Luke Week 6 • Luke 9:1-27

Show Notes

Sunday, February 14th • Beau Bradberry

"And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." — Luke 9:23

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Beau Bradberry

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Thanks for listening.

Well, good morning.

Glad that you guys are here with us.

If you've got your Bibles going up at Luke chapter 9, as you turn there, I want you to

encourage you throughout the course of today and tomorrow to be in prayer.

We've got about 45 middle school, high school students, and adult leaders who are out skiing

in West Virginia this weekend.

They'll be traveling home tomorrow, and so please be in prayer for a safe day of skiing

today and a safe day of travel, as they were supposed to get a whole lot of snow, and instead

they're getting a whole lot of rain and ice, and so we want to be in prayer for them.

Also, because of that, pretty much I believe almost all of our middle schoolers are there,

so if you've got a middle schooler who didn't make it but was planning on coming to Bible

study tonight, we will not have a middle school Bible study tonight because of that.

Now, here's a little honesty, a little perspective that I learned about myself this weekend, okay?

So, I've been in ministry now for about 17 years, and in the last 17 years, God has given

me some phenomenal places and opportunities to go and to do ministry.

Not only at the churches that He's called me at, but I'll be honest, I've been able to travel

all over the world to do missions and to do ministry and have these opportunities.

Within the United States, I've been able to go to Orlando, to New Orleans, multiple times

to New York, and just wonderful opportunities there to go.

God's opened the doors internationally.

I've been able to go to Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Haiti, South Africa, Taiwan, and India,

and I may have left something out.

And so, when God opens these doors, sometimes my lovely bride, she can go with me.

God opens the doors for both of us.

Her schedule's cleared.

We can take off and we can go together.

That happened a lot when we didn't have kids, right?

We could pack up and we could go.

We spent two and a half weeks in South Africa right after we'd been married for about a year,

and it was a wonderful opportunity.

But if she can't go, here's what happens.

I get to go, and y'all know this, at least twice.

Twice a year, I'm gone.

I'm somewhere within the United States once a year, and then somewhere internationally once a year.

And so, I get to go.

And then Erin, as I sacrifice for the Lord and go to all these beautiful, exotic places, right?

Erin stays home, and she keeps the house together.

She keeps the kids where they need to be.

She keeps all of our pets because the Bradbury house is literally like a zoo with what we've got going on.

I hope no one from the HOA is watching right now, right?

It is crazy what's going on at her house, and she keeps it going.

And it never fails, right?

When I come home, the house is clean.

Everything is how it should be as she takes care of all of that.

Well, this weekend, she went skiing with the kids, and she left me home.

And I'm not handling it well, all right?

So, I am looking forward to her being home.

This is the first time, I believe, in 20 years that we haven't spent a Valentine's Day together.

And she just sent me a picture of her and Emma out on the slopes.

So, she's having a blast.

I'm glad she can do it, but I'm a little bit miserable right now, right?

So, y'all pray for me as I try to hold the standard, too, when she comes home.

So, here's the thing.

This morning, as we think about ministry, God provides ministry opportunities for you.

And I want to ask you three questions concerning ministry.

And I hope that my goal is, let me phrase it this way.

My goal is not that you have to answer these questions right now, but that by the end of today

or the end of this week, based off of what we're going to look at and what we're going to talk about,

that you have an answer to these three questions about ministry.

And as we talk, as we think about what ministry looks like,

here's the first thing I want to kind of challenge you with.

Don't let this place count.

It's easy for us.

It's especially easy for me to look at the ministry that I do

and have it fit very neat inside of the box of Willow Ridge Church.

And I want to be honest with you.

When I say don't let it count, that doesn't mean we're not grateful.

Like I see faces in here who just this previous hour were next door sharing the gospel with the boys and girls

who come up and who need to know and need to be trained and need to be discipled.

And thank you for that.

We just experienced men and women on this stage taking the gifts that God has given them

and using them for ministry here.

Right now, as you're watching me or if you're at home watching me on your TV,

there's people who are working in the booth with technology to make sure that lights stay on,

that words stay on the screen, and that microphones are at the level that they need to be.

And I'm very grateful for you and your sacrifice of that.

But when I talk about ministry, and I can think about this for me as well,

when we limit it to what we do in the church,

there's a whole harvest field waiting for us outside of the walls of this church

that I feel like God is calling each and every one of us to tap into.

