(soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Good morning.

Good morning, Church family. Happy Lord's Day. I would like to read from 1 John 3, verse 1. "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God, and such we are. As we begin our service by singing the song, "You Made Us Your Own," I pray and encourage us to ponder and consider the great love our God has shown us.

♪ ♪ We were ruined. ♪ ♪ We were ruined in our sin. ♪ ♪ We were guilty and undone. ♪ ♪ When your love reached out with sovereign hands, ♪ ♪ and beckoned us to come inside of the waters, ♪ ♪ made the powerful come forth with the lavish feast, ♪ ♪ and welcomed us, you made us your own.

♪ You are loved. ♪ You have loved us like you love your Son. ♪ ♪ We are heirs with Christ, ♪ ♪ and bought by His blood. ♪ ♪ Oh, how great the love that we've been shown. ♪ ♪ We're your children now. ♪ ♪ You made us your own.

♪ ♪ ♪ We're strangers to the world, ♪ ♪ but no strangers to your throne. ♪ ♪ We draw near you now with confidence, ♪ ♪ for all our fears are you. ♪ ♪ Look at Christ, our King returns. ♪ ♪ We'll be saints, we will be. ♪ ♪ Forever we will be amazed, ♪ ♪ that you made us your own.

♪ You are loved. ♪ You have loved us like you love your Son. ♪ ♪ We are heirs with Christ, ♪ ♪ and bought by His blood. ♪ ♪ Oh, how great the love that we've been shown. ♪ ♪ We're your children now. ♪ ♪ You made us your own.

♪ You are loved. ♪ You have loved us like you love your Son. ♪ ♪ We are heirs with Christ, ♪ ♪ and bought by His blood. ♪ ♪ Oh, how great the love that we've been shown. ♪ ♪ We're your children now. ♪ ♪ We're your children now.

♪ ♪ You made us your own. ♪ Good morning, everybody. I want to welcome you to this morning's service. Those of you who are joining us for the first time, I want to extend a warm welcome to you. After the service is done, please swing by our welcome booth.

You'll see the blue canopy and our team members with the blue lanyards. We'd love to meet you, and if you have any questions, just guide your way on how to get integrated into the church. Also, for the newcomers, we have a special lunch that's going to take place on Sunday the 26th, so a couple weeks from now.

And we ask that you just show up to the sanctuary at 1:15 p.m. No later than 1:30 we'll get started with an informal lunch to greet you. You'll have opportunities to meet some of our leaders and core members. And I'll also be giving a presentation about just the core and philosophy of our ministry, so it'll be a great time for you to come and participate.

You can sign up and give a heads up by emailing welcometeam@briancc.com or just give a simple visit over at the booth. Another announcement is that tonight the college students will be having their college study hall from Sunday today to Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. It's a great opportunity for people in the other ministries to swing by if you'd like to drop off some snacks, some goodies.

Over in the cafe there will be a place designated for that, so please go ahead and do that. You can also sign up to do that too on the link provided on the app. Something that's also happening on Sunday the 26th is a summer maintenance day. Just periodically we have a day where we can clean up, take care of any clutter, requires no skill, just show up and participate in some good manual labor.

You can sign up. There's a link for you on the app. And if you have any questions, please email breinlogistics@gmail.com. The final announcement is that we've been highlighting some special sign-ups over the course of the last several weeks. And one of those things was our family ministry retreat. Just as a heads up, the final day to sign up is going to be the 12th, which is next week.

That's going to be the early registration. And then after that there's going to be an increase in the retreat fees. Please know we're going to be highlighting the subjects of family and marriage, related to both the vision of marriage and communication in the family, that kind of thing. So please make sure you take time to sign up for that as well.

Today, after our worship time, we have the privilege of hearing Daniela Park come up and give her testimony, and she'll be baptized today. At this time, let's take a moment to pray. We'll pray over our offering. Lord, we truly want to thank you, God. The opportunity for us to come together to worship, we realize, and acknowledge to you, God, is such a sweet privilege for us.

By the faith you have granted, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we're united, we're brought together, and afforded this access to you. And we recognize, God, that as much as we desire to lift up to you our service, our hearts, and our song, we are all the more blessed for it.

And so we truly do want to render to you all of our heart. We pray, Father, for the offering as well, that that would simply be an extension of that kind of desire to express to you our gratitude, to lift up to you everything we have, and a desire to continue to further your kingdom.

So we pray that you would have your blessings over the offering as well. This morning, Lord, as we lift up to you our joint voices, we do pray, God, that you would be honored and pleased. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) - Let us all rise as we sing these praises.

(soft piano music) (soft piano music) - Your glorious cause. ♪ Your glorious cause, oh God ♪ ♪ Engages our hearts ♪ ♪ May Jesus Christ be known ♪ ♪ Wherever we are ♪ ♪ We ask not for ourselves ♪ ♪ But for your rebound ♪ ♪ The cross has saved us so we pray ♪ ♪ Your kingdom come ♪ ♪ Let your kings of God ♪ ♪ Let your will be done ♪ ♪ So that everyone might know your name ♪ ♪ Let your song be heard ♪ ♪ Everywhere on earth ♪ ♪ Till your song ♪ ♪ Work on earth and its love ♪ ♪ Let your kingdom come ♪ (soft piano music) (soft piano music) ♪ Give us your strength ♪ ♪ Give us your strength, oh God ♪ ♪ Courage to stand ♪ ♪ Perform your wondrous deeds ♪ ♪ Through those who love you ♪ ♪ Lord, use us as you want ♪ ♪ Whatever the cost ♪ ♪ By grace we'll preach your gospel to ♪ ♪ Our dying brethren ♪ Let your kingdom come.

♪ Let your kingdom come ♪ ♪ Let your will be done ♪ ♪ So that everyone might know your name ♪ ♪ Let your song be heard ♪ ♪ Everywhere on earth ♪ ♪ Till your song ♪ ♪ Work on earth and its love ♪ Sing, let your kingdom.

♪ Let your kingdom come ♪ ♪ Let your will be done ♪ ♪ So that everyone might know your name ♪ ♪ Let your song be heard ♪ ♪ Everywhere on earth ♪ ♪ Till your song ♪ ♪ Work on earth and its love ♪ ♪ Let your kingdom come ♪ ♪ Let your kingdom come ♪ , Lord of every age.

