouldn't it be a whole lot easier and a whole lot more appealing
if Jesus said, hey, listen, go to the best.
Go to the most affluent.
Go to the easy.
Go to the receptive.
But Jesus says, go to the diseased.
Go to the dying.
Go to the despised.
Go to the dirty.
It's the messengers of where he sends them.
You see, folks, gospel work is not easy work.
Gospel work is dirty and difficult work.
And you and I are called to go.
While we may not go to those and heal the sick and raise the dead
and cleanse the leper and cast out demons,
that you and I are called to go and carry the message of the gospel
to those who are diseased by sin, dirty from sin, despised by their sin.
And the Bible tells us dead and their trespasses and sins.
And that we carry with us the message of the kingdom, the hope of the gospel.
Folks, the gospel isn't about making good people better, but about making dead people alive.
Not through our power or our means, but by the hope of the gospel.
Continue with me in verse 11 through 16.
And he says,
whatever town or village you enter find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart
as you enter the house greet it and if the house is worthy let your peace come upon it
but if it is not worthy let your peace return to you and if anyone will not receive you or listen
to your words shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town truly I say to
you be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah for that town
verse 16 behold I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves so be wise as a serpent
and innocent as doves look what Jesus says Jesus lays out he's like listen there's gonna be people
who hear there's gonna be people who receive there's gonna be people who reject you keep going you keep
going you keep moving in fact as it goes through you know the story right be better
it would be better for for those more bearable in the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and
Gomorrah than for those who reject but Jesus says you're to be sheep in the midst of wolves
so be wise as serpent and innocent as doves Jesus not only sends us to the great need
but Jesus in full transparency not a bait and switch not a con job
Jesus is also says you're going to go to the great danger you're going to go to the great danger
folks when we give our yes to God we cannot bring our yes with stipulations
when a couple gets married one of the things that I love about the vows that we share
in a marriage ceremony are these as you make a commitment to one another as you enter into a
covenant relationship between you and the person before the Lord is this to have and to hold from
this day forward for better for worse for richer for poor for sickness and in health to love and to
cherish until death do us part you're saying my yes is my yes
richer or poor sick or or well for better for worse my yes is my yes and even more so in my commitment
to the Lord my yes is my yes I don't come to Jesus with saying my yes is my yes as long as my bank
account looks good my yes is my yes as long as my health is okay my yes is my yes as long as you take
care of my family my yes is my yes as long as there's not tension between me and my wife my yes
is my yes as long as my kids are submissive and respectful to me my yes is my yes God as long as you
do for me in my ideal world what I think it should look like then God my yes is my yes for you
we do not bring our yes with stipulations we bring our yes to our shepherd who says we are his
sheep and we go where the shepherd takes us he says we are to be like sheep
why does he say we're to be like sheep you know here's the thing about sheep
sheep will always go where the shepherd takes them you see in a sheep's mind is not the concept that this field
is better than that this is safer than there that this is more beneficial for me than this the sheep just
go where the shepherd takes them and Jesus says that he's going to take us into the difficult into the hard
and we're to go and to be like the sheep follow the shepherd but in this to be as wise as serpents
and innocent as doves there's a combination of what we're seeing that's there now if you know me I'm not
