WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:07.780 I'm going to invite you to Ezekiel chapter one, where we're going to be at together today, Ezekiel chapter one, as we end this series together called 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:11.380 This Matters to me, which is also a website location. 00:00:11.440 --> 00:00:18.560 If you're interested in checking out, if you want some more information for what we're going to share today, because we're at a juncture for our church, 00:00:18.560 --> 00:00:25.420 that is an important place in our history as we think about not only what we need right now, but also the future of ABC. 00:00:25.540 --> 00:00:27.280 And so we're going to look at Ezekiel chapter one. 00:00:27.580 --> 00:00:28.780 I'm going to talk a little bit about this. 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:31.280 This is the last time we're going to be in this together. 00:00:31.460 --> 00:00:34.880 And then we're going to we're going to move into the Book of Psalms starting next week. 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:41.960 So if you want to bring your Bible for the book of Psalms, we're going to spend six weeks, six weeks in the Book of Psalms together as we get to the conclusion of this matters 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:45.270 to me today, let me pray for us, and then we'll dive into God's Word. 00:00:46.400 --> 00:00:53.340 God, we just want to rest in your presence this morning, I just God, how beautiful it is for the soul. 00:00:53.420 --> 00:01:01.400 On a day like today, in the middle of a desert, to just have your gracious hand of rain and God. 00:01:01.400 --> 00:01:03.260 This a day like today. 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:05.379 It's just soothing to the heart. 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:05.519 To. 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:07.400 To the soul and God. 00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:10.140 To just pray that as we gather in your word, that. 00:01:10.620 --> 00:01:13.350 That time in your word together would be that for us as well. 00:01:14.440 --> 00:01:19.200 That we would seek your face, that we would know you through your truth, God. 00:01:19.260 --> 00:01:21.130 That you would continue to do a work in us. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:25.400 I thank you for the beautiful story that's just been written here at ABC. 00:01:26.020 --> 00:01:33.040 And seeing hearts continue to know you and grow in you as you've nurtured a family together, a community to seek 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:34.720 your face, to encourage one another. 00:01:34.800 --> 00:01:41.940 And I just pray, as we leave this place today, that we would be a people compelled by your goodness in our life to continue to 00:01:41.940 --> 00:01:43.680 live for your glory, to bless others. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:50.040 And so, God, we thank you for time together and we ask it all in Jesus name, Amen. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:52.600 As we conclude our. 00:01:52.660 --> 00:01:59.880 This Matters to Me campaign, I'm going to give us a invitation here in the end of how to participate in this together as a church, but we've 00:01:59.880 --> 00:02:06.790 recognized over these last few weeks that we're at a critical juncture for us as ABC as we think about our next steps. 00:02:07.220 --> 00:02:12.080 And part of the reason we're thinking about our next steps is one, we have a pressing need right now. 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:15.980 But also we need to think bigger for our future. 00:02:16.660 --> 00:02:23.940 And, I've told you over the last couple of weeks, one of the pressing needs that we see really every Sunday when we gather is how limited our space 00:02:23.940 --> 00:02:25.030 has become. 00:02:25.060 --> 00:02:30.840 You know, usually on a rainy day like today, sometimes people are a little bit more encouraged to not venture out. 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:35.130 You know, so we're not as pressed today as maybe some of the other days. 00:02:35.320 --> 00:02:42.540 But I have seen I've told you in being up here on stage and getting ready to share messages where I even watch people 00:02:42.540 --> 00:02:49.800 walking on a Sunday morning and just not comfortable with a cramped space and trying to find a spot to sit and feeling like that's 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:50.880 too much of a challenge. 00:02:51.100 --> 00:02:58.540 And so they just walk right back out and with that we just see there's just missed opportunities for what God desires to do in people. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:02.380 And if that's been you, even today, you felt a little bit pressed. 00:03:02.660 --> 00:03:08.280 Thank you for enduring with us for the sake of the gospel, to the glory of God as we encourage one another. 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:15.720 You know, as a church, we want to be a community that continues to bless people and serve people and to do what God's called us to do. 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:22.480 But realizing where we are, we've recognized as a church for a few years that we need to do things to take that next step. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:28.120 And if you've been a part of ABC's history, we've seen God be faithful to us in every step of our journey. 00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:29.330 And he's done a beautiful work. 00:03:29.820 --> 00:03:36.860 And every time we get to a place like this, it's this moment of pausing before the Lord and just saying, God, what can you do to help us? 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:38.060 And as I say, pause. 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:43.880 I realize that pause is sometimes a little prolonged pause and just seeking God's face and his direction. 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:49.450 And we can say throughout our history, God has been faithful over and over again that he has been good to us. 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:56.840 I mean, even when we got this facility moving into it, we started off with one service and we were really all together in the beginning, beginning our kids 00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:57.680 to the adults. 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:01.730 And then we kind of got cramped and we're like, okay, let's let's start our services with our kids in the classrooms. 00:04:02.180 --> 00:04:03.020 And we did. 00:04:03.020 --> 00:04:03.840 And it gave us more space. 00:04:04.040 --> 00:04:05.940 And then we kind of pressed more into that. 00:04:05.940 --> 00:04:07.550 We're like, okay, we need two services now. 00:04:07.880 --> 00:04:10.580 And then we moved to three services. 00:04:10.980 --> 00:04:16.320 And Lord be with Tyler and Laura because I told them in the beginning, hey, we'll just do this for a minute, guys. 00:04:16.320 --> 00:04:18.709 Just hold on and we'll just move to the next space. 00:04:18.760 --> 00:04:23.520 And we're already a year into three services, so they were kind and gracious. 00:04:23.520 --> 00:04:27.750 You know, as we think about, there's a lot of volunteer work that goes into that, especially for our musicians. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:30.660 And as a pastor, three services. 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:32.380 There's just some stuff that goes into that. 00:04:32.400 --> 00:04:32.820 Right. 00:04:32.820 --> 00:04:39.520 But we like to as much as possible all to be together under one roof, encouraging one another in the Lord and seeking God together. 00:04:39.580 --> 00:04:43.770 We want people to develop deeper community here as we serve Jesus. 00:04:43.820 --> 00:04:49.320 And so part of figuring out how to do that is to create a bigger space for us to have. 00:04:49.760 --> 00:04:52.280 And we've seen God with each step of our journey. 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:59.580 This is the sixth location we've been in that God has been faithful over and over again to us, and now we're looking 00:04:59.580 --> 00:05:04.320 to the future not just for now, but also the next generation, generations to come. 00:05:04.340 --> 00:05:10.380 Like I think about my not only my kids, but I want them to have a place to be able to know the Lord well. 00:05:10.380 --> 00:05:16.930 But my grandkids and great grandkids, who knows how long the longevity of my family will be in this area. 00:05:16.980 --> 00:05:23.200 But as long as I have opportunity, just providing that space to think about future generations. 00:05:23.200 --> 00:05:25.040 I mean, Utah needs that. 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:30.830 Utah needs believers that take their relationship with Christ seriously. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:38.200 And they're and they're willing to do things for the next generation for their neighbors, for their friends, the to see the presence of 00:05:38.200 --> 00:05:41.590 God made known as we seek the biblical Jesus together. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:45.140 I mean, you think about this facility that we're in. 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:53.680 I mean, it's really every time I walk in this building, maybe not every time, but most of the time I walk into this building just thinking about how 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:57.400 God was so good to us to provide this space. 00:05:57.420 --> 00:06:00.100 I mean, we prayed for a couple of years for this particular building. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:02.340 We ran circles around it and prayed for. 00:06:02.340 --> 00:06:05.620 We were literally I did I did run circles around it for my home. 00:06:05.660 --> 00:06:08.800 And then we would pause here as a church and pray for it. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:10.260 And when we didn't even own it. 00:06:10.340 --> 00:06:10.460 Right. 00:06:10.460 --> 00:06:17.880 And it took two years and then finally the bank that had repossessed this property, it was a bar since like the 50s, but the bank that had repossessed 00:06:17.880 --> 00:06:18.840 it called us one day. 00:06:18.840 --> 00:06:22.820 And we're like, they told us, we feel so bad selling this to anyone else. 00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:24.490 We're just going to help you get this building. 00:06:24.520 --> 00:06:24.970 And they did. 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:27.430 And we got it a at a great and incredible deal. 00:06:27.580 --> 00:06:28.000 Right. 00:06:28.100 --> 00:06:29.740 And we're able to move into this. 00:06:29.740 --> 00:06:31.570 And it's been a wonderful home for us. 00:06:32.320 --> 00:06:39.600 And as we just think about those next steps, we said for us as a church that ABC has grown every 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:41.100 year that we've existed. 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:48.300 And it's just been a beautiful thing to see how God's story has been written in the hearts of people as they found redemption in Christ, 00:06:48.300 --> 00:06:49.540 new life in Christ. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:56.780 And one of the things I've loved about our growth, you'll notice it's not like you know anything flashy here, because our church, we're not about 00:06:56.780 --> 00:06:59.700 being a flashy church or just this entertaining church. 00:06:59.780 --> 00:07:04.820 We definitely don't want to be a boring church because what the work that God does in us is a beautiful work. 00:07:04.820 --> 00:07:06.340 And so it's worth celebrating, right? 00:07:06.340 --> 00:07:09.820 That's not that's not something that you just want to just fall asleep on. 00:07:09.820 --> 00:07:12.340 This is something that's worthy of rejoicing in. 00:07:12.340 --> 00:07:19.630 But through that, just developing deeper community and growing and we're always asking the question, how can we do it better? 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:22.780 Not not because we want to get bigger, but because we want to just continue to be healthy. 00:07:23.960 --> 00:07:29.020 And as we've grown as a church, we've realized, man, we've got to make a plan for more space. 00:07:29.020 --> 00:07:32.300 And so we started a couple of years ago. 00:07:32.400 --> 00:07:34.620 I tortured Lincoln and Brenton. 00:07:34.660 --> 00:07:41.760 I don't know if Lincoln's in here or not, but Brenton is a we tortured, I did, I tortured them I'm sorry, but I am more embarrassed 00:07:41.760 --> 00:07:42.300 than I. 00:07:42.400 --> 00:07:43.320 I would throw him in my car. 00:07:43.340 --> 00:07:49.380 I'm like, we're going to drive around this area every busy road, and we just got to find some land for our future or something, right? 00:07:49.380 --> 00:07:49.970 Like just something. 00:07:50.500 --> 00:07:55.440 And so I would just go up to houses and just start knocking on doors like, sell us your property. 00:07:55.460 --> 00:07:56.700 Please work with us. 00:07:56.700 --> 00:08:01.020 And that's where I embarrass him, because, like, I was a little bit more bold than I wanted to be, but. 00:08:01.140 --> 00:08:05.000 But I'm like, I'm looking at this area and I'm realizing man land is like, disappearing. 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:07.020 If we don't do something, there's not going to be anything left. 00:08:07.260 --> 00:08:07.640 So. 00:08:07.700 --> 00:08:09.930 So we just want to secure something for the future. 00:08:10.260 --> 00:08:11.980 And so how can we do this? 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:18.030 And we drove around and finally we got to the point where one day we sent out 70 letters in our city to landowners. 00:08:18.900 --> 00:08:20.640 And we're like, please just work with us. 00:08:20.640 --> 00:08:22.780 And the next day a person showed up. 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:29.690 And, I don't want to get into the details of all this, but they had been just trying to seek what to do with their piece of property. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:35.880 And they came to us and said, I just want to work with you guys because you've done so much in the city the way that you've cared for people. 00:08:36.020 --> 00:08:37.870 And I've seen it and I just want to be kind. 00:08:38.140 --> 00:08:44.800 And so we got an evaluation of the property and the person selling it to us for definitely less than the value, the valuation. 00:08:44.800 --> 00:08:46.370 So they're very kind to us in that way. 00:08:46.780 --> 00:08:52.320 And so we came to you guys and they were willing to work with us that we could so we could raise the money to buy the building. 00:08:52.400 --> 00:08:56.420 Like it wasn't something that needed us to do immediately, but they gave us a little bit of runway to do that. 00:08:56.940 --> 00:09:01.170 And so looking at this, we realized this was a great spot for us, a great opportunity. 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:02.820 It seemed like God was orchestrating some things. 00:09:02.860 --> 00:09:05.980 So we also recognize this was going to be a pretty big climb. 00:09:06.760 --> 00:09:11.720 And so we wanted to break this up into three phases because it could get overwhelming to us. 00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:12.520 So that's what we did. 00:09:12.540 --> 00:09:18.280 And so this fall we started off with step one, which was to secure the land for our future. 00:09:18.400 --> 00:09:19.840 And it's not a mystery where this is. 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:21.860 This is 710 West Main Street. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:23.540 We have four acres of property there. 00:09:23.540 --> 00:09:26.940 And so we were able to put a down payment to secure this land for us. 00:09:27.560 --> 00:09:29.420 And then we wanted to move to step two. 00:09:29.660 --> 00:09:34.890 So that's what we're doing today, which is to pay off this property, which will give us more strength to borrow. 00:09:34.980 --> 00:09:39.490 And as we think about building and open up more opportunities for grants for property. 00:09:39.560 --> 00:09:46.860 And so we're seeking to raise $1 million right now in this campaign to pay off this land so that we can move to step 00:09:46.860 --> 00:09:48.430 three, which is to build a bigger facility. 00:09:48.760 --> 00:09:50.190 We've talked to some architects and engineers. 00:09:50.300 --> 00:09:57.440 They put this sample for us together and what that could look like, it's going to be able to provide us a bigger worship space, more educational space, 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:03.440 bigger space to teach our children a bigger opportunity for fellowship. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:10.760 We might get a kitchen, like, I shouldn't say, might like that's like my wife's making sure this that we will have a kitchen as 00:10:10.760 --> 00:10:16.380 a church because it's if you've been here long enough, it's a, it's a pressing thing for us. 00:10:16.400 --> 00:10:23.420 But even beyond that, we have dreams of how God can use our space and continue to grow on this property for 00:10:23.420 --> 00:10:24.530 our future. 00:10:24.980 --> 00:10:29.940 And so it's just a beautiful thing that God has done in us and through us. 00:10:29.940 --> 00:10:36.110 And as we think about these steps together, we'll get to step three and down the road that we'll be able to build this facility. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:44.520 But as we look at this, one of the things I want to remind us of as we've gone through this mini series together these last three weeks is 00:10:44.520 --> 00:10:48.840 guys, our goal has never been about a building, Right. 