♪ Lord of every age ♪ ♪ Author of all things ♪ ♪ First and last to save ♪ ♪ The name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Crown the majesty ♪ ♪ The Lord is prince of peace ♪ ♪ Throne of God's right hand ♪ ♪ The world at his command ♪ ♪ The world at his command ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lamb of God ♪ ♪ How great you are ♪ ♪ There is no other savior ♪ ♪ Every knee bows down ♪ ♪ At your redemption ♪ ♪ There is no other savior ♪ ♪ ♪ Merciful, have mercy ♪ ♪ Merciful, have mercy ♪ ♪ The lover of the fiends ♪ ♪ Generous in need ♪ ♪ The protector of the man ♪ ♪ Sacrificed to death ♪ ♪ The resurrected life ♪ ♪ To die the world to save ♪ ♪ To overcome the grave ♪ ♪ To overcome the grave ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lamb of God ♪ ♪ How great you are ♪ ♪ There is no other savior ♪ ♪ Every knee bows down ♪ ♪ At your redemption ♪ ♪ There is no other savior ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ You will reign forever ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lamb of God ♪ ♪ How great You are ♪ ♪ There is no other Savior ♪ ♪ Everything falls down at Your feet now ♪ ♪ There is no other Savior ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lamb of God ♪ ♪ How great You are ♪ ♪ There is no other Savior ♪ ♪ Everything falls down at Your feet now ♪ ♪ There is no other Savior ♪ ♪ Savior ♪ - Amen, you may be seated.

(footsteps tapping) - Hello, my name is Dani. Some of you know me as Daniella. I'm very thankful to be sharing my testimony today. I just wanted to start off with the word holy. R.C. Sproul defines the word to mean an infinite cut above everything else, transcendentally separate. And growing up in the church, I boastfully used the word so casually, believing it only meant pure, not knowing the depth that goes beyond that.

It describes not only God's attributes, but also depicts our depravity. And in this world full of filth and death, our God is the only being full of life and holiness. And until I understood just how great the chasm between God and myself was, I was a wretch with no hope.

And growing up in a Christian household, I mistook my head knowledge for true saving faith. But in reality, I didn't have the slightest clue of what it meant to serve a holy God. From a young age, I lived for myself, and the approval of man enslaved to fear of disappointing my parents and others around me.

And this led to difficult times during high school where the desire to succeed out of pride brought nothing but tears, arguments, and a nightly prayer to wake up in heaven the next time I opened my eyes. But even that cry of desperation was full of nothing but worldly sorrow where I only saw my pain and failed to remember God's constant and ever providing love, as well as his sovereign will that goes beyond those nights.

In my junior year, I read through the book of James with a friend, and for the first time, I began to understand how my life is meant for others and not myself. I didn't get the complete picture of living solely for Christ yet, but by God's grace, he continued to work through me and shape my heart.

Despite coming to this revelation once prior, fast forward to winter quarter of 2022, where I was still apathetic towards my schoolwork and unfortunately, the word. All of my attempts to feel better were futile. I failed to find permanent fulfillment in my relationships and even forced devotions completed for my own sake could never quench my thirst for something more.

And that is until God revealed to me the true purpose of life, that we as his creation are created for the worship of our creator. I can't even say that I came to this realization myself, that it was a concept my brain evolved to fully understand because that phrase had been present in my life for the last 13 years.

And there is no other explanation other than the fact that God's hand was in this. His love is absolutely unfathomable and life-changing. How foolish of me to live my life for me when it is not even my own, purchased with the blood of Christ. Even just offering my life could never come close to his sacrifice for me.

And to make matters worse, I never would have come to this realization had it been for God reaching out to me first. One of my favorite worship songs says, "And if you had not loved me first, "I would refuse you still." And it's crazy to me that such an amazing God cannot receive the little praise we humans have to offer without intervening and raising us to life first.

The human language is so inadequate in describing this God we serve. Holy, a short two-syllable word tasked with conveying infinite glory, and I serve this transcendentally separate God. I'm not here for a good life full of things that I deserve. My life is not my own, as the God who brought me out of death calls me to walk beside him, surrendered to his will for his glory.

I love the way John Wesley puts it. He says, "Let it be the one business of my life "to glorify thee by every word of my tongue, "by every work of my hand, "by professing thy truth and by engaging all men, "so far as in me lies to glorify and love thee." I've always heard that being saved doesn't guarantee a painless life on Earth, and after a few recent events in my own life, I see how the opposite is true, the natural consequences of being consecrated in a broken world.

Yet I remember God's providence as my redeemer and my defender from whom my help comes, and I remain steadfast with an otherworldly hope. And now my goal in life isn't my own glory or success, but just as it says in Romans 11, 36, "For from him and through him and to him are all things.

"To him be the glory forever." Amen. Thank you. (audience applauding) Abram. (man speaking faintly) (man speaking faintly) (audience applauding) (audience applauding) - Thank you so much for your testimony. With each baptism, isn't it sweet to hear and fellowship, because basically every one of our stories is like that. If you didn't reach out to me, Lord, I would've just been lost in my sin.

You initiated, you loved first, and how can I thank you? So it's great to be able to fellowship through her testimony in that way. Let's take a moment to pray. Go before the Lord, ask for his blessing upon our time. Heavenly Father, we truly thank you, God. We recognize, Lord, that the salvation that we have is not something we drew up and planned and then asked you to do for us.

God, you have long ago from your own wisdom, from your own good intention, you have desired, Father, to redeem. And God, we just thank you so much. How can we ever thank you enough? And we're so thankful for Dani and pray that you will bless her in her faith and grow her, Lord, to all maturity that she will be a woman of God.

We thank you now for your word that continues to lead us and teach us and sanctify us. We pray, God, that it would have its effect upon us. We also this morning lift up a prayer for Pastor Peter Kim and the people who are ministering out in India. As they serve you, as they minister to the lost people there, would you empower them, grant them great boldness, entrust them continually with your message, and cause them, Lord, to be fruitful according to your own time.

We thank you, it's in Christ's name, amen. So just as I mentioned in the prayer, Pastor Peter Kim is this week out in India and he put up a message that I wanted to share that thankfully his travels there, 'cause sometimes it can be a little tricky with all the different regulations and measures that are going on now, but he was able to land safely, meet the pastors there at the hotel, they're able to fellowship, to connect, so we're really grateful for that.

And I'm continuing to pray for good travels as he moves from one city to the next and eventually will go through a complicated process to even come out, so we wanna continue to pray for that. This morning, please turn your Bibles to Mark chapter six, verses seven through 13, and then we're gonna also just touch upon, for reference, verse 32, but I'll read for us now from verse seven through 13.

