November 8, 2020 - The Harvest is Plentiful in Judea

I really want to thank everyone who is here because I got to tell you I woke up this morning thinking I might be speaking to puppets.

There's Something About Us Gathering there's something also about taking the effort when it's easier not to take the effort to be with God you know my prayer for all of us is that it's like the song says talks about going up the to Jerusalem. The Psalms of ascent are ascending to Jerusalem. It's making the effort to go meet with God and when you do that what I've learned when I do that God always has a special blessing for me. It could have been in the music got hit me with a line in the music that I need him. I need a with every breath. I need him and I can sing that and it be nothing or he can hit it with Negan hit me with it, and I can realize I need a.m. No, I don't know what it might be for you. I'm hoping it's the message. I put some time and effort into this. So I'm hoping something will speak to you in it, but it might have been a conversation you had with somebody. All I know is is it when we make the effort to meet with God when it's easier not to make the effort God has something special for us. So I want to thank you guys for being here. Number one. I'm not speaking the puppets number to there's something good for you today. Where in the part two of the Harvest is plentiful series and last week we looked at what Jesus told his disciples just before he left them Acts chapter eat. He said but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you'll be my Witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the ends of the Earth. I mentioned last week that that those were specific locations for the disciples, but they can become metaphors for us. We have our own Jerusalem. We have our own Judea. We have our own Samaria. We have our own ends of the Earth and that's what we're looking at today where this the series is. We're seeing how Jesus taught his disciples and and let his disciples to reach those specific areas. And then when those strategies he gave them in the Holy Spirit he gave them are both available to us today to do to reach out in our Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and the ends of the Earth. and

It is. Last week we talked about Jerusalem being those friends and family that are like friends that are just the nearest deers to us. We are designed to reach them, but it is so so difficult because Jerusalem is a place I can kill you. It's those family and friends they can rip you to shreds and the only that the kefir God that they've cheated Jesus gave us was authentic Revelation through transformation. Basically, we are really who we are and who were becoming And when they see the change in our lives they get their argument fall away because they can't deny the change that God has had in our lives and so we don't conform but we're transformed and being transformed more and more into the image of Christ. Today, there's another key that I give a big long fancy words for butt boy has it made a difference in my life knowing how to use it when to use it. So I pray.

Got it is good to be in your presence together with others. But Lord even for those who are gathering in families or alone today and listening to this or listening later. I pray a blessing upon them. I pray Lord God that as they have taken the time to meet with you and maybe learn a little bit more about you and love you a little bit more. You would bless them in surprising ways to De Lord that they would be encouraged to reach the ones that you want them to reach in the areas that you intentionally place them. We thank you for that in your holy and precious name. Hey, man.

So when it comes to being a witness for Jesus in our Judea. Once again, I've got good news for you, and I've got some not good news for you. The good news is Judea represents the people you like You're not close friends, but they would be they could be and they would be if you just took the time like these are people that you trust enough to do business with them. You drive each other's kids to practice and games you speak their language you live in their world you like these people these people probably won't kill you.

The not-so-good news is it Jesus warned that some of these people will judge you hate you persecute you and call you names. That's not good news. But the real good news. Jesus said is when they do it to you. They're actually doing it cuz they see me and you and they're doing it to me.

So it's really not you that they are judging hating persecuting and calling names. It's really Jesus. It'll be more helpful as we go on. Okay? What I want to do is look at the account of when Jesus sent out his disciples in Matthew chapter 10, we're going to look at why he commissioned them and how he commissioned them. They were going to jump down to the warnings. He said when he sent them off out and then we're going to jump back to his strategy that he gave them that still available for us today, and it's awesome. I'm going to start in Matthew 9 actually just before chapter 10. It's a Jesus traveled through all the towns and Villages of the area verse 35. Teaching in the synagogues in announcing the good news about the kingdom and he healed every kind of disease and illness when he saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless like sheep without a shepherd and he said to his disciples the Harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the Harvest and ask him to send more workers into the field next verse. He calls his 12 disciples together and gave them authority to cast out every evil spirit and to heal every kind of disease and illness and here are the names of the 12 apostles first Simon also called Peter then Andrew Peters brother James son of Zebedee John James brother Philip Bartholomew Thomas Matthew the tax collector James the son of alphaeus Thaddeus Simon the Zealot, Judas Iscariot who would later betray him? Jesus sent out these Twelve Apostles with these instructions don't go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans. But only to God's people of Israel God's lost sheep go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near now. There's so much in this portion of scripture that I want to point out to you. So we got to stop here cuz I just want to point out a couple of major points here first off. Jesus had compassion on the crowd. compassion always moves God's heart

It's not need that moves the hand of God. It's compassion. And if you look at the Times Jesus perform Miracle after Miracle after Miracle, he was moved by compassion. He had compassion and miracles happen.

