WEBVTT 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:04.400 You know, 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:08.260 two times a year people show up for church in mass, 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:13.560 right? That's September when the kids go back to school because 00:00:13.600 --> 00:00:15.288 everybody's getting back on schedule. 00:00:15.384 --> 00:00:18.460 And January when everybody's making their revolutions. 00:00:20.560 --> 00:00:22.144 Okay, so there you go. 00:00:22.144 --> 00:00:23.528 So we need some parking team folks, 00:00:23.528 --> 00:00:25.392 if you can check out the Next Steps area. 00:00:25.392 --> 00:00:26.240 And all this year, 00:00:26.240 --> 00:00:32.302 I want everybody that gathers at least some point in the next year to 00:00:32.326 --> 00:00:33.518 check out Next steps, 00:00:33.518 --> 00:00:36.998 whether it's at the counter out there or by tapping the chair or getting 00:00:36.998 --> 00:00:40.462 on the webpage or the app or whatever. 00:00:40.526 --> 00:00:44.726 Check out Next Steps and find out all the things that are going on and 00:00:44.726 --> 00:00:46.054 get plugged into these things. 00:00:46.054 --> 00:00:48.650 Because today's message is really about that. 00:00:49.270 --> 00:00:52.262 It's about the fact that we are the body of Christ. 00:00:52.262 --> 00:00:53.838 We call ourselves the gathering. 00:00:53.838 --> 00:00:56.142 And we gather for the purpose of worship. 00:00:56.142 --> 00:00:57.926 We gather for the purpose of, 00:00:57.926 --> 00:00:59.578 of all that worship means, 00:00:59.634 --> 00:01:00.506 which is prayer, 00:01:00.506 --> 00:01:01.354 Bible study, 00:01:01.442 --> 00:01:03.418 fellowship, loving each other, 00:01:03.474 --> 00:01:04.938 loving Jesus together, 00:01:05.074 --> 00:01:09.778 all of the things that the body of Christ is supposed to be in this world 00:01:09.778 --> 00:01:12.394 that God has provided for us. 00:01:12.562 --> 00:01:15.530 One other announcement though is that time change, 00:01:15.650 --> 00:01:17.794 and I don't mean daylight saving times, 00:01:17.794 --> 00:01:22.330 but gathering worship time change takes place in February. 00:01:22.490 --> 00:01:24.433 We will shift to an 8:00, 00:01:24.585 --> 00:01:27.104 9:30, 11:00 time frame. 00:01:27.232 --> 00:01:29.392 So if you're a part of this gathering, 00:01:29.392 --> 00:01:30.540 come 10 minutes early. 00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:32.608 If you're part of the next gathering, 00:01:32.608 --> 00:01:33.928 come five minutes late. 00:01:34.760 --> 00:01:36.144 If you're part of the next gathering, 00:01:36.144 --> 00:01:38.124 it's going to take you 20 minutes. 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:39.344 Alright. 00:01:39.392 --> 00:01:40.112 But anyway, 00:01:40.176 --> 00:01:45.952 hopefully this will allow us to get parking better adjusted and filling 00:01:46.016 --> 00:01:49.352 and unfilling children's classrooms and youth stuff and all those kind of 00:01:49.352 --> 00:01:51.480 things. Just gives us some transition time. 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:53.464 Alright, so let me ask this question. 00:01:53.464 --> 00:02:00.800 Who is the author of Relationship Jesus? 00:02:02.100 --> 00:02:03.090 Sort of God. 00:02:03.036 --> 00:02:03.800 Thank you. 00:02:04.980 --> 00:02:06.420 You got one third of it right. 00:02:06.420 --> 00:02:07.740 No, I'm just kidding. 00:02:07.868 --> 00:02:10.178 But God is the author of relationship. 00:02:10.220 --> 00:02:11.840 God created Adam. 00:02:12.660 --> 00:02:17.556 And the implication of Genesis is that God spent the cool of the day with 00:02:17.556 --> 00:02:18.876 Adam in the garden. 00:02:19.380 --> 00:02:21.160 And he says this, 00:02:21.570 --> 00:02:24.540 this creation is for you to have dominion over. 00:02:24.610 --> 00:02:27.882 And there's trees everywhere and food everywhere. 00:02:27.946 --> 00:02:29.596 But don't eat that one, 00:02:30.690 --> 00:02:31.778 because if you do, 00:02:31.778 --> 00:02:32.750 you'll die. 00:02:33.090 --> 00:02:35.070 And as long as you obey, 00:02:35.810 --> 00:02:37.070 you'll be fine. 00:02:37.410 --> 00:02:38.990 Well, Adam failed, 00:02:39.410 --> 00:02:41.978 right? Adam's the one that inaugurated, 00:02:42.074 --> 00:02:46.824 initiated the failure of mankind's relationship with God. 00:02:46.962 --> 00:02:51.020 And therefore sin interrupts our relationship with God. 00:02:51.180 --> 00:02:55.452 And so God has provided for our relationship with him through the shed 00:02:55.452 --> 00:02:56.772 blood of Jesus Christ. 00:02:56.772 --> 00:02:57.948 We have salvation, 00:02:58.044 --> 00:03:00.364 redemption, relationship with God. 00:03:00.412 --> 00:03:02.560 Because Christ died on the cross, 00:03:03.300 --> 00:03:07.116 because our sins are Forgiven right now. 00:03:07.188 --> 00:03:08.884 I love it that you're here this morning. 00:03:08.884 --> 00:03:09.956 I'm excited about it. 00:03:09.956 --> 00:03:11.108 I wasn't here last week, 00:03:11.108 --> 00:03:13.628 obviously. And as we end the year, 00:03:13.684 --> 00:03:14.100 you know, 00:03:14.100 --> 00:03:15.932 everybody's things are changing. 00:03:15.996 --> 00:03:16.740 And for some people, 00:03:16.740 --> 00:03:17.764 things change a lot, 00:03:17.764 --> 00:03:18.580 and some people, 00:03:18.580 --> 00:03:19.932 things change a little. 00:03:20.116 --> 00:03:21.620 And I'm looking at the new year. 00:03:21.620 --> 00:03:22.836 And usually in January, 00:03:22.836 --> 00:03:29.100 I preach a message on what I refer to as our covenant relationship that 00:03:29.140 --> 00:03:30.252 God has initiated, 00:03:30.316 --> 00:03:32.028 established a covenant with us. 00:03:32.084 --> 00:03:35.004 Jeremiah talks about it being the new covenant. 