crazy about serpent illustrations serpent pictures or being around serpents but the day I don't know if
y'all are aware of this it's been hot here lately and so we were up at the lake Clarks Hill Lake Lake Thurman
we'd go out and I just hit the point where like I would walk out into the water and stand where the water
was covering my shoulders and just kind of stand there and every now and then I would just go
and go underwater kind of cool down a little bit and come back up like that's how we're surviving right
that's that's where we're at and my mom and dad are camping with us and my mom's kind of out there by me in the
water and then Aaron's standing here and Aaron's looking out at the water and I'm facing uh the shoreline
right there because we got the dogs that whole whole situation and then my wife says
I think I see a snake
done late day over right like we're finished we're not going I don't care how hot it is
we will endure all right but Jesus says here Jesus says here be as wise as a serpent
you see we're called to be sheep who follow and trust the shepherd but we're to take the wisdom of
the world I'm sorry the wisdom of the word and to live in the truth that God has for us
you see Jesus isn't calling us to be foolish
he's calling us to be obedient and with that as he
grows us in the wisdom and the truth of the word
and then he places us in the world
that we're to live in the wisdom that's there
and then with that he says and to be
as innocent as innocent as a dove
so that as we are sheep who follow the shepherd who live in the wisdom of the truth
that we are those that are in the culture but not of the culture
so that our message of hope that we proclaim
the invitation that we give at the core matches
that's who we are who we are so I can share the gospel of Christ
not because I just know it but I can share the gospel of Christ
because I believe it and there's the evidence
of that in me let's continue on verse 17 through 20
he goes he says beware of men
beware of men
for they will deliver you over to courts
and flog you in their synagogues
and you'll be dragged before governors and kings for my sake
to bear witness before them and the Gentiles
when they deliver you over do not be anxious
how you are to speak
or what you are to say
for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour
verse 20 for it is not
you who speak
but the spirit of your father
speaking through you
you know there's been the false narratives
that have been spoken about Jesus
that Jesus was just this great politician
and when people say things like that
I just kind of want to ask them
have you ever read the things that he said
like if you want to get elected
I don't necessarily know that like
hey listen you're going to be arrested
and you're going to be beaten
if you do what I tell you to do
if you obey me
there's going to be this difficulty
that you're going to go through
and so Jesus comes out
and he says listen
like be mindful
like beware
like there are people out there
who are actively
like spiritual warfare is real
spiritual warfare is real
and there are demons at work
and people who are at work
that hate God
they hate the truth of the gospel
and they want to destroy you
that's not just in first century
it's today as well
and Jesus says
beware
because this is what will happen
you're doing the right thing
this is what will take place
do not be anxious
when you have to stand
to give an account
and give a testimony
do not be anxious
when we give our yes to God
we have to be dependent on God
God says in this moment
beware
do not be anxious
because here's what's going to happen
and here's what's going to take place
for it is not you who will speak
but the spirit of your father
speaking through you
the spirit of your father
speaking through you
be aware of the situation
be dependent on God
folks here's what I have found
in my life
and in the life of so many people
who struggle with
being dependent on God
here's where the conflict rubs
when everything in our life
is going okay to great
we get a little cocky
we get a little loose
we get a little bit dependent
on ourselves
we begin to think
that I'm the reason for this
that I'm the source of my success
we begin to feel within ourselves
