WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:01.850 It's good to see everybody out this morning. 00:00:01.860 --> 00:00:04.740 Those statistics are pretty powerful, are they not? 00:00:05.420 --> 00:00:06.140 Pretty overwhelming. 00:00:07.720 --> 00:00:09.160 What's going on in this world today. 00:00:10.780 --> 00:00:18.440 Today we're going to be discussing the importance of missions and being able as a church to 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:24.880 be God's light, God's salt in this earth, and so that's what we're going to be focusing on today. 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:26.260 But before I get started I want to introduce... 00:00:26.900 --> 00:00:31.570 or dismiss not introduce, but dismiss the 10 and 11-year-olds to their class. 00:00:31.840 --> 00:00:37.760 If you guys want to head back with Lincoln, he'll take you back there and teach you a lesson. 00:00:38.060 --> 00:00:42.460 If you're visiting with us today I just want to extend a welcome to you. 00:00:42.460 --> 00:00:45.100 I just want to thank you for being here and choosing to worship with us. 00:00:46.540 --> 00:00:51.970 We have a gift for you there at the front, hopefully you got one, but it just is a packet of who we are and what we're all about. 00:00:52.680 --> 00:01:00.360 So if you're visiting us today please feel free to grab one of those and we'll be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have about 00:01:00.360 --> 00:01:01.860 our church and what we're all about. 00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:07.640 Basically that's all about Jesus and that's what we're going to be talking about and discussing today. 00:01:08.300 --> 00:01:15.300 Mission Sundays, we're titling it today in my sermon and on the heel of 00:01:15.300 --> 00:01:19.770 our short-term mission trips to India that we just finished in February, the end of February. 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:28.000 We just wanted to come to you and present not only the details and the successes of our trip, but also 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:35.260 provide you an opportunity as the church to give you some guidance 00:01:35.260 --> 00:01:37.730 and focus as far as what we want to do. 00:01:38.080 --> 00:01:45.300 Why we think going beyond our walls here in Lehi and even out of the state 00:01:45.300 --> 00:01:47.800 of Utah and across the world, why that's important. 00:01:47.800 --> 00:01:50.740 I want to provide you the biblical framework for that. 00:01:52.620 --> 00:01:57.100 The first thing that I'd want to do is discuss the three distinctives of a healthy church. 00:01:57.180 --> 00:02:04.370 Why it's important and why for such a small church like this, why are we taking our talents and our time and our resources to go 00:02:04.820 --> 00:02:10.620 halfway across the world to try to make a difference for God's kingdom. 00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:15.260 I want to provide you the biblical framework for why we think that's important. 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:19.460 There's three distinctives of a healthy church that the Bible provides for us. 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:21.410 The first one is the upward focus. 00:02:23.160 --> 00:02:30.660 As a church we meet and hopefully you would agree with us that every Sunday we try to emphasize 00:02:30.660 --> 00:02:35.040 the fact that it's so important for each and every one of us to have an upward focus. 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:42.620 That each and every one of us need to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that He's provided in His reconciliation work 00:02:42.620 --> 00:02:45.520 and substitutionary work on the cross. 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:52.980 That is a way in which we can be united with God, reconciled with God, have a relationship with God, be adopted into His family. 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:56.480 Upward focus is extremely important of a healthy church. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.160 It's an extremely important distinctive. 00:02:58.860 --> 00:03:00.620 Also, the second one is inward focus. 00:03:01.260 --> 00:03:08.380 After we have that upward focus emphasize, we want to begin to emphasize on our need 00:03:08.380 --> 00:03:15.480 for the body, the church body here to be in unity and to do life together, to bear one another's burdens, all these things 00:03:15.480 --> 00:03:18.330 that the Bible calls us to do as a church. 00:03:19.140 --> 00:03:25.780 We have an upward focus towards God and an inward focus toward one another, body of the church and then finally the outward focus. 00:03:26.100 --> 00:03:28.960 That's what we're going to be emphasizing and focusing on today. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:36.900 That's the need to look beyond ourselves and beyond our walls and fulfill what Jesus commanded and that's the great commission. 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:46.810 The first one I want to focus on I think it's good to be able to just briefly look at each one of these distinctives. 00:03:48.620 --> 00:03:50.450 The first one of course is upward focus. 00:03:51.320 --> 00:03:53.400 I have here John 15:5. 00:03:53.440 --> 00:03:59.580 This is Jesus taking and He says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:03:59.820 --> 00:04:03.680 He who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit. 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:09.900 For apart from me you can do nothing." Here we are. 00:04:09.900 --> 00:04:17.100 We have our savior Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry telling us in His word, captured by John 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:23.320 that we are to abide in Him and we cannot do anything if we're not abiding in Him. 00:04:23.460 --> 00:04:26.020 Apart from me ye can do nothing. 00:04:26.080 --> 00:04:34.180 There's lots of things and outward works that we can do, but unless we're abiding in Christ that's 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:35.180 all for naught. 00:04:35.280 --> 00:04:40.680 It's all for vain and that's what Christ is telling us there in John 15:5. 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:43.240 The upward focus is so key for us. 00:04:43.820 --> 00:04:45.740 We can't lose that. 00:04:45.760 --> 00:04:52.950 In revelation chapter two John is again writing and Jesus gives him messages to give to seven churches. 00:04:54.320 --> 00:04:59.160 He tells John to write to the church of Ephesus and He says, "I see your works. 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:00.540 You're doing all these wonderful things. 00:05:01.320 --> 00:05:05.760 You're calling out people that claim to be prophets and apostles and they're not. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:12.280 You're doing all these wonderful things, but you've left your first love." Which was coming to that church. 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:17.640 That first love is that upward focus and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:05:17.700 --> 00:05:22.420 It's so important that we never lose focus of Him and the upward focus on that. 00:05:23.400 --> 00:05:26.600 Another author of Hebrews puts it very succinctly. 