I hope you're having a great day I'm Dave Diamond in the Christian Radio dot com studio and I hope you're hungry and thirsty for the Word of God. Back from vacation and off for about a week so much going on coming up in a little bit coming up in about 30 minutes time to transform the pastor Lance on from Bridge where a Christian church. In Roseville Also coming up in just a minute fully devoted don't forget coming up on October the 1st it's love worth fighting for it's a marriage event with Kirk Cameron coming up on October the 1st at Trinity of Life Center and you can get your tickets right now today at a dot com Time now for fully devoted with Pastor Jesse Smith River City Christian. Look around the city see the faces of people discouraged and longing for a boat hear the stories of despair loneliness and loose wandering and take. The spiritual walls of protection and peace by Him group. This is fully devoted brought to you by River City Christian our current message series is a study of the book of Nehemiah. This prophet in exile became aware of the dismal spiritual condition of these people in his day and he did something about we believe Jesus wants us to give us a heart for our city for our news and to make a difference today we invite you to listen to Pastor Jesse Smith as he begins a new message in the city. All God's people said. Well if you could grab your Bible and turn it to me of my own chapter 5 we've got a lot to cover this morning on a very very important subject and I promise if you're not dealing with right now you are going to at some point in time need to deal with in a very short amount of time if you're new with us we're in a middle of a series it's titled we are River City kind of give you the short review we're looking at how are we to live out the impossible got the call of God in our life and for us in River City Christian that impossible call if we are to. About rebuilding the spiritual walls of the city how we do that is starting with ourselves but then we reach out to the lives around us and help people rebuild spiritual walls one by one with God's help so that collectively we can rebuild the spiritual walls of River City of Sacramento God willing for us to do so we must pray and best reach but we need to be upfront and honest that if we actually try to do this that the enemy Satan will not be happy and he's not going to just let it happen and he's going to do everything in his power to try to cause as many problems as possible 2 weeks ago Dan Let us and Nehemiah chapter 4 as we're able to see the fact of the matter is that if we truly try to start to rebuild spiritual walls if we prayerfully asked God to do the miraculous through us that we are going to not if but when we are going to face external secular outside the church physical and spiritual opposition it can cause destruction interruptions and problems but as we saw in the a Maya chapter for it sometimes for the enemy it actually backfires a little bit and because it's outside it causes those inside to actually bond together and give even more effort but today we venture into chapter 5 and the enemy satan he doesn't just fail once and say oh well he keeps at it and he ups the any and brings against Nehemiah and his call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem he brings against him the greatest of foes the hardest mountain to climb the most difficult problem to overcome and that's not conflict from without but it's conflict now this week chapter 5 within the ranks of the people of Israel. I think one of the most difficult things for all human beings to face and walk through is when a friend a loved one a confidant for whatever reason becomes a foe it can become so difficult at least in our own minds they become a focus especially when we're in our mind we're trying to do something for the Lord in for whatever reason they are the one that's causing the stoppage they're the ones causing the problem as we're reaching. For the Lord for as a pastor I'll tell you in dealing in counseling situations almost every time I'm dealing with a counseling situation because of some kind of difficulty heart ache or pain it almost always in some form or fashion comes back to a betrayal of someone's past at least perceived and we as a church if we allow that to happen here if we fight within it will destroy us it will hamper us nothing stops the work of Christ more than when the body of Christ is more with one another supposedly there's a monastery in Germany instead of having it you know big deer with antlers above the fireplace they have 2 of them and they're side by side with their horns interlock stuck together and the story behind it is that they were in so at war with one another that their horns became interlocked and because of that they were able to protect themselves from the real foam not each other but the predators from without and they lost their lives one thing I find really interesting about the taxes is we looked at chapter 4 the enemy was from without but yet it brought a new vigor it brought a new excitement they bonded together they worked harder and the wall continued Yet this week in Chapter 5 when the war comes within the building of the wall for the 1st and only time actually stops. I was reading this last week and I came across this analogy I don't know if it's true or not the person who wrote it said it was but I guess out in the wild thoroughbred horses when they sense enemy attack they will actually put their heads together in a circle and wait for the enemy to come and then they'll kick without donkeys sometimes known as another name they actually do the opposite they put their faces out and then in fear they just kick each other. And I guess the question for us as we look at this today which one are we going to be. One of chapter 5 says this now the men and their wives raise the great outcry against their Jewish brothers now I'm going to get into the who the all these people are just a 2nd couple things before we dive in that word against the very strong word giving the idea that strife