WEBVTT

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Good to see you hope.

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Community Church in the house of the Lord.

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Those of you joining us online, let's stand together

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as we read the word of the Lord.

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Romans chapter eight, verse 35 says this,

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who shall separate us from the love of Christ

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shall tribulation or distress, or persecution,

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or famine, or nakedness, or danger

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or sword as it is written for your sake,

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we are being killed all the day long.

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We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

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But then Paul says, no.

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In all these things, we are more than conquerors

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through Him who loved us.

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For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels

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nor rulers, no things present, nor things to come,

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nor powers, nor height, nor death,

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nor anything else in all creation, will be able

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to separate us from the love

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of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Can we celebrate the Lord for his word today? Hallelujah.

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With us

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On

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Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

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Hey,

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before we continue worshiping together, why don't you turn

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to two or three people and welcome them

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to Hope Community Church.

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And if you're joining us online,

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why don't you write in the chat

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that you are new to hope community

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Amazing. We're gonna

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continue to worship together today,

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and we're gonna learn a new song.

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And it's just about how Jesus is everything.

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That there is no treasure of this life

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that could ever satisfy our hearts like Jesus.

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So we're gonna worship together today.

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Sing this out. I don't want anything but you.

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I don't want

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I thought

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close to knowing you

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now that I'm yours.

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I spend forever in.

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You can

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Just want Jesus.

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Come on, look at him. Look at him today.

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Gooding this out.

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I don't, I don't

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eat anything else.

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You're, You're come today.

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I don't want anyone else.

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I don't because you,

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you can

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I the wonders of

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I,

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I

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have

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I

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death not

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before, before you silence the

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heaven.

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You

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is the,

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the name,

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powerful

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name.

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Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for the power

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that is in that name, that name that is able

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to raise the dead back to life.

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God, we thank you for your son Jesus.

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We thank you that we get to celebrate, that we get

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to praise you, that we get to worship you for all

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that you've done, for all that you're going

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to do in this time.

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Now, we committed to you.

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We pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,

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in the mighty matchless name of Jesus, we pray,

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let the church of God say amen and amen.

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It's great worshiping with you. You go be seated.

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Hello, hope we're gonna have some family time together.

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While I'm preparing, if you could find your communion cup,

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you know why I'm here?

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Those of you want to join me, communion could find your cup

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and get started on that.

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You know what, top today I want to bring

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to your mind the word forgiveness.

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When I was preparing for this, I thought, what word

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captures this moment?

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And I thought forgiveness.

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In Ephesians chapter one, verse seven, it says in him,

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we have redemption through his blood,

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forgiveness of our trespasses

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and our sins according to

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his riches and his grace.

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So when we take this bread

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and this wine, we are reminded that we are forgiven.

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God loves us. He sent us, his son

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and his son gave himself a sacrifice.

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And we acknowledge that every time we take this bread

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and we drink this cup.

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So I want you to join me

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and take this wafer, get it in your hands and break it.

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Father, we thank you for this bread

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which represents the body of our Lord.

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We thank you that he forgave us on that cross,

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and we're forgiven today.

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Take either body,

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we have this wine represents his blood, And

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as Ephesians says, we are redeemed.

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We are forgiving through the blood of Jesus.

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So I want you to drink this blood with me.

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Father, we thank you for you sending your son,

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because we know through that act we are forgiven

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and we live under grace today

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because of the sacrifice of your son

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with his body and his blood.

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And we thank you for it. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Amen.

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Amen. Thanks brother Carl,

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We hope it is good to worship together.

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As you guys are sounding good, we had a little bit of

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that throwback, uh, worship there.

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And, uh, hopefully if you're not in the room with us,

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you're seeing along real loud at the top of your lungs,

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people that are riding along next to you,

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wondering what's going on over there.

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But anyway, uh, my name's Jamie.

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If we haven't met one of the pastors around here,

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and hopefully we do get a chance

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to meet, especially if you're new.

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We wanna say welcome. Uh, hopefully you're getting a,

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a taste of what it looks like to hang out with this family.

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We call Hope Community Church.

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We are a family who seeks to love God, follow Jesus,

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and share hope with our community so they might know

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and experience the love of God

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and the life that Jesus

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who Carl was just talking about made,

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came to make available.

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So we want to encourage you to take a step toward that.

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Even if that step is just maybe meeting one person

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before you leave, you can do that out

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of the next steps area before you head out.

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And if you wanna do that digitally, just drop some, uh,

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notes there in the chat or in the comment section

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and someone will follow up with you before the week is out.

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We just wanna say thanks for it being, uh, with us.

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Well, we talk a lot about family at Hope Community Church,

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and last week we kind of doubled down on that.

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Hopefully you were around.

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We had our all in fifth Sunday fun day family experience

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where we brought all

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of the generations together in the room.

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We let some of the students take over

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hosting responsibilities.

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We had a message all about what it looks like

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to be an individual part of contributing

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to this great big family that, uh, we call the church.

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And there was kids city worship team.

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It was just such a great weekend to be together,

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and we hope that you were able to be a part of that

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and experience a little bit of what your students

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and your kids get to experience week in

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and week out when they're not here in the

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room with the grownups.

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And so we wanna encourage you, ask them about it,

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keep the conversation going at home.

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It's always good to share what God's doing in your life

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with your family and this family

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of families called the Church.

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Well, a big part of God living out his mission

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through His people is when we all step toward belonging

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and discover our purpose.

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And there's an opportunity coming up

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for guys in our church just next month that we want you

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to hear a little bit more about right now,

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Men of Hope. Uh,

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I believe we have a pandemic.

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Uh, the reality is there are men too, many men going

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through life, uh, without knowing purpose,

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without having hope, uh, wondering where they're supposed

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to spend their time, the pressures of being a great husband,

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the pressures of being a great dad, the pressures of

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what does it really mean to provide for my family,

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am I on the right path in life?

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Uh, there's an organization that we have partnered with

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that has an experience.

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It's called the Extreme Character Challenge,

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where you spend 72 hours out in the wilderness,

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away from the distractions

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and life with other, uh, like-minded men

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for the sole purpose of seeking God's desire and God's plan

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and God's purpose for your life.

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Uh, myself and Pastor Matt Curtis, pastor Sam Cannoli,

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uh, had an opportunity.

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I extended a gracious invitation to them, which I'm certain

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that they're appreciative

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or, uh, in the mountains of Colorado earlier in the summer.

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And I would love for them to have an opportunity

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to tell you about their experience.

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So, Matt, Sam, uh,

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you went on the Extreme Character Challenge,

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spent 72 hours in the mountains of Colorado.

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Uh, I'd love for you just to share

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with our people here at Hope.

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What was that experience like? What kind

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of impact did it have on your life?

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Uh, significant impact, for sure.

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Um, went into it not knowing anything really.

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They, that's the way they want it. And, uh, it worked out.

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I went into it, uh, burnout though.

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I went into it, um, passive

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and looking, seeking for a bit of an awakening, uh,

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because I was coming home at night spent,

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and my family was getting the last of me,

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and that didn't feel right or godly.

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Um, and showed up not knowing anything,

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didn't have a backpack, had to, you know, find a way,

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get a backpack, didn't have a tent,

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borrowed some stuff showed up.

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And, uh, by the end of it came home.

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And, uh, I'll tell you, when I, when I processed some of it

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with my wife, uh, there were tears.

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There was repentance, um, and there was an awakening.

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So God moved in a big way.

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Uh, and I love doing it with you guys.

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Absolutely. You know, for me, obviously, you know,

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this brother didn't have any backpack, any boots.

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I mean, I didn't, I didn't know

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what I was even doing out there.

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I know that I answered the call like, Hey,

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my pastor says he wants to go on this thing.

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Hey, let's, let's go do it. I

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Think I remember about, I wanna say 60 minutes,

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probably 16 minutes in that first night you looked at me

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and said, what, what have I done? Oh,

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Oh, I, I I assure you it wasn't 16 minutes.

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Uh, I didn't even make it that long,

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but I, I will say that one of the things that was

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so profound was, uh, a couple things.

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Number one, it's so easy for men today to try to get

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through life on their own.

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That's right. And one of the, one

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of the most profound things that I learned was how important

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and how imperative it is

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to have godly men have in your back.

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That's right. Especially when times get tough,

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when challenges you face,

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and you don't know exactly how things are gonna turn out.

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That was what you guys showed me in that moment of, Hey,

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I don't have to do it alone and I don't want to do it alone.

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Right. Uh, another thing was I got to see just

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what was inside this tank that my brain told me

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I didn't have enough for.

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But through the power of the spirit of God,

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and through the encouragement of my brothers, I was able

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to do things and experience things

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that I probably would not have been able

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to experience any other way.

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And that in itself was transformational for me.

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Praise God, man. Yeah, I, I could go down the whole list.

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I mean, for me, um, it man leadership can be a lonely place.

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And and for me to be reminded of, no, no, you,

265
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you don't have to believe that lie.

266
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You, you need men around you,

267
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and there are men who are willing to come around you.

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And then I think for me specifically, uh,

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God used the lesson of, um, you might think

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that you have your way figured out.

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Um, the reality is life is about trusting in me.

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And so being in an environment

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where I couldn't rely on myself and my strengths

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and my forethought, um, was a great reminder to me

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that I do have a loving God that is with me,

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even in the midst of maybe not knowing what's next.

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So to all of you, minute hope, you're,

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you could be thinking, uh, well, how hard is it?

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Uh, it's hard enough. How far do you hike? Far enough?

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That's right. That's what you're gonna hear.

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Um, the reality is you read scripture cover to cover,

282
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and God has a history of meeting man on a mountain.

283
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Uh, whether you're talking about Moses,

284
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whether you're talking about Elijah,

285
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whether you're talking about Jesus himself

286
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or Jesus calling his disciples up onto the side

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of a mountain with him, there's something about God speaking

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to a man in a place

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that is removed from the day in and day out grind.

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I want to challenge you, men and and wives.

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I, I wanna encourage you, challenge your husbands.

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Uh, this is an opportunity to step out of the daily grind,

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to be called out of passivity, to, to have a group

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of men surround you and,

295
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and walk towards what it is that God might want us

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to come face to face with.

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And so, if you're sitting here right now,

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and you've got that feeling in your chest, is this me?

299
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I believe it's you. And so what I want you to do,

300
00:28:41.755 --> 00:28:44.645
text the word mountain to 7 2 9 8 9.

301
00:28:44.645 --> 00:28:47.045
You're gonna link, get a link set directly to your phone.

302
00:28:47.585 --> 00:28:48.685
And, uh, you'll have all the

303
00:28:48.685 --> 00:28:50.085
information there that you need.

304
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If you have any questions for us,

305
00:28:51.525 --> 00:28:53.245
please don't hesitate to reach out.

306
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Let's take, could you imagine, uh, if the Men

307
00:28:56.805 --> 00:28:58.805
of Hope said no to passivity?

308
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And I'm gonna chase after the plans

309
00:29:00.625 --> 00:29:03.205
and purposes that God has for me, linked arms

310
00:29:03.635 --> 00:29:06.645
with the other men of hope for what it is that God has

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00:29:06.645 --> 00:29:10.085
for us in our lives, mountain 7 2, 9, 8, 9.

312
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Love you guys. All right.

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Hope, uh, listen, I,

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I believe the date is October 16th through the 19th.