You and I need to be led by compassion. We're told not to turn off our compassion and jump 1st. John 3:17 remind me of this later cuz it's really really good. I'm going to bring it back to that but just understand Jesus was led by compassion. Next Jesus had his disciples to pray for the Harvest and then just a few verses later. He sent them out into the Harvest. We need to be aware of our prayer Birds. Because often God is using our preference to be the solution for that prayer.

We got maybe setting you up to be moved by compassion.

We need to remember we need to pray and Obey when we start God gives us a burden to pray for someone we start praying. We need to obey what he's the Holy Spirit prompts us to do, okay. I want to jump down and we'll see. Where Jesus warned his disciples starting at verse 16 of chapter 10. You just look I'm sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and is harmless as doves. But beware for you will be handed over to the courts and you'll be flogged with whips in the synagogue. You will stand before the stand trial before Governors and Kings because you are my followers, but this will be your opportunity to tell rulers and unbelievers about me. When you're arrested, don't worry about how you respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time for it's not you who will be speaking. It will be the spirit of your father speaking through you a brother will be through his brother to death of father will betray his own child or children will prevail against their parents and cause them to be killed and All Nations will hate you because of me because you're my followers, but every one who endures to the end will be saved when you're persecuted in one town leave the next I tell you the truth the son of man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel. Students are not greater than their teacher and slaves are not greater than their Master students are to be like their teacher and slaves are to be like their master. And since I the master of the household have been called The Prince of demons, the members of my household will be called even worse names.

People are going to hate you. They will judge you they will hate you. They will persecute you and call you names. And you might even interested whipping. That's not the good news, but it's news. We need to hear. This journey with Jesus is not some namby-pamby.

You might you know us four and no more. Let's get the heaven fire Insurance kind of. crap that we've been taught

It's an understanding. The Jesus is King and that's a good thing. It's an understanding that when he lead you to do something you do it and you do it his way you do it in love. It's an understanding that you it's not on you to have the words to say. Holy spirit. Can they give you the words? It's at your job doing jerk, but guess what? It's only fear that gives you the power to endure. Anyway, it's really him working through you because you're looking more and more like Jesus you're becoming more and more like him.

Okay, before I get into that we got to look at Jesus as strategy, which is back. We'll go back to 470 chapter 10. I'm going to read it and then I'll break it down for you. So it's really simple, okay? Starting at verse 7 or chapter 10. Jesus says go and announce them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near heal the sick raise the dead cure those with Leprosy cast out demons give as freely as you perceive. Don't take any money in your belt. No gold. No silver. No, you're not even copper coins. Don't carry a Travelers bag or change of clothes or sandals or even a walking stick don't hesitate to accept Hospitality because those who work deserve to be fed, whenever you enter a city or a village search for a worthy person to stay in his home until you leave that town. And when you enter the home give it your blessing if it turns out to be a worthy home let your blessings stand. If not take it back the blessing if any household or town refuses to welcome you and listen to your message shake off the dust from your feet and leave I tell you the truth the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on judgment. Okay, what's going on? What's he saying? Jesus is strategy as I understand it is very simple. number one proclaim the kingdom number to reveal the kingdom and number three engage in counterintuitive reciprocity. I I don't mean the throne in big words, but that one just came to me. That's exactly what Jesus tells us to do.

Olivia packet for you proclaim the kingdom in this verse the go in that verse is not the command. The goal is actually in a in a

Sort my brain. Anyway, it it it means as you go not just go it's as you go as you go it it what that means to me. Is it is this is not a mission trip. This is not you know, I got to gather at the church so we can go out and bless the community. It's an incident the day-to-day of every day. It's in your eating sleeping going to work lives. It's in the things that you do with your family and friends and your co-workers and your neighbors and everybody hits it as you go. You heal the sick cleanse the lepers cast out demons race today.