was a brewing tensions mounting their horns are locked and then you see that word great it's also a very important adjective there's a great outcry that words are already use that say more it is already used in this book for the great work that Nehemiah was doing for a great God The point is this is not a little squirm ish that a little disagreement is not a minor problem it's a big deal but it's also important to note that their frustration is not against the Samaritans or the ammo knights or the Amorites or the Hittites it's actually against fellow Jews. So what's going on what's causing the community crisis 1st 235 somewhere saying we are sons and daughters are numerous in order for us to eat and stay alive we must get grain others are saying we are mortgaging our fields our vineyards in our homes to get grain during the famine still others were saying we had to borrow money to pay the king's tax in the fields and vineyards others were of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs if we are subject our We've had to subject our sons and daughters to slavery some of our daughters have already been enslaved but we are powerless because our field interviewers belong to others so who was involved in the story of the 1st as we see in verse 2 is there some people who own no way and there in the area of Jerusalem we don't know exactly what that might look like very likely many of them have answered the call to rebuild the wall they don't live there and so they've travelled with their families at great sacrifice even financially with their families to be there but because of famine they don't have money any longer they need food and yet what's happening is there's the quote unquote we'll see in a bit there's the noble the officials the supposed to be noble in official amongst them the wealthy that are actually exploiting their sacrifice in their situation taking advantage of it for personal gain verse 3 tells us others were landowners they also are helping build the wall and they're in it with everything they have and that means they're not able to tend to their property tend to their crops and so they've also given in they're there with great financial sacrifice and so they needed to mortgage their property order to buy food and what this does is increase inflation to rise food costs more and more and the fact of the matter is many of them lost their homes because of this too who by the way fellow Jews who are using the situation using their sacrifice for God. For their own financial personal gain 1st for tells us others are frustrated because they feel like they're doing something good for the community for all people for all the people that are there from the the greater good of the kingdom and yet they're still having to pay taxes but they no longer have money to do so so they're borrowing money that they do not have and cannot repay just to take just the pay taxes I mean talking about an redeemable debt hole then verse 5 tells us kind of I've already alluded to the deeper problem and that is the people that are actually doing this are fellow Jews who are taking advantage of the situation giving loans at exorbitant interest rates when they cannot pay it they are taking their land worse yet they are using their fellow Jews children as collateral and then when it because the famine in the land happens in their own able to pay him back they take their land and then sell their fellow Jews children into slavery not to fellow Jews but to the outside nations around them so that they don't lose any money now I don't know what's happening within our church out of all the conflict that we're struggling with my prayer and hope it's not as bad as this I mean this is that what's needed Maya is response with verse 6 and 7 when I heard their outcry and these charges I was very angry I pondered them in my mind and then accuse the nobles and officials that's who they were I told them you were exactly usury from your country which means interest so I called together a large meeting to deal with it now in your notes I'm going to make a point before I make any points and it's the most important point that I want you to grasp because if we can get this one chances are we don't even need all the details on how to deal with conflict with fellow believers. So when Nehemiah finds out what's going on what's his 1st reaction what's his 1st response What's his 1st feeling what's his 1st emotion it says he's angry b.m.i. Is mad he's outraged but with the biggest capital be it I can give you I want you to catch this it's more important quite frankly than all the details that I can give you to deal with conflict and it's something that we might miss and because we miss it we cause bigger problems and that it says I was angry but the very next verse is I pondered it I pondered these things the New English Bible says I mastered my feelings and he rules. Literal languages my heart consulted with me instead of reacting and just going off in the heat of the moment which many of us do which by the way have you ever been happy that you did that I'm actually asking the question. Someone said yes usually not a No usually not neither is Nehemiah he's very angry body politic a breath think about it before he does anything he takes time out to look at the situation from a logical standpoint it really is asking the question is there any legitimacy to my frustration and if there is what is then the appropriate response and as he's able to prayerfully consider his anger he comes to the reason the meaning why he's really mad what he's really frustrated about and it allows him to know how to step into it or not was he mad because there's no food no not really easy mad because they're complaining that really is he mad because the wall is being stopped being has been stopped being built possibly Is he mad because there's a vision probably but those are all results of the real reason. The real reason is the law the very clear law of God is being broken here and if the people would just do what the law says they would not be facing the