And the word of God says, "He summoned the 12 and began to send them out in pairs "and gave them authorities over the unclean spirits, "and he instructed them that they should take nothing "for their journey except a mere staff, "no bread, no bag, no money in their belt, "but to wear sandals, and he added, "do not put on two tunics.

"And he said to them, wherever you enter a house, "stay there until you leave town. "Any place that does not receive you or listen to you "as you go out from there, "shake the dust off the soles of your feet "for a testimony against them. "They went out and preached that men should repent, "and they were casting out many demons "and were anointing with oil many sick people "and healing them." And if you draw your eyes to verse 30, it says, "The apostles gathered together with Jesus "and they reported to him all that they had done and taught.

"And when he said to them, "come away by yourselves to a secluded place "and rest a while, "for there were many people coming and going, "and they did not even have time to eat. "They went away in the boat "to a secluded place by themselves." So as we take a look at this passage, we are jumping into a unique scenario, not fully halfway into the gospel context, but halfway into Jesus's earthly ministry.

We come into a unique scenario where essentially Jesus, in his mode of ministry, there's a big change, okay? So I want to give you a little bit of context and we'll give a little bit more that if you think about it, Jesus was teaching and going from city to city and everybody had to come to him for that teaching.

For the first pretty much two years of the ministry, Jesus was the one healing, he was the one giving the message of the kingdom. And if you wanted to participate in that and you wanted to be healed, you would have to travel and go to where he was, in the city, right?

Whichever city he may be. But as you see now, within this context, Jesus is summoning the 12 and beginning to give to them the message, give to them the authority, the power, and the instruction of how to do it, according to his way. So as we think about that, I want us to kind of think about an interesting scenario where maybe you're applying for a job and you put in the application and you did the best you can to make your resume look so good.

You put in everything, right? Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Because this was a incredibly unique position that you applied for. The reason why I say this, because in Coral Area, if you think about their scenario, there were thousands of people who would follow Jesus, right? Now, not all of them were fully convinced, but there were actually many people who said to Jesus, "You're clearly a significant rabbi and teacher, "so let me follow you," right?

There were many people like that. So you kind of start imagining how many people would follow Jesus, and of those many, many people who followed Jesus, Jesus only selected 12, right? If you think about it, then, that is some elite-level status of being able to serve in the company.

So I want you to think about this. You apply for this position, you put in your resume all that you've done, all that you can do, and your skillset. Maybe in the throw in there, I speak some Spanish, even though you kind of don't. Whatever it may be, you can stick in there, you did, and then, lo and behold, you're chosen, right?

But, whereas in our day, you get to negotiate some terms, and you ask some questions. So what are the expectations of the job? And in our day, when you think about people negotiating their positions, you will sometimes even negotiate, of course you'll negotiate benefits, but sometimes you'll negotiate who you work with.

Will I be underneath somebody who's gonna train me? Will I have opportunity for the future? Sometimes you start negotiating, will you require me to travel much, right? Is there going to be, and then the benefits for future, this kind of retirement plan, will I also maybe get some stock, like that kind of stuff?

And that's all in the package, and good job hunting in our day would mean that you actually take the prerogative that you have to negotiate the best case scenario for yourself. That's good earthly wisdom, so more power to you if you're skilled in it. But imagine this scenario. Jesus selects you, and you say something like, will we be able to negotiate some expectations here of will we travel much?

And he goes, all the time. That's all you're gonna be doing, actually. Can I start a little later after I set up my previous work and sort everything out? And he says, no. No. If you recall, there's a passage for you on Luke chapter nine, verse 59. He told people, follow me, and they were willing, but then some of them said, Lord, permit me first to go bury my father.

And he said some really hard words. No, let the dead bury their own. And somebody asked, can I please tend to the matters in my home? Can I make sure everything is okay? That's a responsible thing to do, to at least say goodbye. And he said, no, you come now.

Can you imagine that kind of negotiation if you're applying for a job? You start asking, who am I gonna go with? What's gonna be the expectation here? Is there gonna be a scenario where I get to, not necessarily spread my wings, but at least develop my skills and use them to the max ability?

And he tells you, most people will probably not really believe. You won't actually make that sale. Are you willing to sign on? And the reason why I ask this question is because within this passage, it's talking about evangelism. It's talking about the training up of the disciples. It's talking about the first mission trip of those who are selected by Christ to train them for the ministry.

But there is a lot to learn and ask about how willing are we to do all of that? It's a primary question of to what degree are we willing to follow? And I ask that because within all of the difficulties that the disciples will go through, that the apostles will go through, it gives us this challenge.

To what extent and what degree will we be willing to just take it? And that's why I've entitled the sermon, "Take it or Leave it." It sounds a little harsh. It sounds a little like bad attitude. But there's an element to a challenge to us to ask how willing are we?

Or do we expect that we can negotiate the terms of discipleship? That we can negotiate where we go, when we go, how we go, and more? And so setting the background a little bit more as a first step into the study of this passage, because again, we are jumping into a narrative.

This isn't like prescriptive, you go therefore and don't you make any money. This is not a prescriptive passage. It's a descriptive story in the gospel. And there's corollary passages both in Matthew 10 and Luke chapter 10. And I was a little afraid because Pastor Peter is going to eventually preach this passage in Luke 10.

But at the pace that he's going, I realized, oh, we're gonna probably forget everything that I've said by then. I have some safety and time. But when we think about this passage, what Jesus is doing is imagine if we had a summer retreat and Jesus selected 12 particular individuals and said, "I'm going to train you to go.

"And when you go, I want you to for sure, "know the message. "You have to know what you preach, "but I'm gonna prepare and train you how to go. "And you're gonna go with nothing. "But amazingly, up until now, "although you have seen me do wonders and miracles, "I'm going to empower you with authority to do the same.

"Even the authority to heal sickness, "and even the authority to raise the dead." That's incredible. And what I'm gonna challenge you with is there are some implications for us to take home, and there are some principles for us to take home, but I wanna just give you the challenge now that just remember that even though some of the things that are expected of the disciples are extreme, every single one of us actually has an expectation placed upon us to serve the kingdom of God, amen?

Jesus did not just simply tell us, "Come to me all who are heavy laden," and then stop there to say, "Good, I'm glad you came. "Stay as long as you want." Jesus has already told us, "I have prepared you for good works. "I have designed you to be a light, "and you will eventually have to carry this gospel." Not every single one of us has to be a missionary.

And if you are a member here, you know that I've sat you down in our membership process and told you we believe the church is unified by one gospel, one baptism, one truth, one spirit, and so we're all alike. However, we're not all the same. First Corinthians 12 tells us that there's variety.