And so if you were to ask me what my ministry is,

I'm hoping what I would communicate to you,

not only what I do here, but what I do outside of here as well.

With the men and women in my unique situation that God has placed in my life

for me to minister and for me to care to.

So here are the three questions I want to ask you this morning as we think through this.

Number one, what is your ministry?

What is your ministry?

With who you are and the gifts that God has given you,

what is the vision of ministry that God has given you for outside the walls of this church?

The second question I want to ask you,

where is your ministry?

Where has God strategically placed you and gifted you

so that you can live for His name and for His glory?

Now, I want to back this one really quick.

Some of us say everywhere.

Some of us say everywhere.

Well, here's what I want to kind of challenge on that a little bit.

Even Jesus defined where His ministry would take place,

even though He never stopped.

All right?

Scripture is clear numerous times.

We'll see one instance this morning where after doing ministry,

Jesus kind of retreats and has a break.

So if Jesus needed a break from His place of ministry,

we do as well.

So what is your ministry?

Where is your ministry?

And then the third that I want you to think is,

is who is your ministry?

Who is your ministry?

Like right now, when I'm thinking about my ministry outside of this place,

there are two faces that continually come to mind for me.

Two places of two men that I feel like God has placed in my life

for a unique purpose for me to display and to share the gospel with them.

And so we're not going to stand at the door and as you leave answer these three questions for me.

But as you're growing in your faith, as you're growing in your response to the Lord,

as you're looking at your life outside of these church walls to really embrace the great commission

of what God has for you, what is your ministry?

Where is your ministry?

And then who is your ministry?

And what I want us to see of what Jesus is going to do is that when we begin to embrace this,

that Jesus calls us into ministry, all of us.

Jesus prepares us for ministry, and then Jesus equips us for ministry.

And that's what we're going to see in Luke chapter 9.

Luke chapter 9 is one of my favorite chapters of the Bible.

There's so much that's filled in this chapter of Scripture that, in fact, over the next—

we've been doing like a chapter or two each week,

but we're going to actually spend three weeks in Luke chapter 9 kind of working through this together

as we begin to see Jesus' ministry is going to begin to head down a more narrowed and focused path with what He has.

But then also something very important happens.

Jesus begins to share in Luke 9 the invitation of ministry.

And so Jesus has been modeling this.

Jesus has been talking about this.

But what we find in Luke chapter 9 is the invitation of ministry.

And so let's start reading in verse 1.

It says,

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.

And he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

And he said to them,

Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, and do not have two tunics.

And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.

And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

So Jesus has come to this ragtag group of twelve that He's called to follow Him and that have responded.

And remember, they're coming from all different backgrounds.

But none of them are coming from a background of ministry.

You've got fishermen.

You've got tax collectors.

You've got this—Peter kind of comes from this, like, political, zealous crowd that's there that wants to overthrow the government.

But, like, none of this group have been theologically trained.

None of them have gone through a five-year process of building them through a leadership pipeline,

of elevating them from position after position.

But Jesus calls this group of people and is going to mobilize them.

And here's going to be the key.

Because there's so many of us sitting in here this morning, and you think to yourself,

there's no way I can do that.

There's no way.

There's no way that I can have a ministry.

I'm young in my faith.

There's no way I can have a ministry.

I don't know enough about the Bible.

There's no way I can have a ministry.

I'm an introvert who is petrified to speak to anyone.

And there's no way I can have a ministry.

I'm too busy.

Right?

But what we see is Jesus takes this group who could have reason after reason after reason.

And not only does he mobilize them, Jesus gives him, in Luke chapter 9, power and authority to go.

Now, this isn't the same thing that's going to happen, but it's similar of what takes place in the book of Acts.

If you remember in Acts chapter 1, Jesus tells us that we'll receive authority and power to go.

And then later on at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit falls on the believers, and they go.

And through the power of God, they fulfill the ministry that God has for them.

And this is what we see, and this is what God is doing in the life of the believer.

Sure, you don't have enough knowledge.

No one has it all.

Sure, you're busy.

We're all busy.

Sure, you've got insecurities and reasons.

We've all got insecurities and reasons that want to hold us back.

But just in this moment, as Jesus gave them power and authority, Jesus does the same thing for you and I.

But then Jesus does something neat here.

And it's the same thing as we're leaning in on him in our life of what Jesus does in their life to what Jesus is going to do for us.

Their going is going to be based on dependency of him.

Notice Jesus says, like, hey, leave some things behind.

Leave your staff that would protect you.