315
00:29:19.185 --> 00:29:23.165
And so men, uh, you saw Mountain to 7 2 9 8 9,

316
00:29:23.685 --> 00:29:25.525
I wished you guys, uh, could have been there

317
00:29:25.545 --> 00:29:27.925
and just seen some video clips of me and Matt Curtis,

318
00:29:28.025 --> 00:29:30.045
and specifically Sam Cannoli on that trip.

319
00:29:30.425 --> 00:29:31.685
One thing that's always good to know,

320
00:29:31.685 --> 00:29:32.885
if you're gonna do something like that

321
00:29:33.145 --> 00:29:34.765
and you have asthma, you should let

322
00:29:35.005 --> 00:29:36.085
somebody know before you do it.

323
00:29:36.465 --> 00:29:37.925
So next time, hopefully Sam will

324
00:29:37.925 --> 00:29:39.005
be a little bit more forthright.

325
00:29:39.345 --> 00:29:43.045
Uh, look man, take this opportunity. Okay.

326
00:29:43.075 --> 00:29:44.725
Text Mountain 7 2 9 8 9.

327
00:29:44.825 --> 00:29:47.525
And and lemme say this, I know that that's not a trip

328
00:29:47.525 --> 00:29:50.845
that everybody can, uh, or would go on.

329
00:29:52.095 --> 00:29:54.645
Don't allow that to be an, an excuse

330
00:29:55.025 --> 00:29:57.045
to step into other relationships,

331
00:29:57.105 --> 00:29:59.485
to have other men come alongside of you in your life

332
00:29:59.505 --> 00:30:02.085
and encourage you to grow in your relationship

333
00:30:02.085 --> 00:30:03.845
with Jesus into the man, into the plans

334
00:30:03.865 --> 00:30:06.085
and purposes that God has for you in our life, uh,

335
00:30:06.085 --> 00:30:07.565
across all of our campuses,

336
00:30:07.585 --> 00:30:10.365
we have different men's gatherings at our Apex campus.

337
00:30:10.525 --> 00:30:11.925
I believe it's the third Tuesday night

338
00:30:11.925 --> 00:30:13.205
of every month at our Raleigh campus.

339
00:30:13.205 --> 00:30:15.045
We've got one coming up in October.

340
00:30:15.305 --> 00:30:17.325
But if you wanna get involved, just go to your campus pastor

341
00:30:17.385 --> 00:30:19.245
and say, Hey, I, I need to get connected

342
00:30:19.395 --> 00:30:20.605
with some other men in my life.

343
00:30:20.685 --> 00:30:21.845
I need to take some next steps.

344
00:30:21.865 --> 00:30:23.645
And they would love to point you in the right direction.

345
00:30:24.065 --> 00:30:26.805
We will not be the church that God has called us to be

346
00:30:27.135 --> 00:30:29.005
until we are stepping into the plans

347
00:30:29.025 --> 00:30:31.405
and purposes that God has for us as men.

348
00:30:31.405 --> 00:30:33.085
So let's take those steps. Okay?

349
00:30:33.425 --> 00:30:35.805
Uh, we are kicking off a brand new series this week

350
00:30:35.805 --> 00:30:37.325
that we're calling Family of Families.

351
00:30:37.325 --> 00:30:39.845
If we have not met, uh, my name is Jason. Nice to meet you.

352
00:30:39.845 --> 00:30:41.285
Thanks for spending time with us this weekend.

353
00:30:42.305 --> 00:30:44.405
Uh, could not be more excited about this series.

354
00:30:44.545 --> 00:30:45.645
Now, here's what I know.

355
00:30:45.645 --> 00:30:47.285
When we say the word family, uh,

356
00:30:47.505 --> 00:30:49.925
so many people have a radically different perspective.

357
00:30:50.305 --> 00:30:51.525
Uh, uh, uh, something that comes

358
00:30:51.525 --> 00:30:53.125
to their mind when they hear that word.

359
00:30:53.545 --> 00:30:55.725
Uh, a lot of it has to do with our upbringing

360
00:30:55.725 --> 00:30:57.765
and how we experienced family growing up.

361
00:30:58.285 --> 00:31:02.365
I can remember some 23, 24 years ago before my wife Diana

362
00:31:02.505 --> 00:31:05.845
and I were married, and I took sweet little Diana with me

363
00:31:05.945 --> 00:31:08.485
to my mom and stepdad's house to meet my parents.

364
00:31:09.345 --> 00:31:11.605
And so we went over, we hung out for a little bit.

365
00:31:11.665 --> 00:31:13.445
We, uh, had some dinner.

366
00:31:14.225 --> 00:31:16.965
And then after dinner, my mom and I got into a conversation

367
00:31:17.105 --> 00:31:21.765
and it might've gotten slightly elevated, okay?

368
00:31:22.145 --> 00:31:24.885
And, uh, we continue for a little while, and then

369
00:31:24.885 --> 00:31:27.245
after things deescalate for a little bit, I look around

370
00:31:27.245 --> 00:31:28.565
and I see Diana anywhere.

371
00:31:28.705 --> 00:31:30.485
And so I go in the kitchen, she's not in there.

372
00:31:30.565 --> 00:31:32.165
I go out on the back porch, she's not there.

373
00:31:32.205 --> 00:31:33.285
I go up front, she's not there.

374
00:31:33.315 --> 00:31:35.965
Finally, I go up the stairs, I open my bedroom door

375
00:31:35.985 --> 00:31:37.765
and she's laying on the bed crying.

376
00:31:39.355 --> 00:31:41.215
I'm like, babe, what, what, what's wrong?

377
00:31:41.315 --> 00:31:42.455
What's going on? She said,

378
00:31:42.655 --> 00:31:44.375
I dunno why you guys were yelling

379
00:31:44.595 --> 00:31:47.695
so much. I thought, babe, that

380
00:31:47.875 --> 00:31:48.875
We weren't yelling. That

381
00:31:48.875 --> 00:31:50.775
was just like a normal Sunday afternoon.

382
00:31:50.955 --> 00:31:52.535
We love each other. That's what that is.

383
00:31:52.535 --> 00:31:54.655
Meanwhile, she thinks she stumbled onto the set

384
00:31:54.655 --> 00:31:55.735
of the Jerry Springer show.

385
00:31:56.095 --> 00:31:58.935
I mean, like, our lives growing up were radically different.

386
00:31:58.955 --> 00:32:00.255
She grew up in the small town

387
00:32:00.475 --> 00:32:02.055
of Hendersonville, North Carolina.

388
00:32:02.225 --> 00:32:04.095
God's country or family lives on a farm.

389
00:32:04.365 --> 00:32:05.655
They were teachers in their local

390
00:32:05.685 --> 00:32:06.895
high school until they retired.

391
00:32:06.925 --> 00:32:08.135
Everybody knew 'em.

392
00:32:08.475 --> 00:32:11.935
Uh, they, uh, they were way involved in Boy Scouts

393
00:32:11.935 --> 00:32:13.495
and in Cub Scouts like this,

394
00:32:14.165 --> 00:32:16.975
very different upbringing than I had growing up.

395
00:32:16.975 --> 00:32:18.095
And so, her experience

396
00:32:18.095 --> 00:32:21.295
and expectations on family radically different.

397
00:32:22.195 --> 00:32:24.375
Let me ask you a question. What comes

398
00:32:24.375 --> 00:32:25.775
to mind when you hear the word family?

399
00:32:28.435 --> 00:32:31.155
'cause I know for a lot of us, it's uh, it's warmth,

400
00:32:31.905 --> 00:32:33.595
it's laughter, it's traditions.

401
00:32:33.595 --> 00:32:34.435
It's Christmas morning,

402
00:32:34.435 --> 00:32:35.595
we're sitting around the Christmas tree.

403
00:32:35.595 --> 00:32:36.955
You're open a presents, there's safety.

404
00:32:37.255 --> 00:32:39.260
And then for others, if we're honest, there's pain,

405
00:32:40.475 --> 00:32:43.405
there's brokenness, there's regret.

406
00:32:44.235 --> 00:32:46.885
Like for some family feels like this anchor of strength.

407
00:32:46.945 --> 00:32:49.605
And for others, it feels like this wound, that man,

408
00:32:49.605 --> 00:32:52.085
if we just even show up in the same room as our family,

409
00:32:52.085 --> 00:32:54.605
there's this PTSD and these emotions get triggered.

410
00:32:56.145 --> 00:32:57.645
And so it really depends on our

411
00:32:57.645 --> 00:32:59.485
perspective, how we view family.

412
00:32:59.705 --> 00:33:01.485
And so that's just us based on our lives.

413
00:33:01.485 --> 00:33:04.325
Then you've got culture and man, uh, culture right now,

414
00:33:04.475 --> 00:33:07.005
like we're as confused as ever on the word family.

415
00:33:07.585 --> 00:33:09.365
And I actually looked it up in the dictionary.

416
00:33:09.365 --> 00:33:12.565
The dictionary still says that a family is a group of one

417
00:33:12.565 --> 00:33:14.285
or more parents and their children

418
00:33:14.385 --> 00:33:16.005
living together as a unit.

419
00:33:16.115 --> 00:33:17.445
Okay? So maybe that's close.

420
00:33:17.665 --> 00:33:19.365
But you start scrolling TikTok,

421
00:33:19.585 --> 00:33:21.125
you start listening to politicians.

422
00:33:21.125 --> 00:33:22.405
You start spending time on Netflix,

423
00:33:22.625 --> 00:33:25.405
you will realize quickly, we do not agree on

424
00:33:25.405 --> 00:33:27.045
what the word family actually means.

425
00:33:28.475 --> 00:33:29.805
Some say it's whatever you want it to be.

426
00:33:31.475 --> 00:33:32.645
Some say it's outdated.

427
00:33:32.715 --> 00:33:34.205
It's just a social construct

428
00:33:34.205 --> 00:33:36.085
that maybe we've outgrown as a society.

429
00:33:36.115 --> 00:33:39.365
Some people say that families should be redefined to fit

430
00:33:39.925 --> 00:33:41.645
personal preference or cultural trends.

431
00:33:41.865 --> 00:33:44.685
But we've gotta understand, as a church family, we need

432
00:33:44.685 --> 00:33:46.805
to know there is an agenda around us.

433
00:33:47.825 --> 00:33:49.565
And I, I don't just mean that people are evil

434
00:33:49.585 --> 00:33:50.805
and they're out to do harmful things.

435
00:33:50.885 --> 00:33:52.725
I, I mean, that is true. There are evil people,

436
00:33:52.725 --> 00:33:54.925
but that's not what I'm trying to, to jump into.

437
00:33:54.985 --> 00:33:56.725
I'm not trying to elevate a cultural war,

438
00:33:57.025 --> 00:33:59.645
but we do need to recognize that we have an enemy.

439
00:33:59.785 --> 00:34:01.805
And he has worked for thousands of years

440
00:34:01.945 --> 00:34:04.085
to deconstruct something that was created

441
00:34:04.465 --> 00:34:06.685
to bring this sense of belonging, uh,

442
00:34:06.705 --> 00:34:08.925
to be positively formational in our lives.

443
00:34:08.945 --> 00:34:10.845
And I say positively because we're gonna be formed

444
00:34:10.945 --> 00:34:12.605
by the world and the family

445
00:34:12.605 --> 00:34:14.965
that we actually grow up in and spend time with.

446
00:34:14.985 --> 00:34:16.685
But to positively be formational

447
00:34:17.025 --> 00:34:19.405
and to provide a blessing to us in our lives

448
00:34:19.505 --> 00:34:21.605
and through us, to the world around us.

