Hidden Figures
I don't know if any of you had the opportunity to watch the movie hidden figures. Maybe you didn't watch it at the theater, but you did watch. It may be a home this movie and this movie out of patient. Actually that was based on a book is actually a movie. That was based on a true story of three African-American women that will computers where they took complex, mathematical equation, equations. I don't know if any of you love math, if you love complex things, but they work with NASA. To help the NASA movement, their win the Space Race innocence against the Russia during that cold war-era and while they were there, while they were there. This story was so magnificent. But yes, what I find most magnificent is not that story. What I find most unusual is that the story was not told for over sixty years. The three women were part of what was known as the West computers team made up of all black all female, mathematical Wizards. Who helped the United States explore space in in 2016 as the movie came out. People began to hear about this story of these three. Women that did something very extraordinary as the world watched. Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan, that helped launch John Glenn into orbit. This story was Untold. They were hidden figures. Am I question for us this morning? Is it is this is it possible that there is some hidden figures in the Bible that we do? Maybe take the time and I said a quick glance we can miss the stories of certain individuals in the Bible. That honest prominence as maybe Abraham Moses or David or even esta or Deborah yet. They play a significant role in the Bible. My title of my message is simply entitled, this hidden figures. Hidden figures. And we pick up a story in the Bible found in Romans of an individual. That is a hidden figure. The story is told in Romans 16:20, to Romans chapter 16 verse 22 in. The Bible, says this, I touches who wrote down this letter greet, you in the name of the Lord. Some of you are wondering Tasha's, who? Who in the world is Tasha's. Maybe you've never seen this name before, or maybe you've read it, but you've just glanced over it. He's name is only ever mentioned. Once in the Bible. I've never met and never met a young person named Tasha.
Normally young people and name, maybe Abraham or David or Michael but touches. It's not a name that we usually go to yet. This name is significant, but I believe that churches is a hidden figure in the Bible. A hidden figure that often gets overlooked and I want you to know that God Specializes in Hidden figures. Amen. Jesus wants it after he healed. The man with the withered hand. He said, don't tell anyone what I've done. Keep it hidden. Are you good at keeping secrets? How does it go over Facebook and Instagram? In a moment if it was today and Jesus healed someone with a widow with a withered hand, it would probably be all over social media but he said, keep it hidden keep a quiet because if it's not hidden, my time will be cut short. I want to be hidden because my time has not arrived yet. And there's someone here, this morning that may feel like the hidden that they feel overlooked, but I want you to know that your time has not arrived yet. Amen. That God is hiding you because he does not. You want your time to be cut short. There is a special thing that he has in mind for you. And if you were reveal too soon, your time could be cut short. Moses was hidden. He was given for 3 months in his home. While Pharaoh said, we're going to kill all the babies that come from the Israelites. In as a result of that. He was hitting for three months and he was hidden in a basket.
And his mom, put him on the Nile River there, and he was hidden. And I'm so glad he was hidden, because it stopped him from danger, in from Attack. God will hide things that are often significant in life. God will hide individuals for a specific time and for a specific purpose and Moses was even hidden in the wilderness of Midian for about 40 years, waiting for the right time and some of you may be waiting for something to happen in your life. You feel that you're being looked over, but God wants you to know that your time when your time is right. The Bible says that even the rocks will cry out. When the time. I'm the appointed time has arrived. I just want you to know this.
That there are hidden figures not only in the Bible but maybe even in the church in our communities. And as we look at this story to understand the significance of tertius. To understand, why is his name mentioned in Romans chapter 16? Only a slight mention to really understand why he's there. We have to understand the context of why I called wrote Romans in the first place. So I invite you at this time, to go to the Book of Romans again, but we going back to chapter 8 to see the significance of why Paul wrote Romans in the first place. Romans 8:14 through 17. The Bible says, for those who are led by the spirit of God are the children of God, the spirit you receive, does not make you sleep so that you live in fear again, rather the spirit you receive wrote you about brought about your adoption to sonship and by him we cry, Abba, Father the spirit himself. Testifies. The role of the spirits is to testify infecting other versions of the Bible. It says that the role of the spirit is to Bear, witness, bear witness to what polar bear witness with our spirit that we are all God's children.
The spirit of God wants to testify and convince us that we are this the children of God. Pulling in a very real sense, is saying that God's grace is not based on race. It doesn't matter if you're Jewish or not Jewish. The spirit of God is the one that testifies to our heart. And I just wonder if there's anyone here this morning that the spirit of God is speaking to you, and because of what happened in your past because of who you are, you feel like you're not a child of God, but the spirit of God is speaking to your heart, letting you know, that you are a child of God this morning. Amen.