Leave your bag that would carry your money so that you can provide for yourself and your water that would be in it.

Leave your bread and the basic nourishment that you would leave behind.

And leave your tunic behind as well, which would provide comfort and shelter for them as they travel.

What Jesus is saying that when we embark in ministry with him, he's not saying tomorrow when you go to work, if that's where your ministry spot is, to leave your wallet at home.

But what Jesus is saying is, if you're going to do the work of God, you can't be dependent on yourself.

You must be dependent on me.

Because the work you're going to do is not the work that you're capable of, but it's the work that Jesus is capable of through you.

And this is going to be important as we see Jesus is going to dive deeper and deeper every single time in Acts chapter 9 into the relationship with the disciples.

Say, I've got a work for you to do, but you've got to depend on me to get you there.

You've got to depend on me to sustain you.

And you've got to depend on me to do the work that needs to be done.

But Jesus is also very key that the work they're going to do is the kingdom work.

He says, as you go into these villages, you're going to heal.

Right?

Imagine that.

Jesus says, I'm going to give you the power to heal.

Jesus says to these disciples, I'm going to give you power and authority over demons.

They've seen Jesus call out demons.

They've seen what that looks like.

And now Jesus is giving them the authority to do that as well.

But Jesus says, as you do these things, make sure that you proclaim the kingdom of God.

Here's a concern that we must address if we're going to do ministry that is focused on God's kingdom.

You and I, we can do a lot of good works for people.

We can be kind.

We can meet physical needs.

We can reach out and seek to live our lives in a position and posturing of service to those around us.

I'm not saying that we should not do these things.

In fact, we should.

And it is based in God's word and truth that we do these things.

But at some point in time, we use these as opportunities to share with and to talk about and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and to work in the kingdom.

Because it's not about the works.

It's about the one who sends the workers.

So we have to have our mind focused in on that.

I heard a pastor say this years ago, and I've loved this and tried to embrace this in my life.

He said, unfortunately, so many times we go out into this world and we love people straight to hell.

And here's what he meant.

We care for you.

We love you.

We serve you.

We provide for you.

But we never tell you about Jesus.

And in that, we can leave you thinking all is well when Jesus needs to address the sinful heart that you have.

So Jesus sends them out.

He sends them into ministry with a purpose and with a point.

And so the disciples go.

And they go out and they come back to Jesus and they report all that's happened and all that's taken place.

And then Jesus does something.

And he takes this group of disciples and he withdraws away to a very small town where he can just be there with his disciples.

But crowds of people find out.

Like, word is out about Jesus and the stuff that's happening.

I mean, think about it.

There was one guy who was doing this.

And now there's 12 that are going out and doing this in his name.

And so the crowds begin to flock and begin to come and find out where Jesus is.

And they find and they surround Jesus.

And the Bible tells us that Jesus begins to teach and do healings there.

And so the crowd begins to grow and grow.

And a problem rises up.

After a long day of teaching.

After a long day of healing.

In this small rural, out in the middle of nowhere town.

There begins to be some grumbling that people are hungry.

And it's hard because there's nowhere around.

There's not a Walmart down the road, right?

Where you can go and just provide a meal for them.

And so the disciples come back with a logical plan.

They say, Jesus, let's just send them away for food.

But Jesus is going to step in and do something different.

And here's what I want us to think of.

As you think about the ministry, the what, the where, and the who God has for you.

That oftentimes, logic can interfere with ministry opportunities.

I'm not saying throw logic out the window.

God gave you a brain, use it.

But before you lean in on your own understanding, right?

Trust him.

Listen to him and seek him.

So we'll jump down and look at verse 13.

Jesus looks to solve the problem.

And scripture says, but he said to them, and I love this, you give them something to eat.

And they said, we have no more than five loaves and two fish unless we are to go and buy food for all of these people.

Verse 14, for there were about 5,000 men.

So let's pause real quick.

There's not just 5,000 people there.

A low estimate would be somewhere around 10,000.

But for whatever reason, during this time, when you surveyed a crowd, you only counted men.

So what they're saying to Jesus is, look, we've got five loaves and two fish unless, right, we can go buy food for all of these people.

Jesus, this is impossible.

We don't have enough money.

We don't have enough food.

And we have a problem.

Continue back in verse 14.

And he said to his disciples, have them sit down in groups of about 50 each.

I love this.

And they did so.

And had them all sit down.

Verse 16, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.

Then he broke the five loaves, then he broke the five loaves and gave them to the disciples to sit before the crowd.

Right, so this ministry opportunity comes up.

And notice what Jesus did.

You're going to give them something to eat.

The what?

You're going to take the food and hand it to them.

The who.

And Jesus doesn't walk around.

That's me.

I did this.

What does he do?

Jesus did the work, but he gave the disciples the opportunity to partner in ministry.

A beautiful picture of what life looks like when we walk with God.

God could have chosen any means to declare his glory.

God could have chosen any means to bring people to himself.

But what God does is he gives you and I the wonderful opportunity to partner with him if we'll just listen and be obedient.

Jesus says, I'm going to give you the what.

I'm going to give you the where.

And I'm going to give you the who.

Also notice that within this, Jesus didn't display this to the disciples in a three-step plan before all of this happened.

They came with a problem.

Jesus says, we're going to take care of it.

They said, okay.

Jesus said, we're going to get them in groups of 50.

They said, okay.

And then after they were all in their groups, Jesus said, now this is what we're going to bring them.

And they said, okay.

Every single instance of a step of trust.

And folks, this is what ministry looks like.

This is what the opportunities are that God has given us.

And then look at verse 17.

And they all ate and were satisfied.

And what was left over was picked up, 12 baskets of broken pieces.

Jesus did the work.

The disciples were obedient to what God had called them to do.

And as a result, those who came that were both physically and spiritually hungry left satisfied in their encounter with Christ.

Now, did all of them become followers of Jesus?

No.

There's no way.

There's no way close to 10,000 people in this moment all became followers.

But in this moment, they had an encounter of positivity, not only with the physical of what needed to be done, but they heard the spiritual needs as Jesus taught them there as well.

Jesus has given the disciples a true hands-on ministry experience.

And it's what Jesus wants to give you and I.

Regardless of all of the excuses and all of the reasons that you and I can come up with, none of us are qualified enough.

None of us are experienced enough.

None of us are talented enough.

If we were, we wouldn't need Jesus.

And so he holds back so that he can step into the voids that we acknowledge within our life.

Like, don't wait until you're educated enough.

Don't wait until you're experienced enough.

Don't wait until you're polished enough.

Because you will never get there.

And if you're waiting until you get there, you're not trusting Jesus.

You're trusting yourself.

So after this is over, the scripture says that Jesus gets away again with his disciples.

And I can imagine, like, being there.

Like, this for these guys, real quick, show of hands.

How many of you have ever been on a mission trip?

Raise your hand.

Right?

That's awesome.

Thank you all for going from hearing from the Lord and being willing to go outside your comfort zone and serve him.

I've been on a ton of mission trips, but I will honestly say probably the most special mission trip that I've ever been on was my first mission trip.

Right?

And in this, this is what these disciples have had.

They've had their first mission trip.

They've been given some work to go do, and they've gone and done it.

They've had some people come to them, and they see Christ show up in a miraculous way, and things happen, and things take place.

And now, instead of being on the outskirts watching it happen, they got their hands dirty in the ministry.

And I can imagine that there begins to be, like, this buzz amongst the group of them about what are we going to do next?

What is waiting for us?

I can't wait to see what the next town is going to look like, and what the next miracle is that we're going to have an opportunity to do.

And so Jesus withdraws and brings the disciples with him, and he asks them a question.

They've gone into the cities and the villages.

They've sat with their groups of 50.

And he says, who do they say that I am?

And the disciples begin to speak.

They say, well, some of them say that you're John the Baptist, who had just been executed.

Some say you're Elijah, prophet of old.

Some say you're another, a different prophet of old that has passed and come alive again.

But Jesus isn't concerned about what the crowd is thinking of him.

But in verse 20, he nails them down and gets to the point.

He says, then he said to them, but who do you say that I am?

You've seen this.

You've experienced this.

You've walked with me.

You've heard my teaching more than anyone else.

But who do you say I am?

And Scripture tells us, and Peter answered, you are the Christ God.

Literally, he says, Jesus, you're the Messiah.

Now here's where this goes and turns in a moment of power between Jesus and his disciples.

What Jesus is going to do next is explain to them what exactly that means.

What Jesus is going to explain is that if he is truly the Messiah, that there's a calling that he must fulfill.

What Jesus is pointing them to is that there is a work that he needs to do.

Verse 21.

Verse 21.

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying,

The son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.

And so when Peter declares, Jesus, you're the Messiah, like you would think, like this is the high point.