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:50.180 Certainly buildings are important. 00:10:50.180 --> 00:10:50.880 They have a place. 00:10:51.700 --> 00:10:54.120 But our primary goal has never been about a building. 00:10:54.900 --> 00:10:59.440 Buildings are a tool, and the God's given us all different resources. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:06.280 And the goal has never been about the resource, but rather asking the question, how can you leverage the resource God gives you for his glory? 00:11:07.400 --> 00:11:14.300 And we're at a place in life where we recognize we need a bigger tool to continue to do what God has called us to do. 00:11:14.300 --> 00:11:19.540 Very thankful for what we have, and we have maximized this space in a beautiful way. 00:11:20.340 --> 00:11:24.520 But we're also thinking, but there's a future to ABC, and our best days are in front of us. 00:11:25.280 --> 00:11:27.480 And so, God, how can you use that? 00:11:28.260 --> 00:11:30.140 Because what drives ultimately drives this. 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:31.640 The building is in the end of itself. 00:11:31.640 --> 00:11:32.350 That's not the goal. 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:34.690 The goal is to be a healthy church. 00:11:35.060 --> 00:11:39.160 And as we continue to be a healthy community in the Lord, God grows that. 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:43.540 And we've talked about what does what does that target look like for us as ABC. 00:11:43.560 --> 00:11:49.250 And I told you really it's founded on two ideas in Scripture, the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. 00:11:49.940 --> 00:11:53.150 And we don't we don't design the mission of God's church. 00:11:53.160 --> 00:11:53.780 Jesus did that. 00:11:53.980 --> 00:12:00.730 Jesus clearly told us what it was, and it's found in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, the Great Commission is to go in this world and make disciples. 00:12:01.900 --> 00:12:05.420 God desires to be made known and to transform our lives in him. 00:12:05.420 --> 00:12:06.300 That's what a disciple means. 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:09.140 A fully devoted follower of Christ. 00:12:09.140 --> 00:12:16.220 God desires for us to make disciples, followers of Jesus, that they could know him and walk with him and have the hope of eternity with him all the 00:12:16.220 --> 00:12:17.020 days of their life. 00:12:17.140 --> 00:12:24.360 That's God's desire for us, that the work he's done in us, he wants to do through us, that you would be a devoted follower of Jesus and 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:28.640 that we could do this together, collectively as a community to make an impact for him. 00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:33.740 You know, we say things as a church like ABC exists for a purpose greater than itself. 00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:41.140 We exist to give ourselves away for the glory of God to the benefit of others that we want to do for one, what we wish he could do for everyone, like 00:12:41.140 --> 00:12:45.480 a church can't make an impact everywhere, but we can make an impact somewhere in the first place. 00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:48.550 We should start thinking about where we can make an impact is in our own backyard. 00:12:49.900 --> 00:12:56.920 How can you how can you use us and stir us to move collectively to make a difference 00:12:56.920 --> 00:12:57.460 in this world? 00:12:57.540 --> 00:12:58.460 So this the Great Commission. 00:12:58.780 --> 00:13:01.820 But there's also the great commandment which is to love God and love others. 00:13:01.880 --> 00:13:09.440 And it says this to us, God cares about what we believe, and God also cares about the way we behave, because 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:12.120 to be right, but in the wrong way is to still be wrong. 00:13:12.860 --> 00:13:19.920 And one of the greatest ways you can show your love for the Lord is how you love the people around you that you think about 00:13:19.920 --> 00:13:21.900 what the fruit of the spirit is. 00:13:21.920 --> 00:13:24.260 That God, the Spirit of God, indwells the people of God. 00:13:24.260 --> 00:13:30.520 And in Galatians five he gives you the fruit of the spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, all of the fruit of the spirit. 00:13:30.520 --> 00:13:31.480 If you pay attention to it. 00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:33.350 Those are all relational words. 00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:41.630 And so what it's teaching us is that if God is truly impacting my life, the evidence of that will be seen in the way I treat people. 00:13:41.780 --> 00:13:44.800 And get this it's not just treating people that are easy to love. 00:13:45.900 --> 00:13:48.060 It's also treating people that are difficult to love. 00:13:49.400 --> 00:13:53.500 It's just the way I interact with people that I stand nothing to gain from. 00:13:53.540 --> 00:13:55.960 How am I just the hands and feet of Christ wherever I go? 00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:03.880 And when you think about the idea of a gathering place, it's like, how can we create a space to invite people in to belong and then just 00:14:03.880 --> 00:14:05.200 love them well in Jesus? 00:14:06.060 --> 00:14:07.520 It doesn't mean we forsake this truth. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.200 We certainly stand on truth. 00:14:10.520 --> 00:14:17.920 But also we don't see the truth as a tool to bludgeon people over the head with, but rather serve them that they can come to know the Jesus that we know, too. 00:14:19.580 --> 00:14:21.940 And so. 00:14:21.940 --> 00:14:21.940 So what does that look like for us as a community? 00:14:21.940 --> 00:14:22.250 When we think about building? 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:25.460 We certainly want to aim towards that. 00:14:25.520 --> 00:14:27.010 We want to we want to expand that. 00:14:27.060 --> 00:14:33.440 But along the journey, we will never lose sight of the fact that in order to be healthy, the building itself is not the goal. 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:40.560 The goal is to be faithful followers of Jesus, a healthy community enriched in the depth of our relationship with Christ and then the way that 00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:42.040 we live it out in this world. 00:14:43.780 --> 00:14:50.880 Now, when I think about that kind of journey, I realize for us right now as a 00:14:50.880 --> 00:14:56.080 church in this campaign, this is the biggest step of faith that we have taken together as a community. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:03.980 Like when I look at the idea of raising $1 million from a from a pastor's point of view, that's a lot. 00:15:05.400 --> 00:15:06.540 That's for me. 00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:08.820 I'm just like, we're it's monopoly money, right? 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:11.530 Like, I just, I look at that and think, Lord, how is that possible? 00:15:11.740 --> 00:15:17.000 But God has been doing incredible things in us from the beginning, right? 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:19.860 And so unless we put a target out there, we're never going to hit it. 00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:26.090 But just having the opportunity to shoot for it, just to dream in the Lord and what we can do together. 00:15:26.280 --> 00:15:29.630 Like we're not doing this because we get our identity off buildings. 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:32.880 Or let me just say, we shouldn't get our identity off buildings. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.180 We get our identity from Jesus and the purpose which he has called us to. 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:39.110 And we don't, we don't, we don't. 00:15:39.260 --> 00:15:42.480 This is not saying to the world, look how great we are or we need this. 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:43.830 We can feel important or special. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:51.060 This is saying, look, we need more space for people to be able to walk with him and grow in him, and to nurture his disciples in Christ and to create a 00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:52.260 spot for deeper fellowship. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:59.340 I know, like when we get up and leave and we're going to walk through this hallways, like, if I don't end my sermon fast enough like the other people are going to be showing up, and then it's going to 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:03.420 we're just going to get in a logjam, and you're going to feel a little pressed in that space to want to fellowship. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:10.600 But those times of connecting with one another are critical to our own relationship as a community together, diving deeper in our health 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.330 with Jesus. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:14.480 And so we need those things. 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:18.490 We need those opportunities to enrich our relationship in Christ together. 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:26.780 And so, to be honest, every time we've looked at an opportunity like this for me, I can tell you 00:16:26.780 --> 00:16:27.890 they have not been easy. 00:16:28.520 --> 00:16:31.100 In fact, my wife will tell you if you just ask her. 00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:33.830 What's been the hardest time you've ever had in ministry? 00:16:34.380 --> 00:16:34.700 We don't. 00:16:34.800 --> 00:16:38.940 We don't even have to think more than more than a blip to know what that is. 00:16:39.620 --> 00:16:40.940 It was when we bought this building. 00:16:42.290 --> 00:16:42.740 We. 00:16:42.920 --> 00:16:45.620 I remember the first day we bought this building and some of you heard this story. 00:16:46.140 --> 00:16:53.060 I am up in the rafters welding with another member of our church and just dripping sweat and these overall things. 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.310 So I don't get metal dripping on me. 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:58.600 And someone comes in that looked homeless. 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:03.360 I don't know that they were or not, but they just had that vibe about them that might be judging them a little too hard there. 00:17:03.380 --> 00:17:06.859 But they came in like that, and then they just asked, do you have any money? 00:17:07.760 --> 00:17:12.319 And here I am, like dangling from a ceiling, dripping in sweat. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:14.720 And even if I could reach a wall, I already knew an answer. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:20.319 I'm a pastor like I like they're probably not dude like, but he comes in and asks, and this is day one. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:20.950 We own the building. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:28.860 And this place was, if you had seen it day one, you might say to yourself, wow, that was a big step of faith because that looked like everything was 00:17:28.860 --> 00:17:29.920 going to cave in at any moment. 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:31.190 We bought this thing. 00:17:31.580 --> 00:17:38.800 And so this guy comes in and empty for a few years and it's leaking in the roof, and he asks us for some money, 00:17:38.860 --> 00:17:39.940 and I just tell him, buddy, I don't like. 00:17:40.560 --> 00:17:41.140 I'm busy right now. 00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:41.930 I don't have anything. 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:43.560 And he just looks at me and goes, fine. 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:45.450 I don't even know why he bought this stupid place. 00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:47.160 You should just tear it down. 00:17:47.380 --> 00:17:50.960 And I'm like, at that moment, I kind of just look around and realize the work in front of us. 00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:52.660 I'm like, yeah, what did we do? 00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:53.900 Like, right. 00:17:53.940 --> 00:17:55.300 It's just this song, man. 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:57.640 But I can tell you why we did it in the moment. 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:02.140 It felt difficult, but the reason we did it was because there was a dream. 00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:09.140 I think God put in our heart of knowing that one day they're going to be faces coming through this door, that God's story 00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:11.700 of redemption is going to continue to be told in their life. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:12.740 And we don't know who they are yet. 00:18:13.800 --> 00:18:14.670 But, God, it's going to be beautiful. 00:18:15.780 --> 00:18:23.100 And that's what the Lord's done over and over again, seeing families deepen in Christ 00:18:23.100 --> 00:18:24.060 together. 00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:26.520 And that's what we're looking forward to. 00:18:27.380 --> 00:18:29.380 God, how can you continue to do this? 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:36.420 But when you take a step like this, like we just I just want to say to all of us this morning, these kind of steps aren't easy. 00:18:37.780 --> 00:18:42.940 And so there's this part where you pause and you just ask, Lord, do we have what it takes? 00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:47.000 Like, where do we find the strength for something like this? 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:54.760 And Ezekiel chapter one, this is what we're going to talk about today is finding strength for challenges that arise in our lives. 00:18:54.760 --> 00:18:57.180 Like how do we navigate those things? 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:59.420 And I'm going to give us four thoughts related to this. 00:18:59.560 --> 00:19:02.970 Almost, almost one of the title of this How to Corrie ten boom this sucker. 00:19:03.300 --> 00:19:06.300 Because like if you know anything about Corrie ten boom, she was a lady. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:13.460 Who was she and her sister were they were taken into concentration camp during the Holocaust and her sister passed away in 00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:14.540 a concentration camp. 00:19:14.700 --> 00:19:22.040 Corrie ten boom survived, but she went on from that to start a ministry to help people heal from what they experienced in the concentration camp 00:19:22.040 --> 00:19:29.070 and not just the survivors in the concentration camp, but also the soldiers that were responsible for putting people in the concentration camp. 00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:36.220 I mean, could you imagine that you lose your sister in a concentration camp, and then you turn around and minister to the very people responsible for killing her? 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:38.510 I mean, how do you find that kind of strength? 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:41.680 And we're going to look at a few quotes from her. 00:19:41.800 --> 00:19:44.840 But Ezekiel chapter one I want us to look at this. 00:19:44.840 --> 00:19:49.320 And I'm going to I'm going to just give me a little bit longer before I read in this passage. 00:19:49.360 --> 00:19:50.640 Let me give you point number one in your notes. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:58.320 It's to say this in order to find that strength, we need to do, number one, acknowledge the challenge before the 00:19:58.320 --> 00:19:58.620 Lord. 00:20:00.580 --> 00:20:03.240 Acknowledge the challenge before the Lord. 00:20:04.540 --> 00:20:05.060 And here's why. 00:20:05.100 --> 00:20:10.760 It's because we don't want to mistake a challenge for the end, or when it comes to challenges in our life. 00:20:10.840 --> 00:20:14.880 Rather, we want to see challenges as opportunities for Jesus to do something great. 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:23.340 And so in order to get to that spot, we've got to recognize as people, when we go through challenges, there's a few ways that sometimes we tend to 00:20:23.340 --> 00:20:23.890 respond. 00:20:24.100 --> 00:20:28.720 One is we can get discouraged and quit, or the other is we. 00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:35.540 We get so anxious about it, we kind of take a step ahead of the Holy Spirit, like we almost become the Holy Spirit to force things to happen. 00:20:36.540 --> 00:20:38.310 And we don't want to do either of those things. 00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:39.540 Right. 00:20:39.580 --> 00:20:44.340 We don't we don't want to build ourselves with panic and bulldoze people. 00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:49.800 And we don't want to quit on just because of challenges before us and what God might do through that. 00:20:49.800 --> 00:20:54.580 And the Lord has an interesting way of navigating his people through challenging times. 00:20:55.540 --> 00:21:01.600 And when you think about it, God has this way of allowing his people to just sit in broken places. 00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:05.380 Not not because he wants to make it hard for you. 00:21:07.060 --> 00:21:10.450 And God has this way of allowing his people to sit in broken places. 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:12.380 One because we find our contentment in Christ. 