00:05:26.660 --> 00:05:33.720 I love this passage or scripture, Hebrews 12:1-3, and if you have your Bible this morning feel free to 00:05:33.760 --> 00:05:34.280 follow along. 00:05:34.380 --> 00:05:35.640 There should be a Bible in the back. 00:05:35.740 --> 00:05:42.800 If you can't see it up there behind me, in the seat back there should be some Bibles for you if you'd like to follow 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:43.670 along as well. 00:05:45.020 --> 00:05:52.320 Verse one says in Hebrews chapter 12, "Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let 00:05:52.320 --> 00:05:59.580 us lay aside every encumbrance and a sin which easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race 00:05:59.580 --> 00:06:01.060 that is set before us. 00:06:02.460 --> 00:06:09.620 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him 00:06:09.620 --> 00:06:16.840 endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:27.420 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Here 00:06:27.420 --> 00:06:34.540 it is the writer telling us that what we're doing here, this Christian walk he's putting it 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:38.670 in terms of a race, and this race that we have is not a sprint. 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:41.220 It's a marathon in many instances. 00:06:42.420 --> 00:06:49.560 He gives us these keys to success here that we understand that this is walk of faith as he points to us this 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:56.980 great cloud of witnesses, as he's pointing back to chapter 11 where it's listed all these people in God's 00:06:56.980 --> 00:07:01.700 word who had trusted God in His promises and lists those out. 00:07:01.720 --> 00:07:04.190 For this great cloud of witnesses, this walk of faith. 00:07:04.320 --> 00:07:07.920 He demonstrates that because of their faith, right? 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:11.420 They achieve what God desired and they had relationship with God. 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:18.660 He provides those witnesses for us to have this race and race this race with faith. 00:07:19.620 --> 00:07:26.300 It's faith, and the key to that success and that endurance for this race is fixing our eyes on Jesus. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:28.960 The upward focus. 00:07:30.940 --> 00:07:33.420 For He is the author and perfecter of our faith. 00:07:35.300 --> 00:07:39.910 I taught this passage a few years ago in... 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.360 10 years ago, and well, I don't think we're there quite yet. 00:07:46.080 --> 00:07:47.260 Probably about 10 years ago. 00:07:47.260 --> 00:07:54.800 It was probably one of my first sermons and so I used a baseball bat and I brought up one of the kids that was 00:07:54.800 --> 00:08:00.440 really good at sports, and I made him try to balance this baseball bat in the palm of his hand like this. 00:08:01.280 --> 00:08:07.080 I made him look at the base and that's all he could look at and he couldn't do it, right? 00:08:07.080 --> 00:08:13.300 Very talented athletic kid and he could not keep that bat balanced in the palm of his hand. 00:08:14.180 --> 00:08:20.180 Then I told him to try to keep it balanced but just keep looking around everywhere except for the bat. 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:21.460 Well, that didn't go so well. 00:08:22.200 --> 00:08:26.000 I was thinking about doing it up here but I thought probably would break something, right? 00:08:27.340 --> 00:08:32.039 Then I had him put his eyes on the tip of the bat balancing in his hand. 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:37.840 As long as he kept his eyes focused on the tip of the bat he could balance that bat. 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:42.520 This is what this passage is calling us to keeping and fixing our eyes on Jesus. 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:50.160 The upward focus is so important and I know today's Mission Sunday and I'm spending a lot of time here on just the upward focus and 00:08:50.160 --> 00:08:52.020 not the outward focus, but this is foundational. 00:08:54.380 --> 00:09:01.740 If we're not keeping our focus on our Lord Jesus Christ we're not giving Him the honor and glory due. 00:09:02.020 --> 00:09:07.520 We're going to ultimately fall on our face because He's the author and perfecter of our faith. 00:09:08.100 --> 00:09:10.920 We must keep our eyes on Jesus. 00:09:11.920 --> 00:09:17.230 The source for the church is upwardly focus, the well from which we draw on is Christ. 00:09:19.030 --> 00:09:26.140 I could take you all throughout the Bible about the source, of Christ being the source and His word and 00:09:26.140 --> 00:09:33.500 the truth for those things that we need to go to the well to draw from to keep our eyes on Jesus, but just for brevity's 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:36.760 sake I just want to keep us in John chapter 17 here. 00:09:37.980 --> 00:09:41.200 This is the Lord's high priestly prayer. 00:09:42.580 --> 00:09:47.290 This is just before He was to go and die on the cross. 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:49.570 He prayed this prayer to the father. 00:09:51.400 --> 00:09:52.680 It's an amazing chapter. 00:09:52.860 --> 00:09:55.360 I encourage all of you to spend some time there. 00:09:56.220 --> 00:10:03.420 You just see a connection in Jesus, demonstrated a love for His followers in 00:10:03.420 --> 00:10:07.560 this passage description, in His prayer to the father like none other. 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:15.620 We see here in just these three instances of chapter 17, the source, the well from which we can 00:10:15.620 --> 00:10:16.220 draw from. 00:10:16.280 --> 00:10:19.860 That's first Christ intercession as the great high priest. 00:10:21.420 --> 00:10:23.260 He says there, "I ask on their behalf. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:31.900 I do not ask on behalf of the world but of those whom you have given me for they are yours." Christ interceding for 00:10:31.900 --> 00:10:32.260 us. 00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:40.400 The book of Hebrews is just a wonderful book about how Jesus is the great high priest after the order of Melchizedek and He is forever at 00:10:40.400 --> 00:10:43.340 the right hand of the throne of God forever making an intercession for the saints. 00:10:44.420 --> 00:10:50.720 The priest in the Old Testament was man's representative for God, right? 00:10:50.760 --> 00:10:56.240 He would go to God on the people's request, and so Jesus came into His... 00:10:56.560 --> 00:11:02.020 This is the story of the scripture that Jesus came into His creation as a spotless lamb of God. 00:11:02.680 --> 00:11:08.740 Took the penalty and payment for our sin and rose again. 00:11:09.540 --> 00:11:12.080 He ascended, which we celebrated last week, right? 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:12.980 His resurrection. 00:11:14.140 --> 00:11:21.450 As the book of Hebrews demonstrates He’s forever making intercession for us after the order of Melchizedek. 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:23.900 That is the source. 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:25.060 Christ is the source. 00:11:25.100 --> 00:11:30.060 His intercession for us, and so the good news for us is that it's not about our own merit any longer. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:38.440 Those who are in Christ are given Christ righteousness and so we can, as the book of Hebrews says, boldly go before the throne of grace in 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:45.620 our prayers, in our just need to be able to come to Him for rescue and redemption 00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:48.620 and all those things, we have an intercessor. 00:11:49.380 --> 00:11:56.080 Christ is our intercessor on the behalf that enabled that way, enabled us for us to be able to come boldly before God's throne. 00:11:57.540 --> 00:12:00.160 The second thing that's referenced here is John 17. 00:12:01.160 --> 00:12:04.940 Another source that we have been given, this beautiful, wonderful gift. 00:12:04.940 --> 00:12:05.120 This treasure. 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:07.720 God's word. 00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:11.320 Christ said in His prayer to the father, “Sanctify them in the truth. 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:19.500 Your word is truth." We can have an intimate knowledge of who our God 00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:26.300 and creator is because He’s given us inspired words through His prophets and through His apostles. 00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:34.520 Written and codified for us so that we can know Him and have a special revelation of who He is and what He’s all about 00:12:34.520 --> 00:12:37.520 and what His plan of redemption is all about. 00:12:38.180 --> 00:12:38.890 It's the gospel. 00:12:39.560 --> 00:12:46.640 It's the good news that Jesus came for sinners and died for them and took their penalty so that we might 00:12:46.640 --> 00:12:48.900 have an eternity and be adopted under God's family. 00:12:50.020 --> 00:12:55.300 We have these sources from which we can draw from, Christ intercession as a high priest. 00:12:55.300 --> 00:13:01.600 The truth of God's word that we can go to and trust in, and learn of Him and grow closer to Him because of that. 00:13:01.980 --> 00:13:06.990 The Holy Spirit is referenced again in the book of Hebrews that the word of God is the sword of the spirit. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:14.780 It's what God the spirit uses to mold us and sanctify us, and set us apart for 00:13:14.780 --> 00:13:19.140 His purposes as we look into God's truth and be transformed into the image of God. 00:13:20.660 --> 00:13:22.580 Then finally Christ atoning work on the cross. 00:13:23.680 --> 00:13:30.860 John 17:9, “For their sakes I sanctify myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in 00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:37.080 truth.” He’s about to go to the cross, and sanctify means to be set aside, to be set apart. 00:13:38.220 --> 00:13:46.000 He knows what's coming and He’s about to set himself apart, to be the sacrifice for 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.160 all who would believe and trust in His vicarious work on the cross. 00:13:51.280 --> 00:13:58.300 He did that so we could be sanctified, we could be set apart, for God's purposes, for God's intended purpose for man 00:13:59.400 --> 00:13:59.920 and the church. 00:14:00.920 --> 00:14:02.080 We can be set apart in His truth. 00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:10.560 Christ, the truth of God's word and His atoning sacrifice are the means, are the source, the well which we can draw from 00:14:10.560 --> 00:14:16.460 every day to be able to have and maintain our upward focus. 00:14:17.620 --> 00:14:19.940 If you do not abide in me you can do nothing. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:21.460 So important. 00:14:22.820 --> 00:14:29.820 So important that we keep our upward focus on the Christ and so a healthy church hopefully you would agree that that's what 00:14:29.900 --> 00:14:31.640 we at least attempt to do here, right. 00:14:35.070 --> 00:14:40.180 Ultimately it's about why we do the other things. 00:14:40.660 --> 00:14:45.420 Why we love one another and why we go out beyond these walls and go halfway across the world to India. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:48.640 It's because of what Christ has done on our account. 00:14:49.660 --> 00:14:52.060 One of my favorite scriptures is in 2nd Corinthians chapter five. 00:14:52.120 --> 00:15:00.460 The Apostle Paul wrote this, “For the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge that if one died for all then all were dead and 00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:01.460 that He died for all. 00:15:02.520 --> 00:15:09.740 That they which live should no longer henceforth live under themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again.” 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:16.340 Christ loved, the love of Christ constrains us or controls us. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:23.620 We looked and we see this wonderful gift that is given to us and it's an expression of His love towards us. 00:15:25.300 --> 00:15:31.260 As we ponder that and we look to that and we keep our focus on there, that's the love that controls us. 00:15:32.400 --> 00:15:39.500 It's no longer about doing a list of dos and don'ts, but this love that's demonstrated by our God in the vicarious work 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:40.400 of Jesus Christ. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:45.260 As we look to that and gaze to that controls us, that constrains us. 00:15:45.280 --> 00:15:47.640 That causes us to die to self and live for him. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:55.540 That causes us to no longer focus on self but look to the others, to others outside of us, which naturally 00:15:55.540 --> 00:16:00.500 flows into our inward focus as we become the believers God calls us. 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:05.270 Do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of some is, but to assemble. 00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:14.460 This wonderful thing as gospel is proclaimed throughout the world and the message that if 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:21.700 you by faith turn from your religious works or your good marriage or your good 00:16:21.700 --> 00:16:28.780 righteousness and trust in Jesus alone, in His righteousness that He’s provided for you in your behalf, if you turn 00:16:28.780 --> 00:16:37.300 from that and turn to Him, to God and the gospel and Jesus on the substitutionary death on the cross that 00:16:37.300 --> 00:16:38.040 you are saved. 00:16:39.460 --> 00:16:43.480 That you become adopted into His family. 00:16:43.700 --> 00:16:45.720 This family is called His church. 00:16:47.220 --> 00:16:48.900 The Greek word for church is ecclesia. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:50.120 It's the called out ones. 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:52.420 People hear the gospel. 00:16:52.740 --> 00:16:53.380 They repent. 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:57.390 They turn from whatever they were doing and they trust in Christ alone. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:05.660 The scriptures declare them to be added into Christ body which is the church in Ephesians and Colossians and many 00:17:05.660 --> 00:17:06.280 other places. 00:17:08.040 --> 00:17:15.119 As we're called into this body, this universal body that's all throughout the world and has been since Christ has come and 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:22.460 died and begin in the day of Pentecost, the church, this universal body is expanding and growing. 00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:31.380 But it's represented here locally in churches such as Alpine and other churches throughout The Valley and 00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:32.340 all throughout the world. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:39.720 We're a physical manifestation of this universal body, but Christ calls us to this physical manifestation and 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:47.160 He calls us when He was on His earthly ministry ministering in John chapter 13 He says this, “A new commandment I give to you that 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:50.360 you love on another even as I have loved you. 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:58.240 That you also love one another.” He says this, “By this, all men will know that 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:05.240 you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” He says, “We're called into this body, this 00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:13.000 physical manifestation of this universal church." Christ declares to us the 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:19.260 need to be able to express this love as we gaze on our upward focus toward the Lord and Christ and what He’s done for us. 00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:25.900 To express that horizontally to those around us and specifically here this inward focus, the church. 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:34.000 In Philippians chapter two Paul writes this, “Therefore if there's any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:42.060 spirit, if any affection or compassion make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united 00:18:42.060 --> 00:18:44.640 in spirit, intent on one purpose. 00:18:45.560 --> 00:18:52.680 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:55.840 As followers of Christ it's no longer about us. 00:18:57.400 --> 00:19:04.700 It's about a relationship and our upward focus through Christ and expressing that appreciation, that controlling 00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:11.180 love that constrains us, to express that horizontally to those around us and to those specifically in the church. 00:19:12.840 --> 00:19:16.000 With humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. 00:19:16.140 --> 00:19:20.800 Do not merely look out for your own personal interest but also for the interest of others. 00:19:21.800 --> 00:19:33.600 Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus." It goes on to declare how Jesus’ 00:19:33.600 --> 00:19:37.380 humility was demonstrated on the cross as He stepped into His creation. 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:45.920 Took upon the form of a servant, came with no sin as a spotless lamb of God yet 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:52.940 voluntarily gave His life and endured the wrath of God and His punishment on sin for our behalf. 00:19:53.820 --> 00:19:54.770 He did not consider Himself. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:03.120 He looked forward to the time in which those who would trust in this wonderful gift that He’s given will be 00:20:03.120 --> 00:20:04.540 added into the church body. 00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:09.200 We see the importance of inward focus, right? 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:16.480 As we focus on the Lord, and as Jesus says, “By this the world will know that you are my disciples 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:23.620 if you love one another.” What better way to express the love of God as we express our 00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:26.580 love for one another because of what He’s done for us on our behalf. 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:32.780 So important that we keep that inward focus, bear one another's burdens it says in Galatians chapter six and two. 00:20:32.800 --> 00:20:35.100 We're supposed to do life together, right? 00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:41.240 My wife always says, “You might be sick of me right now but you better get used to me because I'm going to be with you for eternity.” Right? 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:46.360 We're to bear one another's burdens, live life together. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:49.990 It's not an accident that you're here and you're a part of this church. 00:20:51.300 --> 00:20:56.980 As a healthy church as this biblical framework is being shown to us it's important to be involved. 00:20:58.020 --> 00:21:04.000 Not as a checklist, but as a means in which we can be a healthy expression of what God desires His church to be. 00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:07.200 Then finally we come to the outward focus. 00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:10.980 What we're here and focusing on today and that's the great commission. 00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:16.780 The famous passage for this is in Matthew 28:18-20. 00:21:17.040 --> 00:21:24.620 It says this, “And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” You 00:21:24.620 --> 00:21:31.680 know, when I first moved to Utah about eight years ago, I was putting in my application everywhere as probably many of 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:32.560 you have as well. 00:21:33.080 --> 00:21:35.360 I got called for an interview in Salt Lake. 00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:39.030 I had my resume and I gave it to him and so he's looking it over and we're talking. 00:21:39.120 --> 00:21:46.800 He was a really nice guy, and he had noticed that my degree was from a Bible college 00:21:46.800 --> 00:21:52.480 and so I got a question in the job interview that I was not prepared for. 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:57.260 He said, “Can I ask you a question?” I'm like, “Sure.” I'm thinking it's a telecom thing. 00:21:57.640 --> 00:22:05.940 He goes, “Where do you get your authority at?” I'm like, “What?” “Well, it says here you've got 00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:07.420 a degree in biblical counseling. 00:22:07.540 --> 00:22:14.660 Where's authority from?” I immediately pointed him to this verse, Jesus gave 00:22:14.660 --> 00:22:21.680 me the authority because I'm in His church and He says, “Well that Matthew 28, that's for the disciples.” I said, “Well, if you continue to read 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:28.700 the New Testament the apostles in Ephesians chapter two, the apostles and the prophets are the foundation and Jesus is the chief cornerstone on 00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.780 which the church is built. 00:22:30.900 --> 00:22:38.000 That's where I get my authority from.” It's just kind of interesting to see that, but this is the authority that He’s given us 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:40.620 as the church and this is His command. 00:22:40.780 --> 00:22:48.070 The great commission that He’s provided for the church to look beyond ourselves and look beyond not only to take care of ourselves but then look beyond our walls. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:51.860 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. 00:22:53.550 --> 00:22:58.340 Baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. 00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:06.020 Teaching them to observe all that I command you and know I'm with you always even to the end of the age. 00:23:08.600 --> 00:23:11.540 That's Christ's command for our outward focus. 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:13.920 Yes, we must always keep the upward focus. 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:17.880 Without that if we lose sight of that we've left our first love. 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:20.280 We need to repent and I always go back to that, right? 00:23:20.380 --> 00:23:23.110 The Christian walk is always a walk of faith and repentance. 00:23:23.300 --> 00:23:30.460 We're always wondering and we're always trying to seek God's … the power of the Holy Spirit to come 00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:37.740 back to what's important and keep our focus on God, and demonstrating that love that He gave us by 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:44.800 loving one another as a way in which we can witness to those around us, specifically, but then He 00:23:44.800 --> 00:23:47.700 asks us to go outwardly beyond the walls. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:52.860 Acts 1:8 says this is after Jesus’ resurrection. 00:23:52.860 --> 00:23:59.380 He’s just about ready to ascend into heaven and He says this, “But you will receive power when this Holy Spirit has come upon you. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:08.340 You shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part 00:24:08.340 --> 00:24:13.550 of the earth.” What are we supposed to do with this power? 00:24:15.040 --> 00:24:22.140 The scripture has declared that those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ are then regenerated and the Holy spirit will 00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:24.220 become the temple of God and the Holy Spirit. 00:24:24.300 --> 00:24:28.900 God the spirit dwells inside the hearts of the believers and we're given this power. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:32.660 What does Christ want us to do with this power? 00:24:33.760 --> 00:24:38.340 You should be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria. 00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:43.380 Well, we don't live in Jerusalem and Judea and all Samaria but we have our own Jerusalem, do we not? 00:24:44.340 --> 00:24:44.590 It's in Lehi. 00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:46.950 This is where we live. 00:24:47.760 --> 00:24:49.420 This is where God's called us all to be. 00:24:49.560 --> 00:24:56.600 I know that for a fact because you're here and He desires us to be witnesses to our friends and our neighbors 00:24:56.600 --> 00:25:03.700 and our loved ones and demonstrate God's love in our interactions with them and be 00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:07.780 able to witness to them, to share the wonderful news, the good news of the gospel. 00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:12.460 Then Judea and Samaria, right? 00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:13.800 It gets bigger and bigger. 00:25:14.340 --> 00:25:16.760 Judea is our maybe Utah County or Utah. 00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:19.160 Samaria, the United States. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:26.800 He’s called this church of a couple of hundred people to fulfill this great commission but He’s given us power to do it. 00:25:28.020 --> 00:25:29.070 The power of the Holy Spirit. 00:25:30.040 --> 00:25:34.460 The source on which we can draw from, Christ intercession for us. 00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:42.540 The truth of the word of God and the power of the spirit working inside of us as He desires to demonstrate His 00:25:42.540 --> 00:25:45.740 glory to those around us and to demonstrate the gospel's power. 00:25:47.020 --> 00:25:53.610 I love this passage in 1st Thessalonians about this church that Paul in one of his missionary journeys established. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:58.200 He wrote this letter to them and it's just an amazing thing. 00:25:59.120 --> 00:26:07.020 Says here in 1st Thessalonians 1:5, “For our gospel does not come to you in word only, but also in the power of the Holy Spirit and 00:26:07.020 --> 00:26:11.580 with full conviction just as you know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake. 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:19.960 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy 00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:27.080 of the Holy Spirit.” If you follow in Acts this missionary journey you'll understand that the people that believed and trusted in the gospel 00:26:27.080 --> 00:26:34.260 after Paul preached endured some pretty serious tribulation because of what they decided 00:26:34.260 --> 00:26:35.720 to do in following Jesus. 00:26:37.320 --> 00:26:40.700 It says here that in spite of that tribulation they had much joy, why? 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:44.440 Because of the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling with inside of them. 00:26:45.300 --> 00:26:52.740 Verse seven goes on, “So that you may become an example to all believers in Macedonia and the Achaia, for the word of the Lord has sounded 00:26:52.740 --> 00:26:59.920 forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:07.380 no need to say anything.” Here's an apostle of Jesus Christ walking in a town and goes, “I have some good news for you.” They 00:27:07.380 --> 00:27:09.530 say, “Oh we already heard of it from this church down in Macedonia. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:12.000 We've already seen the power. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:12.620 We've already seen it. 00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:14.460 It's already spread.” Why? 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:17.500 Because this church decided... 00:27:19.060 --> 00:27:26.060 saw the promises of God and decided by faith to step out and express this wonderful thing, even in the 00:27:26.060 --> 00:27:29.260 midst of tribulation they did this. 00:27:29.260 --> 00:27:34.150 They were witnesses because of what the Holy Spirit can do in the heart of each and every believer. 00:27:35.520 --> 00:27:42.740 For they themselves report of us, about us, what kind of reception we have with you and how you turn to God from idols, to 00:27:42.780 --> 00:27:44.540 serve a living and true God. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:53.420 That's the message of the gospel, and the message being worked out in the lives of everyone who hears it, everyone 00:27:54.640 --> 00:28:01.800 needs to be presented with the good news that Jesus died for our sin and that's no religious work that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of 00:28:01.800 --> 00:28:04.080 God, that there's none righteous, no not one. 00:28:05.340 --> 00:28:12.500 It's those who understand that because of our need and the need that we could not personally pay back toward 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:17.320 God that God intervene on our behalf, came into His creation. 00:28:18.140 --> 00:28:25.200 Jesus the only begotten son of God, the lamb of God without a spot or blemish came and lived a perfect life, lived the law 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:25.620 to its fullest. 00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:34.060 Fulfilled everything for us and then went to the cross to pay our sin that he did not sin 00:28:34.060 --> 00:28:39.840 but the sin that we had it's called the great exchange. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:51.320 2nd Corinthians talks about, "He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:52.820 It's a gift. 00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.540 We can't earn it. 00:28:56.060 --> 00:28:58.100 Grace is unmerited favor by God. 00:28:58.180 --> 00:28:59.300 That's the definition of grace. 00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:00.220 It's unmerited. 00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:02.440 It's because He loved us. 00:29:02.820 --> 00:29:03.930 He did that for us. 00:29:04.840 --> 00:29:07.380 That's the wonderful good news. 00:29:07.710 --> 00:29:11.760 It's not about what you can do or what you haven't done or have done. 00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:13.700 It's about what Christ has done. 00:29:15.300 --> 00:29:17.310 That's the wonderful message of the gospel. 00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:25.680 The people that heard this message they turned from their idols and they turned to God to 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:31.000 serve the living and true God and to wait for His son from heaven who He raised from the dead. 00:29:31.520 --> 00:29:35.800 That is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 00:29:38.060 --> 00:29:44.720 We have Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then it goes on to say and even the remotest parts of the earth. 00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:48.260 You might ask, “Why India? 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:51.040 Why halfway across the world? 00:29:51.040 --> 00:29:53.320 There's so much need here in the United States. 00:29:53.600 --> 00:30:01.040 Why must we go all the way over to India and spend our precious resources and stuff?” It's because we 00:30:01.040 --> 00:30:08.240 desire to live out the great commission as a church, but we also desire to live out this 00:30:09.070 --> 00:30:11.960 walk of faith that God has called us to. 00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:19.780 We could probably pick something that's a little easier to get to and a little easier to fund, and a little easier to interact 00:30:19.780 --> 00:30:22.700 with, but there's no faith in that. 00:30:24.040 --> 00:30:31.340 If we settle for what we're comfortable with it's no longer a life of faith and we desire to model that, what God 00:30:31.340 --> 00:30:33.040 has called us to, this life of faith. 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:41.340 Setting our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith and trusting that God will use this little body, 00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:49.480 this physical manifestation of His church here in Lehi to do work almost exactly halfway around the world. 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:59.920 We believe as we step out in faith as carers, and many of you have done for many years now through the 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:03.660 One Love Ministry, that God in honored in that. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:04.980 He’s glorified in that. 00:31:08.520 --> 00:31:13.110 We desire that people in India will know the wonderful news of the gospel. 00:31:14.260 --> 00:31:15.800 That's what it's all about. 00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:16.750 It's not just about humanitarian. 00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:24.360 It's about setting the stage for God to do the work in the hearts of all those who we interact with in 00:31:24.360 --> 00:31:24.780 India. 00:31:24.780 --> 00:31:26.480 How do we interact in India? 00:31:28.040 --> 00:31:35.100 One Love is ABC's expression of our outward focus of a healthy church, but 00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:42.260 with the size of ABC being what it is and the relative infancy of our church, we're under 10 years old, our focus 00:31:42.260 --> 00:31:44.640 needs to be both intentional and narrow, right? 00:31:44.920 --> 00:31:49.260 We can't just do a shotgun approach and so we need to be intentional and narrow. 00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:55.300 One Love provides us the opportunity to do that in India. 00:31:55.300 --> 00:31:59.620 Then just as Jesus was relational, One Love is relational. 00:32:01.100 --> 00:32:08.360 All of you have been … For many years many of you have been helping pack packets and suitcases and 00:32:08.360 --> 00:32:14.420 contributing money to this work which we're desiring to do here in India. 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:17.560 But beyond that it's relational in India as well. 00:32:18.420 --> 00:32:25.540 I hope you get the chance to hear Kara's story about how Joseph and herself … Joseph Thomas 00:32:25.540 --> 00:32:30.620 is a pastor that we've been supporting for many years through One Love over there in India. 00:32:33.140 --> 00:32:40.800 He was on the brink of shutting down his ministry and getting a secular job, crying out to God, shutting 00:32:40.800 --> 00:32:44.040 down the school because he couldn't afford to pay the teachers. 00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:52.580 Through God's providential working Kara had met Joseph on her first and second trips to 00:32:52.580 --> 00:32:59.940 India, and through God's providential working Kara committed to helping them through the One Love Ministry. 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.120 That's how it was created. 00:33:04.140 --> 00:33:11.220 It's just an amazing groundswell, just providential working with 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:18.400 God how not only Kara and Joseph's heart were in it together but now Joseph and his families heart are knitted 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:21.840 together with us as ABC. 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:27.530 I was kind of taken aback when I met Joseph when I went over to India at the end of February. 00:33:28.700 --> 00:33:30.760 He said, “I love Alpine Bible Church. 00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:38.760 Alpine Bible Church is my family.” Joseph is the hands and feet of ABC and my prayer is 00:33:38.760 --> 00:33:43.200 that all of you would meet Joseph one day, that we could get him here and his family. 00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:52.520 But because we can't do that just with a snap of the fingers, Shalom took many hours of footage 00:33:52.520 --> 00:33:53.500 in the video. 00:33:54.260 --> 00:34:01.360 He has provided us a clip today that you guys might see and maybe understand a little more of Joseph and who he 00:34:01.360 --> 00:34:05.580 is and let you know that he's a part of our family here at ABC. 00:34:06.040 --> 00:34:08.400 So Shalom go ahead. 00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:20.880 My name is Joseph, actually my real name is Srinivas, which the meaning 00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:26.210 of Srinivas is a god name, the name of Hindu god because I come from a Hindu background. 00:34:26.739 --> 00:34:29.739 My mother and my … My mother was a very strong Hindu. 00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:35.540 She had a long hair and she was devoted to her religion so much, so deeply. 00:34:36.260 --> 00:34:37.340 She used to go to the temple. 00:34:38.179 --> 00:34:42.139 She will wash the floors of the temple with her hair. 00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:47.400 My father had leprosy and because of this leprosy my father was so much disturbed. 00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:50.730 He never wants to spend time with me. 00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:57.390 Whenever I used to come to my father to spend time with him he will chase me out. 00:34:58.020 --> 00:35:02.120 Every day he will go out to drink alcohol. 00:35:03.260 --> 00:35:07.070 If he don't have money to drink alcohol he will sell out the things from my house. 00:35:07.820 --> 00:35:14.940 In the middle of the night my father knocked the door and he came with full drunk and he started kicking 00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:15.980 my mother. 00:35:16.100 --> 00:35:17.870 He started beating my mother. 00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:19.540 I was very small. 00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:20.480 Like child. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.960 I was like three and a half years or so at that time. 00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:28.220 My mother was screaming and she was asking for help. 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:31.000 She was shouting, “Please come and help somebody. 00:35:31.200 --> 00:35:38.540 Save our life.” I was sleeping in my bed so I heard that sound and I went outside and 00:35:38.540 --> 00:35:41.940 I asked people to come and help my mother but nobody came there. 00:35:42.680 --> 00:35:46.060 My mother was bleeding and I tried to save my mother. 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:52.180 In 1982, one great man of God, Dr. 00:35:52.180 --> 00:35:52.380 M.A. 00:35:52.380 --> 00:35:59.520 Thomas, he visited our leper colony and I was playing that time on the street without any 00:35:59.520 --> 00:36:02.460 clothes because my father and mother was very poor. 00:36:02.460 --> 00:36:05.260 I had never been to school, never had good food to eat. 00:36:06.020 --> 00:36:08.220 I was playing on the street of that leper colony. 00:36:08.780 --> 00:36:12.340 This man of God he saw me there and he had compassion on me. 00:36:13.520 --> 00:36:17.770 He thought that he will take me to that orphanage but my mother had the option to send me there. 00:36:18.060 --> 00:36:25.220 She said that if I send this child there I can even protect my son with these problems every day, what she see. 00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:28.900 One day she decided to take me to that orphanage. 00:36:29.420 --> 00:36:36.530 I asked my mother, “Where are we going?” She said that, “We are taking you to school for study.” But actually we are going to the orphanage. 00:36:37.680 --> 00:36:40.100 She said that she's going to buy some chocolate for me. 00:36:41.200 --> 00:36:43.980 I was so happy because in my house I never got chocolate. 00:36:44.620 --> 00:36:45.930 No ice cream, no chocolate. 00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:53.390 I don't know what chocolate means also, but when my mother said, “I am going to get some chocolate for you,” I was so happy. 00:36:54.420 --> 00:36:56.760 She asked me to sit down on the stairs of that orphanage. 00:36:58.840 --> 00:37:04.220 A four-year-old boy I was sitting there and she said that, “Do not move from here. 00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:11.480 Don't move unless I come.” She went there to the market and within nine second or 10 second she 00:37:11.480 --> 00:37:17.010 disappeared from my eyes, but I was excited that she will come back with a lot of chocolate. 00:37:18.040 --> 00:37:25.220 I was so happy, but I waited for half an hour, one hour, 00:37:25.220 --> 00:37:27.380 then I waited for two hours, three hours. 00:37:34.540 --> 00:37:35.790 I didn't get the chocolate. 00:37:39.460 --> 00:37:44.940 I still remember I slept on the stairs of that orphanage. 00:37:47.980 --> 00:37:49.420 She just lied to me. 00:37:52.020 --> 00:37:58.560 She never came back for 17 years and I was waiting every day for my mother to come. 00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:09.360 Somebody took me from the stairs and they put me on the bed. 00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:10.710 I slept there. 00:38:10.960 --> 00:38:12.930 The next day morning again I started crying. 00:38:15.020 --> 00:38:18.460 I started asking question by myself, “Why this thing happen to me? 00:38:19.160 --> 00:38:26.220 Why my mother left me.” She never 00:38:26.220 --> 00:38:26.760 came back. 00:38:28.340 --> 00:38:30.690 I started missing my mother very badly. 00:38:32.360 --> 00:38:38.720 I never had chance to spend time with my father because he doesn't want to spend time with me. 00:38:40.160 --> 00:38:41.520 I was so hurt. 00:38:41.680 --> 00:38:49.500 I was going through so much of pain, but very slowly I understood that if I 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:51.970 stay here I will get a good life, in that orphanage. 00:38:53.900 --> 00:38:56.700 People in that orphanage they were very caring for me. 00:38:57.140 --> 00:39:00.380 They started loving me and they send me to school. 00:39:01.240 --> 00:39:04.490 That was a turning point for my life. 00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:10.640 When I went to Sunday school somebody told me that Jesus loves you so much and he cares for you. 00:39:11.480 --> 00:39:15.560 I learned that Bible says that there is a plan for my life. 00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:17.600 God has plan for me. 00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:25.200 After my Bible college I went to my room, I started praying, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” Then God 00:39:25.200 --> 00:39:31.480 said that you have to go back to your own people, to the lepers who are rejected. 00:39:32.490 --> 00:39:34.160 There is no one to help them. 00:39:34.920 --> 00:39:43.180 There is no one who care for them, so God said that you have to go back, help these lepers, care for them and 00:39:43.180 --> 00:39:45.210 raise more Joseph from that leper colony. 00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:51.960 In one month I used to share gospel with 37,000 students. 00:39:52.440 --> 00:39:56.760 22 Hindi school they open their door for me. 00:39:56.840 --> 00:40:01.880 Every day eight o'clock to two o'clock I stay in public school, I share gospel. 