This is the culmination where the celebration would happen and take place.

The long-awaited Messiah that we've looked for from the Old Testament, from the prophets of what we look to come back and establish the kingdom.

Jesus, you're going to overturn this political thing that's happening here.

Jesus, you're going to overturn this military thing that's happening here.

But what they forget about is the Messiah that Isaiah talks about and the suffering servant.

That the Messiah that Jesus is, he's not a political Messiah.

He's not a military Messiah.

He's a sacrificial Messiah.

And so Jesus says, if you expected me to be this type of powerful leader and powerful authority, then you've got to understand that I'm different.

I'm different than what you hoped for, different when you expected.

You see, Jesus will display his power by allowing others to have power over him.

Jesus will display his power by displaying his mercy.

Jesus will show his power by being obedient.

Jesus will show his power by displaying unconditional love.

Jesus will show his power ultimately.

not by stopping death, but by defeating it.

And in order to defeat death, he must die.

You see, Jesus says, there's a calling on my life as well.

There's a road that I have to walk.

And it's a road of suffering that I'm going to go down and that I'm going to embrace.

I feel like that's probably not what the group was expecting.

Not what the group was going to hear.

But Jesus continues to turn to a greater understanding.

Because the next calling that Jesus is going to have in this is not his calling, but his calling to them.

The position that you and I are called to.

This group of men who have gone out and performed miracles.

This group who have gone out and been given power of God.

This group that has gone out and received authority that the Son of Man can give them and give them alone.

But he's going to say, but here's what your life, here's the calling that we all embrace.

This is, and he said to all, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it.

But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

So there's a litmus test here in verse 23 through 27 that we're going to see.

Of a notable of those who are truly followers of God.

Not those who claim to be church members.

Not those who claim to do a bunch of good things.

Not those who say, well, I've got this all worked out and figured out.

Or I've said a prayer.

Or I've checked a box.

But those who will inherit the kingdom of God.

Those who will gain life.

There's a standard that's there.

And Jesus says, if you want to come after me, deny yourself.

Take up your cross every single day and follow me.

Jesus was called to suffer.

It's part of what he fulfilled within all of what the Old Testament pointed to.

It wasn't just the suffering that happened on the cross because he did that.

But it was the suffering that was embraced as divinity stepped out of heaven and stepped foot in humanity on this earth and walked through this life.

You see, what Jesus said is that not only will he be killed, but he'll be rejected.

Jesus would be mocked.

Jesus would be deserted.

Jesus would have those who speak ill of him, who spread lies about him.

Jesus would have those close to him killed and executed.

Jesus would experience hunger and pain and loneliness.

Why?

For the embracement of the cross.

So that he would receive death and defeated and overcome.

So the question is this.

If Jesus is called to suffer, then what makes us so arrogant that we think that we're not called to suffer as well?

Jesus doesn't say, pick up your nice, comfortable chair and follow me to the next location, right?

Jesus says, take up your cross and follow me.

Jesus calls us for a suffering of self-denial.

So what must we lose?

I don't think Jesus is talking about basic needs here.

I think what Jesus did in Luke 9 at the very beginning was to prove a point in their first steps of ministry.

I don't think that Jesus is talking about luxuries, all right?

So like, don't beat yourself up because you got a boat or a nice house or an iPhone, okay?

Like, don't go home and break that stuff.

Now, he may call you to give some up.

That's between you or him.

But as a whole, that's not what Jesus is getting down to.

Jesus is talking about a sin pattern that has plagued humanity since the fall of man in Genesis.

And it's the desire of every individual that fills our hearts and consumes us of self-centeredness and idolatry

that cause us to think that we're the center of our own little world.

I read a pastor this week who was talking about this.

And he made a very simple but powerful statement.

And here's what he said.

In order for Jesus to be your master, you must first step out of that position.

In order for Jesus to be your master and mine, we need to send in our letter of resignation.

Because what we try to do is to say, no, I'm my own master.

And what we try to do in this world is say, Jesus, you're the Lord.

Jesus, you're my master.

But let me get the seat right beside you.

As we stay in this position.

But Jesus says, no, no, no, no.

What you're called to do is to follow me daily.

And what that means is you take up your cross.

You know, in the narrative of Jesus' crucifixion, and I don't know why the Romans and the authorities chose that,

but it wasn't a common execution that we find what they did with Jesus.

Oftentimes, what Rome would do when someone was to be executed through crucifixion

is they would get them out of their prison cell.