00:21:12.420 --> 00:21:16.200 But two he does this stirring in our heart to respond. 00:21:17.820 --> 00:21:22.940 It's a beautiful thing when you think about it, that God has made you unique from any other creature in this world. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.470 He's made you in his image and being made in his image. 00:21:26.520 --> 00:21:32.600 He's saying to you and me that he has really created you to be his response into the brokenness of this world. 00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:39.710 That if you want to see where God really moves, look to his people because he does this stirring in our heart to be that response. 00:21:40.080 --> 00:21:41.550 You get to be the hands and feet of Jesus. 00:21:41.760 --> 00:21:45.430 That's why in first Peter chapter two, he refers to you as royal priests. 00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:47.800 Priests are representatives of God. 00:21:47.860 --> 00:21:55.180 Anyone who knows Jesus, the Spirit of God dwells in you, and therefore you are commissioned and called into this world to represent God and the things that you do, especially 00:21:55.180 --> 00:22:00.000 seen in the way that you treat people, how you serve for the glory of God to the benefit of others. 00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:07.500 And so as I deepen my relationship with the Lord, the Lord stirs my heart in the midst of brokenness to see the great hand of God move. 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:11.700 Challenges for me are not the end, but opportunity to see how God wants to work. 00:22:12.260 --> 00:22:16.510 Now, let me give it to you in a, in just a maybe a specific way, more than just a building. 00:22:16.620 --> 00:22:22.120 Like sometimes God does this stirring in our hearts that I find as people we can often mistake it. 00:22:22.120 --> 00:22:27.870 And what I mean is, as a pastor, this, by the way, this is I'm thinking of no one specific in here. 00:22:28.540 --> 00:22:35.540 This is I'll just use this as an example from another church where I had experienced this or saw this firsthand, where people will have this 00:22:35.540 --> 00:22:39.240 stirring in their heart towards a brokenness, and they want a response, right? 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:45.290 And their response to that response is to go tell a ministry leader or a pastor that, hey, you need to do that. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:48.220 You know, create this ministry and get people to do it and go do that. 00:22:48.820 --> 00:22:53.080 And maybe, maybe that is something the church might be led to do. 00:22:53.820 --> 00:22:59.670 But more often than not, can I just tell you that maybe God's doing the stirring in your heart to be that response? 00:23:00.760 --> 00:23:04.210 And sometimes when we feel that in our lives, we think to ourselves, oh, well, you got to start a ministry. 00:23:04.280 --> 00:23:05.640 I got to get everybody else involved in this. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:07.780 And we think, well, a whole team needs to be here. 00:23:07.780 --> 00:23:11.440 And truth be told, what we need to do is just take a step forward and do something. 00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:14.380 It doesn't mean that there can't be a ministry. 00:23:14.380 --> 00:23:15.180 I'm not saying that. 00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:20.820 But what I'm saying to us is, man, if God stirring your heart for something, just think about how the Lord might use you in that. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:25.440 And part of the way that journey begins for us is just acknowledging it before God. 00:23:26.300 --> 00:23:27.340 God, here's where I am. 00:23:27.340 --> 00:23:27.920 I mean, you see this? 00:23:28.340 --> 00:23:30.350 You see this over and over again in Scripture. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.540 I call this a holy discontentment. 00:23:33.320 --> 00:23:34.320 You think about a holy discontent. 00:23:34.680 --> 00:23:40.660 You need to be careful with a word like that, because sometimes we can run ahead of the Lord and try to make things happen. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:45.320 But when we talk about holy discontentment, what we mean is a spirit inspired dissatisfaction. 00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:50.520 Where we're looking to God in this. 00:23:50.540 --> 00:23:52.450 And we're not, like pointing the blame at someone else. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:54.000 Like just coming with a bunch of problems. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.790 Here's all the problems. 00:23:54.820 --> 00:23:56.300 Now you have to go solve it. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:03.680 But rather asking God like in acknowledging this Lord, how can I be a part of this? 00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.720 Because I'm seeing this. 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:06.200 My heart stirred in this. 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:11.360 And so, Lord, I just want to I just want to see this beautiful story work itself out, not to just sit in the challenge and be in the problem. 00:24:12.080 --> 00:24:13.280 And I'm thankful it came to my attention. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:13.900 God. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:19.720 But more than that, God, how are you stirring my heart right now, in this moment, to see that? 00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:26.720 And so when you think about the idea of holy discontentment, it becomes a sinful discontentment when it stems from a 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:30.340 selfish one, like, I just want to do this and I, I just I want to be the Holy Spirit. 00:24:30.340 --> 00:24:32.600 I want to manipulate them to change. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:36.080 And I had this lack of trust God and really you providing in this. 00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:38.470 So I'm going to run ahead of you and I'm going to just force it. 00:24:39.300 --> 00:24:40.340 Nobody likes that. 00:24:41.760 --> 00:24:45.660 So God rather than rather than get to that place quickly, I just want to acknowledge it. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:47.160 Like when you read stories like the book of Nehemiah. 00:24:47.580 --> 00:24:51.660 Nehemiah chapter one Nehemiah has got this beautiful part where he's praying before the Lord. 00:24:52.020 --> 00:24:52.320 He. 00:24:52.320 --> 00:24:55.900 If you read the book of Nehemiah chapter one, Nehemiah finds out his people back in Israel. 00:24:55.910 --> 00:25:03.210 He's not in that land, but he finds his people are just facing adversity because they went back to build a temple, but they have no wall around the city to protect them. 00:25:03.540 --> 00:25:07.260 And Nehemiah is just broken, and it stirs his heart and that brokenness to the point. 00:25:07.260 --> 00:25:11.140 He goes and talks to his King, and a place where he is distraught. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:14.940 And in Nehemiah's day, you don't go before a king with that kind of posture. 00:25:15.520 --> 00:25:18.570 You need to be celebratory or happy, like to go before a king broken. 00:25:19.100 --> 00:25:26.340 The king couldn't just order your execution on the spot so at great risk to himself for the benefit of the others, Nehemiah takes that risk before 00:25:26.340 --> 00:25:33.400 the Lord, and then he goes before the king, and he ultimately leverages his position to serve the people to rebuild that 00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:33.800 wall. 00:25:33.900 --> 00:25:41.820 He even joins on that journey, or even the apostle Paul in Philippians three he says this verse 12, not that I have already obtained 00:25:41.820 --> 00:25:48.930 this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 00:25:49.780 --> 00:25:56.670 And Jesus, in the sermon on the Mount, even said this in Matthew five verse six, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. 00:25:57.900 --> 00:26:05.290 I mean, Jesus is saying, there's this stirring in my soul, for in the brokenness of life to see the beauty of who Christ is made known. 00:26:06.080 --> 00:26:10.740 And so that story starts for us to find that strength to by acknowledging it. 00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:15.230 The challenge before the Lord and looking at Ezekiel, chapter one Ezekiel. 00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:22.580 The story starts off like this in the 30th year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by 00:26:22.580 --> 00:26:23.260 the canal. 00:26:24.760 --> 00:26:27.040 Now looking at this is a pretty interesting statement. 00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:29.800 You might think, how is this taking this before the Lord. 