You Proclaim. I can better myself you proclaim the good news first. Okay, you proclaim the kingdom. What is the good news? What is the kingdom? All of us can have different ideas of that. We're going to take some time to watch a teaching from the Bible project on what is the gospel and you'll have a better idea of the and all of us will be on the same page if we understand what being taught here. Can you play that video like God loves you or Jesus died for your sins. But over time religious words, like gospel can lose their power in meaning by becoming too familiar. This important word gospel meant to the people who wrote the Bible gospel translate to the Old Testament Hebrew verb, which is a compound word means good and on gallion means announcement all of these words mean good news, but what kind of news will in Hebrew the same as what we might call National news for federal announcement like when King David here's a messenger be sad that his army was victorious in battle. That means he still rules on his throne over the people of Israel. And after David dies. His throne is passed onto Solomon his son and when he was inaugurated as King in Jerusalem The Herald spread the bed after Solomon's death a bunch of bad news King whose corruption leather nation into self-destruction. This is why the prophet Isaiah announced the good news that one day the god of Israel would come as the cosmic can't you can front all corrupt and violent kingdoms and restore his rule over all nations. And so when Jesus of Nazareth if the public stage he continued Isaiah's gospel when he went around announcing the you 1 gallion of God's kingdom Jesus claimed that God was restoring his Reign Over His People Israel and overall Nation. He was the one bringing it all about the U on Gillian about a new King in charge means a new way of life. Jesus said that living in God's kingdom down the sword and seeking peace through radical forgiveness and generosity even toward your enemies his good news required season and make a decision. This is why Jesus took his you on gallion to Jerusalem to confront the corrupt and violent kingdoms of his day, but he challenged them in a surprising way with the power of God's generous love being executed by then. He received his crown and with mock as a fake check, but he displayed true Royal Authority by forgiving his tormentors. Jesus was the one in charge that giving his life for the sins of others and then a few days later everything changed Jesus rose from the dead as the true king whose love is stronger than death. Here to hundreds of his followers and told them to spread the you want Kelly on that all authority in heaven on Earth now belongs to sound good news all over the ancient world. They did it by writing. The four accounts of Jesus is life that are the gospel. That is they tell the story of how Jesus brought God's kingdom how he lived for others and died for their sins and then was raised from the dead Jesus followers also show The Good News by simply talking about it. This is why Peter and Paul or Priscilla and Aquila traveled all around sharing the Royal announcement. Well, it might look like the rulers of our world are in charge and can do whatever they want. The good news is that the crucified and risen Jesus is the true lord of the world the real king of all creation. And Angie has his kingdom things are different. It's where the real leaders are the servants because the last are first and the first go to the back of the line is where the hungry are fed, and the homeless are Welcome because love is the most powerful reality of God's kingdom is not easy to believe it actually sounds kind of crazy when you first hear it but something happened when people tell the story of Jesus and start living like he really is the king of the world. That's when this gospel becomes the best news that you've ever heard.

So the good news good news the news of the Kingdom that we need to understand. Is that the it's telling others that Jesus is King. And living Our Lives as if that's a good thing.

It gets back to what we talked about last week about authentic Revelation through transformation that you and I need to become more and more and more like Jesus because when the people see Jesus in us, that's when they are drawn to him or that's when the conflict has to happen. We need to be proclaiming.

It can be as simple as bowing your head as you take your lunch at work.

What's the best work from home now? So it's you know, I don't know how you do it over over resume.

It's it's telling people that you're praying for them and then really praying for them. it it's your asking if it's okay if I I talk to Jesus about you. I don't know. What is Holy Spirit telling you to do you got to do it you bring Jesus into your day today of every day. And then your life reflects that that's a good thing. That is proclamation of the Gospel.

So we need to proclaim the kingdom the kingdom is just not here and near because he's in US. the kingdom is here because he's at with a I forgot what I said. Anyway, it's a good one when Jesus Jesus told them to proclaim the kingdom is near he brought the Kingdom. So now we proclaim a kingdom this year. Okay. Second thing we do is we reveal the kingdom. That's the second part of Jesus's sending of them. He said go announced to them. The Kingdom of Heaven is near that you heal the sick if you cleanse the lepers you raise those at the dad in you heal the sick raise the dead through those with leprosy in Gaston teams.