we would never say it
but we sit on the throne
of the idolatry of our hearts
look at what I am capable
of achieving
and doing
in my life
and then
then we begin to hit
a bottom
we begin to hit a lull
and this concept
of being dependent
dependent on God
when we've been dependent
on ourself
in our mind
for everything
in our life
seems foreign
and impossible
because the weak God
of our heart
our idol
ourselves
has failed us
folks
dependency
on the Lord
is a daily
commitment
not a moment
by moment
adjustment
I will praise you
in the valley
and on the mountaintop
that I'm dependent
on you
and in sickness
and in health
that I'm engaged
with you
that I'm abiding
in Christ
no matter
what
the circumstance
don't wait
for things
to be tough
to start
depending on God
make that choice
today
and then
don't listen
to the devil
when your timeline
falls short
be
dependent
on God
let's keep
going
verse 21
brother
will deliver
brother
over to death
and the father
his child
and children
will rise
against parents
and have them
put to death
and you'll be
hated by all
for my name's sake
and I want you
to underline this
if you're an underliner
in your Bible
I want you to
underline this
next part
but the one
who endures
to the end
will be saved
when they
persecute you
in one town
flee to the next
for truly
I say to you
you will not
have gone
through all
the towns
of Israel
before the
son of man
comes
a disciple
is not
above his
teacher
nor a servant
above his
master
it is enough
for the disciple
to be like his
teacher
and the servant
like his
master
if they have
called the
master
of the house
Beelzebub
how much more
will they
malign those
of his
household
but the one
who endures
to the end
will be saved
folks we have
to be ready
to endure
we have
to be ready
to endure
the kingdom
of God
will face
its own
troubles
and then
those
imposters
who proclaim
to be
a part
will even
find in their
false faith
divisiveness
which is
there
Jesus
says you
will be
hated
you
will be
persecuted
but endure
and to endure
is to be
like Christ
and to endure
like Christ
is to
abide
in
Christ
we
don't
abide
in
one
another
we
don't
abide
in
our
context
we
don't
abide
in
our
situations
we
don't
abide
in
our
mind
frame
we
abide
in
Christ
I did
a little
word study
this week
and wanted
to
understand
this
word
endure
and
this
word
endure
it's
a word
that's
used
that
defines
more
than
I
think
what
you
and
I
think
of
in
enduring
for
me
when I
think
of
enduring
it's
a
one
man
journey
and
task
to
the
end
and
when I
think
of
this
word
endure
that's
what
I
think
of
but
in
my
word
study
this
word
means
more
than
that
this
word
endure
carries
with
it
a
picture
of
a
person
persevering
through
while
others
are
quitting
while
others
are
quitting
so
here's
what
Jesus
is
saying
but
the
one
who
endures
when
other
people
are
dropping
out
folks
how
many
times
have
we
attached
our
faith
to
fallible
men
and
women
and
they
fall
and
what
happens
is
it
crumbles
and falls
around
them
I
don't
know
I
don't
know
if
you're
seeing
and
watching
things
that
are
going
on
not
only
in
this
world
in
this
country
but
in
our
community
and
there
are
pastors
who
are
failing
left
and
right
and
left
and
right
and
left
and
right
and
the
devil
comes
in
and
wreaks
havoc
and
destroys
the
work
oftentimes
that's
going
in on
those
situations
because
what
people
have
done
is
they've
attached
their
faith
their
perseverance
their
hope
their joy
to a
person
and not
to
Christ
endure
others
are
going
to
quit
others
are
going
to
be
exposed
others
are
going
to
fall
to
the
side
we
don't
keep
our
eyes
focused
on
man
but
on
Christ
on
Christ
endure
abide
in
him
he
continues
on
verse
26
so have
no fear
of them
for
nothing
is
covered
that
will
not
be
revealed
or
hidden
that
will
not
be
known
I
tell
you
in
the
dark
say
in
the
light
in
what
you
hear
whispered
proclaim
on
the
rooftop
on
the
housetops
and
do
not
fear
those
who
kill
the
body
but
cannot
kill
the
soul
rather
fear
him
who
can
destroy
both
soul
and
body
in
hell
are
not
two
sparrows
sold
for
a
penny
and
not
one
of
them
will
fall
to
the
ground
apart
from
your
father
but
even
the
hairs
of
your
head
are
numbered
fear
not
therefore
you
are
of
more
value
than
many
sparrows
with
Christ
folks
with