We are one but many, and not every single one of you should be serving in the children's ministry. There are those of you who are so good the kids feel so comfortable around you. Others, you know, this is awkward, right? Others of you are designed where you're so warm and welcoming, you should be on the welcome team, and others of you may not be so, right?

However, every single one of us has signed off to say, "But I am a carrier of the gospel." Our design is that whether you, doesn't matter whether you're one who preaches to 100, but God will uniquely design you to place you wherever you are in your home, in your workplace, in your classroom, to be the vessel in which Christ has put his love, his spirit, and his truth, amen?

None of you can say, "Ministry where we go and share the gospel is not for me." You can't say that. You can't say, "I am not a light." Jesus has told you that you cannot hide in the pews because you were not designed as a candle of God to be hidden in the pews.

Just like none of us can say, "Prayer, not so much for me," right? "I am the worker bee, but prayer people are others." No, no, no. Every single one of us have been designed to do various aspects of ministry. Praying for the lost, being the light, and sharing the gospel is for us all, amen?

And that means as the design of the church, you know, scripture has said, every single one of us are gonna play a part, and God has designed us to do the work of ministry, these things apply. And so as a just exhortation and reminder to us, we don't expect everyone to serve in the exact same way, but you are a part of the redemptive ministry of God.

And therefore, we need to take home these points. The first one being, it's kind of long, I apologize. Principle number one, please be careful not to question God's wisdom. Please be careful not to interject your own great ideas, but instead be willing to take on the entire ministry as it is.

In summary, be willing to take the entire sum of ministry as it comes to you. Just take it as a whole shebang. And the reason why I'm saying this is not because good ideas are actually bad. Some of you are very gifted in administration, and so you like to ask detailed questions.

Wait a minute, how is this gonna work? Wait a minute, who's gonna take care of this part? And wait a minute, this part we haven't really thought through, good. Employ your gifts for the health and edification of the church. You understand me, right? The kind of don't interject your ideas that I'm talking about, and the kind of just take it that I'm talking about is because when it comes to ministry, there are many moments where we ourselves, in our mind and our eyes, what we see, we are gonna say, that doesn't look like it's going to work.

Take a moment to let that sink in. When you do ministry, have there been times when your mind, because you saw some things, said, that's not going to work. And because we're so good at calculating and predicting and projecting, we have said, Lord, I don't know if your ministry model is going to work.

I want you to take a moment now to think with me and imagine with me. You have to place yourself in the scenario of the gospels, and of the gospels, it wasn't like today, but when there was a commotion, people of the town came together. I mean, people of the entire town came together.

Right now, we're so disjointed. If stuff happens, yes, we see it on Facebook, we see it on Instagram, but back then, everyone would show up and just stay. So if you recall, when there was healing going on, they stayed through lunch and dinner, and they said, how are we gonna eat?

And the reason why I'm asking you to think about that is because just like the disciples would wonder, what are we gonna do with all these people? There were thousands of people sometimes. Just in the miracle of feeding the 5,000, you guys have heard that that only counts the men.

That means easily could have been double that, very easily double, 10,000 people. If you saw Jesus now all of a sudden say, we need to delegate the responsibility to the ministry, so I pick 12, you know what I would have done? As an administrator, I'm the administrative pastor at the church, I would have just, how about some more?

You know, like 12 is not enough. This isn't gonna work. This ratio is all off. You're talking about 5,000 people, 1,000 people, you're talking about villages, and then you put us into pockets, so actually there's only six crews, right? Two by two, so. Do you see what I'm saying?

Your immediate projection would have been, this doesn't work. Sometimes Jesus says things, and in my silly mind, I sometimes read the Bible in a silly way where I put myself in their shoes, and I have weird thoughts. So I'm gonna take you down some of those things. You know when Jesus told the Pharisees, the Pharisees were like, what are these people doing worshiping you?

And then Jesus was like, if you force them to stop, even the rocks will cry out. I remember reading and being like, I would like to see that. (laughs) That would be amazing stuff if we saw when everyone was gathered in Jerusalem, there was over a million people just, wah, like worship, palm branches, and the rocks.

Boom, right? This is the Lord. Hail the one who comes in the name of the Lord, son of David, right? Like, can you imagine disciples saying, like, wait a minute, if you're already doing miracles and wonders, why not just make the rocks cry out? Right? And then if you were one of those very self-conscious people which I think some of the disciples were, there was the doubting Thomas, right?

He would always ask, like, wait, I don't see it, you know? Then you would wonder, like, literally one year ago, I did not deal with people, I just dealt with numbers, right? I'm a tax guy, I don't do this stuff. Can you imagine people operating by their own sight, determining for the Lord Jesus, this is not going to work?

Question, does this happen in our day? Question, does this happen for you? Sometimes it happens on large-scale levels where swaths of mainstream Christianity, I feel like I've said, oh, you know what? That preaching repentance stuff, that core hard message, that's not gonna work. This discipleship stuff, that's not gonna work.

We need to first get them in here and da-da-da-da-da. Does it happen on a more private level? How many of times have we looked at somebody in our own family and it's like, that guy's never gonna turn. I've already talked about gospel with him, it's never gonna happen. We project so quickly.

But Jesus' model is very simple. You come bearing the message of God. You call people to repentance by the power of God and you take nothing with you but your own faith and the model of your own godly life. And you bring with you the compassions of Christ and you do it, you heal people, you minister to people.

The model of Jesus Christ was very, very simple, amen? But then why is it that we tell him it's not going to work and that's why I gave just a warning that we dare not act as though we know better the outcome. But it is unfortunate that if you think about it, what has been a hindrance to evangelistic ministry, even Christian counseling, even church ministry as a whole where pragmatic people may be well-intending who have said that's not going to work.

That's sad to think about. But if you think about even other scenarios, Jesus did not tell you to do the things you need to do in your life just because it's going to work. I mean, think about the command to go reconcile with somebody you're at odds with before you come to worship, right?

Does he promise you? Do it 'cause it's always going to work. When you go and reach that person who's bitter with you and you go over and say sorry, that's always going to work. Or if you're mad because someone sinned against you, that it's always going to work. No, he told you to do it because a lot of things.

He's working on your heart because you can't come to worship clear conscience with strife, bitterness in your heart. He's working on the church, making sure the church is purified and whole. He's working on the testimony of God that by you doing that, there is the element of the gospel in your private relationships.

He's doing so much more than just making it work for you. But to me, it's a radical, radical detriment to the Christian faith when I hear people say, that doesn't work for me. God is working on so much more than just making it work for you. And sometimes he's just leaving a testimony for himself.