problems that they're facing and because it's a biblical issue because there's literal Biblical injustice and sin it's something that he has to step into house is a pastor when I'm dealing with conflict amongst people a lot of times it's a marriage issues honestly there's a lot of times and I don't say this out loud this way but a lot of times what I want to say to them is simply this if you would just do what the Bible says you would not be here it causes so many problems this in me personal sin even if you think it's hidden will always in some way come out in the body of Christ and it can often negatively halt our ability to do what God's called us to do and that's why Dan is last week he said we need to deal with sin amongst the body of Christ and we deal with sin not to make ourselves feel better not to make that person feel worse and it's not just so that person gets better with the Lord we need to understand there's a bigger picture that when we all are doing better with the Lord when we resolve conflict with one another it allows us to remain to do what crisis called us to do so what is the I Do If You're no take your point out like 6 things here I don't I'm not expecting to grasp all 6 or take all 6 or all even do all these things and every conflict that you may have with another believer there just interesting things that I want you to think through and I think it can help us be better at it the 1st thing that he does in this conflict is he gets everyone together now this is my seem like the most simple thing yet at the same time how many times do we ignore this. We have a problem with somebody and they have a problem with us and then we go to this person say what do you think about this no this person this person this and then we got like 6 people in between us that actually don't really know the story and when you get together face to face in love and humility it's very difficult to have all that he said she said Secondly he appeals to their love for one another verse 7 he's hoping that there's still some love for the Israelites in verse 7 he reminds them of who they're hurting robbing profiting from it's their own countrymen 4 times in this passage he calls them brothers to one another He's reminding them that they're not pushing forward the cause of the Israel lights they're for the Cause of God against the pagans that are surrounding them that it causes so much pain he's hurting themselves in really what he's saying he doesn't use his terminology he's talking teen you know what kind of team do you get involved in your life it could be simple as a sports team or maybe a business team whatever but when you're on a teen and you are hurting somebody else you need to understand you are hurting yourself because as a team you're trying to accomplish something bigger and you can't do that when you're hurting one another that's what he's saying here. Number 3 he reminds them of God's redemptive purpose of the bigger picture God has so many times miraculous miraculously set the Israelites free and these Israelites are putting others into bondage verse 8 says this As far as possible we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles now you are selling are brought your brothers only for them to be sold back to us these people kept quiet because they could find nothing to say to the Israelites we know this through history they were miraculously set free from Egypt they were miraculously set free from Babylon Nehemiah and some of the positive good leaders have already tried to buy back many of the Jews setting them free and that local area around Jerusalem and now these Israelites out of selfishness are literally taking people who have been set free and sending them back into bondage literally acting against the plan of God The question I have for you is if in conflict with another believer maybe even right now as you are in that conflict working through it are you creating bondage or you setting people free especially if it's surrounding just personal opinions and differences forth he appeals to their love of God the beginning of verse 9 essentially what he's saying here is listen if you say you love God you can't act this way to so I continued what do you do what you're doing is not right shouldn't you walk in the anybody fear of our God Now I don't have time to preach a whole sermon on that phrase it's used throughout the entire Old Testament it's a very powerful phrase fear of God but to simplify it as God's covenant people they were to love God how by obeying His commands a major part of being the covenant people were trying to become like God. God says in the Old Testament be holy as I am holy throughout the Old Testament God is described as loving merciful forgiving and compassionate It was part of the law that they then would also be holy loving merciful forgiving and compassionate It was a fundamental part of the Covenant Law Therefore the Jewish community to take care of each other especially the down and out very clear in Scripture to take care of the poor the widow the sick a sensually what he's saying is you cannot call yourself an Israelite you cannot say that you are a worshipper of God and St these people this way and frankly the same is true for us you can't call yourself out loud I am a follower of Jesus Christ when you're treating people amongst the body horribly he then appeals to the purpose the 2nd part of Verse 9 essentially says this to avoid the reproach of the gentile enemies now. This is a deeper conversation again than I have but the reason why there's a chosen nation it wasn't because these people were special or better than so that he could raise them up to be better and to look down on everyone else he chose them so that they would be a blessing to the world around them how they were to do that was essentially to be a great witness of God in how they lived that as a covenant people they were to obey the commandments especially on how they treated one another that would make them if you read the law if they actually lived out it make them look so incredibly