International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians and Orphan Sunday

0 (0s): I get to lift your name. Hi, please seem to you this morning, world. 0 (2m 18s): Israel. 1 (5m 6s): . 1 (7m 15s): We can hear the 2 (15m 8s): Your name is powerful. Thank you. Lauren. Got to remind us of all of the ways in which we are reminded that you are powerful. You were resurrected from the dead to live forevermore. God, you, you are in our midst. Lord, God powerfully encouraging us and challenging us and moving in our lives. Lord God, you are a healer and a provider and you and you are indeed the soon coming king, Lord God. You're powerful, Lord God. So be powerful in our midst today, Lord, with the preaching of the word, you've already been powerful. 2 (15m 53s): Lord God, to just send the worship through song Lord, and as we pray and as we fellowship together throughout the day, Lord, God be, be powerful, Lord God, God help us to be a blessing and encouragement to one another and help us to be a blessing to you. Ultimately, Lord God, that we would be excited about you and grateful for you. God, move in the minister all over this campus, Lord, and then whoever's watching online. Lord, we just pray. There. Just be a blessing of grace poured out upon them. Lord God, each of us, Lord God would experience your power and your grace in a fresh way today. God, we love you. We need you. Thank you for your power in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. 2 (16m 33s): You may be seated. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 2 (17m 16s): I was muted. Yeah, that was my fault. I clicked the button the wrong way. Sorry. So we're in Hebrews chapter one, starting over Hebrews chapter one, talking about not giving up. We got a five-point message. I started to give three weeks ago and we weren't able to finish it. So turn to Hebrews chapter one, we're going to get through this message today. Titled don't give up. Jesus can be trusted. And as we were singing this last song, I thought I thought the reality that we can trust Jesus is seen in the powerful move of God all over the earth. 2 (17m 59s): As from the time that he was born in the way that he impacted the first century, all the way through this 21st century that we're in. We've just see the power of God, the holding power of God in the universe where people trust him. And this, this letter is written to Jews who had believed that Jesus is the Messiah. They, they believed when Jesus came and taught and when he was crucified and when he was resurrected, they decided to believe they put their faith in their trust in the Lord, Jesus Christ. They believe that he is indeed who he says he is and who the scripture declares him to be. 2 (18m 40s): And so as they move along in their faith, as followers of the Lord, Jesus Christ in the first century, they're, they're experiencing persecution from family and, and others who don't understand their decisions, who don't understand why they've decided to follow Jesus. And so this passage in Hebrews one, and then throughout the scripture in Hebrews one, all the way through the end, it's about the declaration, that, that Jesus is God and that he is worth following and that he is worth everything that we endure to follow him from the first century, all the way to this century. And until he comes again. 2 (19m 20s): So don't give up, Jesus can be trusted. The enemy is always trying to get us to give up, to give up on God, to give up on our marriages, to give up on important things in our life. Somebody asked me recently, they said, how have you endured these last two decades of ministry? What, what do you do when you feel like giving up? How have you endured and stayed in the ministry for the last 20 years? I said, I just, I just keep showing up. I just, I keep showing up. I've realized, and I haven't always understood this, but if I just keep showing up it's number one, it's an act of worship and praise to the Lord. 2 (20m 1s): It's a declaration that I, that that is is it's it's me declaring that. I believe God. I believe that God has called me that he is in this, that he is working in our lives and ministry and that he's doing something good. Sometimes we want to give up and the answer is just giving it a little more time. I was running a yesterday as kind of an illustration and I wanted to give up, I, I was tired mentally and physically, and I just didn't want to finish my run. And I was wanting to give up, but I knew if I could just make it to the next corner, then that would have the energy to make it the rest of the run. 2 (20m 44s): There was something about this stretch that was difficult. It was, it was a hill. It was just a difficult stretch. But I knew if I just got to that corner and turn the corner, that things would get better. And that's exactly what happened. I got to the corner and was able to finish and actually add, added a leg to the, to the, to the run, just to make it a little extra longer. I think there's truth about just not giving up. If you want to, if you want a good marriage, just continue to show up in your marriage. If you want a great marriage, show up and figure out how to serve your spouse, get up every day and figure out to serve your spouse. You'll have a long marriage and you'll have a great marriage. If you want to have a long walk with the Lord and a great walk with the Lord, continue to show up and then figure out how to serve the way that God has called and equipped you to serve. 