Christ
face
your
fears
face
your
fears
face
your
fears
what
do
we
see
from
this
number
one
face
your
fears
with
an
eternal
perspective
folks
this
life
is
temporary
this
life
is
temporary
we're
not
promised
not
a
moment
more
than
what
God
has
set
for
us
this
life
is
temporary
face
fears
with
the
boldness
of
the
word
we
don't
just
put
our
faith
in
what
Christ
has
done
of
what
we
will
see
in
scripture
for
what
he
did
in
the
cross
and
the
power
of
the
resurrection
and
the
ascension
but
we
can
place
the
truth
and
the
hope
that
of
who
he
is
of
what
is
revealed
in
revelation
of
the
return
of
the
hope
of
eternity
with
the
boldness
of
the
word
God
tells
us
the
story
but
we
can
face
fears
with
confidence
of
faith
to
put
our
faith
in
the
one
over
your
circumstances
where
you
find
yourself
today
God
has
not
forgotten
you
God
has
not
left
you
and
God
is
not
making
mistakes
as
you
walk
through
what
you're
facing
would
you
put
your
faith
in
him
and
move
past
the
fears
of
this
world
verse
32
so
everyone
who
acknowledges
me
before
men
I
also
will
acknowledge
before
my
father
who
is
in
heaven
but
whoever
denies
me
before
men
I
will
deny
before
my
father
who
is
in
heaven
do
not
think
I
have
come
to
bring
peace
to
the
earth
I
have
not
come
to
bring
peace
but
a
sword
for
I
have
come
to set
a man
against
his
father
and
daughter
against
her
mother
and
daughter
in law
against her
mother
in law
and
a
person's
enemies
will
be
those
of
his
own
household
verse
37
whoever
loves
father
or
mother
more
than
me
is
not
worthy
of
me
and
whoever
loves
a
son
or
daughter
more
than
me
is
not
worthy
of
me
and
whoever
does
not
take
his
cross
and
follow
me
is
not
worthy
of
me
whoever
finds
his
life
will
lose
it
and
whoever
loses
his
life
for
my
sake
will
find
it
what
does
your
yes
to
God
mean
your
yes
to
God
means
public
faith
but
our
faith
is
not
situational
and
private
but
our
faith
is
in
every
moment
and
it
is
public
Jesus
says
that
you
would
acknowledge
me
before
men
with
the
words
that
we
say
in
the
life
that
we
live
and
then
Jesus
begins
to
draw
a
picture
the
picture
of
the
family
what
greater
love
than
that
between
those
of
the
family
and
Jesus
says
in
this
public
faith
that
is
there
you
not
only
confess
me
with
your
life
but
you
love
him
above
all
above
all
right
so
last
night
I'm
driving
in
had
dinner
with
Aaron
and
my
mom
and
I'm
driving
back
so
that
I
can
get
some
rest
and
be
here
this
morning
and
I'll
drive
back
to the
campground
after church
is over
with
today
to get
ready to
pack up
to head
back
tomorrow
and
somehow
like I'm
on a free
trial right
now
of
Sirius
Satellite
Radio
and they've
got a
90s
country
station
that just
does it
for me
I got an
oh yeah
over here
like I'm
loving it
I'm
loving it
and I'm
driving back
yesterday
and there's
a song
that begins
to play
now somewhere
between Saluda
and Batesburg
I'm losing
it
I'm losing
it
I'm crying
I'll tell you
the song
it's Alan
Jackson
it's that
song
Drive
my kids
loved that
song when
they were
little
my daughter
especially
loved it
and I'm
sitting there
and I'm
just boohooing
just me
in the
truck
and no
one around
to be able
to see
me
in this
embarrassing
moment
as I'm
crying
and got
done
and I
thought about
how much
I love
my kids
and my
kids
man
they're in
that stage
of life
now right
like
they're my
kids
and I'm
so proud
of them
that they're
we're walking
through together
what this
looks like
to make
adult
decisions
and they're
taking ownership
and responsibility
and when
they make
mistakes
they're
learning
from them
and so
we're just
having to
kind of
resort
and walk
through
all that
that looks
like
right
well
this is
just all
that's
going
through my
mind
now
earlier
I was
watching
a movie
in our
camper
and the
dad
his daughter
is getting
married
and he
says
to the
groom
the only
thing
that I
could ask
of you
is
above
all
else
love
my
daughter
more
than
anyone
or
anything
in this
world
and I
thought
man I
hope my
daughter
does not
marry a guy
like that
folks if
you're in
here
and you
got a
boyfriend
you got
a
girlfriend
you've
got a
fiance
or you
want a
boyfriend
or a
girlfriend
here's
what I
want to
tell you
they need
to love
Jesus more
than they
love you
and folks
if you
got kids
you need
to love
Jesus more
than you
