AWAKEN Sunday | Brian Aulick

♪ You guys ready to worship ♪ ♪ You guys ready to worship ♪ ♪ You guys ready to worship ♪ ♪ You guys come to the front ♪ ♪ If you guys wanna worship with us ♪ ♪ Say you end up in the clouds ♪ ♪ Then it's in the spirit down ♪ ♪ They were waiting in the room ♪ ♪ When times of fire broke loose ♪ ♪ The Holy Spirit did it away ♪ ♪ There's no power for today ♪ ♪ Don't miss out on what you do ♪ ♪ When the Spirit braids loose ♪ ♪ Come on, sing it out, there's nothing ♪ ♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ The Lord's pain grew ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ The Lord's pain grew ♪ ♪ This is a prayer ♪ ♪ This is a prayer shot for us ♪ ♪ I feel reminded of you ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ There's a fire burning in my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, the power of the Holy Spirit ♪ ♪ Now I'm running ♪ ♪ I've got those eggs ♪ ♪ And you're watching me to help me ♪ ♪ It's the point I wanna face ♪ ♪ Oh, dream it just is fine ♪

♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ Come on, you break off, you break off ♪ ♪ You break off the shackles that hold on to you ♪ ♪ The Lord's pain grew ♪ ♪ I believe ♪ ♪ You break all shackles that hold on to you ♪ ♪ The Lord's pain grew ♪ ♪ Come on, this is a prayer shot for us ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ I feel reminded of you ♪ ♪ We rise to you ♪ ♪ There's a fire burning in my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ I feel the now, I feel the now ♪ ♪ I feel reminded of you ♪ ♪ There's a fire burning in my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ I've got those eggs, I've got those eggs ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ The Lord's pain grew ♪ ♪ The break of the shackles that hold on ♪ ♪ The Lord's pain grew ♪ ♪ Come on, you believe that the place ♪ ♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ The Lord's breaking through ♪ ♪ You break all every sound ♪ ♪ You break all the shackles that hold on to you ♪ ♪ The Lord's breaking through ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪

♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ The Lord's breaking through ♪ ♪ You break all every sound ♪ ♪ You break all the shackles that hold on to you ♪ ♪ The Lord's breaking through ♪ ♪ There's something to stir inside of us ♪ ♪ The Lord's breaking through ♪ ♪ I feel it now, I feel it now ♪ ♪ You break all the shackles that hold on to you ♪ ♪ The Lord's breaking through ♪ ♪ This is the first ♪ ♪ This is the first ♪ ♪ Shout out boy ♪ ♪ You're about to drop those eggs in my mirror ♪ ♪ Come on, let them fire ♪ ♪ Fire burning in my ♪ ♪ The power of the ♪ ♪ The power of the ♪ ♪ You pour out heart ♪ ♪ I feel it now ♪ ♪ I feel it now ♪ ♪ I feel it now ♪ ♪ This is the fire burning in my ♪ ♪ So the power of the ♪ ♪ Fire burning in my ♪ ♪ I feel it now ♪ ♪ The power of the ♪ ♪ That's the hope of me ♪ ♪ Fire burning in my ♪ ♪ You're about to get in ♪

(upbeat music) Come on, anyone, come expect it to the House of the Lord today. Come on, does you come expecting to meet Jesus today? Come on, I got good news. The Lord is in the room already. He has an agenda for you today. He wants to meet you and encounter you. So, Father, we just take this moment right here to sit in your presence. To take captive of our thoughts. To slow down our minds. To keep you the glory and the honor that you so deserve, Jesus. God, we love you so much. And I'm thinking about what we're doing after church today. We're not thinking about what we have later this week. All we're thinking about spending time with you right now, though, in your presence. (muffled speaking) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) ♪ Now you could see ♪ ♪ You made it for all while I ♪ ♪ And still find more to love each time ♪ ♪ Jesus be the name of our minds ♪ ♪ Sweet of every time that I call ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪

♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ That makes me cry ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ Than Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ You have been the friend you've never left ♪ ♪ And I won't forget your faithful best ♪ ♪ In Jesus' we the name of our minds ♪ ♪ Sweet of every time that I call ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ That makes me cry ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ In Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ There's just something 'bout your name ♪ ♪ That makes me cry ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ In Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Holy Word ♪