different than the world around them and how they love and care for their fellow countrymen that would represent God Well well the same is true for us over and over in the over again in the New Testament it tells us we need to love one another care for one another serve one another forgive one another and the whole reason why we're supposed to do this is not just for our own interpersonal relationships it's because it it's how we represent God well to the world around us Jesus himself said in John 13 a new command I give you love one another how as I have loved you why it's not just for us he goes on to say by a by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another how we treat love and interact with one another is either going to be a sweet aroma that heightens the interest of people around us towards God or it becomes a horrible stench that makes them run from God I'm just telling you there's a lot of people that don't want anything to do with the church and it has nothing to do with got it has a do with watching how Christians treat one another I guess a great question would be to ask how you treat fellow Christians are some people outside the church because you are in it. Lastly he appeals to Scripture verse 10 he says this I am my brothers and my men are also lending people money in grace and we're lending we're helping people out but we're doing it Biblically let the exacting of usury stop he appeals to scripture and I don't have time to read if you want to write this down read Leviticus 253-542-2535 extension 428 is so clear in that passage that literally everything these people were doing was against the law they were taking usury they were making food they were selling food for profit they were taking land and they were in slaving one another again we talked about this little bit last week when we're dealing with conflict over biblical issues the question is Where is it written if you have differences or struggles with somebody in your life that's not over biblical issues let's that you just need to humbly let who hold on to those issues very lightly and be able to let go of them quickly but Biblical issues we need to we need to lift up for the cause of the cause of Christ so how is it all end up $1113.00 says this be my Says Give them back immediately their fields vineyards all of gross houses and also usury you're charging them the 100th part of the money grain new wine in a while they say we will give it back we will not demand anything more of them we will do as you say then I summon the priest and May the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they promise I shook out the folds of my robe and said in this way may God shake out the house in possession of every man who does not keep his promise so may such a man be shaken out and be emptied out the whole is simply they said amen praise the Lord and the people did as he had promised. Now and you my story have a nice little bow at the end. And I think of a large reason why is because Nehemiah use wisdom godliness and humility to deal with the situation and because of that you have a humble response and you have to give it to these noble. We hope you have enjoyed this edition of fully devote brought to you by the River City Christian to mention for the conclusion of this message from the book of Nehemiah by Pastor Jesse Smith . River City Christian is a group of jesus followers who are committed to impact this city with the good news of Jesus it might be just the place for you to get involved our modern words and Highway 50 between summerize and the word with Pastor Lance Hawn next Hi this is Jim Daly with focus on the family inviting you to join us at a theater near you on October 3rd 4th or 5th to see the new documentary moley it's the powerful story of Charles Mali a modern day hero in Kenya who her. 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Don't let people confuse you with their conflict being opinions about Jesus decide for yourself who he is get to know his life study his teachings learn what he did and what he said when he came to earth get the answers your questions about Jesus joining Word of Life Fridays at 5 pm with Pastor Joseph or Noam of Calvary Chapel Solano in Fairfield California as he expands on the life in teachings of Jesus told by the Apostle Matthew join in Friday at 5 pm. Ever been asked to do something that you have no training for it could be something that you're passionate about but you're having a hard time knowing where to even start it can seem overwhelming even discouraging times but don't worry there is hope hey I'm Pasadena for the. 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And good afternoon to you Dave Diamond in the Christian Radio dot com studio I'm looking outside the studio window right now there's a few clouds but I was out there watching a little earlier and a really nice day beautiful day very comfortable a little breezy but very comfortable coming up at 1 o'clock this afternoon America's number one Christian counseling call in show new life live with Steve Arthur Byrne and interactive talk radio program which deals with all kinds of issues but if you have a question you want to talk to Steve our to burn you can always call it's prerecorded they are usually record around 1011 and 12 and then it airs at 1 o'clock so write down this number maybe you can be part of the program love to hear from you 180-229-3000 that's new life why was Steve are burned coming up at 1 o'clock right now it's time for time to transform with Pastor Lance on from bridgeway Christian Church in Roseville. 