A few years ago in my wife told me an interesting story. She gave me permission to share this story that when she was five years old. She believed the LIE. Now, this lie came from her two older sisters who have grown up and the amazing sisters-in-law, but when they were younger, have you ever had a sibling lie to you?
Have you been lied? When you were young and and you believe the lie, the lie that she was told. Was that she was adopted?
That you're not really part of the family. And I just want to take a moment to say one of the greatest acts of compassion, that a couple can do is to adopt a child. Amen. That adoption is just that. Such a beautiful thing in a beautiful gift, then you don't have to be a biological parent to be a parents.
But her parents were her biological parents. But she believed for a long time that she was adopted and it created anxiety within her and one day her father came to her and said I've noticed that you're anxious and she told him the story and she said that my two sisters have told me that you're not really my parents.
And he just looked at her with compassion and said, just sit here on the couch. I'm going to grab something. And so he ran and got the photo album. And he said, he look at these photos Visa photos of when you were born. This is your mother holding you. And I just want you to notice that you have these big beautiful eyes and they're the eyes of your mother and you have my cheekbones and and you look like us. I want you to know and he was convincing her. He was testifying to her. That she is the child and I wonder sometimes if God needs to grab us and sit beside him and let us know that we are his child. Look at what I've done through my spirit in your life. Look at how your life has changed. Remember, where you were a look at your past and see how far you've come? It's because my spirit is in you and you are my child. Amen. Some of us need convincing this morning. That we are a child of God. Not based on race, but based on Grace. That the Gentiles in the Jews and Romans are all part of the same family. They have is family of God. And so, Paul is saying that there may be times where you think that someone is not part of the family there and outside up and for the Jews, they believe that because they had the badge of circumcision that was their credentials of being part of the family of God. They believed they were in and the Gentiles were out.
Purple highlights in Old Testament passage, which I want to bring up on the screen right now and Jeremiah Jeremiah 9:26. It says Egypt. Judah, Eden am not Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places, for all these nations are really uncircumcised. And even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised. Where in her. That we can be circumcised. They said you can be circumcised out with Lee. Say out your pecan say Amen. But Even though you have the outwood marks, you can miss the most important thing being circumcised in hearts. Paulie saying that as a gentile, they may not have the out with markings. But this is the spirit of God is working in them. They are my child. And my question is this is it possible that the Church of God, that's the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Is it possible that we can be looking in, on Atwood markings? And yet there a hidden people in our pews that may not have the markings outwardly, but they have a transformed heart. Look at what one of Alpine. He's in one of my favorite author is Ellen. Why says she says this, I have seen that precious Souls who have embraced the truth of adventism have been turned away. Why? Because Jesus was not in it. And this is what I have been pleading with you, for all the time. We want. Jesus. Is there anyone here? This morning? That wants to Jesus that you came here? Because you want Jesus to be working in your life. And she says, that there are precious Souls that have come. I pray that if you come to Sligo church that you've never felt towed away. Every sold here is precious in God's sight, but she said that there are those that have except did the truth of Advent season, but they turned away because Jesus Was not in it.
Is it possible that that we could have the truth of the Sabbath? But miss Jesus, is it possible that we could have the truth of what happens when people die in the hope? That is in it, but I missed Jesus. We need Jesus in every area of Our Lives. We need Jesus in our education system in a hospital system. In a home in a community. We can have the truth but Mr. Truth capital T. That is Jesus. Jesus at work. There are certain things that we maybe can miss sometimes because when looking at the outwood markings and we can Miss Truth with a capital T. I just had the opportunity to go to Pasadena, California to the Fuller youth Institute, where they spent 10000 hours, studying young people. Across the old churches of all denominations including the Adventist Church. And I found out that what he's keeping young people in church, I certain practices and certain elements. These are churches that hold values to certain things and what they found is that churches that keep young people take Jesus message. Seriously, they don't water down the gospel. In fact is to miss that, I have up here on the screen to miss that, they found the first meant that they said was that young people and not looking for a watered-down teaching. The second myth was that they're not looking for a hyper entertainment program? They want Jesus to be lifted up in the church and in their community that is what they looking for. And guess what, they know just looking for a gospel that makes sense. Only When Heaven arrives even though that is important, they want a gospel that makes sense. A truth that makes sense in their life right now. While they facing anxiety trying to work out what they calling in life, is trying to work out who that special person that they want to marry is according to biblical principles. Amen. They want that truth to be made known. And in fact, one young person said and we have the quote up here after this slide. It doesn't sound like good news, if it doesn't apply, until after you're dead. They want a gospel that makes sense. Now. Amen. I'm so glad that there is a generation of young people that want to take Jesus message. Seriously. Are you glad for that? Are you glad that there are young people that want to study and take his word and apply it to their lives in a very powerful way. That's what they saying, young people are looking for.