449
00:34:21.605 --> 00:34:22.925
That's what family is to be.

450
00:34:22.925 --> 00:34:25.485
But the idea of family is being deconstructed.

451
00:34:26.105 --> 00:34:30.885
And so as a brother and as a pastor, um, I have to share

452
00:34:30.885 --> 00:34:33.365
with you, uh, something that's critically important.

453
00:34:33.425 --> 00:34:36.685
And it's this family is God's

454
00:34:36.685 --> 00:34:38.605
idea, period.

455
00:34:38.715 --> 00:34:41.125
Like we have to start there. It's not culture's idea.

456
00:34:41.195 --> 00:34:42.365
It's not hallmark's idea.

457
00:34:42.365 --> 00:34:45.165
This is not just some evolutionary accident.

458
00:34:45.165 --> 00:34:49.805
It is a divine institution that is sacred, that is given

459
00:34:49.905 --> 00:34:51.805
to us by the creator of the universe.

460
00:34:52.145 --> 00:34:53.285
And I'm gonna say that again.

461
00:34:53.625 --> 00:34:57.485
Family is a divine institution that is sacred,

462
00:34:58.115 --> 00:35:01.725
that is given to us by the creator of the universe.

463
00:35:01.955 --> 00:35:03.925
This is like what we talked about when Aaron Nelson kind

464
00:35:03.925 --> 00:35:05.525
of wrapped up our image bearer series.

465
00:35:05.525 --> 00:35:07.445
He said, Hey, God is the one

466
00:35:07.505 --> 00:35:09.405
who actually gives us our identity.

467
00:35:09.405 --> 00:35:11.165
Therefore, we do not have the ability

468
00:35:11.545 --> 00:35:14.645
to redefine our identity in the same way family's the same

469
00:35:14.645 --> 00:35:16.085
way God instituted.

470
00:35:16.085 --> 00:35:17.165
He created family.

471
00:35:17.265 --> 00:35:19.845
We don't have an ability to actually redefine it.

472
00:35:19.845 --> 00:35:21.525
And here's the thing, when families

473
00:35:21.725 --> 00:35:24.125
flourish, life flourishes.

474
00:35:25.545 --> 00:35:27.205
But when families start to break down,

475
00:35:27.655 --> 00:35:29.885
everything else begins to fray apart with it.

476
00:35:31.125 --> 00:35:32.325
I did some research this week

477
00:35:32.385 --> 00:35:33.885
and, uh, I came across some stats.

478
00:35:33.885 --> 00:35:35.725
And honestly, there's more stats than we could even

479
00:35:35.725 --> 00:35:36.885
talk about in our time together.

480
00:35:37.025 --> 00:35:39.925
So I chose three. Um, did you know that kids

481
00:35:39.925 --> 00:35:41.485
who grow up without a father, children

482
00:35:41.505 --> 00:35:43.045
who grow up without a father in their home,

483
00:35:43.065 --> 00:35:45.325
are four times more likely to live life in poverty?

484
00:35:46.165 --> 00:35:50.935
Four times over 70% of imprisoned juveniles

485
00:35:51.885 --> 00:35:53.135
come from fatherless homes.

486
00:35:54.435 --> 00:35:57.055
That's a big deal. And then one

487
00:35:57.275 --> 00:35:59.135
and two adults in our culture say

488
00:35:59.135 --> 00:36:00.255
they struggle with loneliness.

489
00:36:00.255 --> 00:36:01.975
So while culture's telling us, Hey,

490
00:36:01.975 --> 00:36:03.975
family doesn't really matter, do whatever you want,

491
00:36:04.375 --> 00:36:06.135
redefine family, however you'd like.

492
00:36:06.155 --> 00:36:08.655
The evidence around us, all around us is screaming

493
00:36:08.655 --> 00:36:12.015
and saying, when families fail, society suffers.

494
00:36:14.255 --> 00:36:15.835
We gotta spend some time talking about it.

495
00:36:15.835 --> 00:36:18.355
So here's the big idea of this series.

496
00:36:18.935 --> 00:36:21.715
God created the family to be a place of belonging,

497
00:36:22.295 --> 00:36:24.155
of formation and blessing.

498
00:36:24.895 --> 00:36:26.875
Um, if I were gonna make this a good Baptist sermon,

499
00:36:26.995 --> 00:36:28.595
I would make all those words begin with be.

500
00:36:28.635 --> 00:36:30.195
I would say it's a place for belonging,

501
00:36:30.195 --> 00:36:31.995
for becoming and blessing.

502
00:36:32.415 --> 00:36:34.475
But I thought that could be confusing. So I didn't.

503
00:36:34.475 --> 00:36:36.275
So we're gonna say belonging, formation and blessing.

504
00:36:36.375 --> 00:36:39.315
And, and listen to this, regardless of your past

505
00:36:39.815 --> 00:36:42.995
or your brokenness, God has made a way for us

506
00:36:43.055 --> 00:36:46.275
to experience family as he intended through the body

507
00:36:46.275 --> 00:36:48.115
of Christ, through the church.

508
00:36:48.615 --> 00:36:51.625
And this is so important

509
00:36:53.375 --> 00:36:54.795
for each and every one of us who want

510
00:36:54.795 --> 00:36:57.835
to experience the abundant life that Jesus actually came

511
00:36:58.175 --> 00:36:59.515
to make available to us.

512
00:36:59.855 --> 00:37:02.555
And this life as a church, uh, we have this vision.

513
00:37:03.015 --> 00:37:05.755
Uh, we have this dream. We have this calling that's on us,

514
00:37:05.755 --> 00:37:09.395
and it's this for our communities in all the world, to know

515
00:37:09.455 --> 00:37:12.435
and experience the love of God, the radical love

516
00:37:12.625 --> 00:37:13.915
that God has for all the world,

517
00:37:14.135 --> 00:37:18.435
and the life that Jesus came to make available, uh,

518
00:37:18.825 --> 00:37:20.075
that sense of belonging

519
00:37:20.775 --> 00:37:22.395
and purpose that, that so many

520
00:37:22.395 --> 00:37:23.715
of us are longing for in our lives.

521
00:37:23.735 --> 00:37:26.155
And if we're honest, like many of us feel like

522
00:37:26.155 --> 00:37:27.515
that we're actually robbed of the

523
00:37:27.515 --> 00:37:28.755
opportunity to experience it.

524
00:37:28.775 --> 00:37:32.515
It is made available to us through the life, death

525
00:37:32.535 --> 00:37:34.435
and resurrection of Jesus, regardless of

526
00:37:34.455 --> 00:37:36.795
how badly we've messed things up, regardless of

527
00:37:36.795 --> 00:37:38.795
how many terrible things have happened to us,

528
00:37:39.095 --> 00:37:41.875
it is available and it's our role to go out into the world

529
00:37:42.055 --> 00:37:43.475
and to share the hope that we have in Jesus.

530
00:37:43.535 --> 00:37:46.235
Now, how do we do that? How do we take ground on

531
00:37:46.235 --> 00:37:47.875
that vision together as a church?

532
00:37:48.345 --> 00:37:52.355
It's through our mission. And our mission is to live life

533
00:37:52.375 --> 00:37:57.275
as a family who loves God, follows Jesus and shares hope.

534
00:37:57.895 --> 00:38:01.075
Church, that is not just a slogan to go up on a wall.

535
00:38:02.065 --> 00:38:04.315
That is what we believe we believe when we open the pages

536
00:38:04.315 --> 00:38:06.635
of scripture and read this thing cover to cover,

537
00:38:06.785 --> 00:38:08.115
like whether we like it

538
00:38:08.115 --> 00:38:11.435
or not, family is the primary metaphor all throughout

539
00:38:11.595 --> 00:38:13.315
scripture for the people of God.

540
00:38:13.335 --> 00:38:15.195
And you could hear that and be like, man, I don't know if

541
00:38:15.195 --> 00:38:16.435
that's a good marketing strategy

542
00:38:16.455 --> 00:38:18.675
or not if you knew my family growing

543
00:38:18.695 --> 00:38:20.835
up, but it's the reality.

544
00:38:20.855 --> 00:38:22.515
And so we've gotta go to God's word

545
00:38:22.515 --> 00:38:24.755
and unpack what does it really mean to live life

546
00:38:24.815 --> 00:38:26.435
as a family the way that God intended.

547
00:38:26.615 --> 00:38:27.995
So in this series, what we're gonna do,

548
00:38:28.285 --> 00:38:31.915
we're gonna look at scripture unapologetically, okay?

549
00:38:31.935 --> 00:38:34.595
And so what what I'm telling you is we're gonna engage some

550
00:38:34.595 --> 00:38:36.645
topics that you might be tempted to think.

551
00:38:36.765 --> 00:38:39.045
I don't know if that's politically correct to say.

552
00:38:39.085 --> 00:38:40.765
I don't know if that's a safe place to really go

553
00:38:40.765 --> 00:38:41.965
to in today's cancel culture.

554
00:38:42.035 --> 00:38:44.245
Look as a core value as, as a church.

555
00:38:44.585 --> 00:38:46.605
Um, we have a core value that says,

556
00:38:46.605 --> 00:38:47.685
Hey, we stand on the Bible.

557
00:38:47.985 --> 00:38:49.485
We believe that the Bible is the

558
00:38:49.485 --> 00:38:51.405
authoritative iner word of God.

559
00:38:51.785 --> 00:38:52.805
And so that's what we're gonna do.

560
00:38:52.805 --> 00:38:54.965
We're gonna go to scripture unapologetically,

561
00:38:54.965 --> 00:38:58.765
and we're gonna get really practical about a live, about how

562
00:38:58.765 --> 00:39:02.765
to live into God's institution of family, how to live into

563
00:39:02.765 --> 00:39:04.885
that, and how to live it out in the world around us.

564
00:39:04.885 --> 00:39:07.125
And so this week, uh, I'm gonna lay out for us,

565
00:39:07.125 --> 00:39:08.205
Hey, why does family matter?

566
00:39:09.225 --> 00:39:10.285
And over the next few weeks,

567
00:39:10.285 --> 00:39:11.645
we're gonna take a look at marriage,

568
00:39:12.455 --> 00:39:13.565
God's vision for it, okay?

569
00:39:13.585 --> 00:39:14.725
Not the culture around us.

570
00:39:15.265 --> 00:39:17.725
Uh, we're gonna talk about parenting God's way, uh,

571
00:39:17.785 --> 00:39:20.485
our roles and responsibilities to raise godly parents

572
00:39:20.485 --> 00:39:22.445
to make sure that our families are actually the primary

573
00:39:22.535 --> 00:39:24.645
place of discipleship and the lives of our children.

574
00:39:24.865 --> 00:39:26.365
And you might be thinking, I have no idea how to do that.

575
00:39:26.365 --> 00:39:28.685
That's okay. Or to give you some practical steps.

576
00:39:29.395 --> 00:39:31.405
Then we're gonna unpack the roles of men

577
00:39:31.405 --> 00:39:32.605
and women within the family.

578
00:39:33.625 --> 00:39:35.245
And then when we wrap this whole thing up,

579
00:39:35.975 --> 00:39:37.645
we're gonna finish by talking about what it means

580
00:39:37.645 --> 00:39:39.605
to live life as a family of families, all

581
00:39:39.605 --> 00:39:42.205
of us collectively together as the local church.