He's leaving just the testimony of his grace in every scenario that needs it. And that's why we must trust him and abide by his way. As a matter of fact, I wanna emphasize this point by looking over at Mark chapter six, verse one through six, just the passage before our passage.

In Mark chapter six, verse one through six, Jesus is going from town to town, and the town that he lands on prior to this is his own hometown. It says he came to his own hometown of Nazareth, his disciples followed him. In verse two, when the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and the many listeners were astonished, saying, where did this man get these things, and what is his wisdom given to him?

And such miracles as these performed by his hands. Wait a minute, is this, is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Judas, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor, except his own hometown, and among his own relatives, and in his own household.

And he could do no miracle there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people, and healed them. And he wondered at their unbelief, and he was going around the villages teaching. So, I want you to think about this. When it comes to the idea of it doesn't work, I mean, we potentially can put ourselves in such an offensive, can you imagine us asking Jesus, what happened in your own hometown, right?

How come your miracles didn't work? He literally said he could do no miracles, because of the absolute hardness of the ground there, hardness of the faith. And it would be so nonsensical, it would be just like Isaiah, right? Heeding the call, who will go for us? And Isaiah says, me, Lord, I'll go for you.

And God says, you're gonna speak to a bunch of people who will keep on hearing, but not understand. And then as Isaiah goes, he goes, well, it gives, it's not working. You do realize, at certain moments, God is clearly judging people, and he is revealing the hardness of the hearts of men and their sin.

And if we are part of that, we dare not complain, this is not what we want it to be. I have a wiser way for you to go about it. We dare not do that, amen? And so, the first exhortation for us, take, if you're ministering to some people who are hard to work with, remember, you're taking it all.

You're willing to take the frustration, the need for your patience. If you're trying to evangelize to someone who seems impossible, you're willing to take it all, right? If you're trying to minister or do anything in the kingdom of God, remember, you take with it the whole shebang, yes? Number two, principle number two.

Please be careful not to secure your own benefits. Instead, be willing to live dependently on God's daily provision. Not your own benefits, but dependence on God's daily provision. So be willing to be dependent, everyone. Be willing to be dependent on God. Take a look at the passage that we're looking at in verse eight and nine.

So this is Mark 6, eight and nine. And it says, "He instructed them "that they should take nothing for their journey "except for a mere staff." Now, I want you to think about this. It's kind of like, remember how I told you I read passages and it's sometimes kind of silly and then I have to correct it?

So the way I first read it was like, oh, this is kind of like, boom, boom, boom, on this episode of Survivor. And it's like, you take nothing with you, but this staff, can you survive? But that kind of model I don't think is correct. Because let me ask you, why is Jesus making sure that these individuals go out with nothing?

Is it because Jesus was like, put on the face mask stuff and put on the, you know, the, I guess, elite military, Navy SEALs, Green Beret, that kind of mentality. And you survive out there with nothing. And when you come back, you will be my soldiers. Is that what he said?

I don't think so. So what I just shared with you now, cross that out. And if you thought like that, I don't think it's correct. He tells them no bread, no bag, no money, which means no provision even for the day, which means nothing even to keep provisions for the next day.

Even if someone gives you something for the next day, you don't have anything to carry with you. And then verse nine, he says, just take your sandals. It's like, whew, we're gonna be walking a lot, at least we have a shoe. But then he says only one tunic, don't two, right?

This thing, just imagine with me, like this passage doesn't say a whole lot about how the disciples reacted, but I wonder, we just have to wonder. So now I'm just reading into the white lines here and thinking like, someone must have thought like, what? That doesn't make any sense.

You've already told us, like Jesus told them, you're going into dangerous land. I'm sending you like sheep amongst wolves, right? But you have no food. Like, what? And then you're supposed to eat off the fruit of your work. So then that means, like imagine with me if I said to you two or you two, I'm gonna pair you up and today we're gonna go out into Santa Ana, to Tustin, to different places, and we're gonna do two by two ministry.

But the only way you eat is somebody, when you knock on their door, they invite you in and they feed you. And that's the food you get. Then you're calculating mind is basically concluding that I'm not eating. Because someone's gonna at the door be like, didn't I put up a sign, no soliciting.

No, I don't want your warranty, get out of here. Here's my dog, right? Like, nobody nowadays is gonna knock on a door and they'll be so open to you. This is pretty extreme. And no tunics, just one, just whatever's on your back. I kind of like coiled at that.

I own five suits. I have it really good in our day. Some of them don't fit now, but I still hold on to them, hoping they'll fit in the future. But is it, let me ask you a question. I do know some pastors who have taken a vow of poverty.

Is that the application of this passage? Is it godlier and more true of discipleship to take a vow of poverty for anybody who is a man of the cloth? Like a pastor, a missionary. I don't think that's the case. And I'll show you why in a little bit, but the case that I've already presented to you is, every single disciple have already said, Lord, I'm willing to follow, and I believe that's why you're here.

You're here because you have told the Lord, Lord, I love you because you love me, and I trust you that because you love me, you will care for my soul eternity and me today. And you will empower me in my mind and my heart and my body today, and so I'll follow you.

But remember, the Lord loves you, and he will teach you what it means to follow. And he will test you to see how willing you are. But he'll also prepare you and instruct you to trust God that any follower of Jesus must know, I will entrust my entire being to God.

And Christ has said to us, whenever you're doing a work, whenever you're doing a ministry, and whenever you're following, you must know that he cares for you. Your hairs are numbered. And just like everything under his power is under his care, even if you suffer, even if the world hates you, God cares for you.

And you must know how secure you are in him. You must know it. If you're taking notes, write that down, like I must grow in my understanding of how much I can trust God. Because if your trust in God is compromised, you will be weak to every temptation. You will be weak to every scenario.

And I wanna highlight something for you. I believe that the disciples were entering into some true testing ground, and they must trust the Lord rather than trust themselves. Why? Because can you imagine if in their mind, their hearts were already compromised to some degree, like, oh my gosh, how am I gonna take care of myself?

Oh my goodness, what about my family? Oh my goodness, what are we gonna eat? And so they took with them bags for money, bags for provisions. But if you are a miracle worker healing anybody who comes to you to the degree that you can raise somebody from the dead, can you imagine the temptation?

Come here, come here, save my son, the rich man said. Take this, take this, take this, right? Can you imagine the temptation? Like even if you gathered a thousand people and you just sold hot dogs for a dollar, you'd be rich for the day. But you're healing and doing miracles, casting out demons.