00:03:35.052 --> 00:03:39.012 We saw it in Hebrews as we were studying the new covenant. 00:03:38.844 --> 00:03:42.604 And so God has given us this covenant relationship. 00:03:42.652 --> 00:03:46.580 And I want to tell you that covenant is relationship. 00:03:46.920 --> 00:03:47.352 You know, 00:03:47.352 --> 00:03:49.332 if you're going to covenant together, 00:03:49.336 --> 00:03:52.592 you're establishing relationship with one another. 00:03:52.776 --> 00:03:53.960 So then the question is, 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:57.968 what is our relationship together as the gathering? 00:03:58.144 --> 00:03:58.552 You know, 00:03:58.552 --> 00:04:01.008 if we're going to gather together for the purpose of worship, 00:04:01.008 --> 00:04:02.064 we can say yes, 00:04:02.064 --> 00:04:03.312 because we know Jesus, 00:04:03.312 --> 00:04:04.576 because we walk with Jesus, 00:04:04.576 --> 00:04:06.960 because we have this relationship with Jesus. 00:04:07.040 --> 00:04:09.420 But what's our relationship with each other? 00:04:09.800 --> 00:04:10.622 Right. How. 00:04:10.656 --> 00:04:14.630 How many of you know anybody that attends the 1040 worship gathering? 00:04:15.690 --> 00:04:16.122 Some of, 00:04:16.122 --> 00:04:16.506 you know, 00:04:16.506 --> 00:04:17.496 some of them. 00:04:17.050 --> 00:04:18.370 Right, right. 00:04:18.490 --> 00:04:19.226 Well, guess what? 00:04:19.226 --> 00:04:20.350 They're your family. 00:04:21.690 --> 00:04:23.730 They're your brothers and sisters. 00:04:23.890 --> 00:04:27.466 See, we all gather as the body of Christ in this place, 00:04:27.466 --> 00:04:35.010 and we are in relationship together with one another as the family of God 00:04:35.090 --> 00:04:36.350 in this community. 00:04:36.910 --> 00:04:39.462 Right. So when people talk about the gathering, 00:04:39.462 --> 00:04:42.566 I didn't realize that people do, 00:04:42.718 --> 00:04:43.782 but, you know, 00:04:43.886 --> 00:04:44.930 and folks say, 00:04:45.310 --> 00:04:48.254 and particularly over this last little season of things, 00:04:48.254 --> 00:04:49.246 people will introduce me. 00:04:49.246 --> 00:04:49.774 And they go, 00:04:49.774 --> 00:04:51.798 yeah, Bobby's the pastor at the gathering. 00:04:51.798 --> 00:04:52.270 And they go, 00:04:52.270 --> 00:04:54.710 oh, right. 00:04:54.750 --> 00:04:55.740 And I go, 00:04:56.030 --> 00:04:58.910 is that a good O or a bad O? 00:04:58.606 --> 00:04:59.490 You know, 00:04:59.870 --> 00:05:00.958 but my point is, 00:05:00.958 --> 00:05:04.854 the gathering is a body. 00:05:05.022 --> 00:05:08.050 It's the body of Christ in this place. 00:05:08.430 --> 00:05:13.318 And so there are some expectations within the body of Christ, 00:05:13.374 --> 00:05:17.030 but there are some expectations of the body of Christ, 00:05:17.150 --> 00:05:17.886 right? I mean, 00:05:17.886 --> 00:05:23.270 there's some things that we represent in the world around us. 00:05:23.310 --> 00:05:26.430 There's some things that God longs to see in us. 00:05:26.190 --> 00:05:26.886 For instance, 00:05:26.998 --> 00:05:29.244 God wants the world to. 00:05:29.302 --> 00:05:32.340 To see us not eating from the tree, 00:05:33.640 --> 00:05:36.064 right? That's the sin part of it, 00:05:36.232 --> 00:05:41.260 right? God wants the world to see righteousness among his people. 00:05:41.960 --> 00:05:47.632 God wants the world to see holiness practiced within the body of Christ. 00:05:47.816 --> 00:05:50.080 So when I talk about this relationship, 00:05:50.080 --> 00:05:51.592 God's the author of it. 00:05:51.592 --> 00:05:56.376 God's invited us and made a way for us to have a relationship with him 00:05:56.376 --> 00:05:57.388 first and foremost. 00:05:57.484 --> 00:05:59.180 Now, what's our relationship together? 00:05:59.220 --> 00:06:03.564 Well, the covenant Sunday kind of represents what we refer to as covenant 00:06:03.612 --> 00:06:06.440 relationship. Because when I first came here, 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:12.560 there were a lot of folks who attended occasionally, 00:06:13.220 --> 00:06:13.676 right? 00:06:13.748 --> 00:06:14.116 You know, 00:06:14.116 --> 00:06:16.716 they'd show up and they'd be here for vacation, 00:06:16.716 --> 00:06:20.420 or they'd be here certain period of the year and that kind of thing. 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:21.692 And they'd want to be involved. 00:06:21.692 --> 00:06:24.412 But there were some restrictions to being involved. 00:06:24.476 --> 00:06:28.332 And so we kind of established this idea of a covenant relationship. 00:06:28.332 --> 00:06:30.816 There are some people who live in this community, 00:06:30.816 --> 00:06:31.680 and by and large, 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:34.336 a lot of them have to do with the military or the base or something like 00:06:34.336 --> 00:06:34.952 that. 00:06:35.136 --> 00:06:39.756 And they want to be a part of what God's doing in this place. 00:06:39.840 --> 00:06:40.640 But guess what? 00:06:40.640 --> 00:06:43.936 They're not going to move their membership from Mama's church or 00:06:43.936 --> 00:06:45.192 something like that. 00:06:45.376 --> 00:06:49.860 So we created this covenant relationship whereby if you agree, 00:06:50.400 --> 00:06:52.656 if you want to be a part of what God's doing here, 00:06:52.656 --> 00:06:53.540 you can, 00:06:54.710 --> 00:06:58.566 you can jump right in the deep end of all that God's doing in this place. 00:06:58.566 --> 00:07:00.014 And we want you to. 00:06:59.798 --> 00:07:02.438 That's why the whole next step's idea was, 00:07:02.454 --> 00:07:02.854 all right, 00:07:02.854 --> 00:07:06.890 how do I get in the deep water? 