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:32.510 But I want you to know if you know anything about the story of Ezekiel. 00:26:33.040 --> 00:26:36.440 Ezekiel has found himself carried into captivity by the Babylonians. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:43.860 He has witnessed friends, family killed in that, in that capturing of Israel from the by the Babylonians. 00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:48.570 And then some of them taken as slaves into exile into Babylon. 00:26:48.780 --> 00:26:51.360 And Ezekiel finds himself as one of those people. 00:26:51.540 --> 00:26:53.530 And here he is on the side of this river. 00:26:54.060 --> 00:26:56.480 And when theologians look at this, commentaries, look at this. 00:26:56.660 --> 00:27:00.080 And Ezekiel saying, in the 30th year they asked 30th year of what? 00:27:01.520 --> 00:27:03.600 And the general response is this. 00:27:03.600 --> 00:27:05.840 It is the 30th year of his life. 00:27:05.840 --> 00:27:06.270 It's his birthday. 00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:10.910 And here he is at a time where we might celebrate life. 00:27:12.580 --> 00:27:14.430 And rather than celebrating, he's lamenting. 00:27:15.540 --> 00:27:22.540 But it actually goes even deeper than that when you look at the life of Ezekiel, what you discover is Ezekiel was a priest, and 00:27:22.540 --> 00:27:29.260 in Israel, a priest didn't take their position to serve the people until their 30th birthday. 00:27:30.860 --> 00:27:37.220 And Ezekiel is recognizing he's now been in exile for almost three years, and he's recognizing that things aren't as they should be. 00:27:38.580 --> 00:27:45.820 Rather than being back in Israel, in Jerusalem, serving in the temple, here he is in exile, lamenting the things aren't 00:27:45.820 --> 00:27:47.300 the way they should be. 00:27:48.140 --> 00:27:52.700 So Ezekiel is acknowledging his challenge before the Lord. 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.990 He's got this holy discontentment. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:56.630 He sees brokenness. 00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:58.430 He's lamenting in his sorrow. 00:27:58.640 --> 00:28:03.420 So that point number two, he could seek God's presence. 00:28:04.840 --> 00:28:06.320 He could seek God's presence. 00:28:07.180 --> 00:28:08.220 And this is critical, too. 00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:11.180 So we can recognize brokenness and we can come before God. 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:18.760 But here's what we need when we recognize that brokenness is to say, God, here's what I'm seeing, Lord, but teach me your heart in this God. 00:28:18.760 --> 00:28:21.610 Help me to understand what it is that you're seeing in this situation. 00:28:21.760 --> 00:28:26.250 Because if I'm going to take a step in this, I'm going to respond in this, Lord, I don't want to do this in my strength. 00:28:26.520 --> 00:28:29.440 I don't want to respond according to Nathaniel or Ezekiel. 00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:32.300 I don't want to respond according to Ezekiel's desire. 00:28:32.300 --> 00:28:35.640 But God, I want your desire to be my be my heart. 00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:37.840 I want my heart to align with your heart. 00:28:37.940 --> 00:28:41.810 So, God, help me to understand what it is that you desire in this circumstance. 00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:46.680 Because I know how our people have responded, and I know the consequence we've received because of that. 00:28:46.840 --> 00:28:48.720 We're a people who've rebelled, who've been disobedient. 00:28:49.780 --> 00:28:55.280 And because of that, now we've been taken into captivity and God, this feels just broken. 00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:57.200 And God, I want to know where you are in this. 00:28:57.240 --> 00:29:01.880 So I know how to step in this, because more than anything, we don't want to continue to follow that path of disobedience. 00:29:03.080 --> 00:29:04.480 God, we want to follow that path with you. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:06.050 That's what got us where we are. 00:29:06.820 --> 00:29:11.920 And when you think about taking challenges in your own life, finding strength for those challenges. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:19.100 Let's let's just be honest sometimes, sometimes we're in a situation because, well, I've 00:29:19.100 --> 00:29:20.410 made some stupid decisions. 00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:27.460 And when we make those kind of decisions, we might wrestle with the idea, like, God, How can you love me in this? 00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:29.860 God? 00:29:29.860 --> 00:29:30.860 Do you love me in this? 00:29:31.820 --> 00:29:36.680 Sometimes when we make those decisions, we feel like we have alienated ourselves from God. 00:29:37.080 --> 00:29:42.420 And God's going to love other people, but he don't have time for me anymore because, well, how could he love me based on what I did? 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:44.980 And we're wrestling with the gospel in that. 00:29:45.040 --> 00:29:46.440 Like we need to know the heart of God. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:49.180 Like when Jesus says things, it's finished, paid in full. 00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:50.450 Your guilt and shame covered. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.500 The sufficiency of Christ is important for us to know. 00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:58.980 And this is this is what Ezekiel's wrestling wrestling with is understanding this in the Lord. 00:29:59.460 --> 00:30:06.620 Or sometimes it's not because of anything we've done, but we just find ourselves in a situation where it's just we know this is not this is not 00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.880 the fullness of Christ. 00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:11.400 There's some brokenness here, this there's a way that gospel can answer this. 00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:13.560 There's a way some healing and hearts can happen. 00:30:13.720 --> 00:30:21.200 And so God is leading me in this, not not because of anything wrong I've done, but he's given me a place to be a part of experiencing how 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.660 he's going to respond. 00:30:23.560 --> 00:30:25.500 I love that about challenging seasons. 00:30:26.620 --> 00:30:29.660 It's like we get to the goal eventually as we remain faithful. 00:30:30.540 --> 00:30:36.000 But more than anything in these moments, it's realizing that goal is big and it's going to take an even bigger God. 00:30:37.060 --> 00:30:44.540 And so I get to just come before God and just learn about the wealth of who he is and deepen 00:30:44.540 --> 00:30:46.960 my own relationship with the Lord in this journey. 00:30:47.060 --> 00:30:48.660 Yes, I get to help people in the process. 00:30:48.800 --> 00:30:49.680 That's wonderful. 00:30:50.460 --> 00:30:53.640 But I also recognize God deepens me in these moments. 00:30:54.340 --> 00:30:54.440 So. 00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:57.150 So we seek God's presence and here's what he sees. 00:30:57.880 --> 00:30:59.540 He says the heavens were open. 00:30:59.540 --> 00:31:00.600 I saw a vision of God. 00:31:00.600 --> 00:31:07.500 The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, and the land of the Chaldeans, and the canal and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:14.740 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud with brightness around it, and the fire flashing forth continually in 00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:16.540 the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:23.980 Here's what Ezekiel is saying is like if you asked Ezekiel, where would you go to experience God? 00:31:24.020 --> 00:31:25.740 Ezekiel would say, All in Jerusalem. 00:31:25.860 --> 00:31:29.200 Of course, in the temple where the Shekinah glory, the presence of God is made known. 00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:32.580 That's where we as God's people are called to be. 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:38.420 But then Ezekiel, Ezekiel as a priest, he would then follow it up with, but I can't. 00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.260 I'm not near God. 00:31:40.320 --> 00:31:41.430 And here I am in an exile. 00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:45.970 But all of a sudden, here's what he discovers in the midst of his problem. 00:31:47.760 --> 00:31:49.200 God has never left him. 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:53.460 God's right there in the midst of the mess in exile. 00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:58.700 God has followed him as he sees this picture of a of a heavenly temple. 