00:40:02.820 --> 00:40:05.420 Last year Alpine Church was here in Faridabad. 00:40:05.420 --> 00:40:07.460 I took that team to one of the school. 00:40:07.940 --> 00:40:09.100 They had a very good ministry there. 00:40:09.860 --> 00:40:17.460 In India, we have a big problem of child marriage, child labor, sex 00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:24.140 trafficking, even people sell their girls for little bit of money. 00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:28.580 So my fear is that it should not happen to this girls. 00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:36.540 When we came here we felt that these girls need someone who can care for these girls, who can love them, 00:40:36.600 --> 00:40:43.820 who can understand the way they think because we've grown up in that atmosphere as I started my ministry here. 00:40:43.820 --> 00:40:45.310 For the last two years I am here. 00:40:45.880 --> 00:40:52.900 I got chance to bring so many leper colony girls here from the leper family, and we see hope 00:40:52.900 --> 00:40:54.170 in these girls. 00:40:54.700 --> 00:40:56.070 I teach them Bible. 00:40:56.920 --> 00:41:04.540 I teach them how to worship and we see ourself 00:41:04.540 --> 00:41:05.650 in them. 00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:07.000 We have 86 girls here. 00:41:08.100 --> 00:41:09.940 I know all the girls very well. 00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:17.320 What is good in them, what is bad in them, what is their weakness, what is good thing in their characters. 00:41:18.500 --> 00:41:22.360 We see a big dream about these girls that one day they should have a good life. 00:41:23.300 --> 00:41:27.110 We teach them to dream every day. 00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:32.220 When I talk to these girls I tell them there is nothing wrong dreaming, you know? 00:41:32.220 --> 00:41:38.430 You have to dream a big dream, and we have a big God also who answers our prayer. 00:41:38.780 --> 00:41:46.000 I tell all the girls you have to tell all your dreams to God and God will bring someone to fulfill their 00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:46.800 dreams. 00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:50.350 You know, people come according to God's plan. 00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:55.080 Like Alpine is an answer of my prayer, Alpine Church. 00:41:55.360 --> 00:41:55.920 We were praying. 00:41:57.000 --> 00:42:03.280 16 years I prayed in my ministry life in the leper colony. 00:42:03.680 --> 00:42:04.460 16 years. 00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:07.060 After 16 years I got Alpine Church in my life. 00:42:07.640 --> 00:42:14.720 Alpine Church, I don't have enough words to say like Alpine Church is one of our … It's not 00:42:14.720 --> 00:42:15.260 a church. 00:42:15.260 --> 00:42:22.640 Alpine is my family, and because of my sister Kara I met her seven years ago and 00:42:22.640 --> 00:42:26.960 she have a big heart for children. 00:42:26.960 --> 00:42:30.030 The best part about Alpine Church is they fulfill all the promise. 00:42:31.280 --> 00:42:34.380 Moreover, they also have big heart for children. 00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:35.450 They have compassion. 00:42:37.020 --> 00:42:44.180 They love our girls, and whenever they come here for last two years Alpine Church is coming here 00:42:44.280 --> 00:42:49.700 regularly, and they have done a great work here, bringing resources from the U.S. 00:42:49.720 --> 00:42:55.500 for these girls, supporting our girls and supporting our leper ministry. 00:42:56.820 --> 00:42:57.830 I met so many Americans. 00:42:58.700 --> 00:43:00.310 They never come and hug any lepers. 00:43:01.600 --> 00:43:09.200 They never touch their hands, but something different, about Alpine is like they show 00:43:09.200 --> 00:43:12.900 the real character of Jesus through their life. 00:43:13.020 --> 00:43:16.690 When they come in the leper colony they go and hug these lepers. 00:43:17.750 --> 00:43:19.670 They help them with medication. 00:43:20.580 --> 00:43:27.780 They provide food, and for last many years my sister Kara has supported me to help 00:43:27.780 --> 00:43:28.660 these lepers. 00:43:30.550 --> 00:43:32.530 Alpine Church is a great church. 00:43:32.760 --> 00:43:33.330 I love them. 00:43:34.080 --> 00:43:37.330 Today you see someone has impacted my life. 00:43:37.900 --> 00:43:42.520 When I was in the orphanage someone came to my life, you know? 00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:51.900 My sister Kara she ministering to my life, and because 00:43:51.900 --> 00:43:59.300 of her help I did so much, because of her help I impacted 00:43:59.300 --> 00:44:00.430 others to learn. 00:44:00.900 --> 00:44:07.960 So if Alpine Church … if one family will support one child, these girls will impact some others 00:44:07.960 --> 00:44:09.300 to learn like me. 00:44:20.180 --> 00:44:20.340 Amen. 00:44:20.380 --> 00:44:23.460 I have never met a man so full of the Holy Spirit in my life. 00:44:25.870 --> 00:44:27.740 We're here to stand by Joseph. 00:44:29.160 --> 00:44:36.480 As One Love Ministry we want to support Joseph and what he's doing, and not only Mason's Place but the slum 00:44:36.480 --> 00:44:39.620 schools and the leprosy colonies. 00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:42.840 He expresses desire to expand those ministries. 00:44:43.940 --> 00:44:51.000 So because we're a small church we need to be focused and intentional in our funds, and so by faith 00:44:51.000 --> 00:44:55.400 we're going to let Joseph know that by faith we're going to step out. 00:44:55.880 --> 00:45:03.280 We're going to depend on God to provide $500 a month for Joseph and ministry through One Love so 00:45:03.280 --> 00:45:10.280 that Joseph can have the resources necessary to continue to do what he's doing in the slum schools and the orphanage 00:45:10.280 --> 00:45:12.420 and at Mason's Place. 00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:14.080 He’s their pastor, right? 00:45:14.080 --> 00:45:16.000 He’s the director but he's truly their pastor. 00:45:17.060 --> 00:45:24.090 We after much prayer and talking with Kara and members of the group, of the team, 00:45:24.460 --> 00:45:25.380 we're going to stand by Joseph. 00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:28.660 Joseph is the hands and feet of Alpine Bible Church in India. 00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:33.320 He’s allowing us to fulfill the great commission in the remote parts of the earth. 00:45:34.460 --> 00:45:41.960 We just want to ask you to pray to God and see if you will be part of that as we step out in faith to 00:45:42.040 --> 00:45:47.820 supply those funds for him and for his future and his future plans, and of course Mason's Place. 00:45:49.140 --> 00:45:56.340 Hope Partners International has a website if you feel led to donate, to support, sponsor, 00:45:56.380 --> 00:45:56.960 that's the word. 00:45:57.340 --> 00:46:00.080 Sponsor a girl, you can go to their website and do that as well. 00:46:00.120 --> 00:46:07.340 But as far as One Love is concerned we want to stand behind Joseph and continue to support him in all that he's doing in proclaiming 00:46:07.340 --> 00:46:11.600 the gospel there in India and Faridabad and Ajmer, and we're going to other places.