2 (21m 32s): But don't give up. Jesus can be trusted. Number one, Jesus can be trusted because he is God. And this is the declaration to a people who have experienced him as God. They've experienced him as Lord and savior, but they were doubting. They were in the face of a difficulty in their life. They began to doubt and who hasn't done that. We've all in the face of difficulty. Begin to doubt God's faithfulness. We doubt his existence. Maybe we doubt who he is. And so this text today, and as we teach through Hebrews is designed to build us up in our most holy faith. Jesus can be trusted. 2 (22m 12s): Number one, because he has God verse three, Hebrews one says this, the sun radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God. And he, Jesus sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the sun is far greater than the angels. Just as the name. God gave him as greater than their names. God is declaring that the son, Jesus is God. We see the same thing in Philippians chapter two, verses five through eight. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had though. 2 (22m 55s): He was God. He did not think of equality with God has something to clean to. Instead he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on the cross. Jesus fully God, fully man, born of a Virgin lived taught, modeled, performed miracles was crucified and then resurrected from the dead. And now he sits at the right hand of the father forever making intercession for us. 2 (23m 36s): He is God. And he can be trusted in his death, Jesus and pukes righteousness. This is this, it shows the both the divinity of God, but also the goodness of God. He imputes righteousness to us and that he took our sin. So our sin was imputed to him. He became sin for us and he in exchange imputed righteousness to us. And so we become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, because of God's goodness. And because of his plan, when we begin to doubt his goodness and begin to doubt his divinity, we, we need to return to the gospel and return to the pages of scripture and be reminded. 2 (24m 17s): His righteousness has been imputed to us. Our sins have been imputed to him. Jesus can be trusted because he is God Hebrews one verse five says for God, never said to any angel, what he said to Jesus, you are my son today. I become your father. God also said I will be his father. And he will be my son. And when he brought his Supreme son into the world, God said, let all of God's angels worship him regarding angels. He says, he sends his angels like the winds, his servants, like flames of fire. But to the sun, he says your throne, oh God endures forever. 2 (24m 57s): And ever you rule with a Sceptre of justice. I wonder what Jesus' closest friends said about him. If you think about his life, he spent 33 years in the earth and he lived with people. He experienced relationship with people. He ultimately declared that he was God in the flesh that he was the Messiah. The son of God. I wonder what others around him thought about him. What his closest friends thought about it. And the people who knew him most while the beloved John, the apostle John declared this about Jesus. He declared Jesus to be a full of unfailing, love and faithfulness. 2 (25m 42s): John also said from his abundance, we have received one gracious blessing. After another John calls Jesus, the stairway between heaven and earth. In other words, Jesus is the way the truth and the life. And no man comes to the father except through him. This is what John declared. This is what he believed. This is what he understood. After walking with Jesus for a few years, watching Jesus teach and perform miracles, watching Jesus crucify, be crucified and resurrected from the dead. He calls me. He said, that's that man right there. He's a stairway between heaven and earth. He is the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through him. 2 (26m 23s): These are strong declarations spoken to by a man who had walked with Jesus, watched him die. Witnesses. Resurrection then served him all the days of his life. Even through suffering and persecution. When they tried to kill John and they couldn't kill him. And they exiled him to the island of Patmos and then serve Jesus his whole life. And in his old age received the revelation. And he in the revelation saw Jesus and he spoke and wrote truth about the Lord. Jesus Christ. John didn't give up. He believed that Jesus was indeed living for worth living for and worth dying for. He believed he didn't give up. 2 (27m 4s): Even after they tried to kill him and exile him, he would not give up. John declared in the revelation, all glory to him, all glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us, he has made us a kingdom of priests for God, his father, all glory and power to him forever and ever a man. He goes on. Look, he comes with the clouds of heaven. There's something powerful about a person's testimony about the person and work of the Lord. Jesus