love them
and if
you got a
spouse
you need
to love
Jesus more
than you
love them
and here's
what's
remarkable
when I
love
something
of this
world
you know
what it
does
it
lessens
the more
that I
love
this
thing
it
begins
to rob
the love
that I
have
for other
people
and other
things
in this
world
the more
that I
build up
my idols
and love
them
the more
that it
robs
the love
that God's
calling me
to give
but here's
the miracle
working of
our God
the more
I love
Jesus
the more
that Jesus
is and I
say this
don't put him
on a list
because he's
greater than
your list
or mine
the more
I love
Jesus
the more
I love
my wife
the more
I love
Jesus
the more
I love
my kids
the more
I love
Jesus
the more
I love
you
the more
I love
Jesus
the more
I love
myself
you say
you gotta
begin with
yourself
you gotta
love
yourself
no no
no
you gotta
love
Jesus
and that's
how
he
works
this isn't
a call
to deny
your family
this is a
call
to love
Jesus
confess him
with your
life
love him
above all
and whoever
does not
take his
cross
and follow
me
is not
worthy of
me
trust him
with
everything
trust him
with
everything
that's
public
faith
we'll
close with
this
verse 40
and 42
43
42
whoever
receives
you
receives
me
and whoever
receives
me
receives
him
who sent
me
the one
who
receives
a prophet
because he's
a prophet
will receive
a prophet's
reward
and the one
who receives
a righteous
person
because he
is a righteous
person
will receive
a righteous
person's
award
whoever
gives
one of
these
little
ones
even a
cold
water
a cold
cup of
water
because he
is my
disciple
truly I
say to
you
he will
by no
means
lose
his
reward
folks
we laid
out some
tough
things
that Jesus
points us
to
of what
giving our
yes to
him looks
like
but then
in the
end
what he
points us
to
is that
he's
worth
it
he's
worth
it
I'm
going to
ask the
praise team
if they'll
make their
way up onto
the stage
if our
prayer
encouragers
will move
to either
side of
our
auditorium
as we
close in
our message
this
morning
he's
worth
it
because
Jesus
is our
world
Jesus
is
our
reward
you see
when we
begin to
be
when we
start out
with our
yes
to God
but we
set our
reward
here
what begins
to happen
is we
begin to
see
that this
world
is not
our
reward
and within
that for
those who
will not
endure
we begin
to think
and buy
into the
belief
that the
temporary
things
of this
world
are what
makes this
life
worth it
but it's
not
because
Jesus
is our
reward
in 1st
Timothy
I'm sorry
in 2nd
Timothy
chapter 4
the apostle
Paul
is writing
this to
Timothy
his son
in the
faith
Paul
is
imprisoned
waiting
a death
sentence
and this
is what
he writes
for I'm
already being
poured out
as a drink
offering
and the
time of my
departure
has come
I have
fought the
good fight
I have
finished
the race
I have
kept the
faith
henceforth
there is
laid up
for me
the crown
of righteousness
which the
Lord
the righteous
judge
will award
to me
on that
day
and not
only to
me
but also
to all
who have
loved
his
appearing
imprisoned
in waiting
death
doesn't sound
like a man
defeated
doesn't sound
like a man
who has given
up hope
it sounds
like a man
who is about
to meet
Jesus
folks
this life
is but
for a
moment
live it
for Jesus
and in
death
in death
the worst
thing that we
could think
of in this
world
in death
for those
of us
who have
put our
faith
and hope
in Christ
our reward
is not
taken from
us
but instead
becomes
the reality
given
to us
give
your yes
to Jesus
he's worth
it
would you
pray with
me
God
thank you
for your
abundant
love
Lord
your kindness
and your
compassion
God I pray
that we
would give
our yes
to you
our yes
to go
where you
sinned
our yes
to endure
not through
our power
and means
but through
the power
of your
spirit
to carry
our cross
and proclaim
your gospel
and this
world
may try
to strip
everything
away
from us
but it
cannot
it cannot
take you
away
and God
may that
may Christ
be
enough
Jesus
may we
give you
our
yes
and it's
in your name
we pray
amen
that's it
for this
week's
message
be sure
to check
back next
week
for a
new
episode
and in
the
meantime
you can
visit us
online at
willowridgechurch.org
or by searching
for Willow Ridge Church
on Facebook
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and YouTube
thanks again
for listening