00:31:58.740 --> 00:32:01.490 And this is indicative of what we've seen in the book of Revelation. 00:32:01.560 --> 00:32:02.350 We study together. 00:32:02.360 --> 00:32:09.500 This is indicative of if you read Exodus 19, when Moses went up on the mountain and Mount Sinai in the presence of God, this is what Ezekiel is seeing, 00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:15.240 the powerful presence of God, that God hasn't abandoned his people in mistake. 00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:21.540 If anything, it's the people that continue to abandon God like that's who we are at any moment. 00:32:21.580 --> 00:32:22.760 God could have given up on us. 00:32:23.840 --> 00:32:24.020 But. 00:32:24.040 --> 00:32:26.590 But God continues to be a God who desires to be made known. 00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:27.460 And he's the one. 00:32:27.460 --> 00:32:34.000 Even though that we rebel against him, even though we put up idols in our life, even though we elevate ourselves above God, God does not give up on us. 00:32:34.020 --> 00:32:37.480 He continues to pursue us and offer his life for us that we could find freedom in him. 00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:39.320 And this is what's happening in the life of Ezekiel. 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:43.170 That his heart would be aligned with. 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:45.140 Ezekiel is so that. 00:32:45.140 --> 00:32:46.730 Number three, let me give you this next point. 00:32:47.580 --> 00:32:49.060 He would trust God's character. 00:32:50.380 --> 00:32:51.870 He would learn to trust God's character. 00:32:52.080 --> 00:32:56.930 I mean, you see in verse 18 it says this is kind of an interesting verse. 00:32:57.060 --> 00:32:58.240 Let me tell you this before I read it. 00:32:58.740 --> 00:33:04.460 And when you read this chapter, what you discover is there's these angels around God's throne and they're foreheaded angels, which is really bizarre. 00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:10.480 But on one side, the face of a man, one side the face of a lion, one side the face of an ox, and one side the face of an eagle. 00:33:11.340 --> 00:33:18.640 And these are representative of really God's power over everything, over all the land, because humanity 00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:20.210 is called to rule the land. 00:33:20.300 --> 00:33:21.720 The lion is the king of the jungle. 00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:23.450 The ox is the king of the farmland. 00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:25.260 The Eagle is the king of the sky. 00:33:25.760 --> 00:33:27.200 Here they are around God's throne. 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:29.240 It's representing God's presence everywhere. 00:33:29.360 --> 00:33:34.080 And not only do you see the power of his presence, you see that God is in all things. 00:33:34.140 --> 00:33:41.710 And saying, saying to us in verse 18, and the rims were tall, and the rims of all for talking about the angels were full of eyes all around, 00:33:42.120 --> 00:33:45.500 and saying, not only does God have the power, but God also sees everything. 00:33:45.600 --> 00:33:49.200 His presence is there, and so there's nothing hidden from him. 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:56.160 He's saying to Ezekiel, even though you feel like a foreigner in a foreign land and you're in exile, God's power and God's presence is still with you. 00:33:57.540 --> 00:34:01.800 And so in that, Ezekiel is learning to trust in the character of God. 00:34:01.880 --> 00:34:05.490 Corrie ten boom said it like this if you look at the world, you'll be distressed. 00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:09.730 If you look within you, you'll be depressed. 00:34:11.060 --> 00:34:14.739 But if you look at God, you'll be at rest. 00:34:16.139 --> 00:34:17.940 And that's where the strength comes from. 00:34:19.780 --> 00:34:19.900 God. 00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:25.300 I want to reflect your heart because in your heart, that's where true strength is found. 00:34:26.840 --> 00:34:27.760 Here's the struggle. 00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:29.920 God, give me your presence. 00:34:30.100 --> 00:34:30.880 Teach me your heart. 00:34:31.820 --> 00:34:38.500 Lord, let me lean into your strength as I see what it is you desire for us and through us. 00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:45.620 And then it goes on and says this as he's learning about the character of God above the expanse over their heads that were the likeness of a throne, and the appearance like 00:34:45.620 --> 00:34:52.679 sapphire, and seated above the likeness of a throne was the likeness with a human appearance, like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud of the day and 00:34:52.679 --> 00:34:58.320 of reign, so that with the appearance of the brightness all around, such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. 00:34:59.700 --> 00:35:01.770 I mean, here's what Ezekiel is seeing. 00:35:01.800 --> 00:35:07.920 Is God ruling on his throne, the power of God, the presence of God, the character of God. 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:09.490 He hasn't given up on us. 00:35:10.060 --> 00:35:11.820 He's ruling and he's reigning. 00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:19.820 And therefore Ezekiel learns he can trust Corrie ten Boom to give you another quote like this in order to realize the worth of 00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:23.200 the anchor, we need to feel the stress of a storm. 00:35:25.040 --> 00:35:27.120 Because let's just be honest with us this morning. 00:35:28.540 --> 00:35:36.820 If we talk about our own relationship with Jesus tends to be some of us have a harder head than others, and 00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:42.090 some of the things that get us to turn to the Lord are the stupid things that we've done in the past. 00:35:43.280 --> 00:35:47.900 And you come to this place of brokenness, stuck in a rock and a hard place, and you realize, man, what am I doing? 00:35:49.380 --> 00:35:51.300 And your soul begins to long for more. 00:35:52.140 --> 00:35:55.680 There's got to be a greater purpose than just the mundane of what I'm living for. 00:35:57.200 --> 00:36:00.620 And in the stress of that, we start to test the anchor who is God? 00:36:01.640 --> 00:36:02.830 Corrie ten boom said it like this. 00:36:02.840 --> 00:36:07.400 Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to an unknown God or to a known God. 00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:07.580 Excuse me. 00:36:09.640 --> 00:36:13.710 And this is what it's saying to you is like, because you think about tomorrow. 00:36:14.520 --> 00:36:20.280 Tomorrow has enough worries of its own and you don't even know what tomorrow holds, let alone the rest of your life. 00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:22.260 But you know who holds tomorrow. 00:36:23.720 --> 00:36:26.340 And he's trustworthy and he's good. 00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:32.080 And so rather than worry about tomorrow, why not lean into the one that holds it in his hand? 00:36:33.240 --> 00:36:40.620 It's the character of God becomes critical for us, and one of the illustrations I find in life that 00:36:40.620 --> 00:36:47.620 draws us out more than any other is if you ever read the book the Hiding Place, it tells 00:36:47.620 --> 00:36:48.560 about her story. 00:36:48.580 --> 00:36:51.250 And going into a concentration camp with her sister Betsy. 00:36:52.640 --> 00:36:55.130 And in the concentration camp, they were taken into their dormitory. 00:36:55.260 --> 00:37:00.620 And when they get into the dormitory Corrie looks to her sister Betsy and says, how can we live here? 00:37:01.180 --> 00:37:07.240 This place is infested with fleas, and she's all distraught over what's going to happen to them. 00:37:07.240 --> 00:37:09.900 And now they're in a room and they're expected to sleep in. 00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:11.360 The place is infested with fleas. 00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:17.720 And Corrie's sister Betsy says he turns to the Lord immediately and says, God, show us what to do here, what can we do here? 00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:20.520 And then she immediately looks back to her sister and says, that's it. 00:37:20.560 --> 00:37:23.220 And God tells us to rejoice in all things, right? 00:37:23.240 --> 00:37:24.320 Be thankful in all things. 00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:26.080 First Thessalonians 518. 00:37:26.080 --> 00:37:28.790 And of course we said, how in the world can we be thankful for the fleas? 00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:34.160 And she just thinks it's such a bizarre thing that her sister would even say that and quote that Bible verse. 