The two often when we talk about discipleship or evangelism. We don't talk about the supernatural. We ignore we metaphorize it. We push it aside and I'll tell you why it's because it's pretty hard. That that's Holy Spirit work.

We can train you we have tried to train you we will in the future train you more how to pray for the sick and how to command sickness to come we can do that. We can train you and that we've already trained you we can train you leprosy in our context leprosy is healing the body and healing the emotions as well because lepers were cast off from society. It's bringing people who are healed into Community to be further. He'll that's that's a good analogy for that raising the dead. I believe the dead can be raised. I don't know how to teach that or drain. That is all I know is I don't need to be chasing ambulances to see if they've died so I can fry, okay. And casting out demons. Jesus had a one-step principal we can teach you a three-step principal or a 10-step principal and just as you go in the day today give you every day. These kind of signs will follow. Listen. This is what's supposed to happen. Jesus said in Mark Mark's gospel declares it this way Mark 16 verse 17. He says these miraculous signs will accompany those who believe literally these signs will follow those who believe they will cast out demons in my name. They will speak in new tongues. They will be able to handle snakes safely. They will drink anything poisonous and won't hurt them. They'll be able to place their hands on the sick and they will be healed. These are the things that followed the Declaration of the word of God signs follow the Declaration of the word of God. We can take the time and train you how to do it, but I got to tell you if it stays within the walls of the church. It's not meeting the Mandate of the Jesus gave us. He said as you go in the day-to-day of your everyday heal the sick cleanse the lepers cast out demons raise the dead don't just show them. God loves don't just tell them God loves them show them. God loves them. We can't ignore the supernatural in this we don't have time to explore it more today, but I'm just telling you. beware of it, okay

Understand what?

Pay attention to where your compassion leads you.

Because what I found is when I follow my compassion, that's when I see the miracles of god.

I don't know what the next step is. I just feel I need to talk to that person. And then watch got to do some fun stuff.

I'm not looking for the fun stuff. I enjoy the fun stuff. I don't I don't it's about the life. It's about the life that you're talkin to being transferred from the Dominion of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light. That's not something you can do on your own. That's holy spirit's work. That's Faith arising in them to know that Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God. He's the king and that's a good thing and that you can't convince anyone of that. You can argue them to that. You can intellectualize them to that.

It's holy spirit's work. He doesn't.

When I'm led by compassion I get to see more of the miracles of god. Number three, so we proclaim the kingdom of God. We what was the second one reveal the kingdom of God, the third one was engaged got her into a reciprocity. Okay. What is this? It's a big word. Sums it up this way. Let them serve you. When you are in your Judea when you're in the place where you like the people and they like you let them serve you that's what Jesus told them. You said you go to a town you eat what's in front of you? As long as our people of Peace? That's a different translation instead of worthy. This translation said Worthy is another one. I forgot to look up. It's just people of Peace if people of Peace live in that house eat whatever place in front of you let them serve you No. That is so counterintuitive to anything that we believe or teach right? We're the ones who are supposed to serve. We're here to help others. We're here at the feed the feed the you know, they take care of the poor and feed those that are hungry. That's that's how we're Jesus to the world. but when you're in Judea when you're it, when this group of people who want to serve you or serve with you you let them. Let me give you an example of this. one of my jobs I get to do is I'm part of the Care team that works companies hire our company to go in and provide. It's spiritual support for their employees and their their employees families. And how we do that Rico bed. It was a lot more fun. Now we're doing it all online and I don't like it. But when it's you know, it's not that bad but went when we we got to go in into their places of business and be with them and start up conversations and get to know them and love on them. And it was it's awesome. It's absolutely awesome. One of the Ships that I had was Monday nights and Monday night, I would go and the only that the main ones working where the truck drivers in the warehouse workers were the ones working Monday night. So I was there for them. a lot of them are Filipino and very friendly very nice really hard to get to because they all speak Tagalog and they laugh at their own jokes, and I'm outside the group and I'm not you know, I'm respected but I'd it's still say hi, but it's hard to get any kind of conversation going with any of them. One night. I was there and that one of the older guys had that. Was eating supper and he had this this dish with him and all the young guys were like wanting some of this dish, you know, like you did whatever was in there. They want they were really counting of the some of the some of this this dish that he had. And he was waving them off telling him go and all the stuff. Okay, that's fine. But she came up to me with some of it and you gave it to me. No, I don't know about you, but that makes me nervous cuz