They would give them their cross, and they would follow them around.

And they'd have them walk through the city and around the city.

And while they walked carrying this massive cross, they had already been beaten.

They'd already been denied food and water.

So they were weak, and the cross was heavy, that they would hit them,

and they would whip them as they were carrying their cross.

And so as you would walk through the city carrying your cross,

people would know, number one, that where you were headed is to your death.

And your cross would define you.

And then once you fell down, and you couldn't go any farther,

you passed out from the heat, you passed out from the exhaustion,

they would turn the cross over.

They would nail you to the cross.

And wherever you fell, they would drop your cross in the ground,

and that's where you would die.

And it was a position for Rome to say every time you see someone carrying a cross,

you recognize our authority over their life.

So Jesus says, if you're going to follow after me,

here's what we have to display.

The denial of yourself and the authority of Christ in your life.

And it may be a painful process for you.

As you deny your heart the sinful desires that it longs for.

And as you die to yourself so that God can reign.

Think about what Jesus had just done earlier with the disciples.

If you're going to be effective in ministry,

it's not going to be found in your ability.

If you're going to be effective in ministry,

it's not going to be found in your personality,

in your gifts,

in what you were able to do.

If you're going to be effective

in the ministry and the life that God has for you,

it's going to be found

in denying yourself and depending on Jesus.

It's a question I have for you this morning.

What ministry does God have for you?

Where does God have this ministry for you?

And who is your ministry?

And as you think of that calling,

as you think of those places,

as you think of those people,

if it's going to be done for the name and the kingdom of God,

it can't be you who sits on the throne.

It's got to be Jesus.

Would you pray with me?

Lord, I thank you so much

that you call men and women

to partners in ministry.

that you call us

to come alongside you

as you do the work,

but you give us the food.

As you do the work,

but you give us the strategy.

As you do the work,

but you give us the people.

And Lord,

we have an opportunity

every single day

to go out to a group of men

and women who are searching,

and who are hungry,

and who are lost,

and who are broken.

And we have the opportunity

to give them

the one

that satisfies.

And so Jesus,

this morning,

I pray that as we think about our what,

as we think about our where,

as we think about our who,

where we will lay down

every excuse

at the foot of the cross

about why we cannot do that.

We're not smart enough.

We're not gifted enough.

We're not experienced enough.

Our story's too messy.

Our life isn't in order yet.

But Lord,

when we live on those excuses,

we're still seated on our throne.

And it is only, Lord,

when we can lay those excuses down,

that we can step off of our throne

and to see you rightfully placed

as Lord over our life.

And so Lord,

today,

give us a what,

give us a where,

give us a who.

Set in our hearts

the urgency of the gospel.

Lord,

have us live in power

and authority

to be and to do

what you've called us to do,

to deny ourselves

the sins of this world

that we want to chase after

as we celebrate

the King of Kings

and the Lord of Lords

who's redeemed us,

who's bought us,

who's paid for us,

who's set us free,

who's given us life,

who's covered us with blood,

who's given us hope.

So that others

might know.

So that others might respond

all for your name

and for your glory.

And it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

In just a moment,

we're going to stand

and we're going to respond

in worship.

I'm going to be at the back

of the auditorium.

Maybe today you realize

that seated on your throne

is you.

And you've always been there.

And today is the day

to step off of your throne,

repent of your sin,

and ask Jesus

if he would take

his rightful place.

If that's who you are

and you want to talk

about a relationship

with Christ,

I'd love to speak with you.

I'd love to pray with you.

I'll be right back there.

But maybe you're like me

this week, right?

And I recognize

that I've got

multiple thrones.

And some of them,

I put Jesus there,

but some of them,

I've got me there.

Some of us,

I'm trying to sit

in the seat with him,

you know.

Maybe that's us.

And you just have a time

of brokenness

and repentance.

Maybe you just need

to pray and ask Jesus,

what is your what?

What is your where?

And who does he have

for you?

The altar's open?

Come and bow down

and kneel before him?

Just respond this morning

in how God is leading you.

Jesus, we thank you.

We love you.

We praise you.

And it's for your name,

your hope,

and your glory.

We pray.

Amen.

Thanks again for listening

to the Willow Ridge Church

weekly podcast.

We hope that you enjoyed

listening to this week's message.

If you'd like to learn more

about who we are,

or explore additional resources,

visit us online

at www.willowridgechurch.com

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