00:07:07.990 --> 00:07:11.286 How do I get involved in what God's doing here? 00:07:11.286 --> 00:07:13.596 How can I connect with other people, 00:07:14.070 --> 00:07:15.390 right? Other than that? 00:07:15.398 --> 00:07:16.094 Three minutes, 00:07:16.142 --> 00:07:19.772 we give you to turn around and shake your neighbor's hand. 00:07:19.760 --> 00:07:23.672 See? So I'm going to share with you the four points of the covenant 00:07:23.672 --> 00:07:25.512 relationship. And Kyle, 00:07:25.576 --> 00:07:26.080 this morning, 00:07:26.080 --> 00:07:30.420 y'all is preaching up in Bergaw at Mission Baptist for now. 00:07:31.200 --> 00:07:35.424 And we'll be rotating in worship leadership and pastors up there over the 00:07:35.424 --> 00:07:37.128 next few weeks and months. 00:07:37.184 --> 00:07:40.736 And I'm meeting with the elders tonight to talk about the future and that 00:07:40.736 --> 00:07:41.520 kind of thing. 00:07:41.280 --> 00:07:46.178 And so I'm really excited about the fact that I believe that what we 00:07:46.234 --> 00:07:47.762 enjoy as the gathering, 00:07:47.826 --> 00:07:50.390 God actually has a plan for scattering. 00:07:51.210 --> 00:07:54.994 Alright, so if you live somewhere between here and Burgo, 00:07:55.122 --> 00:07:56.230 go to Burgo, 00:07:56.810 --> 00:07:59.430 right? You can find parking and seats. 00:08:02.730 --> 00:08:05.474 But the first point of the gathering relationship, 00:08:05.522 --> 00:08:07.554 and I want to read from Romans chapter 15, 00:08:07.554 --> 00:08:08.290 5 and 6, 00:08:08.330 --> 00:08:10.434 because we're not there yet in our study of Romans, 00:08:10.434 --> 00:08:11.530 which we begin next week, 00:08:11.530 --> 00:08:12.520 by the way, 00:08:12.602 --> 00:08:13.518 it reads this. 00:08:13.518 --> 00:08:17.846 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such 00:08:17.918 --> 00:08:21.990 harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, 00:08:22.070 --> 00:08:30.310 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and father of our 00:08:30.350 --> 00:08:31.686 Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:31.838 --> 00:08:34.808 Is that not a powerful two verses right there? 00:08:34.830 --> 00:08:38.574 That when we speak as one voice to a lost, 00:08:38.662 --> 00:08:39.550 dead, dying, 00:08:39.630 --> 00:08:41.182 dark world out there, 00:08:41.286 --> 00:08:43.770 that we glorify God together, 00:08:44.310 --> 00:08:47.262 we come together as one to bring glory to God, 00:08:47.262 --> 00:08:52.086 to exalt his name so the first point of the Gathering covenant is I will 00:08:52.086 --> 00:08:53.678 protect the unity, 00:08:53.774 --> 00:08:56.450 the oneness of the Gathering. 00:08:57.430 --> 00:08:58.862 I will protect you. 00:08:58.966 --> 00:08:59.606 Here you go. 00:08:59.606 --> 00:09:00.462 Let's pick somebody. 00:09:00.462 --> 00:09:02.366 Tom. Alright, 00:09:02.398 --> 00:09:06.886 so we run out into the street somewhere and somebody decides they want to 00:09:06.886 --> 00:09:10.446 say something bad about tomorrow defending Tom. 00:09:10.638 --> 00:09:12.130 Cause he's my brother, 00:09:12.470 --> 00:09:14.182 I'm not going to join with him and go, 00:09:14.182 --> 00:09:19.890 yeah, he really likes race cars too much and particularly Dodge, 00:09:21.510 --> 00:09:21.966 right? 00:09:22.038 --> 00:09:27.730 No, I'm not going to join with the world to attack my brother. 00:09:28.550 --> 00:09:30.200 You see what I mean? 00:09:30.870 --> 00:09:33.742 That's part of the unity of the gathering. 00:09:33.806 --> 00:09:34.318 Now. Yeah, 00:09:34.318 --> 00:09:36.566 you can get out there and say somebody says something bad about the 00:09:36.566 --> 00:09:37.556 Gathering, defend that. 00:09:37.462 --> 00:09:38.086 But no, 00:09:38.086 --> 00:09:39.190 that's not what it's talking about. 00:09:39.190 --> 00:09:42.820 What it's talking about is we're going to defend each other. 00:09:43.190 --> 00:09:43.982 You see, 00:09:44.086 --> 00:09:46.066 we're going to defend one another, 00:09:46.310 --> 00:09:48.198 we're going to help one another. 00:09:48.198 --> 00:09:49.110 So when we see this, 00:09:49.110 --> 00:09:52.398 we're going to protect the unity of gathering by acting in love toward 00:09:52.398 --> 00:09:53.070 each other, 00:09:53.190 --> 00:09:55.118 by refusing to gossip, 00:09:55.214 --> 00:09:56.864 and by following the leaders, 00:09:56.902 --> 00:10:01.730 the leadership of the gathering that God's provided for shepherds. 00:10:03.920 --> 00:10:07.272 So when we look at this covenant is relationship, 00:10:07.336 --> 00:10:12.968 the first point of the covenant relationship is we're family and we're 00:10:12.984 --> 00:10:14.634 going to defend each other. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:24.200 We're going to take an active part in standing up for one another and 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.100 being a benefit and assist, 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:28.392 helping one another, 00:10:28.496 --> 00:10:30.460 bearing one another's burdens. 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:32.024 You see, 00:10:32.192 --> 00:10:36.080 that's what the body of Christ is supposed to look like to a lost and 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:37.220 dying world. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.540 Right? And yet, 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:40.640 you know, 00:10:40.640 --> 00:10:41.584 you know me, 00:10:41.584 --> 00:10:43.234 most of you do anyway. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:47.280 A lot of what the world sees is a fight in church. 00:10:47.280 --> 00:10:52.176 Did y'all know that a lot of what the world sees is not love within the 00:10:52.176 --> 00:10:53.300 body of Christ, 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:57.990 but animosity. 