♪ Holy Word ♪ ♪ Holy Lord ♪ ♪ In Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ No other name ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Holy Lord ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Holy Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Holy Jesus' glory ♪ ♪ Holy Jesus' glory ♪ Hold you to speed the day Oh Jesus, be the man Don't get from the glory Oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Jesus, oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Don't get from the glory Oh Jesus, be the man Don't get from the glory

Oh Jesus, be the man Don't get from the glory Be the joy, be the man Be the joy, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, be the man You are the Jesus Thank You, Jesus 'Cause Jesus, be the man Jesus, be the man Jesus, be the man It's all about all of you Jesus, be the man We got you Jesus, be the man Jesus, be the man That gets all of you There's healing in your name There's healing in your name I know There's healing in your name That makes all of you There's freedom in your name There's freedom, come on, this is for somebody There's freedom in your name That makes me cry Salvation in your name Come on, there's freedom in the room

That makes you Jesus Salvation in your name That makes me cry Oh Jesus, be the man Oh Jesus, come on, he's in the room right now Oh Jesus, be the man That gets all of you Oh Jesus, be the man Jesus, be the man Jesus, be the man That gets all of you Thank you, Jesus Come on, I want to be obedient to the Spirit of the Lord As we were seeing that song, it's like there's someone in the back of the room That you came in the room today with a really heavy heart As a matter of fact, you felt like you didn't even want to come to church today And it's because you're having a really hard time Feeling like God could love you because of what you're at in your life And I want to let you know today that the Lord loves you so much Pastor Brian says all the time, you're not a better sinner than he is a Savior And if that's you, would you just be bold and lift your hands right there and you're at? Come on, it could be for the front of the room too But I just want to sing a song with me and pray over you right now For freedom in the line Oh, the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, there is freedom in the room You have access to that because of the power of Jesus Christ So come on, keep your hand bold right there, keep bold Yeah, thank you very much Thank you, Lord, this year is enough Thank you, God

Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus Come on, if you know you serve regard, that lozie can you lift your hands and say that again and say yes, when Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me that Jesus paid it all, all to him and you. Jesus paid it all, all to him and you. [Music] One more time, every hand you lift it, come on, Jesus pay. Jesus paid it all, all to him and you. [Music] Holy Spirit, follow fresh on us today. Let us see you in a new way, Jesus. And breathe on me, breath of God, I throw my hands up in the air, you can take me anywhere. So breathe on me, breath of God, I throw my hands up in the air, you can take me anywhere. Holy Spirit, our surrender, forever, take over me. God, I want to be baptizing your fire, take over me, yeah. [Music] To carry me, point of God, I want somewhere only letting go. Somewhere so incredible, won't you carry me, point of heart. Now get it good and let it go, let it go, it's better when you're in control. Holy Spirit, our surrender, forever, take over me. God, I want to be baptizing your fire, take over. [Music] For all my life will be a mess, Holy Spirit come, take over, take over, take over. [Music] Life is taking over, life is taking over me. And all you thinking, being my love, I think the room is ready, and for a miracle, and now we're giving fire. And the Holy Ghost, we're not to see revival, like we never know, like something out of the Bible. Being possible, I think the room is ready, for a miracle, and now we're giving fire. We're not to see revival, like we never know, like something out of the Bible.

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[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] a gift and such an encouragement. And then the last three awakened nights, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, make some noise if you were encouraged by the power of God in this place. We saw God do so many different things. And honestly, it's one of those nights we're talking about after the team. After last night, our team was talking like, man, we just feel