582
00:39:42.265 --> 00:39:47.005
And so the, this is more than just tips

583
00:39:47.785 --> 00:39:50.605
and tricks for a happy family life.

584
00:39:51.105 --> 00:39:54.645
Uh, this is about stepping into God's vision as a family so

585
00:39:54.645 --> 00:39:58.005
that our communities, our kids, our marriage, our church,

586
00:39:58.005 --> 00:40:00.805
and ultimately the world can experience the love of God

587
00:40:01.305 --> 00:40:03.485
and the life that Jesus came to make available to us.

588
00:40:03.705 --> 00:40:04.845
So here's what we're gonna do. Uh,

589
00:40:04.845 --> 00:40:06.445
we're gonna spend time in two passages.

590
00:40:06.825 --> 00:40:08.925
Uh, we're gonna start out in Genesis chapter one.

591
00:40:08.925 --> 00:40:10.005
We're gonna go all the way to the beginning.

592
00:40:10.225 --> 00:40:11.445
Uh, we're gonna read a bit from there.

593
00:40:11.445 --> 00:40:13.005
We're gonna talk about it. Then we're gonna jump over

594
00:40:13.005 --> 00:40:14.165
to Ephesians chapter two.

595
00:40:14.165 --> 00:40:15.685
So if you wanna go ahead and mark your places,

596
00:40:16.825 --> 00:40:18.005
you can open your up your Bible.

597
00:40:18.155 --> 00:40:20.405
It's really simple to find Genesis chapter one.

598
00:40:20.505 --> 00:40:23.045
You just open this up just like that. Really simple.

599
00:40:23.265 --> 00:40:25.045
Here's the first point that we're gonna talk about.

600
00:40:25.585 --> 00:40:28.645
Family is God's design, not man's invention.

601
00:40:29.585 --> 00:40:32.045
Family is God's design. It's not something that we created.

602
00:40:32.145 --> 00:40:34.245
We don't have the ability to change what family is.

603
00:40:34.245 --> 00:40:37.165
And so let's jump in Genesis chapter one, verse 28.

604
00:40:37.385 --> 00:40:41.725
It says, then God said, let us make man and our image

605
00:40:41.935 --> 00:40:43.165
after our likeness,

606
00:40:43.665 --> 00:40:46.605
and let th have dominion over the fish of the sea,

607
00:40:46.605 --> 00:40:48.605
over the birds of the heavens, over the livestock,

608
00:40:48.605 --> 00:40:50.485
over all the earth, and every creeping

609
00:40:50.485 --> 00:40:51.565
thing that creeps on the earth.

610
00:40:51.905 --> 00:40:54.525
So God did. So God created man in his own image,

611
00:40:55.065 --> 00:40:57.125
in the image of God, he created him, male

612
00:40:57.265 --> 00:40:58.965
and female, he created them.

613
00:40:59.695 --> 00:41:02.045
Verse 28. And God blessed them.

614
00:41:02.385 --> 00:41:04.525
And God said to them, be fruitful

615
00:41:04.825 --> 00:41:09.005
and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, oversee it,

616
00:41:09.005 --> 00:41:10.845
and have dominion over the fish of the sea,

617
00:41:10.845 --> 00:41:12.285
and over all the birds and the heavens,

618
00:41:12.285 --> 00:41:15.005
and every living thing that moves on the earth,

619
00:41:15.815 --> 00:41:16.925
right from page one.

620
00:41:17.505 --> 00:41:20.525
In our Bibles family is born, male

621
00:41:20.525 --> 00:41:25.365
and female, husband and wife, fruitful and multiplying.

622
00:41:25.365 --> 00:41:27.965
This is not random. This is not evolution stumbling

623
00:41:27.995 --> 00:41:29.085
into some type of strategy.

624
00:41:29.195 --> 00:41:32.245
It's not sociology, adapting its way into culture.

625
00:41:32.995 --> 00:41:35.925
It's an intentional design of an almighty God.

626
00:41:36.065 --> 00:41:37.645
And I think sometimes we take that for granted.

627
00:41:37.705 --> 00:41:39.325
Can you just listen to those words for a moment?

628
00:41:39.755 --> 00:41:43.925
It's an intentional design from an almighty God

629
00:41:44.745 --> 00:41:46.045
who created the universe.

630
00:41:47.225 --> 00:41:48.565
God created man

631
00:41:48.565 --> 00:41:50.775
and woman equal in

632
00:41:50.935 --> 00:41:53.835
value, distinct in role.

633
00:41:54.345 --> 00:41:56.555
What does that mean? We'll talk about it in a few weeks.

634
00:41:57.015 --> 00:41:58.875
God brought them together. In covenant marriage.

635
00:41:59.255 --> 00:42:01.355
God called them to be fruitful and multiply.

636
00:42:01.355 --> 00:42:03.235
What does that mean To make children

637
00:42:03.735 --> 00:42:06.235
and to raise them in a way that they know their creator.

638
00:42:07.535 --> 00:42:08.915
God gave them a purpose. He said

639
00:42:08.915 --> 00:42:11.115
to have dominion over all that's in the earth.

640
00:42:11.495 --> 00:42:14.635
So his blessing would continue to be experienced.

641
00:42:14.655 --> 00:42:17.755
Family is not a human invention. It's a divine institution.

642
00:42:19.015 --> 00:42:22.035
Now, this is where scripture

643
00:42:22.295 --> 00:42:25.235
and culture start to come at odds a bit.

644
00:42:26.485 --> 00:42:27.715
Today. We, we talked about it,

645
00:42:27.715 --> 00:42:30.195
family is being deconstructed, we're told,

646
00:42:30.195 --> 00:42:31.875
and I wanna be careful here, but I I don't,

647
00:42:31.915 --> 00:42:33.515
I don't have the luxury of not hitting his head on.

648
00:42:33.515 --> 00:42:34.675
We're told gender is fluid.

649
00:42:36.535 --> 00:42:38.475
Uh, we're told, Hey, you, you know what?

650
00:42:38.495 --> 00:42:39.635
You don't have to get married. Why?

651
00:42:39.635 --> 00:42:40.715
Why get the government involved?

652
00:42:40.835 --> 00:42:42.075
I mean, you're doing the partnership thing.

653
00:42:42.075 --> 00:42:43.075
It's all good for your tactic

654
00:42:43.225 --> 00:42:45.035
that parenting's just about doing your own truth.

655
00:42:45.055 --> 00:42:46.195
And I want to be sensitive here

656
00:42:46.195 --> 00:42:48.835
because I know these conversations, um,

657
00:42:48.895 --> 00:42:50.235
can tear apart families.

658
00:42:50.375 --> 00:42:52.755
And I know this is difficult, and I know it can bring pain

659
00:42:52.935 --> 00:42:55.235
and it can bring challenges, and there's so much grace

660
00:42:55.535 --> 00:42:56.795
and love and mercy for that.

661
00:42:56.875 --> 00:42:58.595
I want you to know everything I just mentioned.

662
00:42:58.955 --> 00:43:00.635
I have close friends who are walking

663
00:43:00.635 --> 00:43:02.515
through these things in their life right now.

664
00:43:03.455 --> 00:43:05.435
And so, in fact, if that's you, like, like we want

665
00:43:05.435 --> 00:43:07.795
to come alongside of you, nobody wants to judge nobody.

666
00:43:08.175 --> 00:43:09.915
Uh, WW wants to condemn you.

667
00:43:09.915 --> 00:43:11.275
We don't even have the ability to do that.

668
00:43:11.375 --> 00:43:12.875
But we wanna come alongside of you

669
00:43:12.875 --> 00:43:14.555
as your church family and walk alongside.

670
00:43:14.775 --> 00:43:17.235
Um, you can drop us an email. We've got a great care team.

671
00:43:17.235 --> 00:43:19.675
It'll get to our pastoral staff if you send an email

672
00:43:19.695 --> 00:43:21.115
to care@gethope.net.

673
00:43:21.115 --> 00:43:24.235
We would love to follow up with you so much grace and mercy.

674
00:43:24.455 --> 00:43:27.515
But, but we've gotta be honest with what scripture says.

675
00:43:28.925 --> 00:43:30.185
The word of God doesn't budge.

676
00:43:31.375 --> 00:43:33.905
Genesis tells us, he, he made them male and female.

677
00:43:35.245 --> 00:43:36.865
It says, God, it says, marriage is

678
00:43:36.865 --> 00:43:37.985
between a man and a woman.

679
00:43:38.205 --> 00:43:40.785
It says that children are a blessing, not a burden.

680
00:43:43.175 --> 00:43:44.925
We've gotta go to what God's word says.

681
00:43:44.925 --> 00:43:47.445
Like you and I do not get to edit God's blueprint.

682
00:43:47.465 --> 00:43:50.765
We either align with God's blueprint for our families

683
00:43:50.765 --> 00:43:51.805
or we rebel against it.

684
00:43:51.805 --> 00:43:55.245
But I gotta tell you, if we rebel against the blueprint

685
00:43:55.245 --> 00:43:57.565
that God's put in place into our families, we cannot expect

686
00:43:57.565 --> 00:43:59.605
to experience the blessing that God has for us

687
00:43:59.705 --> 00:44:01.085
and our lives through family.

688
00:44:03.435 --> 00:44:05.485
It's like if you're growing a garden, um,

689
00:44:06.085 --> 00:44:09.565
a garden grows best, uh, when you put, uh,

690
00:44:10.535 --> 00:44:12.875
the right seed in the right soil

691
00:44:13.535 --> 00:44:15.435
during the right season, right?

692
00:44:15.435 --> 00:44:17.435
Like, you can't force it to grow a different way.

693
00:44:17.435 --> 00:44:19.035
Like I was talking about this with Aaron Nelson.

694
00:44:19.095 --> 00:44:20.915
He is like, yeah, you should tell people that.

695
00:44:20.915 --> 00:44:21.955
Like if you take some seeds

696
00:44:21.955 --> 00:44:24.035
and put it in a bowl of chocolate pudding,

697
00:44:24.035 --> 00:44:25.035
a tree's not gonna grow.

698
00:44:27.155 --> 00:44:29.035
I thought it was funnier than you guys did. It's okay.

699
00:44:29.095 --> 00:44:32.005
You can, you can laugh at that, but that's true.

700
00:44:32.005 --> 00:44:33.525
Like it's the same with the family.

701
00:44:33.635 --> 00:44:36.765
Like if you try to do it a different way than it's intended,

702
00:44:36.875 --> 00:44:38.045
it's just not gonna work.

703
00:44:39.385 --> 00:44:41.005
You can't, it, it's not gonna happen.

704
00:44:42.105 --> 00:44:45.565
Got got instituted family and he instituted it his way.

705
00:44:45.865 --> 00:44:50.645
Um, I kinda want to go off on, uh, to the side here and,

706
00:44:50.665 --> 00:44:53.805
and talk about, uh, just to the young men, um, across all

707
00:44:53.805 --> 00:44:55.645
of our campuses in this room right now.

708
00:44:55.705 --> 00:44:57.885
And I'll kind of jump back in the text here in a minute.

709
00:44:57.885 --> 00:44:59.405
But I, as I prayed through this

710
00:44:59.405 --> 00:45:00.645
and was spending time in it this week,

711
00:45:00.645 --> 00:45:02.205
just some things kind of fell heavy on my heart.

712
00:45:02.335 --> 00:45:05.685
There is a movement right now where it seems that become,

713
00:45:05.715 --> 00:45:07.965
it's becoming more and more socially normal

714
00:45:08.825 --> 00:45:11.565
to growing into the men that God's called us to be.