But could it be? That as we seek to live out, God's gospel in our life and like, Paul is speaking to the Jews. We can have all the accoutrements of Christianity, but miss the spirits. Growing up in Australian car with no. This one thing that's expensive in Australia is international, good. If you go to Estrella be prepared to pay top dollar for things. It's expensive. Pasta tap went there once and he had to pay something like $30 for 15 in and capture. Okay, and you can get like 200 of them at Costco for like $10. Okay. It's expensive there. And one of the things that I loved growing up was playing basketball some of you know this. And one of the things I love was getting NBA gear, basketball gear. It was so expensive in Australia to get a jersey or to get a pair of basketball shoes. And one day while playing basketball a young person came into the basketball court, and they had just come from the United States.
They had all the gear on. I mean, they had the official jersey of the NBA back in the day, old school days when it was sponsored by Champion. They had the Jordans on, they had the Tearaway face. The terror ways with you want to get on the court and you just tear away those pants in a able to play immediately.
And as I look at this young man, I said, I wish I could be him. I wish I could have his stuff. Have You Ever Wanted someone else's stuff? Just even for a little while.
And I turned to my friend ago, man. He just looks so cool in that stuff. And he said, oh you don't want to be him. I'm like no. No, I really do. I really want to be that guy and he said no, you don't want to be him because he's got all the gear and no game.
He's not here. He's going to your parents of game, but he doesn't have a game. He come play. And I wonder sometimes if we is a church can have an appearance of having a game, but we have no game. We have all the accoutrements of Christianity, but I'll be making a difference in the community. How we uplifting Christ. Can we have all the right doctrines? But miss Jesus. Let's not be a church that has the gear, but no game, a man. Let's not be a group of people that have, you know, that I love wgts. We have the magnet on our car. I have the magnets, but let's not just play the songs, like live the songs in our lives. Amen. Let's allow Jesus to transform our lives through the spirit of God.
Iogear, but no game. The world is looking for Jesus. They want more Jesus.
And as we go back to Romans 16:20 to haven't forgot about Tricia's.
Who is Church's Church's. Who wrote down this letter? He wrote physically the The Book of Romans greet you in the Lord. Precious is a gentile but yes, because of the spirits. He is a child of God. And as Paul is writing this letter to the Romans that includes Jewish, Christians and Gentiles, and he's seeking to bring Unity to shift is a scribe who wrote the letter and he is a slave in room. Maybe at this point, he is not a Roman slave. He may be free at this point. Some skull is safe and and back in Roman times. There were some Roman slaves that were trained to be scribes. But just know that in Roman times when a child was born to a Roman slave family. They wouldn't even be given a name. They would be given a number. So, the child would be born and that child was number one. The second child will be born in that child was number two and number three, and so on. And so touches as he's scribing, what Paul is saying?
Paul looks at churches and I'm shorter. Shifts has re-signed by now. Repetitive strain injury is riding and Paul looks at cercius. And he sees the Gospel of Jesus Christ in churches, and he says, churches, I want you to greet your family in Christ at the end of this letter.
It's a powerful statement. Churches is a hidden figure. Because tercios means number 3.
Search just means he was the third child of a room and slave family. And he goes to shift, your name brings to light. Exactly what I'm saying. I want you to include your name because you are part of the family, greet them in the Lord because you are now one with them not based on race. But based on Grace, you are part of the family of God, and so touched his rights and he writes this. I number three. Who wrote down this, letter greet you in the Lord, but yet he keeps riding and let's see what else he says. After that verse.
Gaius whose Hospitality in the whole church here in Joy. Send you greetings? Erastus. Who is in the city? Who is the city's director of Public Works and Al brother cortis? Cordes is number four.