But if your trust in God was not tested, you would be susceptible to temptation, would you not? And I think Jesus was preparing these disciples. Jesus, at certain points, people wanted to come around him and making king by force. Some of the disciples were called Greek gods. Oh, you're like the messenger, right?

You're like Zeus. Can you imagine the temptation that would come to us, to you and me, if we're doing the work of God, but we didn't trust him? I think we would be compromised. And so it's not so much that you have to take a vow of poverty and you're not allowed to have two suits.

It's Jesus teaching his disciples on their first missions trip. I want you to know what it means to trust God, amen? What a valuable lesson for us. And now I share with you on a personal level. I still, I've shared this almost like three out of four times that I think, 'cause racial-wise that I preach, I talk about like the insecurities that come from doing ministry.

If you've ever led a team, so much work to do, right? If you've ever led anything, you are gonna be faced with insecurity about whether you are sufficient or you could do the job. But if you keep focusing on that, you are going to regularly feel deficiency, yes? Your flesh will rise up to the occasion and be like, "You can do it!" (laughs) "It's no problem, you're prepared for this." And this whole world is constantly teaching you, you've got education, you've got know-how, you've got experience, don't worry, you can do it.

And then my heart keeps telling me, "I need to mature," and maturity means I need to grow independent. Whereas God keeps telling me, "No, even if you're 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 years old, "you will never cease to be my dependent child. "You will ask me for provision." As a grown adult, you know how humbling it is to ask another adult for a provision for the day, right?

Your flesh keeps telling you to secure your own benefits, to secure yourself in the midst of feeling needy, but God teaches us, "I will provide for you "when you do my work, and you will never outgrow "your childlike faith, your dependency with me." And I feel like that's a lesson I keep, keep learning every season.

Lord, teach me to know I will always depend on you, and teach me to know if I don't, I'm compromised. That's a conviction we all need, amen? So, I wanted to highlight a passage to you that I do believe this is what Jesus was teaching. Because take a look at Luke chapter 22 in your Bibles, verse 35 to 37.

Take a look later down the line, after Jesus has sent them, and I want you to know that Jesus has sent many other disciples. These 12 were primary because they are the apostles setting the stage for the church. But there were many other disciples who Jesus sent with the exact same instructions.

In Luke chapter 10, there were 70 disciples. Later on in other passages, there were more disciples that he sent. But after he sends them, like a good leader, he has recap meeting. Have you guys been on a missions trip meeting, or missions trip and afterwards you have review and recap meeting?

Well, that's kind of like what Jesus has. In Luke chapter 22, this is what he says. And he said to them, "When I sent you out with money belts, "oh, sorry, when I sent you out without money belts, "and bags and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" Teaching moment of Jesus.

And they said, "No, nothing." What a valuable lesson for them. And he said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt "is to take it along. "Likewise, also a bag and whoever has no sword "is to sell his coat and buy one." What I'm trying to tell you is not, oh, now it's okay, but what I'm trying to tell you, the main point of it was to teach them.

Haven't you experienced it in your own life? You're so scared to do something that you felt like God wanted you to do? It could be just as simple as you're at your workplace, or you have a neighbor and you're like, oh gosh, this is like a pretty opportune moment to open my mouth and invite them to church, or talk to them or ask them how they're doing, and share the faith, and you're so scared.

And that feeling of fear is just so strong. God wanted you to embark on this ministry. Maybe you were thinking about a literal missions trip, and you're all afraid, like I don't have $3,000 for a plane trip and all that stuff. But let me ask you about after you did it.

Did you not feel a sense of like, that was great? Even if you were hungry, tired, and you didn't get to eat because the missions trip was so busy, even if X, Y, and Z happened, didn't you feel like, I didn't necessarily lack anything. Now I feel even more empowered.

I can take over the world. Maybe not like that, but did you feel like regret that you trusted God for your daily provision? Did you feel a miss, like, oh, I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have gone on that mission trip. I don't think there was ever a person who felt like that.

Where you wanted to love somebody by meeting with them for counseling, or you wanted to talk to somebody to try to do ministry in their lives, and then you thought, gosh, no. Jesus has the same review with his disciples, and says, that's what I was teaching you. You lacked nothing.

And so I say again, we must heed the words of God that we must trust. Luke chapter 12, he says, I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that I have no more that they can do. But I warn you, whom to fear?

Fear the one who after he has killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear. You are more valuable than many sparrows.

And I say to you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God, but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. This passage, Jesus regularly does this, of like this crazy up and down, or maybe down and up, where it's like, you better fear God.

It's like, he cares for you so much. Oh, it's this crazy thing. But the point again with number two was, rather than trying to secure anything of our own, we have to learn in ministry to trust the Lord fully. Principle number three. This is the last principle. Please do not demand success, but instead be willing always to simply be bold for Christ.

The summary there is be bold for Christ always, but do not demand or expect the kind of success you hope to see. Do not demand the kind of success that you saw in other people. Well, that guy had X, Y, and Z. Pulpit ministry, lot of big crowds, X, Y, and Z.

Do not expect the kind of success that other generations have had. Well, the early church had X, Y, and Z. Well, you know, earlier than them, they had also people who were killed. We dare not demand of God a kind of success that we saw, and therefore all of a sudden expect.

Take a look at this interesting passage, the last portion of Mark chapter six, verse 10 and 11, and I'll explain to you how I get there, meaning what do I mean just simply be bold in Christ? Notice in verse 10 it says, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town.

"Any place that does not receive you or listen to you "as you go out from there, "but shake the dust off the soles of your feet "for a testimony against them." What I'm saying is Jesus was not giving any promises of how people will react. The full gamut was there, was it not?

Some people will ask you to come into their house and stay. Some people will love you. Others, they'll tell you to get out, right? But what's really interesting is this passage strikes me as really odd, and I wonder if in our day, again, we wanna imagine, if I asked you to go to this house and evangelize to this home, and I said, "If they reject you, "consider it like they rejected Christ, "and just right in front of them, shake it off." Or let me throw at you another scenario.

You know how we have Harvest Crusade here in Anaheim, and there's thousands of people who come. They have a great band, and everybody is moved and warmed, and they're challenged, and then the pastor gives an altar call and says, "Come, come one, come all. "Come to the saving graces of Christ.

"Repent of your sins, and He'll forgive you." And so a bunch of people come. But then, imagine if the pastor says, "I noticed that a bunch of you have not come. "For you have not come, you have rejected the only way, "the only name, the only life, the only truth, "so now go to hell." Like, oh, everyone's jaw would just drop, right?