I ate it it was wrapped in banana leaves. I don't know. Do you eat the banana leaves? Do you not see my insulting them if I take it out the banana leaves in my insulting them if I eat them and I don't know what to do, right, but then it came to me is like let them serve you in like okay God. So I searched trying to cut it in the banana leaves and he's like no no no, no. No, you show me how to open it and there's a table of six young guys who are rolling their eyes and slapping their head and look at look at the idiot white guy, you know, like you just with you just you know, what like it was it was it was comical. You know, how how put off they were that they didn't get this and this was Pearls Before Swine for them. Right? Like how am I going to appreciate this be love this stuff in it and it was as rice sweet kind of thing and it was really good. I enjoyed it. So I ate it and I went up to him after the man who gave it to me and I thank them loud enough. So everyone in the room could hear and it was good. interesting thing was

there were six young guys there. Four of them in the next week. Stop me in the hallway. Stop me in the room. Me in this in the staircase and asked for my card so they could contact me outside of work hours. Is it at all of them said I don't want the other guys knowing so that's that's fine.

People of Peace open up the door to the community. Because he honored me because I let him under me because I let him serve me. And even though these guys were laughing at me cuz I didn't have a clue what I was doing. That door was open and they trusted me to come and talk with me on their own. That's what people of Peace do. There are door openers to the community that you can't get into. Otherwise, they're the ones who will bring people into their home that you will never see any other place and you can tell him about Jesus and show him Jesus love there. It is incredibly counterintuitive, but awesome like be as shrewd as serpents as an innocent as doves kind of thing. You let them serve you.

outer intuitive reciprocity

so

the question on your mind maybe. If I'm to reach Judea, my Judea. And there are people who will judge me hate me persecute me, and call me names. And there's others who will open up doors to the that I can never get into otherwise. How am I going to be able to tell which are which? Lucky for you. I'm developing a whole Matrix for you.

This is where we got the Powerpoint slides. Okay, we got to keep up that this is this is being developed. You guys are the first to see this and it's awesome as far as I'm concerned, but it's it's got a few tweaks already that I'm going to see.

Can we put up the slide? Can you put it beside this is the next Slide the Matrix is a box where you put everybody in your Judea in a box 1/4. It's the Dominion of Darkness upper left corner is the Dominion of light next line. Please put on the line in the middle called confession now confession separates those outside the church to those inside the church and they were going to put a line down the middle and call its repentance. And that's self-seeking on one side and Kingdom seeking on the other. This is a way for you to understand people in your everyday world people in your GTO. Okay? We look at five characteristics of each of them so that we can you can understand who might be in those different places.

First lipstick on who's first in their lives. Okay, next slide whose first upper left corner inside the church and self-seeking church first. Okay, we'll call him church first labeling people. I don't like the label people. I don't like to be labeled. But boy this makes a lot more sense in my head and then the one down outside the church and self-seeking. That's me first the ones who are Kingdom seeking and outside the church or other first and those are Kingdom seeking an inside the church. Those are Kingdom first. Okay, next slide their view of resources. The ones who are church first be there view is religious consumerism. What is that? I'm going to your church cuz they're singing is better. The preaching is better. What we do in the church as a whole is we grow through transfer Grove? It's not the way God intended. It's not the way. Anyway, our church doesn't grow that way because people who like that.

Aren't really welcome to your anyway.