00:37:34.180 --> 00:37:37.060 I mean, yeah, it fits in most things, but come on, in a flea infested room. 00:37:37.060 --> 00:37:38.290 How are you going to be thankful for that? 00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:43.720 And then she begins to realize that the soldiers also know it's a flea infested room. 00:37:44.640 --> 00:37:46.400 And because of that, no soldier goes into that room. 00:37:47.640 --> 00:37:54.840 And now it's given them the opportunity to read the Word of God together without fear of threat, to the point where they're able to start a Bible study 00:37:54.840 --> 00:37:57.320 with the ladies in that room to seek hope in Jesus together. 00:37:58.400 --> 00:38:00.760 That those fleas became this blessing in disguise. 00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:05.780 What they thought was a challenge became an opportunity for people to find peace in Christ. 00:38:07.080 --> 00:38:11.820 Now God has this beautiful way of using those challenges in our lives, which gives me this last point. 00:38:12.720 --> 00:38:13.940 Respond in faith. 00:38:15.860 --> 00:38:16.440 Respond. 00:38:16.440 --> 00:38:17.640 Respond in faith. 00:38:19.420 --> 00:38:23.500 Challenges are beautiful opportunities to see the great, the great hand of God at work. 00:38:24.700 --> 00:38:27.360 And really, what we're talking about today is how to wait on the Lord. 00:38:28.100 --> 00:38:30.910 I mean, if you want to know how to wait on the Lord, it's these four points. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:35.910 Waiting on the Lord is not this passive resignation? 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:38.960 We're like, okay, God, you just take care of it. 00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:39.670 Here I am. 00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:40.300 Right. 00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:44.340 It's learning the heart of God and then taking a step with him on the journey. 00:38:45.080 --> 00:38:52.340 And sometimes the mountain may look high to us, but all we need to look at is the Lord and just say, okay, God, I just want to take that step with you. 00:38:52.600 --> 00:38:54.120 I want to acknowledge the challenge. 00:38:54.120 --> 00:38:56.870 I want to seek your presence, my heart, with your heart. 00:38:57.080 --> 00:38:58.240 I want to trust in your character. 00:38:58.240 --> 00:39:01.910 You're good, and I just want to respond, God, because I want to be a part of this. 00:39:02.180 --> 00:39:07.990 I want to see how you're going to work this out, because I know you're a good God, and I know your desires that you would be made known. 00:39:08.240 --> 00:39:09.590 And I know you want to work through your people. 00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.980 This is where your miracle takes place. 00:39:11.020 --> 00:39:13.240 But, God, how do I join in on that? 00:39:13.240 --> 00:39:20.460 And you see how this ends in Ezekiel, the very last verse, the last phrase there, Ezekiel says, and when I saw it, I fell on my face 00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:22.000 and I heard the voice of one speaking. 00:39:22.900 --> 00:39:25.020 It's just recognizing that opportunity. 00:39:34.600 --> 00:39:36.060 And when I see it, I don't want to let it pass me by. 00:39:36.060 --> 00:39:36.060 I just want to join in that. 00:39:36.060 --> 00:39:37.250 As followers of Jesus, we've talked about this together, that we all we in different seasons have this place of what it looks like to follow Jesus. 00:39:37.460 --> 00:39:41.800 Look, the truth of God does not change, but the method and how we follow God. 00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:48.920 It adapts in different seasons of life and for you to be here today, like there have been believers before you that have been faithful to Jesus, that have given 00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:52.930 you the opportunity to know him and for us. 00:39:53.780 --> 00:39:58.840 Now we have the opportunity to take our season and say, Lord, how can you use this? 00:39:58.840 --> 00:40:00.300 And let me just close with this. 00:40:00.300 --> 00:40:02.040 I want to give us an opportunity to gather. 00:40:02.120 --> 00:40:06.980 This is the last time that I'm going to share this in this message, because this is we're ending this today. 00:40:07.300 --> 00:40:13.480 And here's the reason is we don't want to, beat you over the head with this need and guilt people into responding. 00:40:13.700 --> 00:40:15.060 That's not the way we operate as a church. 00:40:15.240 --> 00:40:21.720 We just want to give an invitation and saying, look, we're at a place now where we have an opportunity to build a building and do you want to be a part of that? 00:40:23.460 --> 00:40:24.880 And here's how you consider it. 00:40:24.900 --> 00:40:31.920 You don't let the moment pass you by, but rather you consider are you willing to make a sacrifice for not only 00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:34.190 the sake of where we are as a church, but for future generations? 00:40:35.460 --> 00:40:37.640 And we're asking you to think about it in terms of 12 months. 00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:42.460 However, these next 12 months, we've said as a church we need to raise $1 million. 00:40:43.700 --> 00:40:51.440 And I know it's a lot, but let me just say, in our church, we have a little over 200 families that make us up, right. 00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:58.460 If every family was willing to give a little over $4,000, I think it's $4,250 because we've already raised over 100,000, 00:40:59.220 --> 00:41:00.180 then we would hit that goal. 00:41:00.200 --> 00:41:02.380 And I know in saying that, some of us are like, oh, I could do that. 00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:03.960 And others are like, well, that's way too much. 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:07.340 I'm not even like, I don't have a feel like I have a penny right now. 00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:09.370 So just giving a penny feels like a sacrifice. 00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:11.500 Let me let me just tell you that's okay. 00:41:13.320 --> 00:41:16.940 If you're new here, I don't want you to feel any any obligation to give. 00:41:18.240 --> 00:41:21.440 And if you're part of ABC, I want you to see a joyful opportunity to give. 00:41:22.520 --> 00:41:25.900 Thinking about how God has done a beautiful work and continues to do a beautiful work. 00:41:27.180 --> 00:41:28.340 And we just want to be a part of that. 00:41:29.440 --> 00:41:36.820 And so the next 12 months, just asking, asking yourself, Lord, what could we give as a family that might even be a place to stretch us and thinking about 00:41:36.820 --> 00:41:39.000 being a part of this community. 00:41:39.860 --> 00:41:41.870 And if it's $5, praise God it's $5. 00:41:42.020 --> 00:41:48.620 But I want you to know, next week I'm just going to show on the screen where we're at in pledges and giving and how many people have pledged. 00:41:49.340 --> 00:41:56.360 And even if it's just $5, you get to be a part of the number of people that have pledged where we can look at and say collectively, and God's people 00:41:56.360 --> 00:42:03.380 are in this, and we want to be a part of this, and maybe $5 is just something like saying, and I'm just going to lift up in prayer, because 00:42:03.380 --> 00:42:10.380 that's just where I am in life right now to do that, you can fill this out and drop it in the offering box on your way 00:42:10.380 --> 00:42:11.670 out as a way of acknowledging. 00:42:12.280 --> 00:42:19.320 Or you can use this QR code and do it online, but it will give us an opportunity just to see how God is moving in our church 00:42:19.320 --> 00:42:25.220 to towards this goal together over the next 12 months to hit this target and we'll just see. 00:42:25.300 --> 00:42:25.500 God. 00:42:25.560 --> 00:42:26.680 What how are you going to work? 00:42:26.680 --> 00:42:33.750 We just want to see how God is going to move and rejoice in that together next week, in the months ahead, we're not going to come back and say, 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:35.000 well, what's wrong? 00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:37.800 I'll give like, we got a generous church that loves Jesus. 00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:41.260 And so as we as we hit these milestones, we're just going to celebrate it. 00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:43.230 Like we're going to remind you each month. 00:42:43.240 --> 00:42:47.580 We'll say, hey, just a reminder, we're in this campaign and we want to celebrate where we are. 00:42:48.300 --> 00:42:52.130 But we want to we want to do this joyfully as a community. 00:42:53.180 --> 00:42:55.240 God, you've got us in a place to respond. 00:42:56.220 --> 00:42:57.110 And how are you going to lead?