00:10:58.730 --> 00:11:00.962 And so that's not us. 00:11:01.146 --> 00:11:03.126 We're not going to do that. 00:11:04.490 --> 00:11:05.230 Right? 00:11:06.730 --> 00:11:07.670 Okay. 00:11:10.250 --> 00:11:12.594 Second point of the gathering covenant, 00:11:12.642 --> 00:11:14.762 or the covenant that God's called us to, 00:11:14.762 --> 00:11:19.530 I think these are four points that apply to all of the body of Christ. 00:11:19.530 --> 00:11:22.874 I think if we consider what God gave us in family, 00:11:22.874 --> 00:11:26.174 it certainly assumed that I'm going to defend my family. 00:11:26.322 --> 00:11:28.232 And if we are the family of God, 00:11:28.232 --> 00:11:31.000 with Christ as the head and God as our father, 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:32.944 then we're supposed to defend each other. 00:11:32.944 --> 00:11:36.904 Second thing is I'm going to share the responsibility of the gathering. 00:11:36.952 --> 00:11:41.456 I'm going to share the responsibility that we have in the body of Christ. 00:11:41.184 --> 00:11:42.128 What does that mean? 00:11:42.128 --> 00:11:44.220 I'm not just a spectator. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:48.024 Okay, you know what, 00:11:48.192 --> 00:11:49.860 I like Clemson football, 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.690 but they've never invited me down on the Field, 00:11:55.510 --> 00:11:56.390 they never said, 00:11:56.390 --> 00:11:58.040 here, put these pads on. 00:11:58.070 --> 00:12:00.630 Go hit that guy that's twice as big as you are. 00:12:00.630 --> 00:12:03.270 Nobody ever did that for me in football. 00:12:03.366 --> 00:12:05.690 Never. Not even in Little league. 00:12:06.710 --> 00:12:08.070 And the one time they did, 00:12:08.070 --> 00:12:08.930 I quit. 00:12:10.310 --> 00:12:12.126 I was a small fellow, 00:12:12.318 --> 00:12:14.990 right? But in the body of Christ, 00:12:15.110 --> 00:12:19.796 we have a responsibility toward each other and for each other and for the 00:12:19.918 --> 00:12:24.312 testimony and who we are in the world around us. 00:12:24.496 --> 00:12:28.312 So how are we going to share the responsibility of this gathering? 00:12:28.312 --> 00:12:30.000 Let me share these verses with you first, 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:34.456 Thessalonians. As Paul is writing to the church that's in Thessalonica, 00:12:34.648 --> 00:12:35.640 he says this. 00:12:35.760 --> 00:12:38.820 We give thanks to God always for you, 00:12:39.280 --> 00:12:42.220 constantly mentioning you in our prayers. 00:12:42.880 --> 00:12:46.840 And I want everybody put your head on a swivel a minute. 00:12:46.792 --> 00:12:47.944 Ready? Everybody do this. 00:12:47.944 --> 00:12:49.024 Exercise your, 00:12:49.192 --> 00:12:50.540 exercise your head. 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:52.184 Now I want y'all to. 00:12:52.184 --> 00:12:53.008 As you swivel, 00:12:53.008 --> 00:12:53.338 alright? 00:12:53.248 --> 00:12:54.568 Everybody look that way. 00:12:54.712 --> 00:12:55.624 I'm looking right. 00:12:55.624 --> 00:12:56.614 Y'all look left. 00:12:56.632 --> 00:12:58.808 Now as you swivel your head back, 00:12:58.808 --> 00:13:01.304 left, stop on a person in the room. 00:13:01.304 --> 00:13:04.380 Anybody just pick a person in the room. 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:09.240 Take, take a half a second or a couple of seconds and pray for them right 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:10.816 now. Pray for them. 00:13:10.888 --> 00:13:12.208 That's what Paul said. 00:13:12.352 --> 00:13:13.550 Pray for them. 00:13:16.810 --> 00:13:23.762 We give thanks to God always for all of you constantly mentioning you in 00:13:23.786 --> 00:13:24.790 our prayers. 00:13:25.370 --> 00:13:26.434 How about that? 00:13:26.522 --> 00:13:27.754 Pray for each other, 00:13:27.754 --> 00:13:31.230 folks. Pick somebody out and just pray for them, 00:13:31.690 --> 00:13:32.506 right? I mean, 00:13:32.506 --> 00:13:35.690 I can stand up here and I can call a bunch of you by name, 00:13:35.690 --> 00:13:38.394 just say yup and just pray for them. 00:13:38.522 --> 00:13:40.250 Luke 14:23 says. 00:13:40.290 --> 00:13:42.600 And the Master said to the servant, 00:13:42.690 --> 00:13:43.434 go out. 00:13:43.522 --> 00:13:48.490 Now, this is one of the parables of Jesus talking about the wedding party 00:13:48.530 --> 00:13:49.082 of heaven, 00:13:49.082 --> 00:13:53.394 right? Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in 00:13:53.394 --> 00:13:55.374 that my house may be filled. 00:13:55.386 --> 00:13:58.026 Now, I want to give y'all some commendation. 00:13:57.674 --> 00:13:59.984 Y'all do a good job at this. 00:14:01.490 --> 00:14:04.460 Let's just share Christmas Eve as a particular point, 00:14:04.830 --> 00:14:07.094 right? How many of you were here Christmas Eve? 00:14:07.094 --> 00:14:09.958 How many of you got here early enough to get a seat? 00:14:09.958 --> 00:14:11.278 Thank you very much. 00:14:11.102 --> 00:14:11.970 You see, 00:14:12.910 --> 00:14:17.966 I think it's great that we can go out into the community in an effort of 00:14:17.966 --> 00:14:22.774 being excited about what God's doing and invite people to come be excited 00:14:22.822 --> 00:14:26.214 with us to come to the house, 00:14:26.382 --> 00:14:28.246 this worship center, 00:14:28.438 --> 00:14:31.052 and celebrate and sing and, 00:14:31.206 --> 00:14:35.620 and hug each other and just show people the love of God, 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:37.340 you see, 00:14:37.640 --> 00:14:39.288 Go and bring people in, 00:14:39.288 --> 00:14:40.296 fill my house up. 00:14:40.296 --> 00:14:41.376 And then Romans 15, 00:14:41.448 --> 00:14:42.380 verse 7, 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:46.104 which is just beyond verse 6 that I read a minute ago, 00:14:46.104 --> 00:14:47.784 therefore, now this is what it says. 00:14:47.784 --> 00:14:49.240 I'll go back and read 5 and 6, 00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:50.520 because that's point one. 00:14:50.520 --> 00:14:53.400 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such 00:14:53.400 --> 00:14:56.288 harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, 00:14:56.288 --> 00:15:00.226 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our 00:15:00.226 --> 00:15:01.450 Lord Jesus Christ. 