3 3 welcome to time to transfer the teaching ministry of bridge with Christian church each year on time to transform deep into the Bible and study God's work verse by verse chapter by chapter book by our hope is that by studying God's word in an organized and deliberate manner you'll grow to know God and love God. So now let's join bridgeway senior pastor Lance on as we start parts of the fun of the Jesus here time to transform. We are in part 75 of our being Jesus series and entitled Today's message ferociously faithful and I want to ask you a quick question do you think that faithfulness is at an all time strong in America and yeah me there I don't think so and there's a lot of reasons why I think that is I talked about ad nauseum in the past I don't want to get too into it because it's kind of like you know saying the same thing over and over and over but just understand the impact that mobility in the world today move being able to move around very rapidly young couples going Man we got married now we're going to go move across the country stuff like that mobility technology right technology where everything is outdated The minute you buy it right you know what I mean where you know that when you take your computer home it's outdated Yeah and you know that the minute they release the new i Phone They already have the next i Phone already designed and they're just waiting to for you to get used to this one so they can release another one so that at all times you're thinking there is something better to come therefore I don't want to commit to this right now so commitment is at an all time low it's very very hard specially for the younger generations to commit to anything because everything's changing so rapidly they don't know where they're going to be for example it used to be when I started ministry that you were told to have a vision for the church let's shoot out 1015 years now all the books say 3 maybe 5 because everything is so rapidly. Flipping on you you have no way of knowing where you're going to be so when you have so much change you don't want to say you're going to do something for sure but the problem with that is that it bleeds into things that we really love for example it has completely deteriorated our marriage is right the idea that there's every advertisement around you is telling you that your current model is not good enough you need to look out for something else everything is saying this is failing you you might need to try this when that begins to bleed into our relationships into our marriages we begin to watch faithfulness and commitment begin to deteriorate when it shifts into our walk with God where we start having this attitude of Well I mean I'm a Christian I guess you call me a Christian Well I'm kind of like a Christian I think I'm going to be a Christian and I might be a Christian later on it starts deteriorating this idea that you would say Lord I'm a hearing to you and nothing will move me from that place where having a lot of difficulty staying in that area right where we would absolutely say God I will do everything I will fight to be with you I will be with you during the passionate times I'll be with you during the dry times I'll be with you in the times when I don't even know what's up and I'll be with you in the times when I'm all fired up but I am with you God for ever that is beginning to teary rate more and more in every year and so I believe that there is a call back and this is what Jesus is doing in these 3 stories we're about to study is in this dialogue with His disciples on the Mount of Olives he's talking about here's what it's going to be like when I come back in and here's what I need from you guys I need you to be ready I need you to be connected with me I need you to know me really well not in the last moment I need you to know me right now I need to be consistent with me I need you to be faithful with me right now and those are the stories that we're going to be studying but what he's doing is he's. Constantly telling them watch how we are doing make sure that you're vibrant and alive you don't just get to put it on autopilot hope that everything's good in the future you work towards it you build into it you want your relationship with God better tomorrow than it is today that's really what he's calling us to so the fill in the blank in front of you expresses a challenge it's his faithfulness shows itself it reveals itself in trial and delay there's 2 big attacks on faithfulness one is in the short term one is the long term the short term attack the temptation of the moment let's say for example in our faith you have this idea in your mind that God is going to protect you and that he's promised you the good things and then your life falls apart in that moment you are tempted to bail out and give it all up because forget it it's not what I wanted it's not what I thought I was signing up for and there will be a temptation on your faithfulness to cave in the moment because it's like God I can't handle this I thought you were with me it feels like you're a bad dad feels like you're a bad Shepherd I'm out but there's also a temptation in the long run the temptation that over time it dwindles away it becomes less important distractions step in and it's almost like as you would look in a marriage you know they see the phrase keep the fire burning make sure that your relationship is still vibrant and alive because here's what's interesting according to the gurus of counseling therapy in the marriage area argument between a couple is a non factor in divorce actually has no effect there is no correlation between that and divorce I'll tell you what is is contempt is distance is disconnection the whole idea that we drift and we become roommates and we become distant room. Yes And then we keep floating away from one another that is a terrible thing for a marriage to handle same exact thing with God is that it starts out with a little bit of I was excited I was passionate I was fired up for the Lord and then it started to calm down when normal right you get saved you're all up on a high and there's a lot of that infatuation with God and then it becomes more tested and more real and then it has to go into a faithfulness mode in the faithfulness mode we get tested a lot which is well I don't know it's been a long time since anything exciting happened in God what have you done for me lately and right I mean all this stuff begins to wear at the fabric of our faith and it began we begin to get distant and we begin to focus on