I don't care if you get better freaking somewhere else first, their view of resources is materialism others first. It's spiritual reciprocity you get that let them serve you spiritual reciprocity there and the kingdom first. It's sacrificial. Joyful giving we have it to share with others. We have it to take care of ourselves and bless other people motivation very important here next line. First first is competition. Ouch me first its Eagle is are my motivation other Spurs, it's Goodwill. It's fascinating. These people are fast meeting. I love them. It's if they will be motivated to do good. And Kingdom first, it's his presence we go where his presence leads as we follow compassion and go where he leads us view of God, very important. Oh my goodness. I did say that church first is whatever the. Domination dictates. Okay reflects. The views are faster Sean or this church. Okay, but it's true me first. They're ethias an agnostic State. That's how they label themselves and they don't care. Have you got others first? It's God as I understand humor her and the kingdom seeking the kingdom first, it's God. He's our King and that's a good thing. Gateway of life will place the big words. There are Orthodoxy in orthopraxy Orthodoxy is good thinking orthopraxy is doing good. Okay, so that's that's what those two are. So the church first they know rights, but they're usually not doing right. The meat first they don't know right and they're not usually doing right B. They don't know what they don't know and they don't care to know it. Okay, God's others first. They are not knowing right but they are usually doing right. That's what God loves about them. And the kingdom first, they're not we should be annoying right and usually doing right now next I please. B How they relate to each other the church first can come in Tempe. You're not labeled that you have to stay in the Box. Okay, we move back and forth. And this is what's happening church first can move the kingdom first. They just have to pass the repentance. Okay, be will put a wall up for Kingdom first and then put a smaller wall up for me. First me first can become church first quite easily. There is a huge wall between the others first and church first you find the people can go diagonally across as box too easily. Holy spirit's help but there is a huge huge block against others first cuz they don't think right and yet they're doing right. Okay, next me first. Beacon they can slip into church first As long as they can fast make a confession of Faith there in.

Be have to go through confession repentance to get to Kingdom first. So it's it's hard for them to do that. But the good news is they connect very well with the others first day. They they connect really well with these people who are doing good and doing Kingdom work without knowing to do in Kingdom work. Ain't next it's the kingdom first. You and I need to be aware. We can slip into church first like that. We can slip in there. No problem. We all have known people who can even cross over the other thing and get to me first we can slip there pretty easily. Those of us who love the others first, we can easily do just get so good at doing good that we forget that we got to think good too. And remember Jesus to the end in that right, but the good news is we connect very very well with the others first. Hey, so next light others first. These are the people of peace. They will most easily come into our quadrant for Kingdom first. They just got to know what they don't know what they're doing it doing good anyway. And they are very very good at reaching the me first. They've got those connections. Next slide please. Where we at? Going to talk about something there. I don't know what it was next slide. Here's the rules to reach Judea. Okay. Number one, you pray pray and Obey. If God is telling you to reach someone you reach that person. You put them on the prayer chain you obey what he tells you to do you do that you connect with them. Don't pay attention to any of these rules and I'm going to tell you next. Okay at first rule Trump's them all pay attention to God, but if you want rules number two, is you go where you're welcome. We're welcomed with the others first. They'll invite us into their house DevilDriver kids to school Belleville be connected to Bill Weir. Welcome their number two number three. Is it go where your adored not where you're ignored really the me first will typically ignore Kingdom first. It's totally outside their radar. They don't get us they don't want to get us on those strange times. I've been able to offend people in the me first can and I do

It it's it's very very rare that they're aggressive but they did that's when they get aggressive is when they start to notice us the notice what we're doing or stuff like that.

Really what you need to know. The others first they're the ones who will serve us. They're the ones who'll respond to the message and next light please everyone left to left of repentance are the ones who are going. What's the me. Just say what Jesus said

When I went through a lot there.

They'll be the ones to hate you and revile you and say all kinds of manner of evil against you.

I've offended a lot of people in my life used to actually be a goal of mine. I don't have it as a goal. They just happens now. most of people have offended or people in the church and that offends me to no end.

Because I want to offend people with the good news of the Gospel who are outside the church. But I want to spend that used to be a goal. I don't want to do that anymore. I want to reach them. And I got to understand the easiest way for me to reach them is to connect with people who connect with them and let them serve me by helping me get to them.

When we are being reviled and hated in what kinds of manner of evil set against us. There's two things. We need to remember. Okay first, Jesus calls you last when that happens. Matthew 5 11 and 12 God blesses you when you people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers me happy about it be very glad for great a great reward awaits you in heaven and remember the ancient prophets were persecuted the same way.

Jesus warned us this would be what happened and he calls his blessed when it does happen. So don't be surprised when it happens and don't just go out to take off people like do it to show Jesus and when it happens and their there, they're not really persecuting you they're persecuting Jesus. He's bigger big enough to take it.

Second thing you need to remember is Peter tells us what to do about it first Peter 3 15 and 16. It says instead. You must worship Christ as Lord Of Our Lives. I like the version. I think it's new international 1984 says in your heart set apart Christ as Lord. I like that one in your heart set apart Christ as Lord. And if someone asked you about your hope is a Belieber always be ready to explain it, but do this in gentleman and a gentle and respectful way keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Wow.