00:15:01.570 --> 00:15:06.938 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of 00:15:06.994 --> 00:15:09.194 God, Right? 00:15:09.362 --> 00:15:14.794 Welcome each other when we turn you loose for the chaos that is greeting 00:15:14.842 --> 00:15:15.802 time, man. 00:15:15.826 --> 00:15:16.874 Go welcome somebody. 00:15:16.922 --> 00:15:17.346 They may say, 00:15:17.346 --> 00:15:18.690 I've been here longer than you, 00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:19.590 so what? 00:15:20.450 --> 00:15:21.626 Welcome them. 00:15:21.778 --> 00:15:23.074 I tell folks all the time, 00:15:23.074 --> 00:15:24.634 you just act like you've been here. 00:15:24.370 --> 00:15:26.020 Nobody will know the difference. 00:15:26.770 --> 00:15:28.114 You see what I mean? 00:15:28.114 --> 00:15:33.070 So we're supposed to just wrap people up as they come in the door, 00:15:33.490 --> 00:15:34.762 right? I mean, 00:15:34.786 --> 00:15:36.436 there's some people I love. 00:15:36.770 --> 00:15:38.682 I don't mind hugging anybody, 00:15:38.826 --> 00:15:39.466 right? 00:15:39.618 --> 00:15:40.870 I'll hug you. 00:15:41.410 --> 00:15:44.710 And what's funny is there are those people who don't, 00:15:45.330 --> 00:15:48.546 right? And you always know those people because when you reach out to 00:15:48.546 --> 00:15:51.210 shake. This is a pastor's manipulation. 00:15:51.290 --> 00:15:52.190 You ready? 00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:53.116 Come here, 00:15:53.116 --> 00:15:56.084 Tom. Let's show them I'm still in camera, 00:15:56.132 --> 00:15:57.580 right? I grab your hand, 00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:59.230 this is what I'm doing. 00:16:00.300 --> 00:16:01.956 And the minute I start to tug, 00:16:01.956 --> 00:16:02.508 you know, 00:16:02.508 --> 00:16:05.600 the non huggers go like that. 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:07.252 You see? 00:16:07.436 --> 00:16:10.388 See, we're supposed to show one another love. 00:16:10.444 --> 00:16:13.524 Not just this indifference or this, 00:16:13.612 --> 00:16:14.148 oh, yeah, 00:16:14.148 --> 00:16:15.852 I've seen you sit over here before, 00:16:15.852 --> 00:16:19.268 I'm glad to see you again this week kind of thing. 00:16:19.268 --> 00:16:21.538 We're supposed to love people as they walk in the door. 00:16:21.538 --> 00:16:22.330 Because you know what? 00:16:22.330 --> 00:16:23.034 Out in the world, 00:16:23.034 --> 00:16:23.778 out there, 00:16:23.914 --> 00:16:25.950 people don't love each other. 00:16:26.890 --> 00:16:31.150 They don't tell you a story because I got lots of them. 00:16:32.810 --> 00:16:34.310 After the eighth grade, 00:16:36.010 --> 00:16:38.350 Eli went to a Christian school. 00:16:38.970 --> 00:16:42.226 He'd been in public school from kindergarten up through the eighth grade 00:16:42.226 --> 00:16:44.050 or through half of the eighth grade. 00:16:44.050 --> 00:16:46.690 And then we took him out and put him in a Christian school and. 00:16:46.690 --> 00:16:48.670 And Eli loved to play soccer. 00:16:48.556 --> 00:16:50.356 See, he was a little like me at one time. 00:16:50.356 --> 00:16:52.524 Now he's bigger than me and that's okay. 00:16:52.524 --> 00:16:55.404 But he tried basketball. 00:16:55.532 --> 00:16:56.412 Didn't work. 00:16:56.596 --> 00:16:57.844 He tried T ball, 00:16:57.844 --> 00:16:58.834 it was boring. 00:16:59.140 --> 00:17:00.716 And then he tried soccer. 00:17:00.716 --> 00:17:02.080 And he was fast. 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:03.324 Good gracious, 00:17:03.372 --> 00:17:04.268 that kid was fast. 00:17:04.268 --> 00:17:05.844 He'd be the fastest one on the field. 00:17:05.844 --> 00:17:06.504 He'd fly. 00:17:06.540 --> 00:17:08.012 And I remember in kindergarten, 00:17:08.012 --> 00:17:09.556 soccer, there was a whole huddle of them. 00:17:09.556 --> 00:17:11.644 You know how a bunch of little kindergartners got the ball in the middle 00:17:11.644 --> 00:17:11.892 of them, 00:17:11.892 --> 00:17:13.588 they all kicking each other and this sort of thing. 00:17:13.588 --> 00:17:17.412 Well, Eli pile drive into that mess and came out the other side with the 00:17:17.412 --> 00:17:19.282 ball and went to the Goal. 00:17:19.282 --> 00:17:22.706 Right? So he goes to private school up in Jacksonville, 00:17:22.738 --> 00:17:23.398 up there. 00:17:23.322 --> 00:17:25.530 And he's really nervous in August of that year, 00:17:25.530 --> 00:17:26.346 his ninth grade year. 00:17:26.346 --> 00:17:27.034 And he goes in. 00:17:27.034 --> 00:17:29.802 He doesn't know how they're going to relate to him and all that sort of 00:17:29.802 --> 00:17:33.426 thing. And it's a Christian school that actually practiced Christian 00:17:33.618 --> 00:17:35.890 relationship. And when he walked in, 00:17:35.930 --> 00:17:36.590 they said, 00:17:36.602 --> 00:17:37.670 oh, hey, 00:17:38.090 --> 00:17:38.818 you're new. 00:17:38.874 --> 00:17:39.674 And he was like, 00:17:39.674 --> 00:17:41.058 yeah. They're like, 00:17:41.114 --> 00:17:42.764 man, we're glad you're here. 00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:46.092 We're glad you're here to play soccer. 