ourselves and building our lives and building our families and worrying about retirement and it just keeps going further away what we must do is make sure that the chords. Of our attachment to things we must be faithful to are not only strong but they are many so for example let's take the marriage example again it's probably the closest analogy that we have to our relationship with God in that way and let's say How would you keep a marriage vibrant and alive Well it begins with things that one chord would be friendship right then you would have a friendship that's now when everything else begins to wane or or everything else begins to shift and move or it goes through seasons it would be really neat if you actually like your spouse would be really neat if you actually said you know you're my best friend we don't always see eye to eye We're totally different I get all that but you know what we've gone through so much to get we're buddies and the idea is that when there's not this crazy passion thing there is I enjoy being around you I like doing things with you that's awesome but that's going to get tested and that's going to wane you're not always going to have the same interest you're not always going to have these thing you're going to be able to do the same things together sometimes friendships get tested what other chords are there what about a court of communication where you know what's going on what about the chord of learning about them continually not just saying oh yeah I know everything about them I'm all good and conversation shuts down what about another chord of just sheer commitment when everything else caves you have a commitment level what about another court you know said Paul these are weaving together and they create something that even if 6 of them snap at one point you still have more hanging in there that's going to keep you tied together so what would that look like with God Well very similar things to be honest with you there needs to be a chord of course of commitment where you say Lord I'm with you it doesn't matter what comes I'm with you that's one chord then there is also a court of communication if there's no prayer life if there's no I'm talking to you . God I know you talk to me Lord we want to you know I want to just be in my day where I'm talking to you all the time and large see that in a way that's crazy look at that over there and if I'm doing life together that's another chord and you do it to the degree where if you don't talk to God maybe 4 or 5 days in a row it starts to feel funky you know what I'm saying and then there's another chord which is which is learning about and being in all and that a lot of that comes through God's word a lot of it comes through experiences with him where he does new things in your world and you're paying attention where you're constantly going man that's awesome that keeps the passion alive with God There's a reminder of the cross as a reminder of he did everything possible to tell me that he loves me then there's another chord of having people around you encouraging you in that that's kind of what church is for it's what smaller groups are for it's what friendship and mentorship are for let me go back in time and do a little blast in the past here any of you gentlemen remember Promise Keepers are I Promise Keepers we're going to early ninety's stuff like that and and in Promise Keepers it was a very unusual season for men ladies you've had a lot of renditions of this but guys we've really had one big blow out of this where there's a big movement of faithfulness that's what Promise Keepers was about their 7 promises of a Promise Keeper and all of a sudden you had groups of guys hanging out together saying hey are you loyal to your wife hey are you loyal to your children hey are you loyal to your church and they begin to hold each other accountable for that well that's that's different it wasn't always like that but but when you have that all the sudden the guys who are wearing the Promise Keeper shirts have the promise keeper stickers and all that what they were doing is they were saying where's my faithful this level and at the same time they're being held accountable. Noble for their relationship with God and it was keeping that vibrant that's another chord understand all these chords periodical e. Where down some of them snaps alone that you just have to have multiple chords going at all times that's how you remain consistent and strong so when we read these stories when Jesus tells us these parables and he keeps saying I want you to be alert I want you to keep awake I want you to be watchful I want you to be here's what I want you to hear because he actually doesn't mean be paranoid be scared watch out the window don't ever sleeve stick 2 picks in your eyes love love love that's not what he's saying right I mean come on Jesus said Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you what. All right so no rest is part of it Sabbath is part of it he's not telling you to freak out he's not telling you to be anxious he's telling you be connected He's constantly telling you before you go to sleep make sure that we're vibrant so that when you wake up we're vibrant that's all he's trying to say all right so let's dive into the turn with me to Matthew 2442 Matthew 2442 it's about Page 830 in the bibles under the seat in front of you if you want to get there a little bit faster we have 2 stories in Matthew one and Mark I made sure to alternate those so we had to jump around a lot in the Bible keep you awake right by the way if you're a fall asleep in church it's kind of a compliment to me kind of an insult to me. Just want to hit this I know we haven't talked about this in a while in one sense praise God that you are so peaceful with me that you'd fall asleep. Do you ever do you ever have that we have only a baby in the baby falls asleep in your life oh I'm such a great comforter I'm such a good nurturer right so that's how I try to take it whenever you fall asleep in church. Oh my voice is so soothing makes you want to go 9 Ok Matthew 2442 here we go therefore stay awake that's funny. Therefore Jesus said stay away for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming . Ok when we talk about the end times in this idea that some people see it and some people miss it and you've got to realize there's 2 big points of view on this that God's trying to drive at one is kind of more specific and that's to the Jewish people. Understand they miss the Messiah so there is this massive statement of judgment where he's going hey you might want to pay attention this time there is a lot of that directed towards the Jewish people have gone Ok guys remember why I made you I designed you from Abraham for a very specific purpose you are to be the salt of the Earth you're to be the light of the world you want to be my primary demonstration of my heart and my will to the entire earth you are my chosen ones your the video screen that would show the whole world what I want and what I'm about y'all let me down I come in and I that was the most important thing you're all supposed to go yeah the Messiah is here and you're like I don't use it you miss that Alright now that's a big blast now I'm not done with you God said and you got to understand this church we teach very strongly that God is not done with this chosen people that God is all about the Jewish people that they are his precious ones that he's bringing about revival to them and there's all kinds of redemption and there's promises and so I mean we are so pro Jewish in this congregation I need you to know that but there is an element to where they've had to walk through some corrections right there's a lot of that in these stories but if it's true for them then it's also true for the church the church is kind of what's called grafted in or they got on the coattails of the Jewish people to where they became non Jews Gentiles and Jews that are the true. They are now the light of the world and the salt of the earth and they're the drama by which you display out to the world and the 247 were ambassadors for the kingdom right I mean that's our job so we also are getting the warnings Hey Don't miss this come on we're locked in do what you were built to do I put you down here let's go ahead handle that job right so that's why you got 2 big themes going on at all times let's just keep those in mind therefore stay awake for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming but know this that if the master of the house had known what part of the night the thief was coming he would have stayed awake it would not have let his house be broken into or literally dug through there for you also must be ready for the Son of Man is coming in an hour you do not expect Ok let me clarify something remember I tell you that there are things in the Bible I don't like there's things that Jesus does that I don't like Ok this is one of them all right there's a lot of these in the end times discussions I can't stand this metaphor Ok here's why I grew up in the late seventy's I grew up in the early eighties thief in the night was a huge deal thief in the night that for a Jesus coming like a thief in the night scared the living daylights out of me as a kid because most the eves are bad guys are they not come on and the idea that my Jesus the one that I trusted is going to show up and rip off my v.c.r. Is not off them right now if you don't remember a v.c.r. That was a point to that back in the 8. I am when many people write I hated it because it attached fear to the return of my Jesus let me explain why he's using that analogy because I don't think it's the way you think it is here's why he uses thief how many people come to your house totally unannounced here's what I would have said if I were him I will come like and. She never gives you any knowledge of her arrival and just shows up on your front you know that kind of stuff that would have been way sweeter but Ok there's not a lot of people to show up at your house where it's sudden and surprising here's all the means for his kids if you are a child of God Here's what he means surprise that's it so he's trying to use some analogy where wow I didn't see that come in well whoever comes to your house like that. So he was not attaching to his children a negative view however to his enemies there was supposed to be the thief motif right which was hey enemy who are enemies world the flesh the devil right it's on other people world the flesh the devil Hey enemies be on notice I'm going to come in and I'm going to show up when you have no idea and I'm going to rip off your stuff I'm going to come in and take what's mine I'm going to step in Satan you have no idea what I'm going to roll into town there is no writing about it I had the father kept that to himself that the angels didn't know I didn't know on earth nobody knows because you know what you think you're going to be doing well and guess what I'm going to shut you down So yes there's a what a minute right yeah praise God. There is a warning to the bad guys I'm coming in stealth I'm coming in fast but to his children it's just surprise. So if you want to think of a surprise party and it's good that would probably be a little more appropriate for you Ok so it says this Who then is the faithful and wise slave or servant indentured servant one that's own but has all access and control of the House who then is the faithful and why a servant whom his master has set over his household to give them their food at the proper time Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes listen up this is the he will set him over all his possession who are servants of God we think of it being the church to be very careful here I do not believe that in this conversation it is appropriate to use phrases of sacred secular well known I'm talking about you know we would say is that Christian music or is that secular music right that distinction does not apply here why because all of God's creation is created to glorify His name it doesn't matter whether you want to sign up for that or not all human beings are built