Like, what did he just say, right? That would be wild. But I want you to think about the disciples thinking like, you want us to take off our shoes and dust the dirt off, and then basically leave a testimony of like you're judged and condemned, and then leave? That's strange, right?

And then can you imagine two of the guys going out, and I kind of imagine myself in that scenario, and I'd probably look at my friend and be like, "Hehe, you do it first." (laughs) And then I'll do it so that as soon as we do it, we can leave, right?

Just imagine the mentality that you would need to do that. Let me throw out to you another scenario. Remember how I told you that, wow, the mentality that you would need to go two by two into all the cities is heightened by the fact that they went into the heart of Jerusalem.

Let me highlight this for you just real briefly. In Matthew chapter 10, verses one through 15, Jesus gives the disciples, it's a corollary passage, and describes what he said to them. But what's very interesting about this passage is that he summoned them, he gave them authority, and then in verse five, he says, "The twelve were sent out after being instructed, "and he said, 'Do not go in the way of the Gentiles.

"'Do not enter any city of the Samaritans, "'but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'" And then he gives the whole shebang of, don't take anything with you, don't take any provisions, just live by the provisions that people give you, and when they reject you, shake the dust off your feet.

Let me give you another picture in your head. Imagine with me, I said, brothers and sisters, this summer, praise God, the windows are open and we can go do evangelism overseas. But rather than go to India, rather than go to China, we're gonna go somewhere else, somewhere hard. And you're thinking, Africa, some of the most hard places are places where there's just not even half a percent Christians, Somalia, Algeria, Yemen, not even half a percent, right?

But I say, no, we're gonna go to, bum, bum, bum, the Vatican. That place is 100% Catholic, and there resides the Pope, there resides people of authority, they have a military of their own, they have a budget like no other, and when they register themselves, and when they put onto their website, all this kind of stuff, they consider themselves 100% already saved.

Therefore, you and I, that's right, just you and me, we're gonna go in there with nothing. (laughs) No food, no provision, and we're gonna evangelize. You see, that means you must think you have so much power, right? You must have the authority of God to tell these people to repent.

And that's where my conviction was. Like, whoa, for us, we complain about, these people won't listen, this isn't working, and then we start adjusting our stuff. We don't need to adjust anything. This passage, to me, strikes us super weird, because, I mean, honestly speaking, again, how many of us are going to be like, yeah, that's right, you didn't listen, so forget you.

Well, let me tell you one thing. I don't think it's right for us to say forget you, 'cause that's just an attitude, right? It wouldn't be right for the disciples who just a year and a half, two years ago, were just as pagan as everybody else. They were Christless.

They may have been a Jew going to the temple, but they were Christless. So for them, one and a half years later, to go to cities and be like, repent, or forget you, I don't think that's what they did. You see, 'cause one extreme of the shake the dust off their feet could be me just having a personality where it's, that's right, we're soldiers for Christ, and you're either in or you're out.

Take it or leave it. That's not the attitude by which the God of heavens has sent the invitation of his grace. That's not right. However, my conviction is, neither is the attitude when we go into a city scared. Oh, please, please give Jesus a chance. I will confess, like early on in my days when I was doing the, like, what you call the random EV, what I like to call cold turkey EV, right?

You go out and you just pray. God, give us divine appointment today, right? And I remember not too long ago going to the UTC area, and then there was a group of the Saturday bikers, you know, the guys who are in the tight things and in their shoes, and they're sitting around eating coffee.

And you go over there and you say, hey, I wanna ask you, we've got that survey. So you go, would you mind taking a spiritual survey? And you give it to him, and the first question is like, did you grow up in the church? He takes a look at it, and he's like, dude, you think we wanna take a survey?

And my first response was, oh, shoot, sorry, sorry, sorry. And I actually said, like, sorry, sorry, you're right, right, and I moved on. And then I was like, oh my gosh, I just apologize to this guy, 'cause he rejected me. You know, like, there's an emotional up and down when you experience that stuff, right?

Man, I'm trying to regularly combat, my eyes tell me that rejection is so hard, awkwardness is so massive, and everything doesn't work. But God says you have such power to transform the world. Not because of your gusto, not because of your warrior mentality, but just because the pure reality, God of heavens has made an invitation.

And his sovereignty and salvation means, yes, I may go randomly, but according to his great divine appointment, those who are worthy, those who God has called, are going to respond. And I need to go with boldness. I don't need to complain, like, Lord, these people, they're not listening. I don't need to ask God, like, give me other people to preach to, or something like that.

We don't need to complain, like, oh, Lord, the ground is so hard out there. He already told us it would be. But he has given us this challenge, would you, are you willing to be so bold to a crooked and perverse generation? I want you to preach that the king is here.

That's what he said. He told his disciples, I want you to be willing to preach that the king is here. And so, I will read for you this passage in Matthew, where Jesus has said, Matthew 10, 16. I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will even be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry, trust in God, about how or what you are to say, for it will be given to you, that hour, what you are to say, for it is not you who speak, but it is the spirit of your father who speaks in you.

You will hit a wall, and they will send you to the courts. Don't be surprised, but it is to your blessing that you can share in the sufferings of Christ. You just need to be willing. I wanna conclude by encouraging you with this idea of when does Jesus think you're ready to do his ministry?

When are you ready to do anything? As a pastor over our singles ministry, I get this question a lot. Pastor, when am I ready to get married? And then sometimes to tease them, I give them this weird thing that's like, just the fact that you don't know when you're not ready.

And they're like, oh no. But actually, there are a lot of questions about readiness. There are people with baptism who will ask me, pastor, I believe on the name of Jesus, and I know I'm a sinner, and I know he's gracious, but oh, I'm so wretched, and so many things are wrong.

I don't know if I'm ready to be baptized. Think about that question, and I wanna encourage your heart. When Jesus is training his disciples, his thought of their readiness for it was not dependent on their resume of experience, skill, know-how, and productivity. Because you actually know what happens soon after this.

This is before Jesus goes to the cross, before he is resurrected, you already know the story, that they have a great moment of obedience. Scripture says they went out, they preached repentance, they healed people, and with the authority of Christ, they anointed people. That's a beautiful thing. They did it, they obeyed.

But you know their track record. But I began this sermon with the question, Jesus is training your willingness and trust. Are you willing to trust enough that you would take the whole shebang of ministry, all its heartaches and frustrations? Are you willing to trust yourself and your provisions? Are you willing to trust him?