00:17:46.092 --> 00:17:48.072 We're glad you're here for school. 00:17:48.900 --> 00:17:51.540 And he came home that day and he went. 00:17:51.156 --> 00:17:52.600 They talked to me. 00:17:53.300 --> 00:17:55.280 See, the world doesn't do that, 00:17:55.348 --> 00:17:57.180 folks. Right? 00:17:57.300 --> 00:18:02.460 The world is very skeptical of one another and very cynical about each 00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:09.452 other. And so we doubt or the world tries to use one another for their 00:18:09.476 --> 00:18:10.630 own benefit. 00:18:10.820 --> 00:18:11.994 In the body of Christ, 00:18:11.994 --> 00:18:14.304 we're just supposed to love each other. 00:18:14.410 --> 00:18:16.110 That's what it's talking about. 00:18:17.370 --> 00:18:18.360 Third point is, 00:18:18.378 --> 00:18:21.910 I will serve the ministry of the gathering. 00:18:22.490 --> 00:18:26.450 That is really the representation of what God's called us to do, 00:18:27.130 --> 00:18:30.858 to be a part of what God's called us to be a part of. 00:18:30.858 --> 00:18:32.186 And how do we do that? 00:18:32.010 --> 00:18:32.426 Here you go, 00:18:32.426 --> 00:18:33.750 from First Peter, 00:18:34.810 --> 00:18:35.490 chapter 4, 00:18:35.530 --> 00:18:36.210 verse 10 says, 00:18:36.250 --> 00:18:38.230 as each has received a gift. 00:18:38.930 --> 00:18:40.594 Did you bring yours this morning? 00:18:40.594 --> 00:18:41.630 Just checking. 00:18:41.970 --> 00:18:43.850 As each has received a gift, 00:18:43.850 --> 00:18:50.990 use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. 00:18:51.730 --> 00:18:55.266 So the first point of that is I need to know what my gift is. 00:18:54.962 --> 00:18:59.150 What is it God's entrusted to you for his kingdom's sake? 00:18:59.650 --> 00:19:02.290 Right? Maybe you just got a great smile. 00:19:03.330 --> 00:19:06.394 We had a great big old choir at First Baptist Church in Beaufort, 00:19:06.394 --> 00:19:08.750 Georgia, Right? 00:19:09.370 --> 00:19:15.110 And Wayne used to say that we have singers and smilers. 00:19:16.490 --> 00:19:18.746 There were people who wanted to be a part of the choir because it was a 00:19:18.746 --> 00:19:23.650 cool choir and some of them could really sing and some of them really 00:19:23.690 --> 00:19:25.650 couldn't. He said, 00:19:25.690 --> 00:19:27.266 that's the smiling row. 00:19:27.458 --> 00:19:29.138 Your job's to smile, 00:19:29.314 --> 00:19:34.962 right? Maybe your gift is just smiling or joy or hospitality. 00:19:35.106 --> 00:19:37.154 Maybe your gift is withstanding cold. 00:19:37.202 --> 00:19:40.390 And we need you on the parking team this morning, 00:19:40.390 --> 00:19:44.222 okay? Discover your gift, 00:19:44.286 --> 00:19:49.726 the talents that God's poured into you by being equipped to serve as 00:19:49.798 --> 00:19:51.678 needed within the body, 00:19:51.734 --> 00:19:52.542 by the pastors, 00:19:52.542 --> 00:19:53.182 the teachers, 00:19:53.182 --> 00:19:55.730 the ministries of this gathering. 00:19:56.470 --> 00:19:59.110 And then this is probably the starting point, 00:19:59.126 --> 00:20:01.770 is by developing a servant's heart, 00:20:02.550 --> 00:20:06.560 are you willing to give of yourself time, 00:20:07.020 --> 00:20:08.920 energy, talents? 00:20:09.340 --> 00:20:10.990 Are you willing to give? 00:20:11.116 --> 00:20:14.652 Now, I don't know who you picked out to pray for a few minutes ago, 00:20:14.652 --> 00:20:20.292 but what Are you willing to give that person for the glory of God in the 00:20:20.316 --> 00:20:21.160 kingdom? 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:30.456 See, by developing a servant's heart in the fourth point of the gathering 00:20:30.628 --> 00:20:33.088 covenant relationship is just simply this. 00:20:33.144 --> 00:20:39.872 I will support the testimony of the gathering of the body of Christ. 00:20:40.056 --> 00:20:43.320 And this is the one that goes back to Hebrews. 00:20:43.320 --> 00:20:45.424 And since we spent all last year in Hebrews, 00:20:45.424 --> 00:20:47.734 I'm sure you all got this memorized. 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:50.428 Hebrews 10, 00:20:50.659 --> 00:20:52.848 23, 25. 00:20:52.904 --> 00:20:54.884 And I've only given them verse 25. 00:20:54.904 --> 00:20:56.112 But this is where it starts. 00:20:56.112 --> 00:20:56.584 It says, 00:20:56.584 --> 00:21:01.490 let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, 00:21:01.910 --> 00:21:04.930 since he who promised is faithful. 00:21:05.430 --> 00:21:10.798 And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, 00:21:10.974 --> 00:21:14.934 not neglecting to gather together as some are in the habit of doing, 00:21:14.934 --> 00:21:16.810 but encouraging each other. 00:21:17.190 --> 00:21:22.290 And all the more as you see the day approaching. 00:21:27.360 --> 00:21:34.680 I'm kind of hard on what I often call church and churchianity, 00:21:34.840 --> 00:21:36.968 right? I grew up in it, 00:21:37.024 --> 00:21:38.104 man, I tell y'all, 00:21:38.104 --> 00:21:39.000 I'm 62. 00:21:39.040 --> 00:21:41.780 I've been in church 62 years and nine months. 00:21:43.280 --> 00:21:49.632 I met a lady at Mom's funeral Wednesday who is the pianist at the church 00:21:49.816 --> 00:21:52.624 my parents took me to when I was first born, 00:21:52.624 --> 00:21:53.984 Harris Baptist Church, 00:21:54.032 --> 00:21:55.224 where I was a mission friend. 00:21:55.224 --> 00:21:55.884 Remember that? 00:21:55.784 --> 00:21:56.696 And this lady came up, 00:21:56.696 --> 00:21:57.016 she says, 00:21:57.016 --> 00:21:58.768 I'm the pianist at Harris Baptist Church. 