and designed to advance the Kingdom of God to use the resources God gave you for the world and to praise his name it doesn't matter whether or not you go to church it doesn't matter whether or not you even know too much about God you will be held accountable for being a creation in the image of God For example what do you think is Steph Curry job from all details he's a super great guy I have no concerns about that his job is not to become an athletic God His job is to advance the Kingdom of God go I don't know where stuff areas with Lord doesn't matter I'm telling you what his job is his job. Is to make sure that God's people are cared for to make sure the world knows about Jesus and to make sure that God's Kingdom is advance what is Katy Perry's job Katy Perry's job is not to become a cultural icon or a goddess in our society Her job is to use the gifts God gave her for the glorification of his name to watch out for other people not to make it about her but to make it about him what is Howard Stern's job it doesn't matter what he thinks his job is to be the king of all media it does not matter of his whole job is merely to make money and to be successful and popular by being shocking his job built as a human being of God and He will be held accountable to this standard is is he using the resources God gave him and he is tremendously gifted is he using the resources in gifting to advance the kingdom and to praise and glorify his creator now all people on Earth it doesn't matter who they are your neighbors it's you it's your friends your family this is our job this is our standard and so God is moving through sacred and secular God is moving through the great poets the great politicians but whether or not they are partnering with God They will be held accountable for do you understand that now blessed is the one that when Jesus returns they go Look what I did awesome you gave me this this is the resources I distributed them as you told me to and that's kind of an important understanding its distribution that's your job is distribution you remember the story of the feeding of the 5000 the feeling of 4000 remember this miracle it's simply went something like this there's a bunch of hungry people they don't have any food they rip off some kids happy meal or a actually gave it up he gives it to them put the hands of Jesus a little bit off and she starts multiplying loaves and fishes and then it says he. Handed it to his disciples they then handed it to the people yeah Ok Their job was not to multiply loaves and fishes their job was to distribute what the kingdom resources gave to them right so in the same way you were to give away what God gives you it's not your job to go try to find more it's not your job to try to make up or fake more your job is to give what God has given you there's nothing wrong with pressing in to God But what I'm telling you is your job is to be connected to the resources giver and then give freely what he's given you so for example let's say you go I don't have a lot of talents and gifts and all that do you have love and joy because your father has downloaded that into you in extreme measure the Bible calls it extravagant if he has given you lavishly or extravagantly then your job is to be so filled up that you're able to give that freely your if you are so filled with grace your job is to give to other people grace when you don't feel like they deserve and they don't feel like they deserve it you know what I'm saying is that our job is to distribute what he's already given us I think a lot of us are not plugged into the Lord and we're not getting very filled up and so we feel very empty and we don't give anything away you understand what I mean so our job is to remain connected to the conduit or pipeline by which things are coming through if let's say your neighbor needs a physical need fulfilled they do not have groceries then if God gave you something in your bank account that then makes you the conduit to do that now if you are completely have less available resources than they do then the God didn't give that to you Do you understand your job is not to go rip off someone else and give it to the poor you're not Robin Hood right your job is to give what God gave you and if he is fill you up with the fruit of the spirit love joy peace patience kindness for all that you're to give that away open open arms constantly giving your job is as an ambassador to the kingdom if one. Bickel over your coworker just lost her husband and she is crushed and you hear her weeping on behalf of the kingdom you say I have a full reservoir of love and grace and prayer and you step around the cubicle wall and say Honey can I pray for you and when you begin to pray the kingdom resources poor through you into her heart that's what we do see it all started in the Garden of Eden God had something amazing and he put 2 little dirt bags in there Ok well right all right this little mix them up together well look a lot of kids and one's a bone I get it whatever and the idea the idea is that he said hey kids I want you to take care of my garden Well we've all been responsible for the garden ever since our guards kind of messed up we're responsible for systems are responsible for the world were responsible for other people. Why because God has made us equipped to do something about it thanks for joining us here on time to transfer hope you enjoyed today study if you'd like to find out more about bridgeway Christian church check this out online at bridgeway Christian dot org If you are without a church we invite you to join us at one of our weekend services in Roseville we meet on both Saturday and Sunday for service times and directions go to bridgeway Christian dot org Join us tomorrow for the conclusion of this study here on time to transform thank you so much for listening. Time to transfer with Pastor Lance hall on this sponsored by bridge way Christian church and morning Britney Christian a large and stay with the order for a new life my next. 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