Are you willing to know that he has already prepared a way, and you do not need to secure your own success, you just need to be willing to follow boldly where Christ is leading. And in that way, for us, I believe in our church, there is actually a great readiness and opportunity for people to serve.

And in terms of the need, the need is always going to exceed and outpace what we can do. But nevertheless, the Lord is going to challenge us. I will train you, I will provide for you. Are you willing? Let's pray. Lord, Heavenly Father, we take this challenge from your word.

Ultimately, God, we're talking about evangelism, we're talking about your kingdom work, and the ministry of your church, tending to the weak, ministering to those who are lost, but at the same time, we hear this exhortation, we need to trust you fully. I do pray, God, that you would teach us what that means, but also, I pray we will experience it.

And we as a church would be those who do not hide in the pews, but rather, God, with great, great confidence in you, so simply following your lead, God, we would be used to great ends for your cause. I pray, Father God, that just like the apostles who would praise you after being whooped, say what the apostles from old say, "Lord, thank you, God, "we praise you for counting us worthy enough," that in the end, we would be expended and used for your cause.

And I pray, Lord, that all the fears, all the anxiety we have, would truly be rested at the foot of Christ. But ultimately, thank you so much. Thank you so much, God, that you want to use us to this end, that you want to train and build us up.

So we pray that in all of our lives, we would aspire to the full maturity of Christ. We thank you, and it's in his name we pray, amen. At this time, we would like to participate in the communion together, but before we do, we want to prepare our hearts, so there should be a cup, so please make sure you grab one.

And then as you do, please consider that the communion is a unique time for us to remember our Savior, and proclaim what he's done for us, to say, "He died for me, "that my sins have been borne on his shoulders, "and then wiped away," right? That he shed his blood for me, and by the blood of the cross, I'm clean.

And so this is a remembrance, and this is an act that we do to say, "Lord, you have been so good to me, thank you," right? And that being the case, for some of you who are here with us today, if you do not know you're standing with Christ, I ask you to take time to consider.

You don't, please don't participate in the communion yet, because you have to first deal with Christ. And ask yourself, do I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who was sent and came on a rescue mission for me? That although I'm a sinner, that by simple request of forgiveness, by the power of the work that you've done, you've already told us you're willing to forgive, because you were already willing to sacrifice, to suffer, and to bear everything on the cross.

And please know that you are able, even today, to ask in the name of Christ to receive forgiveness. So with that said, we're gonna take time now to first hear the passage from the scripture, and then we'll participate. It says in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered "to you, that the Lord Jesus, "in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, "and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "this is my body, which is for you.

"Do this in remembrance of me. "In the same way, he took the cup also after supper, "saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. "Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, "you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup "of the Lord in an unworthy manner, "shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. "But a man must examine himself, and in so doing, "he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. "For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment "to himself if he does not judge the body rightly." Let's actually take a moment, if you can individually just pray.

Please pray a prayer of thankfulness for the work of Christ and who he is to you, but also if there's any unconfessed sin, take time now to lift those up to the Lord. And in a brief moment, I'll gather us together to take part in the communion. (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) At this time, if you have not already, please go ahead and join us in opening up the elements.

Please know that there are two layers. The top layer is clear, and when you peel it back, it reveals the white wafer. And the Lord has said to us that this is his body, broken for you, please take of it. And then the purple film there is removed to reveal the grape juice.

And the Lord has said that this is his blood, spilled on our behalf, the blood of the new covenant. Please take this down too. (gentle piano music) Amen, please join me in prayer. All right, God, as we as a church participate in that together, we want to thank you, thank you, thank you.

God, again, this is not something, Lord, that we approach. The communion is not something that we come to by any merit of our own, but clearly, God, we simply receive what you have done for us. And we do so by faith, we do so, Father God, in love for you.

I pray that you would truly use us to proclaim your name. I ask that the power of the gospel would be strong in our hearts, and I pray that we would be so willing to be bold, believing in the power of the cross. But ultimately, Lord, help us simply to be found faithful, to lift up to you our praise, our offering of our lives to you.

And we pray that all of that would be pleasing in your sight. We thank you, Lord, it's in Christ's name we pray, amen. Please join me in rising for the closing song. (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) ♪ My hope is built ♪ ♪ My hope is built on nothing less ♪ ♪ Than Jesus' blood and righteousness ♪ ♪ I dare not trust the sweetest word ♪ ♪ The holy name of Jesus' name ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ (gentle piano music) ♪ Darkness fills ♪ ♪ Darkness fills this lovely place ♪ ♪ My rest song is a changing grace ♪ ♪ Through every high and stormy gale ♪ ♪ My anchor holds heaven above ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) ♪ The surface covenant is glad ♪ ♪ Support me in the whelming flood ♪ ♪ When all around my soul is wet ♪ ♪ With me that is all my hope and stand ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) ♪ When he shall come ♪ ♪ When he shall come with trumpet sound ♪ ♪ Oh may I then with him be found ♪ ♪ Who stood in his righteousness alone ♪ ♪ All blessed to stand before the throne ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ - Amen.

Our Father, we lift up the final prayer to you this morning service. God, asking truly that you would grant to us conviction of faith. Lord, that what we have in the gospel is so grand, such a incredible treasure, that it comes with power to change the world. We repent of the fact that at times, perhaps we're so apologetic and we lack the confidence, almost acting as though we're trying to convince people to buy something not worthy.

But rather, we know that what we have in the gospel is the invitation of the Almighty God, the maker of the universe. And so I pray in the way that we speak, we would simply represent your reality. I also pray that you would grant to us the heart of Christ.

You have challenged us in our Bible study in 1 Peter, that we are to glory in sharing the suffering of the ministry of Christ. So I pray for every servant in this room trying to love on a brother or sister, trying to evangelize to a family member or friend, that God, we carry with us the privilege of the ministry of Christ in our lives.

Would you help us to be emboldened? Would you help us to trust you for all the fruit that is to be born? Now to him who was able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty, dominion and authority before all time and now and forever, amen.

(gentle music) ♪ Christ took the soul ♪ ♪ And called it Jesus ♪ ♪ He came to the world ♪ ♪ He loved the world ♪ ♪ He lived and died ♪ ♪ He died by water ♪ ♪ And in a deep grave was there to be ♪ ♪ A Savior ♪ ♪ A Savior ♪ ♪ Like a face of love ♪ ♪ He was like a face ♪ ♪ Of fear in his heart ♪ ♪ Because I know ♪ ♪ He holds the truth ♪ ♪ And life is worth the wait ♪ ♪ Just because he lives ♪ (gentle music) (gentle music) (upbeat music)