00:21:58.768 --> 00:21:59.160 And I went, 00:21:59.160 --> 00:22:03.380 oh, I was a sunbeam in that church. 00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:06.840 And she kind of grinned because she knew what I was talking about, 00:22:06.840 --> 00:22:09.920 right? But here's the truth of it, 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:14.100 folks. When we consider our testimony, 00:22:14.520 --> 00:22:16.420 does our testimony, 00:22:17.070 --> 00:22:20.770 the world support, 00:22:23.550 --> 00:22:28.050 highlight, enhance the testimony of the body of Christ? 00:22:29.150 --> 00:22:30.850 Do people look at us? 00:22:31.150 --> 00:22:32.158 You want me to get more, 00:22:32.158 --> 00:22:32.934 more specific? 00:22:32.982 --> 00:22:35.230 Do people look at you and go, 00:22:35.230 --> 00:22:36.810 you must know Jesus? 00:22:38.590 --> 00:22:40.250 Is that your testimony? 00:22:41.150 --> 00:22:43.460 Is that what people see in you? 00:22:43.880 --> 00:22:45.072 Oh, man, 00:22:45.256 --> 00:22:46.900 you must know Jesus. 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:51.224 How do we support the testimony of this body? 00:22:51.224 --> 00:22:52.960 By attending faithfully, 00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:55.088 by living a godly life, 00:22:55.224 --> 00:22:56.704 by giving regularly. 00:22:56.752 --> 00:22:57.248 And. Yeah, 00:22:57.248 --> 00:22:58.848 that's one of those times where I mentioned, 00:22:58.848 --> 00:22:59.624 yeah, your time, 00:22:59.624 --> 00:23:00.284 your energy, 00:23:00.312 --> 00:23:01.088 your talent, 00:23:01.184 --> 00:23:07.940 what God's provided for you by giving of yourself for the kingdom of God, 00:23:08.850 --> 00:23:12.162 the ministry that God's called you to be a part of. 00:23:11.938 --> 00:23:14.594 So then I finish today's message with this question. 00:23:14.594 --> 00:23:15.914 Why are you here? 00:23:16.210 --> 00:23:16.642 I mean, 00:23:16.642 --> 00:23:17.714 I love it that you're here. 00:23:17.714 --> 00:23:18.762 Don't get me wrong. 00:23:18.762 --> 00:23:21.186 I'm not telling you to leave and I'm not telling you I don't want to see 00:23:21.186 --> 00:23:22.506 you back next week. 00:23:22.370 --> 00:23:22.946 Matter of fact, 00:23:22.946 --> 00:23:26.734 I'm going to mention Emily and Sherry over there because this is the 00:23:26.734 --> 00:23:28.386 first time they've been in the community now, 00:23:28.386 --> 00:23:29.706 again, for a while. 00:23:29.746 --> 00:23:30.914 Again, I say that, 00:23:30.914 --> 00:23:35.684 but they came from Pisgah Forest where I pastored before, 00:23:35.772 --> 00:23:38.804 right? They were members of Pisgah Forest Baptist Church. 00:23:38.852 --> 00:23:42.972 And Sherry took care of Eli when he was little and Emily was a little 00:23:42.972 --> 00:23:46.220 young girl back there and all that sort of thing. 00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:50.180 And they've had some real life changes over the last several years. 00:23:50.012 --> 00:23:54.564 And they decided to relocate and they decided to come here. 00:23:54.732 --> 00:24:00.100 Now, I don't know that the gathering is the main reason for relocating 00:24:00.180 --> 00:24:03.046 here, but they walked up to me this morning and said, 00:24:03.046 --> 00:24:04.214 hey. And I went, 00:24:04.214 --> 00:24:07.838 ah, just to hug their necks. 00:24:07.934 --> 00:24:09.446 That's Emily and Sherry over there. 00:24:09.446 --> 00:24:10.246 Raise your hands. 00:24:10.078 --> 00:24:11.510 Go ahead and tell them they're here. 00:24:11.510 --> 00:24:13.046 Now, here's what I'm going to tell you. 00:24:13.046 --> 00:24:15.062 This is what I love about it, 00:24:15.062 --> 00:24:16.326 because when they came in, 00:24:16.326 --> 00:24:16.630 I said, 00:24:16.630 --> 00:24:18.494 y'all not going to guess who's here this weekend. 00:24:18.494 --> 00:24:18.886 They said, 00:24:18.886 --> 00:24:19.286 who? I said, 00:24:19.286 --> 00:24:20.686 ronnie and Debbie English. 00:24:20.878 --> 00:24:24.566 Ronnie and Debbie English is another couple from up at Pisgah Forest who 00:24:24.566 --> 00:24:28.296 come here regularly and come and worship with us regularly when they come 00:24:28.296 --> 00:24:28.992 down on vacation. 00:24:28.992 --> 00:24:30.600 They'll be here later in the morning. 00:24:30.600 --> 00:24:33.240 Folks, the body of Christ is not just in this room. 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:35.784 The body of Christ extends out into the community. 00:24:35.784 --> 00:24:36.952 And when the community, 00:24:36.952 --> 00:24:37.704 when the world, 00:24:37.704 --> 00:24:38.704 the lost world, 00:24:38.792 --> 00:24:40.968 sees how the body of Christ loves each other, 00:24:40.968 --> 00:24:45.176 that is the main opportunity for us to share the testimony and the 00:24:45.176 --> 00:24:46.380 witness of Christ. 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:50.740 Does your testimony point people to Jesus? 00:24:51.800 --> 00:24:53.500 See that man? 00:24:55.860 --> 00:24:57.452 Covenant relationship. 00:24:57.596 --> 00:24:59.560 God has authored it. 00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:01.972 And if you're in this room right now, 00:25:01.972 --> 00:25:05.940 I'm going to go ahead and tell you God has offered it to you. 00:25:05.940 --> 00:25:09.720 Relationship with him and relationship with each other. 