715
00:45:12.825 --> 00:45:15.085
Uh, the average age of getting married is backing up.

716
00:45:15.085 --> 00:45:17.485
The average age that we have kids is moving further back.

717
00:45:17.505 --> 00:45:18.525
The length of time that we sit

718
00:45:18.525 --> 00:45:20.205
around playing video games is increasing.

719
00:45:22.215 --> 00:45:26.675
Listen to me, our communities in our world are desperate.

720
00:45:26.675 --> 00:45:28.315
They're in desperate need of men

721
00:45:28.315 --> 00:45:29.835
who will live life as God designed.

722
00:45:30.055 --> 00:45:31.635
And I know this could be controversial

723
00:45:31.735 --> 00:45:33.635
and life is too short right now,

724
00:45:33.655 --> 00:45:35.555
and there is too much at stake for me

725
00:45:35.555 --> 00:45:37.235
to worry about being politically correct on this.

726
00:45:37.695 --> 00:45:39.915
And I, I know

727
00:45:39.915 --> 00:45:41.675
that some people are called to a life of singleness.

728
00:45:42.175 --> 00:45:44.235
We see it in scripture. Uh, there are some people

729
00:45:44.235 --> 00:45:45.435
that can hear my voice right now and think,

730
00:45:45.715 --> 00:45:47.235
I don't wanna be called to life a singleness.

731
00:45:47.295 --> 00:45:48.755
I'm looking for God to bring me somebody along.

732
00:45:48.755 --> 00:45:49.955
And if that's you, I pray

733
00:45:49.955 --> 00:45:51.395
that God will bring you a companion.

734
00:45:51.495 --> 00:45:54.195
But for the vast majority of us, God has created us

735
00:45:54.215 --> 00:45:57.235
to grow up honoring our parents to get some type of training

736
00:45:57.495 --> 00:46:01.155
and education, get a job, start a business, uh, get married,

737
00:46:01.285 --> 00:46:02.315
raise godly children,

738
00:46:02.495 --> 00:46:05.875
and then be on mission to share the gospel of Jesus Christ

739
00:46:05.875 --> 00:46:07.275
that we have so freely received.

740
00:46:09.685 --> 00:46:11.535
It's one of the most significant missions

741
00:46:11.535 --> 00:46:12.975
or callings that a life can have

742
00:46:13.755 --> 00:46:16.375
to step into the biblical manhood that we are created

743
00:46:16.435 --> 00:46:17.895
to live into, and to live out the calling

744
00:46:17.895 --> 00:46:20.335
that we clearly see from the first page of scripture.

745
00:46:22.195 --> 00:46:24.935
It was true in creation. It's true today.

746
00:46:26.635 --> 00:46:29.175
Do not buy into the lie from our enemy.

747
00:46:29.395 --> 00:46:30.935
Uh, he wants us to be confused.

748
00:46:30.955 --> 00:46:33.215
He wants us to be slow to step into manhood.

749
00:46:33.215 --> 00:46:35.095
He wants us, uh, to to be boys.

750
00:46:35.615 --> 00:46:37.095
Honestly, boys chasing

751
00:46:37.115 --> 00:46:40.135
around a good time eventually will lead to nowhere,

752
00:46:40.315 --> 00:46:42.655
and it will not bring the hope and the peace

753
00:46:42.835 --> 00:46:44.575
and the strength that our world desperately needs

754
00:46:44.575 --> 00:46:45.775
and that you are created to bring.

755
00:46:46.355 --> 00:46:47.695
Family is God's design.

756
00:46:47.995 --> 00:46:49.535
We have a role and a responsibility

757
00:46:49.535 --> 00:46:51.255
and an opportunity to step into it.

758
00:46:51.605 --> 00:46:53.335
It's God's design, not man's invention.

759
00:46:54.355 --> 00:46:57.815
So God's design, not ours.

760
00:46:59.215 --> 00:47:02.535
Secondly, um, God didn't just create it for it to exist.

761
00:47:02.595 --> 00:47:03.775
He designed it with a purpose.

762
00:47:03.955 --> 00:47:07.535
And so, uh, I'm gonna flip over to Ephesians chapter two.

763
00:47:07.535 --> 00:47:09.895
And if you're not there yet, uh, while you're there,

764
00:47:09.895 --> 00:47:12.135
I'll just kind of give you a quick heads up in this series.

765
00:47:12.605 --> 00:47:14.775
It's almost gonna be like a survey of the book of Ephesians.

766
00:47:14.775 --> 00:47:16.935
We're gonna be in this throughout the whole series.

767
00:47:17.315 --> 00:47:21.175
Um, but we do feel convicted, uh,

768
00:47:21.315 --> 00:47:23.375
to elevate these principles of families

769
00:47:23.395 --> 00:47:24.415
for our church right now.

770
00:47:24.635 --> 00:47:26.495
Um, we know we've got a lot of families in our church

771
00:47:26.495 --> 00:47:27.455
that are struggling with a number

772
00:47:27.455 --> 00:47:28.495
of things we just talked about.

773
00:47:28.495 --> 00:47:29.820
You look out in culture right now.

774
00:47:29.825 --> 00:47:31.285
So we feel convicted to elevate this.

775
00:47:31.345 --> 00:47:34.245
But I'm gonna talk about three verses in Ephesians chapter

776
00:47:34.305 --> 00:47:35.605
two right now for the rest of our time,

777
00:47:36.005 --> 00:47:37.925
I would encourage you this week, go back

778
00:47:37.925 --> 00:47:39.805
and read chapter two in its entirety

779
00:47:39.805 --> 00:47:41.125
throughout every day this week.

780
00:47:41.425 --> 00:47:42.925
If you've got time and you wanna be bold,

781
00:47:43.075 --> 00:47:44.645
read the entire book of Ephesians.

782
00:47:44.645 --> 00:47:46.005
It's one letter, six chapters.

783
00:47:46.145 --> 00:47:47.365
Uh, you can get it knocked out.

784
00:47:47.395 --> 00:47:48.765
It's gonna make you more prepared when you

785
00:47:48.765 --> 00:47:49.885
show up here with us on the weekend.

786
00:47:50.635 --> 00:47:54.525
Ephesians chapter two, we're gonna start, uh, in verse 19.

787
00:47:54.625 --> 00:47:58.885
It says this, so then you were no longer strangers

788
00:47:58.985 --> 00:48:02.085
and aliens, but you were fellow citizens with the saints

789
00:48:02.085 --> 00:48:05.445
and members of the household of God, built on the foundation

790
00:48:05.445 --> 00:48:08.685
of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself,

791
00:48:08.685 --> 00:48:11.645
being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure,

792
00:48:12.105 --> 00:48:14.085
the whole family being joined together,

793
00:48:14.775 --> 00:48:17.165
grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

794
00:48:17.585 --> 00:48:21.005
In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling

795
00:48:21.005 --> 00:48:23.525
place for God by the spirit.

796
00:48:24.305 --> 00:48:25.205
You ever thought about that?

797
00:48:25.205 --> 00:48:26.445
Like you're, you're being built.

798
00:48:26.665 --> 00:48:29.525
We are being built together into a dwelling place

799
00:48:29.665 --> 00:48:30.725
for the spirit of God.

800
00:48:31.535 --> 00:48:33.605
We'll get to that in a minute. I gotta start at verse 19.

801
00:48:33.865 --> 00:48:36.285
Uh, Paul starts, he says, you are no longer strangers

802
00:48:36.285 --> 00:48:39.605
and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints

803
00:48:39.785 --> 00:48:41.325
and members of the household of God.

804
00:48:41.515 --> 00:48:43.765
Paul saying, listen, you used to be outsiders.

805
00:48:44.065 --> 00:48:45.405
You used to not have a place.

806
00:48:45.425 --> 00:48:47.365
And and maybe you're hearing this message right now

807
00:48:47.365 --> 00:48:48.885
and you're thinking, uh, hey,

808
00:48:49.025 --> 00:48:51.045
my family is way past the point

809
00:48:51.045 --> 00:48:52.725
of experiencing life God's way.

810
00:48:53.155 --> 00:48:54.365
There's no way to get it back.

811
00:48:54.385 --> 00:48:55.925
Or, or maybe you're a widow

812
00:48:58.105 --> 00:48:59.245
and your kids are outta the house.

813
00:49:00.585 --> 00:49:03.445
Or maybe you're a college student, you're single,

814
00:49:03.505 --> 00:49:04.965
and you're thinking, look, I don't really know

815
00:49:04.965 --> 00:49:07.365
how this whole family thing impacts me.

816
00:49:07.365 --> 00:49:08.565
Paul's saying, no, no, no, no, no, no.

817
00:49:08.715 --> 00:49:11.005
He's saying you were a stranger left to yourself.

818
00:49:11.105 --> 00:49:15.365
You were a stranger. Uh, but now you, you belong.

819
00:49:15.745 --> 00:49:18.165
You were fellow citizens. You have, you were home.

820
00:49:18.165 --> 00:49:19.685
You have found your place of belonging.

821
00:49:19.715 --> 00:49:21.925
He's speaking to one of the deepest human

822
00:49:21.975 --> 00:49:23.205
needs that all of us have.

823
00:49:23.435 --> 00:49:24.525
It's a place of belonging.

824
00:49:24.545 --> 00:49:26.885
We know every single one of us, deep down inside,

825
00:49:26.895 --> 00:49:28.925
we're looking for this place where we can be known

826
00:49:29.225 --> 00:49:30.245
and where we can be loved.

827
00:49:30.475 --> 00:49:31.925
This is what family is all about.

828
00:49:33.645 --> 00:49:35.245
I don't know if you've ever been to a family reunion,

829
00:49:35.385 --> 00:49:38.045
but, um, for whatever reason, in my family

830
00:49:38.145 --> 00:49:40.685
and in my friend circle, it seems like my house is just the

831
00:49:40.685 --> 00:49:42.245
place that we come to for birthday parties,

832
00:49:42.665 --> 00:49:43.685
uh, for holidays.

833
00:49:43.745 --> 00:49:45.205
But I'm telling you right now, you come to one

834
00:49:45.205 --> 00:49:46.285
of those get togethers at my house.

835
00:49:46.345 --> 00:49:47.525
You can show up in Crocs.

836
00:49:47.525 --> 00:49:48.885
You can eat three pieces of fried chicken,

837
00:49:48.885 --> 00:49:50.165
have grease all over your shirt,

838
00:49:50.305 --> 00:49:51.765
and you're still gonna be loved like a kink.

839
00:49:51.765 --> 00:49:53.165
That's just how it works. Um,

840
00:49:54.425 --> 00:49:55.725
we don't eat a lot of fried chicken.

841
00:49:57.385 --> 00:49:59.285
We eat less stakes. So you, maybe you can have two

842
00:49:59.285 --> 00:50:00.725
or three stakes to yourself,

843
00:50:00.725 --> 00:50:02.165
but you're still gonna be treated like a king

844
00:50:02.165 --> 00:50:03.165
because that's what family does.

845
00:50:03.345 --> 00:50:05.525
You, you're just loved. You're just loved.

846
00:50:05.525 --> 00:50:07.045
You're just welcomed in. And that's what each

847
00:50:07.045 --> 00:50:08.285
and every one of us are looking for.

848
00:50:08.305 --> 00:50:10.485
So family gives us this place of belonging.

849
00:50:10.995 --> 00:50:13.445
What else does it give us? Paul says,

850
00:50:13.445 --> 00:50:14.525
we're not just citizens,

851
00:50:15.385 --> 00:50:20.245
but we're a part of the household of God, a household.

852
00:50:21.745 --> 00:50:24.405
So a household is not just a place that we sleep,

853
00:50:25.115 --> 00:50:26.205
it's a place that we're shaped.

854
00:50:27.395 --> 00:50:28.725
It's where our values are caught.

855
00:50:28.745 --> 00:50:30.245
It, it's where our habits are formed.

856
00:50:30.245 --> 00:50:32.605
It's where our identity actually gets built and shaped.

857
00:50:32.825 --> 00:50:35.645
And parents, you know this, your kids don't learn near

858
00:50:35.645 --> 00:50:39.565
as much from what you say as what they see you do, right?

859
00:50:39.565 --> 00:50:41.685
That happens in the context of a family.

860
00:50:41.685 --> 00:50:43.925
If you pray, they learn prayer.

861
00:50:44.865 --> 00:50:48.685
If you explode in anger, they explode in anger.

862
00:50:50.065 --> 00:50:53.645
If you love Jesus, they grow to learn to lead to love.

863
00:50:53.645 --> 00:50:56.485
Jesus. Deuteronomy six, it says, these words

864
00:50:56.485 --> 00:50:58.485
that I command you today shall be on your heart.

865
00:50:58.485 --> 00:50:59.565
And this is talking to parents.

866
00:51:00.305 --> 00:51:02.765
You shall teach them diligently to your children.

867
00:51:03.275 --> 00:51:06.045
When you sit in your house, when you walk by the way,

868
00:51:06.595 --> 00:51:09.565
when you lie down, and when you rise, he's saying, Hey,

869
00:51:09.565 --> 00:51:11.965
this should be a 24 hour, uh, a day,

870
00:51:11.975 --> 00:51:13.085
seven day, a week thing.

871
00:51:13.635 --> 00:51:15.525
What it means to point our children towards Jesus.

872
00:51:15.525 --> 00:51:16.605
Here's a principle for you.

873
00:51:17.235 --> 00:51:20.485
Formation happens not in lectures, but in life. Together.

874
00:51:22.185 --> 00:51:25.165
We need to be surrounded by folks who are actually

875
00:51:25.725 --> 00:51:28.405
creating an environment where we can be formed to live into

876
00:51:28.405 --> 00:51:32.165
what it is that we were created for parents.

877
00:51:32.265 --> 00:51:35.085
Did you know that the single most significant predictor

878
00:51:35.705 --> 00:51:37.725
of whether kids stay engaged in the church

879
00:51:37.785 --> 00:51:41.085
as adults is whether they saw their faith lived out at home,

880
00:51:42.625 --> 00:51:46.025
not talked about, but actually lived out.

881
00:51:48.565 --> 00:51:49.985
So family gives us belonging.

882
00:51:50.245 --> 00:51:54.385
Uh, family shapes us in formation. Paul doesn't stop there.

883
00:51:55.125 --> 00:51:57.825
He says the household is being joined together into a

884
00:51:57.925 --> 00:52:02.475
temple, which means family actually has a larger purpose.

885
00:52:03.895 --> 00:52:06.235
Now, admittedly, this could be confusing.

886
00:52:06.235 --> 00:52:08.635
Paul's saying, you are growing into a holy

887
00:52:08.735 --> 00:52:09.835
temple in the Lord.

888
00:52:10.255 --> 00:52:12.275
I'm willing to bet not many of you woke up this morning

889
00:52:12.275 --> 00:52:14.275
and said, Lord, just grow me into a holy temple.

890
00:52:15.785 --> 00:52:17.315
Like that's not something we think about.

891
00:52:17.415 --> 00:52:19.715
It could be confusing, it might not sound compelling,

892
00:52:19.715 --> 00:52:22.275
but I don't want you to miss the significance here in, in,

893
00:52:22.275 --> 00:52:24.115
in those days, and especially in Old Testament

894
00:52:24.115 --> 00:52:25.235
times, uh, the temple.

895
00:52:25.295 --> 00:52:26.515
It wasn't just a pretty building.

896
00:52:26.575 --> 00:52:29.915
It was a place, uh, where God's presence dwelt so

897
00:52:29.915 --> 00:52:31.315
that his glory could be seen.

898
00:52:32.695 --> 00:52:34.795
And then the Bible tells us in the New Testament, for those

899
00:52:34.795 --> 00:52:36.875
of us who are followers of Christ, for those of us

900
00:52:37.035 --> 00:52:39.995
who are in Christ, the spirit of God, his presence,

901
00:52:40.015 --> 00:52:44.275
it actually dwells inside of us now, not in a building.

902
00:52:45.345 --> 00:52:48.035
This is incredibly important, especially for those, uh,

903
00:52:48.095 --> 00:52:50.315
in our church family that actually meet week in

904
00:52:50.315 --> 00:52:51.555
and week out in a mobile campus.

905
00:52:52.185 --> 00:52:54.195
Like, and you're like, man, we, we don't have a building.

906
00:52:54.215 --> 00:52:56.475
No, no, no. The spirit of God's not in your building.

907
00:52:56.475 --> 00:52:58.315
The spirit of God is actually inside of you.

908
00:52:58.415 --> 00:53:00.755
And so the glory of God and God's presence and his love

909
00:53:00.755 --> 00:53:03.755
and his grace and mercy and his spirit, that that enables us

910
00:53:03.755 --> 00:53:05.795
to live out his mission has nothing to do

911
00:53:05.795 --> 00:53:08.515
with the physical lo physical location other than where we

912
00:53:08.575 --> 00:53:09.715
as the church actually are.

913
00:53:12.955 --> 00:53:15.115
Families are meant to, to work in the same way.

914
00:53:15.945 --> 00:53:20.475
Your marriage, your parenting, your household,

915
00:53:21.895 --> 00:53:26.325
our church, it's meant to display the presence

916
00:53:26.385 --> 00:53:28.245
and the glory and the goodness

917
00:53:28.265 --> 00:53:30.045
and the love of our God to the world around us.

918
00:53:30.365 --> 00:53:31.925
Remember our vision for our communities

919
00:53:32.145 --> 00:53:35.125
and our world to know and experience the love of God

920
00:53:35.465 --> 00:53:37.365
and the life that Jesus came to make available.

921
00:53:40.055 --> 00:53:42.795
It happens through our families

922
00:53:43.295 --> 00:53:44.755
and through our family of families,

923
00:53:44.755 --> 00:53:46.435
which is the collective body of Christ.

924
00:53:46.545 --> 00:53:47.715
It's the church. If

925
00:53:47.815 --> 00:53:51.435
and only if we do it God's way, we see it in marriages.

926
00:53:51.435 --> 00:53:54.475
Ephesians chapter five, which you're gonna hear from, uh,

927
00:53:54.475 --> 00:53:56.475
either Dave or Doug Stride next

928
00:53:56.475 --> 00:53:57.555
week, they're gonna unpack this.

929
00:53:57.555 --> 00:54:00.235
But what we'll see is, is that marriage is a living picture

930
00:54:00.235 --> 00:54:01.435
of Christ in the church.

931
00:54:02.065 --> 00:54:04.915
When a husband lays down his life for his wife, the way

932
00:54:04.915 --> 00:54:07.675
that Christ laid down his life for the church,

933
00:54:08.705 --> 00:54:12.595
when a husband honor when a wife honors her husband, the way

934
00:54:12.595 --> 00:54:14.555
that she would honor Christ, let's be honest,

935
00:54:14.825 --> 00:54:18.995
even when he doesn't deserve it like that, that's a picture

936
00:54:19.095 --> 00:54:21.595
of the gospel for the world to see.

937
00:54:22.975 --> 00:54:25.195
And uh, before I jump to like

938
00:54:25.195 --> 00:54:27.475
how this impacts the church family, I do wanna say this, it,

939
00:54:27.935 --> 00:54:29.155
we have a class here at Hope.

940
00:54:29.185 --> 00:54:31.195
It's called Reengage. And it's not even really a class.

941
00:54:31.225 --> 00:54:33.675
It's, it's a 10 week experience where you come together

942
00:54:33.695 --> 00:54:35.515
and there's, there's teaching and there's learning,

943
00:54:35.535 --> 00:54:37.355
and then you come together and you're actually put in a

944
00:54:37.355 --> 00:54:38.475
small group for that 10 week period.

945
00:54:38.475 --> 00:54:39.715
And there's marriage mentors.

946
00:54:40.425 --> 00:54:42.515
It's not just for people whose marriages are falling apart,

947
00:54:42.695 --> 00:54:43.795
but if you're hearing this stuff

948
00:54:43.795 --> 00:54:46.875
and you're like, man, I'm pretty sure my marriage

949
00:54:46.895 --> 00:54:48.035
is not where it's supposed to be.

950
00:54:48.375 --> 00:54:50.915
Or even if it is, and you just wanna safeguard that thing,

951
00:54:52.455 --> 00:54:54.915
go to get hope.net/classes reengage

952
00:54:54.915 --> 00:54:56.315
starts in a, in a couple weeks.

953
00:54:56.775 --> 00:54:59.875
Um, we have marriage mentors and table seats that are open.

954
00:55:00.035 --> 00:55:02.955
I want to encourage you, I, it would be my desire for,

955
00:55:02.975 --> 00:55:03.995
for every family,

956
00:55:04.045 --> 00:55:06.955
every married couple at Hope Community Church to actually go

957
00:55:06.955 --> 00:55:08.755
through, reengage at some time during their life.

958
00:55:09.185 --> 00:55:10.355
Take that step. So that's,

959
00:55:10.415 --> 00:55:12.235
that's in our marriages in our church family.

960
00:55:12.275 --> 00:55:15.915
I want you to know, when the church operates like a family

961
00:55:16.175 --> 00:55:19.035
caring for one another, bearing one another's burdens,

962
00:55:19.145 --> 00:55:20.355
celebrating victories,

963
00:55:20.495 --> 00:55:22.275
the world actually gets a preview of heaven.

964
00:55:23.495 --> 00:55:26.835
Um, we saw an example of this, um,

965
00:55:27.505 --> 00:55:28.675
over the last couple weeks.

966
00:55:28.975 --> 00:55:30.715
Um, two Sundays ago.

967
00:55:30.795 --> 00:55:32.715
I, I got a phone call, um,

968
00:55:32.895 --> 00:55:35.475
around seven thirty, eight o'clock in the morning and,

969
00:55:35.615 --> 00:55:37.355
and found out that, um, one

970
00:55:37.355 --> 00:55:40.315
of our family members here at Hope, um, uh,

971
00:55:40.415 --> 00:55:43.035
his name was Daniel Ray, um, one

972
00:55:43.035 --> 00:55:45.075
of the best men I've ever met in my life.

973
00:55:45.555 --> 00:55:47.915
A friend of mine, um, passed away, um,

974
00:55:48.595 --> 00:55:49.715
shockingly unexpected.

975
00:55:50.575 --> 00:55:53.875
And, um, very close to so many people here at, at Hope.

976
00:55:54.095 --> 00:55:56.235
And while it's a tragedy, and Marcy, his wife

977
00:55:56.235 --> 00:55:58.355
and the kids would say it's a terrible tragedy, um,

978
00:55:58.355 --> 00:55:59.715
they would also want you to know

979
00:55:59.715 --> 00:56:02.275
that she called 9 1 1 at 7 45.

980
00:56:02.415 --> 00:56:03.795
And by eight 15,

981
00:56:04.085 --> 00:56:06.475
there were people from the church already flooding her home.

982
00:56:06.975 --> 00:56:10.195
Um, she had a conversation with Erin Nelson earlier today

983
00:56:10.455 --> 00:56:11.555
or, or last night,

984
00:56:11.975 --> 00:56:15.275
and she told 'em like, I don't even know how to ask for help

985
00:56:15.305 --> 00:56:16.675
because there's so many people

986
00:56:16.675 --> 00:56:19.075
around loving our family, caring for us.

987
00:56:19.075 --> 00:56:20.995
She said, before I can even realize that I'm thirsty,

988
00:56:20.995 --> 00:56:22.355
there's a glass of water in front of me.

989
00:56:22.375 --> 00:56:23.590
My laundry's getting done.

990
00:56:23.705 --> 00:56:25.045
Uh, my floors are being swept

991
00:56:25.045 --> 00:56:26.565
and my my floors are being mopped.

992
00:56:27.595 --> 00:56:29.445
Like, when the church gets this

993
00:56:29.545 --> 00:56:32.485
and comes together like family, it is a beautiful picture

994
00:56:32.485 --> 00:56:33.525
that I'm gonna be honest with you.

995
00:56:33.925 --> 00:56:36.205
I don't know where the rest of the world would turn.

996
00:56:38.235 --> 00:56:40.445
It's a beautiful picture of the kingdom of heaven.

997
00:56:40.465 --> 00:56:42.325
And so, uh, another principle here,

998
00:56:42.325 --> 00:56:44.245
your family isn't just about your happiness,

999
00:56:45.075 --> 00:56:46.085
it's about God's glory.

1000
00:56:49.825 --> 00:56:51.925
So that's the purpose of families, for belonging,

1001
00:56:52.145 --> 00:56:54.925
for formation, for purpose, for blessing.

1002
00:56:54.925 --> 00:56:56.725
That's why family ma matters, okay?

1003
00:56:56.725 --> 00:56:57.885
That's how God designed it.

1004
00:56:58.105 --> 00:57:01.445
But it's also why culture's attacking it.

1005
00:57:02.405 --> 00:57:05.045
'cause we have an enemy. And the enemy knows if he can take

1006
00:57:05.045 --> 00:57:06.925
out a family, he can weaken the church.

1007
00:57:07.105 --> 00:57:09.605
And if he can weaken the church, he can blind the world

1008
00:57:09.605 --> 00:57:11.925
to the glory and to the goodness, and to the love,

1009
00:57:11.925 --> 00:57:13.645
and to the grace and to the mercy of our God.

1010
00:57:14.745 --> 00:57:15.845
That's His game plan.

1011
00:57:16.555 --> 00:57:18.365
It's been consistent since the beginning of time.

1012
00:57:18.465 --> 00:57:19.965
We started in Genesis chapter one.

1013
00:57:19.965 --> 00:57:22.525
You don't get two chapters in until you see the attacks.

1014
00:57:22.785 --> 00:57:24.045
And so I'm gonna wrap this thing up,

1015
00:57:24.045 --> 00:57:26.245
and as I wrap it up, I'm gonna give two invitations,

1016
00:57:26.985 --> 00:57:28.045
two invitations this week.

1017
00:57:28.045 --> 00:57:31.845
Number one, join the family of God.

1018
00:57:35.295 --> 00:57:37.245
Maybe your earthly family is fractured.

1019
00:57:39.055 --> 00:57:40.405
Maybe you've been hurt. Uh,

1020
00:57:40.405 --> 00:57:42.925
maybe you've never known the belonging and the formation

1021
00:57:42.945 --> 00:57:44.045
and the blessing, the purpose

1022
00:57:44.045 --> 00:57:46.125
that we talked about, but here's the good news.

1023
00:57:47.185 --> 00:57:51.405
Um, and Christ, you can, And Christ you can.

1024
00:57:51.405 --> 00:57:54.605
I I wanna read eight verses really quickly from

1025
00:57:54.675 --> 00:57:56.085
Ephesians chapter two.

1026
00:57:56.425 --> 00:57:57.925
Um, I told you we're gonna be all over the

1027
00:57:57.925 --> 00:57:59.045
place in, in this letter.

1028
00:57:59.505 --> 00:58:02.805
Um, I read from verse 19 through 22 earlier,

1029
00:58:02.905 --> 00:58:06.325
I'm gonna go back to verse one and I'm gonna read it quick

1030
00:58:06.485 --> 00:58:07.685
'cause I think it speaks for itself.

1031
00:58:08.905 --> 00:58:10.885
So remember, we're talking about joining the family of God.

1032
00:58:12.135 --> 00:58:15.125
Verse one, it says, and you were dead in the trespasses

1033
00:58:15.125 --> 00:58:16.285
and sins in what you once walked.

1034
00:58:16.285 --> 00:58:18.485
So he's actually talking to believers at this point,

1035
00:58:18.705 --> 00:58:19.965
but he says, in, in the,

1036
00:58:19.985 --> 00:58:22.605
in the sin in which you once walked, following the course

1037
00:58:22.605 --> 00:58:24.965
of this world, following the prince of the power of the air,

1038
00:58:24.965 --> 00:58:26.165
the spirit that is now at work

1039
00:58:26.165 --> 00:58:27.445
and the sons of disobedience,

1040
00:58:27.535 --> 00:58:30.645
among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,

1041
00:58:31.405 --> 00:58:33.885
carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,

1042
00:58:34.145 --> 00:58:38.125
and word by nature, children of wrath just like the rest

1043
00:58:38.425 --> 00:58:41.445
of mankind, that's life outside of the family of God.

1044
00:58:42.355 --> 00:58:45.045
That sounds very difficult to experience the blessing.

1045
00:58:45.065 --> 00:58:47.365
But, uh, Gary vet, one of the pastors here, he talks about,

1046
00:58:47.365 --> 00:58:50.045
he said before, um, you've always gotta pay attention

1047
00:58:50.065 --> 00:58:51.645
to the big buts in the Bible.

1048
00:58:54.235 --> 00:58:56.845
This is a big one right here. All that is true.

1049
00:58:57.185 --> 00:59:00.285
All of these are true. Um, all of that is true

1050
00:59:00.305 --> 00:59:01.405
for those who are not in Christ.

1051
00:59:01.465 --> 00:59:03.965
But look at verse four. But God,

1052
00:59:05.585 --> 00:59:07.485
but God being rich in mercy

1053
00:59:07.715 --> 00:59:11.605
because of the great love with which he loved us,

1054
00:59:11.795 --> 00:59:13.885
even when we were dead in our trespasses,

1055
00:59:13.885 --> 00:59:15.365
made us alive together in Christ.

1056
00:59:15.585 --> 00:59:17.925
And by grace, you have been saved and raised.

1057
00:59:18.265 --> 00:59:19.445
He raised us up with him

1058
00:59:19.445 --> 00:59:20.685
and he seated us with him in the

1059
00:59:20.685 --> 00:59:22.005
heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

1060
00:59:22.505 --> 00:59:24.245
So that in the coming ages,

1061
00:59:24.265 --> 00:59:26.645
he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace

1062
00:59:26.705 --> 00:59:28.525
and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.

1063
00:59:28.745 --> 00:59:31.525
Listen for grace, for by grace,

1064
00:59:31.665 --> 00:59:33.245
you have been saved through faith.

1065
00:59:33.705 --> 00:59:37.205
And this is not of your own doing. It is the gift of God.

1066
00:59:37.305 --> 00:59:39.445
God invites you into his family.

1067
00:59:39.825 --> 00:59:41.125
And you don't have to earn your way.

1068
00:59:41.465 --> 00:59:43.045
You don't have to have the perfect family.

1069
00:59:43.385 --> 00:59:45.205
You don't have to have it all figured out.

1070
00:59:45.385 --> 00:59:46.845
We are adopted in by grace.

1071
00:59:46.855 --> 00:59:49.845
Grace is an undeserved gift that God offers to any

1072
00:59:49.865 --> 00:59:51.605
and all of us who would call on the name

1073
00:59:51.605 --> 00:59:53.725
of Jesus into a relationship with God

1074
00:59:53.985 --> 00:59:55.045
and into the family of God.

1075
00:59:55.065 --> 00:59:57.765
And if you have never made that decision to accept

1076
00:59:57.765 --> 01:00:00.005
that free gift through calling on the name of Jesus,

1077
01:00:00.445 --> 01:00:02.085
I wanna encourage you do that.

1078
01:00:02.235 --> 01:00:03.285
It's the best decision

1079
01:00:03.285 --> 01:00:04.805
that you could ever make in your life.

1080
01:00:05.865 --> 01:00:07.645
You can tell somebody that invited you.

1081
01:00:07.665 --> 01:00:09.205
You can tell somebody that you came with.

1082
01:00:09.465 --> 01:00:11.685
Uh, you can go to next steps and let somebody know

1083
01:00:11.825 --> 01:00:13.845
and say, man, I'm ready to give my life to Christ

1084
01:00:13.865 --> 01:00:15.405
and I wanna be a part of the family of God.

1085
01:00:19.345 --> 01:00:21.565
Number two, second invitation.

1086
01:00:22.945 --> 01:00:25.045
And this is for all of us who are actually in Christ.

1087
01:00:25.655 --> 01:00:28.725
Those of us who are following Jesus to call today as simple,

1088
01:00:30.005 --> 01:00:34.445
recommit, recommit to the family as God designed, end

1089
01:00:36.165 --> 01:00:39.685
recommit to your spouse, recommit to your kids.

1090
01:00:40.455 --> 01:00:43.245
Maybe you're single. I mean, I don't have any kids.

1091
01:00:43.935 --> 01:00:44.965
Maybe you've got a parent

1092
01:00:44.965 --> 01:00:46.085
that you haven't talked to in a while.

1093
01:00:46.085 --> 01:00:47.325
Maybe it's time to pick up the phone.

1094
01:00:48.295 --> 01:00:50.525
Maybe it's time to see what God can do in that relationship.

1095
01:00:52.765 --> 01:00:57.605
Recommit to this church family, Recommit

1096
01:00:57.605 --> 01:00:58.725
to living in God's design,

1097
01:00:58.725 --> 01:01:01.885
even when culture says it's outdated or it's inconvenient.

1098
01:01:02.345 --> 01:01:03.925
So, okay, Jason, I'm ready to recommit.

1099
01:01:03.925 --> 01:01:06.325
What does that look like? I'm glad you asked.

1100
01:01:06.655 --> 01:01:07.605
We're gonna spend the next four

1101
01:01:07.605 --> 01:01:08.445
to five weeks talking about it.

1102
01:01:09.305 --> 01:01:10.565
So I want you back here, a man,

1103
01:01:10.565 --> 01:01:12.565
if this is your church family over the next four

1104
01:01:12.565 --> 01:01:15.085
to five weeks, you do not want to miss being here.

1105
01:01:15.425 --> 01:01:17.045
Uh, I want you to do anything you can do

1106
01:01:17.045 --> 01:01:18.845
to get your friends here, get your family here.

1107
01:01:18.925 --> 01:01:21.325
I do not believe there's a better way to spend your time.

1108
01:01:21.475 --> 01:01:24.565
Because regardless of how far gone you are

1109
01:01:24.585 --> 01:01:26.925
or regardless of how far you believe your situation is,

1110
01:01:26.925 --> 01:01:28.005
or regardless, if you think, hey,

1111
01:01:28.005 --> 01:01:29.845
everything's going okay in my life right now,

1112
01:01:30.105 --> 01:01:31.325
family still matters.

1113
01:01:32.025 --> 01:01:34.645
It matters to your kids, it matters to our communities.

1114
01:01:34.645 --> 01:01:35.925
It matters to the mission of God.

1115
01:01:35.925 --> 01:01:38.285
And most importantly, it matters to the glory

1116
01:01:38.285 --> 01:01:39.645
of Jesus Christ, our king.

1117
01:01:42.515 --> 01:01:44.085
This is how I wanna close out this service.

1118
01:01:44.265 --> 01:01:46.405
Uh, I wanna invite everybody in this room

1119
01:01:46.425 --> 01:01:48.845
and across all of our campuses, I wanna invite you to stand

1120
01:01:49.105 --> 01:01:50.245
and I'm gonna pray for us.

1121
01:01:50.505 --> 01:01:52.485
But I want you to stand, and we don't have a lot of time.

1122
01:01:52.485 --> 01:01:53.645
So you gotta stand fast, okay?

1123
01:01:53.905 --> 01:01:55.805
Uh, and then, and then just slide in.

1124
01:01:55.805 --> 01:01:57.725
If there's room, I wanna encourage you, just slide in.

1125
01:01:57.725 --> 01:01:59.405
You'll be like, what about my coffee cup? That's okay.

1126
01:01:59.405 --> 01:02:01.325
It'll be there when you get back. Just slide in

1127
01:02:03.945 --> 01:02:04.845
And then I'm gonna ask you to do

1128
01:02:04.845 --> 01:02:05.685
something you might not wanna do.

1129
01:02:05.685 --> 01:02:07.325
And you don't have to do it, but, but if you would,

1130
01:02:07.385 --> 01:02:09.405
if you're comfortable, I wanna encourage you

1131
01:02:09.405 --> 01:02:10.845
to take the person's hand next to you.

1132
01:02:11.105 --> 01:02:12.365
Now, if you don't wanna do that, you're like,

1133
01:02:12.365 --> 01:02:13.765
I don't wanna get sick, just give 'em one of these.

1134
01:02:15.635 --> 01:02:17.285
It's okay. That's like the universal sign.

1135
01:02:17.285 --> 01:02:19.605
Like, ah, they'll know what you mean. It's okay.

1136
01:02:19.675 --> 01:02:23.365
Just family is God's idea.

1137
01:02:25.105 --> 01:02:26.485
Family is God's design.

1138
01:02:27.865 --> 01:02:31.565
Family is a place of belonging, of formation.

1139
01:02:32.235 --> 01:02:33.325
It's a place of blessing.

1140
01:02:34.845 --> 01:02:36.245
I want you to look around this room.

1141
01:02:36.275 --> 01:02:38.605
Look around the room that you're standing in right now.

1142
01:02:38.665 --> 01:02:41.085
If you're in your home with your family, listen online.

1143
01:02:41.085 --> 01:02:44.405
Just look around. This is a

1144
01:02:46.535 --> 01:02:50.725
godly, instituted, sacred institution,

1145
01:02:51.965 --> 01:02:53.165
a family of families, the church.

1146
01:02:54.835 --> 01:02:59.365
This is who we are. Would you pray with me?

1147
01:02:59.365 --> 01:03:01.485
Father, I want to thank you for the men and women

1148
01:03:01.505 --> 01:03:04.005
and students in this room across all of our campuses,

1149
01:03:04.025 --> 01:03:05.165
for those who are listening in.

1150
01:03:05.945 --> 01:03:09.205
Um, you created us to experience belonging

1151
01:03:12.225 --> 01:03:13.445
And to be formed and to,

1152
01:03:13.665 --> 01:03:15.765
and to experience blessing in our lives,

1153
01:03:15.765 --> 01:03:17.365
and to be able to share that blessing with the world

1154
01:03:17.365 --> 01:03:19.965
around us, through what you created as family.

1155
01:03:20.595 --> 01:03:22.325
Lord, family is under attack in our world.

1156
01:03:22.505 --> 01:03:24.925
Father, I pray that as a church family, that we would,

1157
01:03:25.065 --> 01:03:27.245
you would convict our hearts to just go to scripture

1158
01:03:27.265 --> 01:03:28.125
and say, God, I'm not gonna,

1159
01:03:28.225 --> 01:03:29.205
I'm not gonna listen to the news.

1160
01:03:29.265 --> 01:03:30.645
I'm not gonna listen to social media.

1161
01:03:30.825 --> 01:03:32.645
I'm gonna go to your word as to

1162
01:03:32.645 --> 01:03:35.525
what you say is true about me and how I'm called to live.

1163
01:03:36.265 --> 01:03:38.005
Father, I pray against the plans

1164
01:03:38.005 --> 01:03:39.885
that the enemy would have on our church family

1165
01:03:39.985 --> 01:03:42.765
to create a lack of unity, to create the ascension,

1166
01:03:42.825 --> 01:03:44.925
to tear apart families, to go after our children.

1167
01:03:45.315 --> 01:03:47.405
Lord, we pray against our enemy in the name of Jesus.

1168
01:03:47.465 --> 01:03:49.685
And I pray of prayer, of blessing over all

1169
01:03:49.685 --> 01:03:51.525
who call hope Community Church home,

1170
01:03:51.725 --> 01:03:53.885
and on all those who would call on the name of Jesus.

1171
01:03:55.865 --> 01:03:57.965
Father, I pray that you would be at work in our hearts,

1172
01:03:57.995 --> 01:04:00.205
that you would be at work in our lives over this series.

1173
01:04:00.665 --> 01:04:03.365
Father, we're gonna cover some tough stuff, father,

1174
01:04:03.365 --> 01:04:06.245
would we be, um, hearers and doers of the word Lord?

1175
01:04:06.245 --> 01:04:07.885
Would we not be as James talks about as one

1176
01:04:07.885 --> 01:04:10.445
who hear your word in the look in the mirror, and walks away

1177
01:04:10.665 --> 01:04:11.845
and forgets, Lord,

1178
01:04:11.845 --> 01:04:14.005
would our lives be changed ultimately for your glory?

1179
01:04:14.155 --> 01:04:15.685
Lord, we love you and we pray

1180
01:04:15.685 --> 01:04:16.805
these things in the name of Jesus.

1181
01:04:16.905 --> 01:04:18.845
And everyone said, amen. Amen.

1182
01:04:18.845 --> 01:04:22.525
Listen, as we finish, strong families build strong churches

1183
01:04:23.425 --> 01:04:26.245
and strong churches become strong families.

1184
01:04:26.425 --> 01:04:28.725
And so hope across all of our campuses, across all

1185
01:04:29.085 --> 01:04:31.645
of our communities, let's be that church.

1186
01:04:31.995 --> 01:04:34.285
Okay? Love you guys. See you next week.

1187
01:04:40.745 --> 01:04:42.325
Go, go ahead and stay standing.

1188
01:04:42.405 --> 01:04:44.365
I I'm gonna try to get you outta here pretty quickly here.

1189
01:04:44.435 --> 01:04:46.085
Some of you showed up and you tuned in.

1190
01:04:46.085 --> 01:04:47.885
You didn't realize you had a big old family.

1191
01:04:47.945 --> 01:04:49.245
So welcome to that. Uh,

1192
01:04:49.245 --> 01:04:50.445
here's what I would encourage you to do.

1193
01:04:50.705 --> 01:04:52.725
Uh, if you're online chat, comment

1194
01:04:52.825 --> 01:04:54.005
and like learn a name or two.

1195
01:04:54.025 --> 01:04:56.885
And before you leave, if you're in the physical building,

1196
01:04:57.145 --> 01:04:59.045
be sure to learn a name or two before you leave as well.

1197
01:04:59.385 --> 01:05:01.845
Uh, Jason mentioned if there's something going on, maybe all

1198
01:05:01.845 --> 01:05:03.765
of this is hitting in a way you were not expecting,

1199
01:05:04.345 --> 01:05:05.405
uh, stop by next steps.

1200
01:05:05.875 --> 01:05:09.645
Talk to someone, drop an email to care@gethope.net.

1201
01:05:09.695 --> 01:05:11.125
We'll be there. We'll connect with you.

1202
01:05:11.145 --> 01:05:13.045
We wanna encourage you, uh, to do that.

1203
01:05:13.425 --> 01:05:14.525
Uh, one thing that's happening

1204
01:05:14.625 --> 01:05:17.405
as we speak is our middle school students, 300

1205
01:05:17.425 --> 01:05:18.445
of them are hanging out

1206
01:05:18.445 --> 01:05:21.445
with their small group leaders at camp over by Lake Gaston,

1207
01:05:21.625 --> 01:05:24.645
and they're experiencing a spiritual next step on a level

1208
01:05:24.645 --> 01:05:27.045
that is usually not experienced any other time of the year.

1209
01:05:27.045 --> 01:05:28.405
It's one of the best weekends of the year.

1210
01:05:28.465 --> 01:05:29.765
So we just wanna celebrate.

1211
01:05:29.905 --> 01:05:31.565
We wanna thank everyone who gives it hope.

1212
01:05:31.565 --> 01:05:33.685
You're a part of making that a reality, making that happen.

1213
01:05:34.115 --> 01:05:36.485
Such an awesome experience for our students, uh,

1214
01:05:36.485 --> 01:05:37.485
over this past weekend.

1215
01:05:37.485 --> 01:05:38.965
So we're glad that they're having that opportunity.

1216
01:05:39.235 --> 01:05:40.885
High schoolers, or if you know a high

1217
01:05:40.885 --> 01:05:42.485
schooler, your turn's coming up.

1218
01:05:42.485 --> 01:05:44.885
We got high school retreat coming up in October.

1219
01:05:44.895 --> 01:05:46.765
There are still some spots you can register,

1220
01:05:47.025 --> 01:05:48.205
so if you want more information on

1221
01:05:48.205 --> 01:05:49.285
that, be sure to drop into the app.

1222
01:05:49.285 --> 01:05:51.605
Check that out. Let your high school students know.

1223
01:05:51.675 --> 01:05:54.445
Sign up for HSM camp or HSM retreat.

1224
01:05:54.465 --> 01:05:55.725
You do not wanna miss it.

1225
01:05:55.985 --> 01:05:58.405
As Jason said, be sure to share this message with someone.

1226
01:05:58.665 --> 01:06:00.605
I'd encourage you if you missed out on any

1227
01:06:00.605 --> 01:06:02.405
of the image bearer series, go back

1228
01:06:02.405 --> 01:06:03.605
and watch or listen to that.

1229
01:06:03.865 --> 01:06:06.365
That's all about who you are in Christ Jesus.

1230
01:06:06.715 --> 01:06:08.365
This Family of Family Series all about

1231
01:06:08.385 --> 01:06:09.685
who we are as the church.

1232
01:06:10.005 --> 01:06:11.565
Together, they pair beautifully together.

1233
01:06:11.565 --> 01:06:12.965
You'll need every bit of it.

1234
01:06:13.095 --> 01:06:14.525
Share the messages with some friends.

1235
01:06:14.525 --> 01:06:15.765
Bring them back with you next week.

1236
01:06:15.785 --> 01:06:16.965
We love you and we'll see you then.