Christ. You have a testimony of God God's working in your life into that. Testimony is powerful to encourage. Even as John is encouraging us this morning, look, he comes with the clouds of heaven and everyone will see him. 2 (27m 49s): Even those who pierced him and all the nations of the earth will mourn for him. Yes, a man. So John believed his that Jesus' earthly life and ministry was real and genuine. And he believed in Jesus plan to return again and come back to the earth. After time of the time of redemption and judgments, don't give up, Jesus can be trusted. He can be trusted because he is God. He is not a God. One of many gods. He's out of small G God. He is a capital G God, the creator and sustainer of all things don't give up. He can be trusted because he has God. 2 (28m 29s): Number two, Jesus can be trusted because he is just, we get that from Hebrews one nine, where it says you love justice and hate evil. What does it mean? That Jesus is just, it means that if Jesus tells you that your sins are forgiven, then your sins are forgiven because he is a, just an, a righteous judge. And he can't, he can't ally. He can't say things that aren't true. And, and, and try to make you believe that they are true. He is a just God who declares to you that your sins are forgiven. What does it mean? That he's just, it means he is perfect, perfectly righteous. 2 (29m 10s): He judges the wicked and grants mercy to the repentance. He can do no wrong. It's impossible for him to be unfair. It's impossible for him to be unfaithful. It's impossible for him to forget his promises to you. He is a just judge. You can always be counted on to do the right thing. If he makes a promise to you, he will be faithful where he directs. He will guide and provide. When he speaks, his words can be trusted. This is why we pray. This is why we read this scripture because we believe when we commune with God that he listens and he's responding to us, he's adjust and good God. And when he says our sins are forgiven and when he adopts us into his family and welcomes us into a relationship with him, it's true. 2 (29m 57s): And we can take that to the bank. It's a powerful truth. It's a powerful truth. We met over in 1 0 2, our new worship center on Wednesday night at six o'clock and about 30 people gathered. And part of the purpose of gathering was to write verses of scripture on the, on the framed walls, inside that new space, they're going to get covered up shortly. So we wanted to get in there with black markers and write out the promises of God on this, on the walls in there. So that they're forever in the framing of that building as a foundation, as part of the building, the strength of that building is the word of God being recorded on the studs and on the walls. 2 (30m 39s): In that space, we record promises because we believe them. We believe the promises of God. And so we write them and we also believe that God desires to seek and save the loss. And so we have this wall of faith where we wrote down. I wrote down, I think about eight names of people that have been on my heart. People that I'm praying for, believing God to save or to touch or to heal or to minister to in some way. And so we wrote their names down. If you missed last, this last week, we're gonna probably meet again in probably a week from Wednesday and do it again. You'll have the opportunity to come and worship in that space. You'll have an opportunity to come and pray in that space and record the promises of God in that space and write the names of the people that you're praying for and believing God for in that space. 2 (31m 29s): So when we gather in worship, we'll continue to pray for those people and pray that God ministers to the people that we have put the people in our hearts that we put on that wall, declaring that these people will be touched by the living. God, you can't do any of that stuff unless you believe that Jesus has God. And that he's a just God. And that he's faithful to minister. When we call out to him, it's his desire that he would minister to people that he would reach people. We can trust that he is just and faithful. When he speaks, his words can be trusted. Jesus is adjusts and righteous. 2 (32m 9s): God, if we have any other perspective of God, we're missing it. We're we're, we've got a, a reduced version of the person of the Lord, Jesus Christ. We need to allow not the world to define who Jesus is, not our imagination to define who Jesus is, but we need to allow the scriptures, the word of God to define who Jesus is. Then it becomes big again, in our perspective, he doesn't change ever, but he becomes big and our perspective and we've grown in our faith and we grow in our ability to trust him. Verse nine continues Hebrews one, therefore, oh God, your God has anointed. You pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on any one else. 2 (32m 50s): You know, that righteousness and joy go hand in hand. It says that the oil, the, the, the pouring out of the oil of joy is poured out on him more than on any buddy else. Jesus can be trusted. Number three, because he is joyous. Bible says, it's the joy of the Lord. That is our strength. I remember seeing a picture years ago of this joyful Jesus, this picture of Jesus. And he's got this big grin on his face. I thought this is an accurate, I think is an accurate portrayal of who the Lord Jesus Christ is. Years ago, a friend of mine was in the movie and he played Jesus. It's it's called the Matthew movie. And Dennis Marciano was, or excuse me, Bruce Marciano. 