Child number for, it could be touches his brother. Churches in Cordes, greet you. Notice these names that are listed in the greeting as they giving the salutations there is wealthy. There is public figures but there are those the only have his name as a number. And Paul is saying you belong in this family. You belong as part of this Narrative of what the gospel looks like. They say that when a child is born, they're looking for something. And in fact, I have a quote up here, from a medical doctor by the name of Curt Thompson. This is what he says. He says all babies come into the world looking for someone looking for them. But they say that when a child is born. The first thing that they looking for is a face, the good news of the Gospel is that are real human has come to find each one of us and is looking for us still. I just want you to know that sometimes you make me feel like a hidden figure sometime, you're looking for someone that is looking for you. And instead of looking for someone else to give you that. I love, I want you to know that God is looking for you. He is looking for hidden figures today. He's looking for those that feel like a number three in a number four and they didn't feel like they have been noticed. They don't feel like their importance. He's looking for you today. You may feel like a hidden figure. This sometimes hidden figures even in our church, and I have the privilege. And I I stand on the shoulders of pastas. I passed the Terry Johnson and pasta praneetha. Fielder as well as we've built downstairs in the Youth and Young adults Department of down there and some of our young people. I sometimes maybe hidden figures. And I want to introduce them to you today. So I'm going to invite them to come up. And have them. Bring up something with them as well.
Some of these young people of the most talented and gifted young people, that you will meet some of these young people, spend time ministry behind the scenes and there is so many hidden figures in our church. Today. There are hidden figures behind the cameras hidden figures working. The, the PowerPoint that is happening here. He didn't figures that are opening and greeting and and making sure that the church is running smoothly and we have hidden figures of Youth and Young adults at our church today. Can we give them a round of applause? These are hidden figures in our church.
They're not just the number in attendance here at church and I want you to know that you're not just the number. You have a name? You have a name. These are the names of some of our youth and young adults here at church and I pray that just like that film hidden figures.
Those three young women that helped NASA. They were hidden because they story was never told. Until your story is told, it will remain hidden. My prayer. Is that as you meet a young person, are you so young? I don't, you will hear this story. Cuz when they tell their story, they will not be hidden any longer. And these young adults and youth had amazing stories that you needed here of how God is working in their lives and how God is moving. And the story also needs your story because they're seeking to navigate through life and seeking, to find out how to make the best decision in their life. When it comes to career, and when it comes to work, and when it comes to relationships, amen, parents,
The hidden this story is a hidden within them. But we have the key is a church to unlock their stories and we have the key as a church to unlock each other stories. I wonder sometimes if they stories in your life that is sometimes hidden that we need to hear. And that's why I event such as Guess who's coming to dinner. I pray that you sign up for that in your bulletin because we want to hear each other's stories. Amen. Each one of us has a story. They will remain hidden and some people come to Sligo to stay hidden. You know, who you are. You know, where you sit, some of you may leave during the the lost him in, and that's okay, sometime. You need a hiding place, a Min, you need a place to find the century, but then they come a time where your time has arrived and you can't stay hidden, any longer that God will be calling you to tell your story. Just like Paul said, Patricia's, it's time to tell you story. It's time to put your name in this letter. They remain hidden. If God is calling you to tell your story.
I pray that we will take time to hear each other's stories and know each other's names so that we will not remain hidden even while worshiping in the same place. And guess what, there is a hidden members and hidden figures outside and out communities. And we need to hear this story as well. So as we draw to a close, you may feel like you're hidden. This morning. You may feel like, no one notices you you may feel like I have a child. That doesn't give me a call. You may feel like you're in a marriage and you you you have a relationship, but you're not really in a relationship. Feeling like a hidden figure by those, that you even loved the Moose. Maybe you feel hidden at the workplace feeling unnoticed. I just want you to know that even though you'll get in by others. You are seen by God, Amen. Even though no one else, notices, you got notices. You, you are not hidden when you are a child of God.
So at this time, I invite you to pray with me as we invite the Lord to be with us and bless us with his word. Father God, we pray that some of us. Feel like hidden figures but yet the Lord. You will find us. Just like you found that lost sheep. You will go after 11 is not, he didn't even buy you, Lord. We know that, that as we seek to draw closer to you Lord, we cannot allow a story to stay Stylin. You have done some things in our lives. That needs to be told. I think you for every Youth and Young Adult here at this church. I thank you for Sligo church. That loves the Next Generation so much. We pray the Lord for every young person that is here, that this story will be told in a powerful way and Lord, as we respond to your word, through the gift of ties and offerings, that you've already given to us. We pray the Lord that you will bless these ties and offerings that Jesus will be lifted up in all that we do. We have such a precious message at church and it's a message that you've given us, but we need to also put Jesus in it. And so the Lord we want to bring those two together. I'll motor here in, Sligo is Christ. First Lord made these tithes and offerings help us fulfill our mission and they given may you bless it and multiply it in Jesus name. Amen.