00:25:10.580 --> 00:25:14.636 Okay, so there is a covenant card. 00:25:14.668 --> 00:25:17.756 We don't really ask you to sign it and turn it in anymore, 00:25:17.756 --> 00:25:21.556 but we're going to be producing those and making those available to you 00:25:21.556 --> 00:25:28.412 that have all of my outline this morning is just simply a copy of the 00:25:28.436 --> 00:25:29.600 covenant card. 00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.404 That's it. 00:25:31.572 --> 00:25:33.552 Because we covenant with each other, 00:25:33.604 --> 00:25:34.972 we covenant with God, 00:25:35.116 --> 00:25:39.956 and we covenant with each other to be the body of Christ in this place 00:25:39.956 --> 00:25:41.560 and wherever we are. 00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:44.660 So y'all know my next line, 00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:47.120 right? It all starts with Jesus. 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:49.350 If you don't know Jesus, 00:25:49.850 --> 00:25:51.826 you don't have that relationship. 00:25:52.018 --> 00:25:57.010 If you've never trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior and received the 00:25:57.050 --> 00:25:59.922 redemption and salvation that God has offered, 00:26:00.066 --> 00:26:02.866 you need that more than you need anything else. 00:26:02.866 --> 00:26:04.778 I'm just going to go ahead and tell you, 00:26:04.778 --> 00:26:08.914 you're not going to know the peace that Christ gives. 00:26:08.962 --> 00:26:15.106 You're not going to know the community of relationship and fellowship 00:26:15.138 --> 00:26:18.768 with God and with each other that God offers in Christ. 00:26:19.550 --> 00:26:20.822 You need Jesus. 00:26:20.966 --> 00:26:22.406 And if you got Jesus, 00:26:22.406 --> 00:26:23.446 you know that. 00:26:23.598 --> 00:26:24.930 That you need him. 00:26:25.470 --> 00:26:26.370 All right, 00:26:27.790 --> 00:26:29.310 I will tell you this, 00:26:29.310 --> 00:26:29.854 you know, 00:26:29.854 --> 00:26:30.838 15 years later, 00:26:30.894 --> 00:26:32.330 I love this gathering. 00:26:32.990 --> 00:26:36.550 I love being able to stand up and share the word of God. 00:26:36.550 --> 00:26:37.318 I love, 00:26:37.454 --> 00:26:39.390 I love it that when I walked in this morning, 00:26:39.390 --> 00:26:44.870 boy, everybody wanted to hug me and share their prayers for me and their 00:26:44.910 --> 00:26:46.038 concern for me. 00:26:46.094 --> 00:26:48.100 But I'm going to tell y'all something. 00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:48.948 You know what? 00:26:48.948 --> 00:26:53.680 Even up until the last I knew where mom was headed. 00:26:54.180 --> 00:26:55.830 I know where she is. 00:26:56.180 --> 00:26:59.836 I know that her worship as good as our worship is, 00:26:59.908 --> 00:27:03.920 y'all, her worship this Sunday morning was better than ours. 00:27:04.660 --> 00:27:08.000 Alright, I'm okay. 00:27:09.060 --> 00:27:10.500 This year is going to be a good year, 00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:16.140 y'all. It's going to be exciting to see what God does in our midst. 00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:17.416 All right? 00:27:17.568 --> 00:27:18.648 If you don't know Jesus, 00:27:18.648 --> 00:27:21.376 we're going to give you an opportunity to know him. 00:27:21.072 --> 00:27:23.712 If you need somebody to share with you Christ, 00:27:23.712 --> 00:27:28.088 and we've got folks here who will sit down and talk with you about Jesus. 00:27:28.088 --> 00:27:31.672 Okay? Maybe you want to be a part of the gathering. 00:27:31.672 --> 00:27:31.936 You know, 00:27:31.936 --> 00:27:33.216 kind of the whole membership thing, 00:27:33.216 --> 00:27:37.580 which goes kind of one step beyond the covenant relationship idea, 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:40.824 actually making your membership a part of this. 00:27:40.912 --> 00:27:41.536 You can do that, 00:27:41.536 --> 00:27:41.866 too. 00:27:41.760 --> 00:27:42.816 All you got to do is come down and say, 00:27:42.816 --> 00:27:44.160 I want to be a member. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:48.450 And then we'll fill out a little card and we'll put you in. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:54.450 Put you in that really old book that we have in the office. 00:27:55.760 --> 00:27:56.640 You know that book, 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:56.976 don't you, 00:27:56.976 --> 00:27:59.300 Amanda? It's a really old book. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.656 Anyway, be a part of what God's doing this year, 00:28:02.656 --> 00:28:05.900 y'all. You can't imagine, 00:28:07.120 --> 00:28:10.474 just can't imagine what God wants to do. 00:28:10.632 --> 00:28:11.292 Let's pray. 00:28:11.318 --> 00:28:12.766 God, thank you for today. 00:28:12.766 --> 00:28:13.870 Thank you for your love. 00:28:13.870 --> 00:28:14.382 And thank you, 00:28:14.382 --> 00:28:21.090 God, that you have made us a part of something that is way beyond us. 00:28:22.110 --> 00:28:23.730 God, you've loved us. 00:28:24.590 --> 00:28:27.170 You've shown us that love in Christ. 00:28:28.030 --> 00:28:33.654 God, you've wrapped us up with a family and a body whereby, 00:28:33.702 --> 00:28:37.170 God, we can love you together. 00:28:37.910 --> 00:28:44.222 And then we get to love each other and to bring you glory because of our 00:28:44.246 --> 00:28:46.790 love for each other as the body of Christ. 00:28:46.790 --> 00:28:47.358 So, God, 00:28:47.358 --> 00:28:48.734 today we celebrate. 00:28:48.862 --> 00:28:50.230 We celebrate a new year. 00:28:50.230 --> 00:28:53.770 Yeah, we celebrate a Sunday. 00:28:54.550 --> 00:28:55.198 But God, 00:28:55.198 --> 00:28:59.530 again, we just celebrate being part of your family. 00:29:00.230 --> 00:29:04.580 So God help us to love each other like he called us to do. 00:29:04.580 --> 00:29:06.364 And God first and foremost, 00:29:06.412 --> 00:29:07.988 help us to love you back. 00:29:07.988 --> 00:29:09.588 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:29:09.588 --> 00:29:09.820 Amen.