2 (33m 32s): Dennis' brother was playing Jesus. And it was the word for word, speaking of the gospel of Matthew, and he declares true throughout the whole movie. And as he's speaking, you see this joy all over his face. You see, as he portrays the life and message and work of the Lord, Jesus Christ, he's got this joy filled face. It's not water that people in the regions were drawn to him. He had this presence about him that was magnetic. It drew people in, he had this countenance about him. That was not offensive, but it was, it was welcoming. And then he would minister to people and he was, he would speak truth. 2 (34m 13s): And even in his truth speaking, he did it in such a gracious and gentle way, much like he maybe does with us when there's correction that needs to come into our lives. He just, he speaks with such tenderness and gentleness. He is joyous. And even now, as I said, he's at the right hand of the throne of God. He's interceding for us wanting our wanting the very best for us. So he's not a, he's not a mean ogre. He's not a tire and Twitter. What's your picture. When you pray to Jesus, what are you seeing in your mind's eye? What are you seeing? What are you envisioning? 2 (34m 54s): What we envision will indicate how we pray or the faith with which we pray. If we see that Jesus is joyous and that he's loving and gracious and wants to be involved and is involved in the inhumanity. If you, if we see him that way, we will pray with greater expectation, with greater faith, with greater passion, with greater ability to believe in, see what God wants to do. We'll just pray with greater faith. But if we see him as a menial ogre, as a tyrant, then we won't pray much at all. What is your picture of Jesus? What is your picture of Jesus? You see a smiling Jesus, or do you see a sour? 2 (35m 36s): Jesus, he's our savior after all, he's our savior. After all, while we are sinners, Christ died for us in our desperate need. Christ died for us. I was up at French hospital on Thursday to visit a friend Jr Ramy, a guy that's been coming to our church for a lot of years. And he just passed away this morning. We had a chance to pray for him. We weren't actually able to get into his room, but we prayed as friends and family for him outside. And we just prayed for God's peace upon his life, because as you get to the end and he knew that his days were numbered, sometimes there's a fear and there's an anxiety, no matter how much faith we have, there's an anxiety around dying. 2 (36m 29s): It's maybe not being with Jesus so much, but it's about the process of dying. It's a scary and unknown thing. So people find, find themselves in a fearful place. I remember talking with Don gainer, he had the, you know, Donna been serving the Lord for 80 plus years and loved Jesus, but he's still the unknown. It was just unsettling for him. And so remember praying over and over again, throughout the course of my life in ministry, praying for people who are passing from this life to the next. And they're an, there's just uncertain. There are things that happen in this life also that just make us uncertain about the goodness of God. But when we can remember that Jesus is our savior and that he's redeemed us and he's got good plans and purposes for us that he's our friend and intercessor that he has for us and not against us. 2 (37m 20s): Then we can have a greater measure of peace. And so it was my prayer for Jr that he would just have the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. And sadly, I didn't get a chance to talk with him before he passed, but I got a text message this morning that said he had gone to be with the Lord. The text message said, he's gone. He is now with Jesus. And that's the reality. When all of our lives wrap up, we will one day breathe. Our last I was on Facebook. I don't have a Facebook account, but I stuck on my wife's Facebook account. And that was on Facebook and at a Ray Grady high school. 2 (38m 0s): They've got a, I think it's a Facebook page called fallen angels. And they list all of the different people who have passed away from graduating classes, going back, you know, from the beginning of the school. And as I looked through, I saw people from my people that I've known since junior high school, people that I went to junior high and high school with actually some back to fifth, sixth grade in the area, people who have passed away, people who are no longer with us, I felt life is so short. And we just never know how much time we have. We have to, in this brief time that we've got in the earth, we've got to be all in with God and believe that Jesus is who he said he is being fully present with him and allowing, be fully present with a Sherry's adjust judge, but his desires that we would escape his just judgment and receive his great grace. 