Don't be afraid the people in Judea will judge you and hate you in persecute you and call you names.

They did it to Jesus. They'll do it to you. Make sure you don't do it the others.

CS Lewis says life with God is Not immunity from difficulties, but peace in the difficulties.

You're the best part about conflict. Is that there's a story with conflict? There's no story if there's no difficulty. But the difficulties come in God starts to write an amazing story with your life.

You never promised we went to have trouble but he promised us we have peace in those troubles. And honestly, that is what draws people to Christ. If you can have peace at all times and in every situation if you can have peace when you have to wear a mask in church if you're going to have peace and there's to put a snow in some ridiculous November 7th thing. Anyway, I was really hoping we wouldn't have snow until Christmas. I don't know why I hope that I live in Edmonton.

You've heard this analogy before but I think it is. So appropriate now.

There is a really good connection from what happens in the natural to what happens in the Supernatural.

We have a son and we have a moon. And the moon's job is to reflect the light of the Sun to the side of the world. That's away from the Sun.

That's what it does. All night every night. It reflects the sun light of the Sun to the side of the world. That's away from the Sun. That's what you and I do. We reflect the Sun to the light of the world. That's away from the Sun.

There are two things that happened in the rotation of the Moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun. The first is that sometimes the Earth gets a weight and gets in the way of the moon and the side of the world. That's away from the Sun.

And it casts a shadow of the earth goes across the Moon. And when it does we call that a lunar eclipse. In the light of the sun can't shine bright. Do the side of the world that's away from the Sun?

You and I can let the worries of life we can let the concerns of this world. We can let the weather we can let this pandemic get in the way of a Shining Light to the world. That's away from the Sun.

A lunar eclipse lasts a couple of minutes never last a lifetime. But it last a lifetime for you.

The other thing that happens in the rotation of the Moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun is at the Moon can come in the way of the sun shining light to the side of the world. That's facing the Sun.

When that happens, it's called a solar eclipse.

Throughout history when those things happen and people don't realize they happen but it just happens. Oh my goodness bad thing happen.

It happens for us to when we get in the way of people seeing the light.

It's so rare in nature, but it's not rare and us we can put the church first.

Set up putting the kingdom first.

Jesus's strategy was to declare the kit was to proclaim the kingdom. What's the reveal the kingdom? And was doing gauge and counterintuitive reciprocity.

When you're in Judea you let them serve you.

They're going to do it. These are the guys that are shovel in your walk right now when you're at church. These are the ones who are bringing soup over when they hear you're sick. These are the ones who have your kids over for playdates. These are the ones who who you know, you like they're good people they do good work. We still need Jesus.

That's why God has placed you in their life.

All you're doing is reflecting the light of this world of the light of the Sun to the side of the world. That's away from the Sun.

What'll follow you when you do that is the supernatural workings of God.

and when your led by compassion

either let someone serve you or to serve others in love my goodness. God does some amazing things.

I've got a tool for you to discover who God maybe having you pray for you, but you guys have had that in the past and I forgot to put it in today, but I call it the everyday World Tour everyday world pool.

Basically what it is you just spend some time and ask God to bring people to your mind of who he wants you to reach. Who those people of Peace are in your everyday world? And then you start to pray for them and you will be what God tells you to do for them.

You'll be when he tells you to let them serve you.

Question I have for you today is who is God brought to your mind?

And if God is Not brought anyone to your mind as I've shared. What I've shared today, you need to take some time and ask Holy Spirit to show you who these people are.

Because they're going to open up the doors for you to reach those people. You can't reach otherwise.

Let's pray. Can I pray for us?

Holy Father, I thank you that you have given us everything we need for life and godliness. I thank you Father that you give us you Empower us to accomplish every good work prompted biography. I thank you Lord that you're not willing that any should perish but that all should come to your saving knowledge. I thank you Lord God that you will give us the words to say when we need them. I thank you Lord. God you'll give us the strength to endure what we need to. I think you look guy that you've prepared us to reach not wholly are Jerusalem, but aren't UDF in COD. I thank you that the fields are white and ready for Harvest. The Lord show us who we need to be praying for give us boldness to obey you to accomplish that Lord help us to be led by compassion so that we see your power at work in your power reveal that your love revealed in powerful miraculous ways. Lord give us your heart for the people you want us to reach. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen.