1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Well, this is an incredibly special worship experience. Today we're 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: about to go into the auditorium for a time of 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: worship and faith and the Word of God. It's our 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: game change your offering weekend. This offering goes toward expansion 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: and outreach and ministries just like this. And we're calling 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: on our etham, that's what we call our extended family 7 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: all around the world. And now I love it. It's 8 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: so exciting that people join us every single weekend, not 9 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: just here, but all over the world. Yeah, and we 10 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: don't want you to just consume the content. We want 11 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: you to contribute. We want you to be a part 12 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: of this move of God. So if you've been blessed 13 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: by this ministry, this is your opportunity make a sacrificial gift, 14 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: maybe a systematic gift, maybe one time, maybe a monthly 15 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: recurring gift. But we're calling on all of you who 16 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: consider this your etham, your extended family, your church family, 17 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: to make a difference today. As you do. Holly and 18 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: I are praying that God will bless your life in 19 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: amazing ways. So this is it. This is the opportunity 20 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: be a part of this move of God. Let's go 21 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: into worship. I think you're really going to have your 22 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: faith built during this time and the best is ahead. 23 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: We'll worship a little bit more in a few moments 24 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: after the sermon today as we get to bring our 25 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: game change you're offering. So many thousands didn't get to 26 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: last weekend because of the weather. We want everybody to 27 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: have that special moment. But the bad news is, just 28 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: about the time we got the snow cleared out, just 29 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: about the time we got the snow cleared out, we 30 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: get a report that there's a hurricane. And this is 31 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 1: terrible because we're out here trying to take a game 32 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: changer offering build the Kingdom of God. And then Christine 33 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: the hurricane wants to come preach on our game change 34 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: our series. Now, this woman of God, she hails from Australia. 35 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: Her husband's name is Nick. He is a great strategist 36 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: and a general in the Kingdom of God. We honor you, sir, 37 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: and your beard and your mountain biking. But she is 38 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: a voice of justice and truth for Jesus Christ all 39 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: around the globe and today on this occasion, God has 40 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 1: sent us a global force in this strategic moment. And 41 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: if you've never heard Christine Kane before you have not 42 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: lived until now. But the good news is there's a 43 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: hurricane in the house. She is the co founder of 44 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: a twenty one fighting human trafficking all around the world. 45 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: She is God's chosen vessel for this moment. Put your 46 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: hands together on every location, Welcome Christine the hurricane. Hey gosh, 47 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: how are you doing. I could not wait to be 48 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 1: with you. And did you all notice how beautiful the 49 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: weather was today? You know I brought the anointing, don't you. 50 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: That's I didn't want to say anything to Pastor Stephen 51 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: that you iced out last week, but come on, come 52 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: on this week, it is beautiful. I feel like I 53 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: am with family. In case you all don't know who 54 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: I am, I'm your craig cra oussy aunt and everybody 55 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: needs a crazy oussy aunt. And I'm so grateful. I'm 56 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: the bonus track. I've brought the bonus track, so we 57 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: had I'm normally the person on the other side of 58 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: the screen, so all our global eve family, and then 59 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: I'm you know, we got a thousand euro all like rabbits. 60 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 1: There's a Megian locations like you're like God, just omnipresent 61 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: all over the globe. There you are. But I am 62 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: normally and often no matter where I'm preaching in the world, 63 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: if the time zone works out, well, I get to watch. 64 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: I participate. I'm more than watch. I know you on 65 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: the other side of the screen are more than watching. 66 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: I am part of it all. And you know, I 67 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: always need a good sermon. So there's a pretty good 68 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: preacher here most Sundays, and so I just I just 69 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: come and I get my word from him, and then 70 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: you know, I quote him for the first minute and 71 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: then I say, as I always say, this is my word. 72 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: So it's really hard coming to this pulpit because when 73 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: you preach all past to Stephen sermons and then you've 74 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: got to come to his poolport, You're like, I literally 75 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: asked my husband, I'm going no, he's already preached that, 76 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: he's preached that that's where I got it from. I 77 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: can't do that. And so I had to actually go 78 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: to God, how was that? And which was awesome? But 79 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: I thank God he's raised your house up. I want 80 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: you to stay standing because I want to read something 81 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: over you that as I was preparing. This has nothing 82 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: to do with my sermon, but it's got everything to 83 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: do with this house. And you know when the Queen 84 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: of Sheba came to visit Solomon, King Solomon in the 85 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: Book of First Kings, chapter ten, it says, now when 86 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, 87 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 1: I want you to know that the sound of elevation 88 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: is around the world. What is coming out of this house. 89 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,799 Speaker 1: And of course you're you know your Grammy nominated songs, 90 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: which are absolutely phenomenal. I have the privilege of sometimes 91 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: being at the same events as your worship team, which 92 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: just represents this house so powerful around the world. But 93 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: you know there's a sound that's coming out of here, 94 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: your pastor, I mean, you've heard of the pulpits if 95 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: you've been a Christian for more than you know, three minutes, 96 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: and most of you haven't here because you're heathen. So 97 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: it's awesome. That's what we love. You're newly saved. But 98 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,559 Speaker 1: you know the great preachers in modern church history, Charles 99 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: Spurgeon in England and Deal Moody in Chicago and Jonathan 100 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: Edwards on the East Coast. Let me just say, this 101 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: pulpit will go down in modern history as powerful as 102 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: the pulpits of those people. Because of the gift on 103 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: your pastor. It is awesome. But she comes in and 104 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: she said, when I heard of the fame of Solomon 105 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test 106 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: him with hard questions. You ever tried to test your 107 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: pastor with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a 108 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: very great retinue. I like this part with camels bearing spices. 109 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: I was going to bring my camels, it's Christmas and all, 110 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: but you know I left them in Australia, and very 111 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, 112 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: she told him all that was on her mind, and 113 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from 114 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: the king that he could not explain to her. And 115 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: when the Queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom 116 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: of Solomon, the house that he had built. I love this. 117 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: God loves having a house built. The Bible says in Chronicles, 118 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: the house that is to be built for the Lord 119 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: must be exceedingly magnificent. We've come here around a game 120 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: changer offering weekend. Can I just tell you we are 121 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: never apologetic a building about building an exceedingly magnificent house 122 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: for God that goes around the world. It says the 123 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: house that he had built, the food on his table, 124 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: I just had some grits. Can I tell you the 125 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: food on the table here in the South is like awesome. 126 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: I don't know if Sheba got grits, but I did. 127 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: The seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, 128 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 1: they're clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he 129 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: offered to the House of the Lord. There was no 130 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: more breath in her. And when I read that earlier 131 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: this week, I thought, that's what it's like. And for 132 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: all of you on the other side of the screen, 133 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: because that's me every week. It's breathtaking. The Queen of 134 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: Sheba came into Solomon's grade ten woy shes My breath 135 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,119 Speaker 1: is taken away. Can I just say, with the way 136 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: that this house glorifies the King of Kings and the 137 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: Lord of Lords and carries the glory of God, you 138 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: are breathtaking. Elevation, Church, you are breathtaking. It is amazing 139 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: what God is doing in and through this house in 140 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: this generation. So I'm believing God that is going to 141 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: speak to every one of our hearts today and you're 142 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: going to realize what a part of history you are. 143 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: I was in Copenhagen and I was raving about the 144 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: beautiful architecture of that city in Denmark. It's just stunning. 145 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: And I come from a nation that's only a couple 146 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: of hundred years old, so anything that's thousands of years old, 147 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: I'm in. The architecture, just the history is breathtaking. And 148 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: I was going on and on and on to the 149 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: cab driver about how beautiful it was. And I'm Greek, 150 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: so I'm highly emotive and I don't stop talking, and 151 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: so I was just going and he started to cry, 152 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: and I thought, Christine, you've really gone overboard this time. 153 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: But he pulled over and he said, you know, do 154 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: you really think our city is this beautiful? I said, 155 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: it's breathtaking. It's just stunning. And he said, you know, 156 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: sometimes you can live right in the midst of it 157 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: and not even see it. And my prayer is that 158 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: here at elevation, that you realize while you're in it, 159 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: that you're in the middle of a modern day miracle 160 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: that one is God is doing in it through this 161 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: house is not normal. It is breathtaking. It is supernatural, 162 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: and God has chosen you to be a part of it. 163 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: So why don't you be seated and turned with me 164 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: to the Book of Hebrews chapter twelve. I'm a coffee lover, 165 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: so Hebrews is one of my favorite favorite I couldn't resist. 166 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: I couldn't resist. I'm sorry. It's as dorky as it comes. 167 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: I've become that preacher. I'm going to read to you 168 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: from Hebrews chapter twelve on both Greek and a woman. 169 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: So I only speak three ways, hard, fast, and continuously. 170 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: So strap yourself in, Strap yourself in. I love that 171 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: I'm talking to so many locations all at once, and 172 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: now he fam I love being on this side because 173 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: I'm always on that side. Okay, sorry, So here we go. 174 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: The Bible says in Hebrews twelve. Therefore, since we are 175 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us 176 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: also someone say me too. Let us also lay aside 177 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let 178 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 179 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who, 180 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, 181 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 1: despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand 182 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: of the Throne of God. I love this passage of scripture, 183 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: Hebrews chapter twelve, right there after Hebrews eleven. And you know, 184 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: I always love to say that, even in Australia, Hebrews 185 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: twelve comes after Hebrews eleven. Sometimes you think, because our 186 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: toilets flush back to front in the way that yours 187 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: do here in America, maybe our bibles are back to front. 188 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: But as in most translations, we go Hebrews eleven, the 189 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: Great Hall of Faith, and then Hebrews Chapter twelve. So 190 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 1: I'm saying that because it starts with therefore, and when 191 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: the word therefore is in the Bible, you've got to 192 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: ask yourself the question, what's it there four? And it's 193 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: therefore coming out of this wonderful chapter talking about these 194 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: men and women of God that were heroes of faith, 195 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 1: and the scripture tells us the writer to the Hebrews says, 196 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: we need to run with endurance in the same way 197 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: that they ran before us. And why I'm prefacing what 198 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: I'm about to say with this is that sometimes we 199 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,079 Speaker 1: think when it comes to our Christian walk, and especially 200 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: in the Western culture, that most of us are a 201 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: part of we think that it's an individual sprint. Man, 202 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to run this race that God has called 203 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: me to. I'm going to fulfill my destiny. You know, 204 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to flourish. I'm going to maximum my potential. 205 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: You do you boo? Is the you know mantra of 206 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: this generation. It's just like, you know, worst advice anyone 207 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: could ever give anyone. But anyway, that's another sermon. But 208 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: here is the deal is you just run your little 209 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: leg of the race and just don't worry about anyone else. 210 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 1: But Scripture teaches us the opposite. It says, therefore, then, 211 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 212 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: you see, there are others that have come before us. 213 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: We are part of an eternal divine relay. This is 214 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: not an individual sprint. There are others that have come 215 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 1: after us, and it's very before us. And it's very 216 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: important that we remember that there are people that have 217 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: come before us in the Christian faith, because if we 218 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: forget that others have run before us, we might just 219 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: forget that there are still others to come after us. 220 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: But when you remember that you're part of an eternal 221 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: divine relay, you will know that in any relay race, 222 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter how fast any individual runner is, It 223 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: doesn't matter how strong any individual runner is. If there 224 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: is it's not a seamless exchange in the exchange zone, 225 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: whatever happened before falls to the ground and doesn't go anywhere. 226 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: And you know that in a race, you want to 227 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: increase momentum and you want to increase speed, and the 228 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 1: way that exchange happens one point nine seconds twenty meters 229 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: determines the entire race. Now, I love relay races, and 230 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: because I'm a cheek, I'm predisposed to loving the women's 231 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,839 Speaker 1: for by one hundred meter relay. And when we were 232 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: living in Australia in the year two thousand, Australia hosted 233 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: the Olympic Games and Nick and I got to go 234 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: and watch the final of the women's relay. Now, America, 235 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 1: on paper, should have won. You're the fastest women's for 236 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: by one hundred meter team, the fastest team in history. Now, 237 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: out of the sixteen Olympic Games before that, the American 238 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: team had won goal medal on nine of them. They 239 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: were the fastest team. Just so good. But what happened was, 240 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: as we were watching this race, what should have been 241 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: just a easy win ended up with a bronze medal 242 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: for the American team because what happened was coming into 243 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: the second exchange, they just got sloppy. They got sloppy 244 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: because they thought, we're the fastest, we're the best, no 245 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 1: one has beaten us before, so here we go, and 246 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: they got slopped. And while they were sloppy, thinking they'd 247 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: already won, but they were only in the second exchange, 248 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: the Bahamas and Jamaica just came alongside and just took off, 249 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: and then they just could not catch them after that, 250 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: and what should have been a gold became a bronze, 251 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 1: not because of a lack of skill, talent, or ability, 252 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: but because of a lack of a seamless exchange in 253 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: the exchange zone. They just got sloppy. It is amazing 254 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: how when you get sloppy in your Christianity, you wonder 255 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: why you don't finish your race in the way that 256 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: you should. You wonder when you get sloppy in your 257 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: approach to an exchange zone, because in our faith there 258 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: are always divine moments of exchange, whether you are either 259 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: going to accelerate and gain momentum or you are either 260 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: going to de accelerate and then wonder why you didn't 261 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: finish where you should have finished, both individually and corporately 262 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: as a church. Churches that go from strength to strength 263 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: don't miss the exchange zone. When we have a moment 264 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: like our game change are offering weekend, we realize this 265 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: is a divine exchange zone. We realize we're coming into 266 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,119 Speaker 1: an exchange zone where we're either going to gain momentum 267 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: and acceleration or whether we are just going to be sloppy. 268 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: And so here's what happens in two thousand and four 269 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: in the Athens Olympic Games. I'm thinking America is going 270 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: to win again, fastest team on paper. But what happened 271 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: is as Marion Jones came into the exchange zone to 272 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: give the baton over to Lauren Williams, she was a 273 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: little bit fatigued, so she came in slower than she 274 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: normally would and she couldn't get the baton into the 275 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: and of Lauren Williams. If you've ever seen it, it's 276 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: actually really moving because you can see you trying to 277 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: yell and say I'm not going to reach you. And 278 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: so by the time she got it into Lauren's hand, 279 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: it was outside of the exchange zone. The exchange happened 280 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: too late, and so the American team was disqualified again. 281 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: They were the fastest team, should have gotten gold. But 282 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: if you do not hand over what needs to be 283 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: hand over in the one point nine seconds and twenty 284 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: meters that you're supposed to, you can miss that divine 285 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: moment where you can actually accelerate and gain momentum. Impetus 286 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: is everything to maintaining and sustaining momentum. If you miss it, 287 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: if you don't serve when you should give, when you should, love, 288 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 1: when you should forgive, when you should give mercy when 289 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: you should if you don't do it in that moment, 290 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: you can miss that opportunity. Well, then we get to 291 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight and now we're in Beijing, China, 292 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: and again fastest team on paper and America should have won. 293 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: But what happened was when they can into that third exchange, 294 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: they fumbled the baton and instead of passing it right, 295 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: they dropped it. So the team again lost the race, 296 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: not because they weren't the best or the fastest or 297 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: the quickest, but because they dropped the baton. Do you 298 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: know how many drop batons there have been in the 299 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: history of the Church over the last two thousand years, 300 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: people that God anoints a house and says you can 301 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: usher in the greatest revival that's ever been seen in 302 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: modern day church. But somewhere in the exchange zone, we 303 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: just dropped the baton. And then we get to twenty twelve, 304 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: and of course twenty twelve London, England. All that happened. 305 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: The team was no faster than in the previous three Olympics, 306 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: it was no stronger than in the previous three Olympics, 307 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: but they got a gold medal simply because the three 308 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: exchanges in the exchange zone were seamless. So what is 309 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: the point of this athletics lesson on a Sunday morning 310 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: at church? Therefore, well, then, since we are surrounded by 311 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: so great a cloud of witnesses, let us elevation also 312 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 1: make sure that we carry our baton of faith to 313 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: our generation. That we don't drop the baton, that we 314 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: don't hand it on too late, that we don't get 315 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: sloppy with what God has blessed us with. But we 316 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: understand that the baton of faith is in our hands 317 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: for our generation, to our generation. See you are not 318 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: here by accident. God knew exactly what would be happening 319 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: on the planet in the year twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen. 320 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: He's God. A perk of being God is you just 321 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: know everything. It's God. And so he knew. And when 322 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 1: he looked at all of the people he created out 323 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: of all of eternity, he saw you, and he plucked 324 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: you out of eternity, and he positioned you in time, 325 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: and he gave you gifts and talents for the purpose 326 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: of serving your generation. And he said, I'm going to 327 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: plant you in this house because I've got a mantle 328 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: and I've got an anointing on this house. And we 329 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: have so many issues on the earth today. There is 330 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: so much chaos and so much crisis, and so much division, 331 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 1: and so much disunity, and so much pain and so 332 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: much heartache, and so much injustice and so much suffering. 333 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: And it is easy to get overwhelmed by it all. 334 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: But I need to tell you the issue and the 335 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: problems that they're not political problems, and they're not moral 336 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: problems necessarily, and they're not education issues, and they're not 337 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: social issues. It's a faith issue. We've got too many 338 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: unbelieving believers. We need some believers that say, I will 339 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: carry the baton of faith for my generation. I will 340 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: carry the good news of the Gospel to my generation. 341 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: I'll be light in the midst of darkness for my generation. 342 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: I will carry the batona my faith to my family, 343 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:54,199 Speaker 1: to my university, to my school, to my community, to 344 00:18:54,320 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: my mother's group. You see tag church where it some 345 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: of us are thinking, well, I'm waiting, and God's going no, no, no, 346 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: you're it. You have the baton of faith. Therefore, then, 347 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 1: since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 348 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: let us also it's us, what are you doing with 349 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,959 Speaker 1: a baton of faith? We have an enemy that is 350 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,159 Speaker 1: trying to distract us from the one thing we're on 351 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: the earth to do. In case you're wondering what we're 352 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: here to do, you and I are personally responsible for 353 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: the evangelization of planet Earth before the second coming of 354 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. So today when you're having lunch and all 355 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: your friends are just trying to kind of, you know, 356 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:41,920 Speaker 1: be little you and say who are you? You're just 357 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: a little loser Christian. And you know they say, I'm 358 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: a doctor, I'm a lawyer, I'm a Supreme Court judge, 359 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: what are you a little loser? You just go, well, 360 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 1: I'm personally responsible for the evangelization and for planet before 361 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: the second Coming of Jesus. I don't know what you do. 362 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: That's what we are here for. Why did we get 363 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: up today? Why are we at church? Because we are 364 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: here carrying the baton of faith in our kids, ministry, 365 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: people telling people about the Word of God and about 366 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: Jesus in a culture that is so antithetical to the 367 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: Gospel and to the good News. Every time we come 368 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: to church, you're carrying the baton of faith. Every time 369 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: you pray, you're carrying the baton of faith. Every time 370 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: you open that word, You're carrying the baton of faith. 371 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: Every time you sew into our game changer off it, 372 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: you're carrying the baton of faith. If we don't do it, 373 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: what if we don't what if we're just here. This 374 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: is more than just a nice little self help motivational 375 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: come together. That's not what we're here for. We are 376 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,920 Speaker 1: part of an eternal divine relay. This is every time 377 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 1: we step in and we carry this baton of faith, 378 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: the eternal is touching the temporal. We're stepping into this 379 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 1: broken and fragmented world, and we're saying we've got a 380 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: baton of faith. God has given us the responsibility in 381 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: our generation to carry this baton of faith to our generation. 382 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: This is bigger than me. What's happening this weekend is 383 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 1: bigger than us. What if if we don't do it, 384 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: what if we just forget? I want to show you 385 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: what for me is the saddest piece of scripture in 386 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: the Bible. It's in the Book of Judges. So it's 387 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: very scary when you go to Judges on a Sunday morning. 388 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 1: But we're going there today. So in the Book of Judges, 389 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: Chapter two, verse seven to ten, and especially verse ten, 390 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: the Bible says, and the people served the Lord all 391 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: the days of Joshua, and all the days of the 392 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great 393 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: work that the Lord had done for Israel. And Joshua, 394 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: the son of None, the servant of the Lord, died 395 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,479 Speaker 1: at the age of one hundred and ten years, and 396 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: they buried him with the boundaries within the boundaries of 397 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: his inheritance in tim Nath Harry's in the hill country 398 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: of Ephraim, north of the Mountain of Gash, and all 399 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 1: that generation were also also were gathered to their fathers. 400 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 1: And here's the saddest scripture for me in the Bible. 401 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: And there arose another generation after them who did not 402 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 1: know the Lord or the work that he had done 403 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 1: for Israel. Why is carrying this baton of faith so important? 404 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: Why is it so important that we don't stop as 405 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 1: a church and get comfortable and complacent and go, well, 406 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 1: look at everything that's happening. We've got our e family, 407 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 1: We've got locations all over the place. Isn't that enough? 408 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:15,679 Speaker 1: Why can't we just just come to church. I can 409 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: got my little parking spot. Now, I've got my seat 410 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: that I love. Now my kids are in kid what 411 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 1: about because it's not just about us? I wonder how 412 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 1: on earth could another generation arise after Joshua, one of 413 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: the greatest leaders in the Bible. He had come out 414 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: of each Egyptian slavery. He had seen the Red Sea part. 415 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: I mean, just imagine he saw the Red Sea part. 416 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 1: He was with Moses often at the tabernacle. He went 417 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: up to the mountain with Moses. He saw Moses have 418 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: a fit and smash the Ten Commandments. He saw it all. 419 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: He saw amazing things. He had manner from heaven for 420 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: forty years. He saw the provision of God. He saw 421 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: God do amazing things. I mean, he survived in the 422 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: wilderness with a bunch of murmous grumblers and complainers and 423 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: still survive. That that's a mirror itself. He knew, understood 424 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: the grace of God. He saw the River Jordan pushed back. 425 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 1: He walked across that on dry ground. He saw the 426 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: walls of Jericho come down. He went in, and he 427 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,120 Speaker 1: possessed all the promised land. He went literally from slavery 428 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: to possession. Only two of them ever saw that. But no, 429 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 1: I don't think it's worth clapping, because after him and 430 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: his generation died, another generation arose that did not know 431 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: the Lord. Miracles, signs and wonders like had never been 432 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 1: recorded before, from slavery to possession, from slavery to freedom, 433 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: and another generation, somewhere along the line, they dropped the baton. 434 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: Somewhere along the line, they got so comfortable in the 435 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 1: promised Land, so comfortable eating the fruit of their labors, 436 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 1: that they forgot they were part of an eternal divine relay. 437 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: And we are only ever one generation away from that. 438 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: So why are we sowing our seed today? Why are 439 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: we part of this offering today? Because we're saying, not 440 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: on my watch, I am not dropping the baton of 441 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: faith on my what we are carrying her from generation 442 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: to generation, and we're going to continue to have the 443 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:22,120 Speaker 1: baton of faith going on it said another generation arose 444 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: who had not seen I need you to understand. It's 445 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 1: one thing to come to a building that you've not 446 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 1: seen the miracle of God building. It's just what you 447 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,640 Speaker 1: think has always been here. But for those of us 448 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: that were here when it was nothing, and then we've 449 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: seen the miracles of God. So we're faithful to God. 450 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: But you see, if you don't keep giving an opportunity 451 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: to a generation and the generations to exercise their muscle 452 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: of faith, they won't know that there's a faith muscle 453 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: to exercise. And so what we're doing is giving people 454 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,160 Speaker 1: an opportunity to go, you can believe God. Now, if 455 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: you don't give every generation and every person regularly the 456 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 1: opportunity to believe God for themselves, they won't remember there's 457 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: a God to believe. And so what happened is a 458 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: generation just ain't the fruit of Joshua's labor and his generation, 459 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: but they didn't exercise their own faith. So you go, 460 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 1: why do we do some things every year because we 461 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 1: continue to say, we've got to exercise that faith muscle. 462 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: We've got to continue to have people believe in God, 463 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,640 Speaker 1: or when we're gone, they're not going to know there's 464 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: a God to believe. They're not going to know that 465 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: there's faith that needs to be exercised. So we must 466 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: all continue to do that. And then scripture goes on 467 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: and says, you know what, how does this happen? How 468 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: do you do that? And there's only three quick ways 469 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: that this scripture tells us. It says, Therefore, then, since 470 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 471 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,400 Speaker 1: let us also lay aside every weight and the sin 472 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: that's so easily ensnares. That's how you run unhindered. This 473 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: is how you keep the baton of faith going from 474 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: one generation to the next, going from year to year 475 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 1: in your own faith, and keeps you passionately pursuing God, 476 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: and keeps you passionately hanging on to the baton of faith. 477 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: Because what you find is some batons you once held 478 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: onto a sacred you just throw away now, like it 479 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: really doesn't matter. There was a time that you would 480 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,439 Speaker 1: never have thought about not going to church because you 481 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 1: needed this for your very lifeline to even just exist 482 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: every day. But then you go, well, you know what, 483 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: if it's too cold, I'm not going. There was a 484 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: time where you would have kept yourself morally pure because 485 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: it was in the description you would do it. Then 486 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: you go, you know what, no one in our generation does. 487 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: It doesn't really matter. We just throw it all away. 488 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: It's like no big deal. There was a time when 489 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: you would have always been in the word and said, God, 490 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: I'm going to be the first to give my offering 491 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,640 Speaker 1: as a sign of thanks to you and a sign 492 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: of faith for what's going to happen in the future. 493 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 1: But now, you know what, it doesn't really matter, and 494 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:57,199 Speaker 1: we just throw batons away. We drop them in the 495 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: exchange zone and we hang on to them. This that 496 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: one point nine second twenty meter opportunity to see the 497 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: blessing of God in our own life. It's all a 498 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: matter of timing in the Kingdom. He's a god of 499 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: time and a god of timing always always, and how 500 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: you go from strength to strength, because that is the 501 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: way upward. For a believer, we're supposed to go from 502 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: faith to faith, from strength to strength, from glory to glory. 503 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: But what happens in the exchange zone determines whether that's 504 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,360 Speaker 1: what happens to us or not. And so what happens 505 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: is we drop. So the scripture says, you know, this 506 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: is what you've got to do. You've got to drop 507 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: some stuff. Now, you've got to drop the weights and 508 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: the sins in two different words. Suggest to me that 509 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 1: the writer of the Hebrews is saying there's two different things. 510 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: A weight is not a sin. A weight could be 511 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 1: something that was good for a season, but now it's 512 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: not good. It could even be some people that led 513 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: you to the Lord, and the truth is that they 514 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: helped catapult you to where you are today. But if 515 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: you're honest, you get into a faith environment like this, 516 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: you're full of faith, you want to press on for 517 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 1: the purposes of God, and you get around those people 518 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: and suddenly you've just taken five steps back. God doesn't 519 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: require that much of you. You don't need to serve 520 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 1: that much. You need don't need to sew that much. 521 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: You don't need to give that much. You don't need, 522 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 1: and so the people that once helped catapult you to 523 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: where you are have now become a weight and anchor. 524 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: They're holding you back. It could be a level of serving. 525 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: You've been willing to serve at church life at this 526 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: level and it was good. It's not a sin. But 527 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: the truth is, if we're going to break forth into 528 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: all that God has for us as a movement, you 529 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: know what, serving at this level has now become a weight. 530 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: Your breakthrough is to start serving at this level and 531 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: you're going to start seeing things come through. It could 532 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 1: be a level of giving. You're believing God, and I 533 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 1: am too. For next year, for financial breakthrough, for increase 534 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: in my family's life and our ministries. I'm believing God 535 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: for it. Well, it's not what people give to me 536 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: that determines how much I'm going to get. It's my 537 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: giving that determines how much and how far we go. 538 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: So if I keep giving at this level, which is 539 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: not a sin, it's really good. Actually, If I keep 540 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: giving at this level, although it's not a sin, this 541 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: level of giving for me has now become a weight 542 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: for where I want to go because my breakthrough is 543 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: going to be at this level of giving. You could go, 544 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 1: we could talk about our thinking, we could talk about 545 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: every aspect of life. What was once okay has now 546 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: become a weight and an anchor. So what do you 547 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: need to drop to carry the baton of faith and 548 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: run unhindered? Scripture says, any athlete drops any additional weights. 549 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: If we're going into twenty nineteen, you want to talk 550 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: about a game changing year coming out of this series, 551 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 1: then we've got to drop some stuff, some habits, some attitudes, 552 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: some thoughts, some bitterness, some unforgiveness, some unresolved issues, some 553 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: unaddressed addictions. We need to drop some weights so that 554 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: we can run unhindered and sin. I know we don't 555 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 1: like that word very much, do we In the twenty 556 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: first century. It's like I'm offensive to people I know, 557 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: and so it's like we like to think I'm okay, 558 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: You're okay, And it's because we've got a really warped 559 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: view of it. The thing is, who's got a bottle 560 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: of water? I'm just anyone got anything with a label 561 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,479 Speaker 1: on it, Someone will throw me something. Come on, you 562 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: are awesome. Any bottle will do. I just need this, 563 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 1: so say that I had a bottle here full of poison, 564 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 1: awesome poison, and here it had, you know, poison, and 565 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:23,479 Speaker 1: I ripped the poison label off and I put a 566 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: new label on it, and I put chocolate syrup, and 567 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: then I put it in your refrigerator. You would think 568 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: I'm Graig Gray because the milder you make the label, 569 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: the more potent you make the poison. And what we've 570 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: done when we're too scared to say, hey, there is sin. 571 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 1: You know, when I was diagnosed with cancer four years ago, 572 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: could you imagine what would have happened at the hospital 573 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:51,239 Speaker 1: in La at UCLA Hospital if I walked in and 574 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: they did all the biopsies, all the MRIs, all of 575 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:58,479 Speaker 1: the tests, and said, oh, we know that Christine's got cancer. 576 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: And it was right between my larynx and trakia, so 577 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: right on my voicebox. Gee, the devil is very, very just. 578 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 1: He's not obvious, is he. I'm like, you know what, 579 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: you can stick that in your pipe. I'm going louder, 580 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: I'm going stronger, I'm going further, I'm going faster than 581 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: ever before. But anyway, can you just imagine what would 582 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: have happened if they went, we know she's got cancer, 583 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: but we don't want to offend Christine. We don't want 584 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: to hurt her feelings. And so what we're going to 585 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: do is we're going to tell her that she's got 586 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: the flu. And although we've got the cure for her 587 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: particular type of cancer, we're going to say that she's 588 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: got the flu and give her a Tayler knole because 589 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: we don't want her to feel bad, or feel judged 590 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:41,960 Speaker 1: or feel condemned. Well, what would we call that. We 591 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: would call that medical malpractice, and we would sue those 592 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: doctors and they would never practice again. Well, I don't 593 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 1: know why people expect me, as a minister of the 594 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to commit spiritual malpractice. 595 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 1: Because here is the deal. There is an issue that 596 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 1: we need to lay aside, which is called sin. But 597 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: here is the good youth. There is an antidote to sin, 598 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: and it's called the Blood of Jesus Christ. It sets 599 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: people free, it sets us free. So the writer to 600 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,959 Speaker 1: the Hebrews says, hey, how about we lay aside the 601 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,239 Speaker 1: weights and the sins that so easily ensmeare us so 602 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: that we can run our race unhindered. So we've got 603 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: to drop some stuff now on this bonus track of 604 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: the Game Changer series. What do we need to drop 605 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: so that we can move unhindered into twenty nineteen? And 606 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 1: then he says, run the race set before us. There 607 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: is a race set before you. You have a baton 608 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: of faith. This is your moment now. See most of 609 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: us were like one day when when I get more 610 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 1: than I'll give. When I have more time, then i'll serve. 611 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: When when when? When there is no when? One day 612 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: over there? Run the race set before you. Now you've 613 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: only ever got here. There is no there because when 614 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 1: you get there, you're here. And so you need to 615 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: understand it's what you do here now that determines that 616 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 1: there and then and so you've got to run the 617 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: race set before you. Some of you are not running 618 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 1: the race set before you because you're do busys scrolling 619 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: through everyone else's race. If you stop scrolling through everybody 620 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 1: else's race and run the race that is set before you, 621 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: you will finish your course. And then he says, fixing 622 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 1: your eyes on Jesus, you got to drop it now. 623 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 1: You've got to run right here now and then you've 624 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: got to look up now because Jesus is what started 625 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: this and Jesus is who we're looking at it the 626 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: finish line elevation. Why we're not settling now, why we're 627 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: all coming around this offering in a few minutes, why 628 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 1: we all continue to believe God for an impact on 629 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:53,320 Speaker 1: the nations and the generations, is because it's Jesus that 630 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:55,520 Speaker 1: is the head of this house. It's Jesus that started 631 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: this house. It's Jesus that's at the finish line that 632 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: we are looking for. We have always He's been a 633 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: church that's full of radical faith. We carry the baton 634 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: of faith. When people think we're great, great, we are. 635 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:08,720 Speaker 1: We are just settler. It's cool where they get you're crazy. 636 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,439 Speaker 1: I know, I know. I believe all the crazy stuff. 637 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:13,800 Speaker 1: You know. Virgin birth, yep, we're celebrating it in a 638 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: couple of weeks. That's it, oxymoron. Virgin birth, Okay, virgin pregnancy. Awesome. 639 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:19,279 Speaker 1: I tell my sixteen year old daughter, I do not 640 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 1: try this at home. I will not believe you. It's 641 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:24,319 Speaker 1: not the case. No, no, But I do. I have 642 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 1: physical bodily resurrection. I know, I believe all the great 643 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: great stuff. And the sky's gonna split, He's gonna come back, Yep. 644 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 1: I believe it or I've drunk the kool aid. And 645 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 1: you know what, it's such good news that I'm gonna 646 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:38,240 Speaker 1: carry that baton of faith to my generation. For my generation, 647 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 1: there is no greater use than the resurrection of the 648 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,839 Speaker 1: lot Jesus Christ, and that he's coming back to reteem out. Well, 649 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: that's what we're doing. So how did it all start? 650 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:53,879 Speaker 1: It started with radical passionate faith. Couple of kids twenty 651 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: five years old. You remember a prompt day when Pastor 652 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: Stevens sat on the stage with so many interns and 653 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 1: helped us to remember our memorial stones. How this all started. 654 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:08,880 Speaker 1: We weren't cool, we weren't slick, and we might be excellent, 655 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:10,920 Speaker 1: but we're still not cool or slick. We will be 656 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 1: doalks for Jesus till the day we die. It's just 657 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:16,239 Speaker 1: the way that it is. Bunch of twenty five year 658 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:21,279 Speaker 1: olds starting a church in Charlotte. That's foolish, foolish. But 659 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: if we don't maintain that same radical faith, then we 660 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: are not going to continue to gain momentum and accelerate. 661 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: And I believe we are going to do that, but 662 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 1: you've got to be willing to be foolish for Jesus 663 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 1: in a few moments, we're going to give and you 664 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: know what to other people in this day and age. 665 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,360 Speaker 1: And this seems foolish, but we're seeing with eternal eyes, 666 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 1: not natural temporal eyes, and we're saying it might seem 667 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: foolish to you, but we care about the generations. Why 668 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,360 Speaker 1: I want to just give you an example throughout Scripture 669 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,759 Speaker 1: of people that took foolish risks of faith and ended 670 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 1: up changing the world. We turn and circle all the 671 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,840 Speaker 1: way back to some of the names listed in Hebrews 672 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: chapter eleven, because where I started this morning was therefore then, 673 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: So let's go back before the therefore and to understand elevation. 674 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: We're part of this divine realized. We're part of the 675 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:10,879 Speaker 1: Hebrews eleven Great Hall of Faith. That's who we are. 676 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:13,320 Speaker 1: We are, we are part of that. Do you remember 677 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 1: how foolish Noah would have looked when he was building 678 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: an arc in the desert and there'd never been rain before. 679 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:21,280 Speaker 1: Imagine all of his friends, Noah, what are you building 680 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: an arc? What's an arc? Mate? Don't know? Why are 681 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: you building it? Because we're gonna have rain? What's rain? 682 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: Haven't got a clue? You know? We're bringing out offering 683 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 1: for that, what are we building an ark? We're more 684 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: haven't got a clue, but I know that God knows 685 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: half the time. In our Christian life, That's what it's like. 686 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:44,360 Speaker 1: We're building something that we don't quite know what for 687 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: something that's coming that we haven't really got a clue. 688 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,320 Speaker 1: But all we do is fix our eyes on Jesus 689 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 1: and we know we're going to keep building this thing, 690 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,840 Speaker 1: and we're going to keep moving forward, and it's gonna 691 00:36:53,920 --> 00:37:00,400 Speaker 1: keep happening. Can you imagine how foolish Moses looked He 692 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:01,680 Speaker 1: had a ride and he had a red sea in 693 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: front of him. That's what we look like in our generation. 694 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: There's red seas to part. We don't know how some 695 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: of these miracles are going to happen. And can you 696 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,920 Speaker 1: imagine all of the Egyptians going and all the Israelites going, well, 697 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 1: what are you going to do? Moses? There's a sea? 698 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I've got a stick most things 699 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 1: in my life, it's just I got a stick, and 700 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: truly for the future and what we need to see, 701 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 1: even with all that we've accomplished in our thirteen years, 702 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 1: it's the equivalent of a stick because we need some 703 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 1: red seas to part. Sarah looked foolish at the maternity 704 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 1: shopping section in Walmart. What are you doing, Sarah, I'm 705 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 1: poud to birtha baby. Honey, Wow, I thought your eggs 706 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 1: dried up. Yeah, well, you know so much I could 707 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 1: say right now, but I'm just gonna go. How foolish 708 00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 1: do the Israelites look? Marching around the walls of Jericho, 709 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 1: No cruise, missiles, no nuke, just nothing. How fooish do 710 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:04,280 Speaker 1: we look? We're doing the same, spiritually speaking, marching round walls, 711 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:08,480 Speaker 1: seeing demonic strongholds come down. Seeing it looks people like 712 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:10,760 Speaker 1: all of the injustices and the pain and the suffering 713 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:12,400 Speaker 1: and the chaos and the division on the earth. They're like, 714 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: what are you all doing? We're building arcs so we 715 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:18,279 Speaker 1: can gather and we can pray and we can seek God, 716 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 1: and we can fill altars with people being saved and 717 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: people being delivered and people being healed, and marriage is 718 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:25,879 Speaker 1: being restored and children coming back to the king. Oh 719 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,720 Speaker 1: that's what we're doing. No, No, we're marching, looking foolish. 720 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:32,960 Speaker 1: We know, we know it's not cool, but we're marching. 721 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:36,200 Speaker 1: How foolish did David look with a nine foot giant 722 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: in front of him, and he's got five little stones. 723 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 1: Often that's how we think. I've got my little sling 724 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:44,200 Speaker 1: shot and there's a giant. How foolish did they still 725 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:48,239 Speaker 1: look going into the king when she wasn't summoned, she 726 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,239 Speaker 1: could have been killed for speaking up. How foolish did 727 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,480 Speaker 1: Caleb look at eighty five saying to Joshua, I am 728 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:55,759 Speaker 1: not cashing in my four oh one game. This is 729 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:58,320 Speaker 1: not happening. There is no such word as retirement in 730 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:00,440 Speaker 1: the Bible. I'm refiring. I'm not reaching im siring at 731 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 1: eighty five, I'm not I'm not doing that. How foolish 732 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 1: did Mary look this time of the year, a pregnant, virgin, 733 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 1: teenage chick. Foolish? How foolish did the wise men look 734 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 1: following the star? How foolish did Peter look stepping on 735 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:20,600 Speaker 1: the water out of a boat. How foolish would the 736 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,400 Speaker 1: woman with the issue of blood have looked as she 737 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:26,080 Speaker 1: grabbed the hem of his garment. How foolish did Paul 738 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 1: and Silas look as they're sitting in prison and they're 739 00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:32,480 Speaker 1: singing Hallelujah here below, and they're just like believing God. 740 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:36,359 Speaker 1: How foolish did the little boy look with five fish 741 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 1: and two loaves? How foolish? And of course of all 742 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,120 Speaker 1: of them, how foolish did Jesus Christ look hanging on 743 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,240 Speaker 1: that chriss half naked, people looking at him going, that's 744 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:53,960 Speaker 1: your Messiah, that king of the Jews, that's him. You're 745 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,720 Speaker 1: all in over him, coming to church every Sunday, building buildings, 746 00:39:58,719 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 1: bringing a game changer over him. You even really believe 747 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:07,799 Speaker 1: that stuff, you really believe this is it? Well, if 748 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 1: we would carry on the Hebrews eleven Hall of faith, 749 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 1: if we would continue to say we want to be 750 00:40:16,320 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 1: counted into that cloud of witnesses, we Elevation Church want 751 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 1: to go down in history as people that dared to 752 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:25,880 Speaker 1: look foolish and believe God, we might see exactly the 753 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,439 Speaker 1: same result as these people did. Because here is the deal. 754 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 1: Everyone else can laugh. But Noah and his family, they 755 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:35,640 Speaker 1: were saved from the flood. Moses did see the Red 756 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 1: Sea part. Sarah did give birth to Isaac. The Israelites 757 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:44,000 Speaker 1: did see the walls of Jericho fall. David did defeat Goliath, 758 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 1: Esther stop the Jewish genocide. Caleb did get hebron. Mary 759 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,719 Speaker 1: did give birth to Jesus Peter did walk on water. 760 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:55,400 Speaker 1: The woman with the issue of blood, she was healed. 761 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:59,320 Speaker 1: Paulam silas they weren't free from prison. The little Boy's 762 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:04,239 Speaker 1: lunch feed five thousand and Jesus Christ got off that cross. 763 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:07,400 Speaker 1: He raised again from the dead. He halts the keys 764 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,920 Speaker 1: to help a debt in his hand, and not Bible 765 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:15,560 Speaker 1: says than the same spirit the race Jesus Christ from 766 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 1: the dead lives on the inside of you and lives 767 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:24,280 Speaker 1: on the inside of me. Deaf Elevation Church, we can't 768 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:29,759 Speaker 1: do all things for Christ. Jesus strength enough, so let 769 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: us also run with insurance the race that is set 770 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:45,279 Speaker 1: before us in Jesus' name, In Jesus' name, Amen Church, Amen, Amen, Amen. Hey, 771 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:48,080 Speaker 1: thanks for joining us online today. We really believe this 772 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:51,879 Speaker 1: year and offering can be a game changer in your life. Now, 773 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,640 Speaker 1: this is an opportunity to not just hear the message, 774 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:56,600 Speaker 1: but to really be a part of it. For some 775 00:41:56,719 --> 00:41:59,000 Speaker 1: of you, you may need to start by bringing the tide. 776 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:01,480 Speaker 1: That's the first ten percent. Now. For others it might 777 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:04,840 Speaker 1: be to go above and beyond the tithe and bring 778 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:08,879 Speaker 1: an offering. Now. Either way, we want everyone to participate 779 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:12,120 Speaker 1: in the game Changer Year End Offering. You can go 780 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:16,239 Speaker 1: to Elevation Church dot org to find out everything that 781 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:18,160 Speaker 1: you need to know about how to give and how 782 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:20,920 Speaker 1: to participate in this year end offering. But one of 783 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:23,759 Speaker 1: the most important things is to just take a few 784 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:26,400 Speaker 1: minutes just head over to that website and set up 785 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 1: your giving and make sure you choose game Changer and 786 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:32,320 Speaker 1: the drop down menu to make sure that you're contributing 787 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 1: specifically to our year end offering. So make sure that 788 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:37,520 Speaker 1: you do that on that site. We're excited to see 789 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:40,120 Speaker 1: how God is going to move in our church in 790 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:42,839 Speaker 1: this season and really believe that God wants to do 791 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:47,280 Speaker 1: something special in your life.