2 (38m 59s): I did a Memorial service for a guy that I've known since I think sixth grade did the service for him earlier this year. And as friends gathered, it was tough to talk about our friend, Josh, who had passed away. It was tough because in the end, he's struggled. He knew Jesus, but he struggled the, he knew Jesus, but he struggled to believe and to follow wholeheartedly. But I know that he know, I know that. I know that. I know that he knew Jesus. I thought about Jesus, earthly, life and ministry. And he's. He was always going after those who were struggling, those who are sick, those who are outcast, those who were in need of his grace and healing, Jesus was always going after those people. 2 (39m 48s): And so I know that in the course of our lives, as we struggle, God is going after us. God is wanting to minister to us. God is wanting to bring his light and life to us. Hebrews one 10 says, he also says to the son in the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same. You will live forever. So point number four, we can trust Jesus and not give up because Jesus is eternal. Jesus can be trusted because he is a terminal. 2 (40m 29s): Listen, he's not going anywhere. He's always been any will always be. If we can imagine life in the earth, like a long parade. And Jesus is in the, the announcement, the announcement, a booth up top, and he's watching it from start to finish. He sees everything in the parade of life from start to finish. And so he's never perplexed by anything. Never confused by anything. Never surprised by anything he's eternal has always been, will always be. He's not going anywhere. He can be trusted. He's not surprised by anything because he's seen everything. And so anything that may be a surprise in your life is not a surprise to him. 2 (41m 10s): And so put the full weight of your trust in him. And when surprising things happen, because surprising things, well, they always happen and say, God, I didn't know this was coming, but you did. He promises never to leave us nor forsake us. Verse 13, Hebrews one. And God never said to any of the angels, sit in the place of honor at my right hand, until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet. Therefore angels are only servants. Spirits sent to care for people who will inherit Sal vation. Jesus is eternally working to bring people to salvation. Number five, Jesus can be trusted because he is our salvation. 2 (41m 51s): This is the heart of who he is. This is why the incarnation, why he came into the earth to live and to die and to be resurrected for us because he wanted us saved. Jesus wants what is best for us. Jesus made salvation possible. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for you. And for me, if he can be trusted to save us, Jesus can be trusted in every other area of our lives. Maybe you're here today and you just feel like giving up. Maybe you feel like giving up on your faith. Some things have happened that have discouraged you dissuaded. You have hindered your ability to trust and believe God, I would just say, give it another day. 2 (42m 35s): Sometimes we want to give up and we just need to give it a little time. Maybe you say, okay, Lord, I feel like giving up, but I'm going to give it one more day. I find that if I am feeling discouraged and I go to bed and I wake up the next day, what the scripture says, it's true. His mercies are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness. If you're here and you're tempted to give up on your marriage, or you're tempted to give up on your kids, you're tempted to give up on relationships or a job. I would say, just give it another day and then pray and say, Lord, I know that your it's not your will for me to give up. I want to press in and believe, but I need your grace. Everything that God asks us to do requires that we're filled with his spirit and with his power, with his truth and with his wisdom so that we can walk it out. 2 (43m 21s): Don't give up. Jesus can be trusted with Alex. Go ahead and stand up. And we're going to pray. And Lord, thank you that you are indeed our salvation. God, you are faithful to seek and to save those who are lost, Lord God, we give you praise for that. Thank you that you are eternal and that you are the same yesterday today and forever God, that means we can trust you and believe you and follow you wholeheartedly. So help us to do so. Lord, thank you that you are joyous. That is such good news. 2 (44m 2s): Lord, God help us to have a different perspective of you. God help us to think differently about you. Help us to believe you. We pray, Lord God, thank you that you were just thank you, God, that you are, God, God, we trust you and God in those moments where we are doubting and fearful, I pray that you would strengthen us now that you'd reveal truth to us and that we wouldn't the lies of the enemy. We wouldn't give into the difficulty of life, Lord God, but that we would keep our eyes on you continually and constantly. 2 (44m 42s): Thank you for this time. Lord, thank you for the opportunity to open up your word, Lord God, we just invite you to speak to us continually through this time of worship. Lord, help us to worship in spirit and in truth, we pray Lord in Jesus name. Amen. Let's worship 0 (50m 28s): Gabi pays you this morning. We worship you. We lift your name. Ha.