bad for people who couldn't make it. I know there's conflicts and stuffs that come up, but man, we just felt sad because like, oh my goodness, look what God has done. And in fact, I walked down to the floor last night and right here, and I had a mic and I just said, hey, if you have a testimony of God healing you in these last days or in recent days, would you come forward? And man, there was a line of people and just one story after another of the power of God healing a foot, healing an injury, healing a hill. Amazing, amazing, just the power of God. And so as much as we were so encouraged by everything that the Holy Spirit did over these last few nights, by the way, Natalie is here, Runyon, Pastor Natalie. She brought a word that was like a thousand percent fire last night. If you missed last night, all of them are online, but please listen to Natalie's message, alright. It was a gift to have you here, and I'm so glad you're here, but one of my favorite nights, or moments rather, in all the nights was something that probably nobody really even paid attention to. And so we're up here, there's a ton of us just like getting a rowdy in a worship up here, mostly younger people, I would say, like pretty much exclusively younger people. And all of a sudden, while we're all worshiping, I look down and I got a little bit of a video, it's super short, alright. So take a look at the screens and I see a guy that doesn't seem like he goes with the rest of them. See that right there? And I'm like, is that like a middle school that went prematurely bald, or I mean what even happened in that situation, alright. And that's good, you can pull it down. I gave that to the team like two minutes before the last service, and since then they looped it for me, that was awesome right there. And so I'm looking real closely, all these younger people, and I realize that is Joe Salinas down there worshiping, okay. Now here's the thing. So Joe, like, you know, you might think, well, oh man, that's just some older dude just getting crazy, who knows what's going on right up there, you know. But here's the thing about Joe, you need to know. Joe served as an oncologist, Dr. Joe served as an oncologist for 42 years, 14 of them he served in the U.S. Army. Dr. Joe is 78 years old, and Dr. Joe was down here on this floor worshiping God with all of his heart and all of his mind and all of his strength in front of all of us. And I said, dear Lord, might I be like Dr. Joe when I grow up? That's what I want to be. I'm not joking. I want to be like Dr. Joe. I want to be 78, Lord willing, 88, Lord willing, who knows, and I want to be able to worship

Jesus unabashedly, unashamedly, just get it out there aggressively. God, give me health so I can move like Joe. Come on, right? That was one of my favorite. I love your message Natalie, but Dr. Joe, come on, come on. So it was a great, it was a great few days. And yet, and yet we believe today is the culmination of what God has been doing over these last days and even weeks. Over six months ago, maybe it was eight months ago, I can't remember right? It felt like God gave me a very clear word for this day, which we mark as the first day of the fall ministry season. And so I come today after spending so many incredible nights with you at Awaken. After doing 21 days of Awaken devotions, I come to you expectant that God has a word to speak to us today. Let's pray and invite him to you. So Father, I just say thank you today for the privilege of being with my church family. Thank you today that we can come with faith that you see us. You see every hope and every heart ache and you want to meet us exactly where we are. I thank you for the person who's here today who doesn't know you yet. Doesn't have a personal relationship with you. Would this be the day they come home? You're reaching out to them even though, even now, when you're saying how much you love them, how much you hope they'll step into faith today and become a child of God. Would they come home today? Father would just speak a word into each one of our lives. We cannot do this life alone. And so we're calling out to you. Speak to us, we pray, in Jesus' strong name. And all God's people said, amen. If you have a Bible with you, and I hope you do, I wanna ask you to turn to John chapter two right now. John chapter two, the Gospel of John is one of the four historical accounts we have of Jesus Christ's life. And the episode that I want to take you today to today in John chapter two, happens at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry. This episode, this scene that we're going to read about is one of the most shocking, one of the most surprising, one of the most arresting stories about Jesus.

You can find anywhere in New Testament history. And it grips me. John chapter two, beginning at verse 13. It says, "When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, "Jesus went up to Jerusalem. "In the temple courts, he found people selling cattle, "sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables "exchanging money. "And so Jesus made a whip out of cords, "and he drove all from the temple courts. "Both sheep and cattle, he scattered "the coins of the money changers, "and overturned their tables. "I was going to bring like a folding like card table "from home today, just so like I'd have a prop, "and I was going to try to scare the, "you know what, out of you, and like write what, "over to you, I was going to flip the table, "and then I realized if I broke it, "I would be in trouble with my wife." And so I said, "Nope, we're just going to imagine "over turn tables today." He flips those tables, and to those who sold doves, he says, "Get these out of here. "Stop turning my father's house into a market." Verse 17, "His disciples remembered "that it is written, zeal for your house will consume me." Now, I don't know if you've ever been in conversations with people who maybe think Jesus is kind of soft. You ever had that word?

Jesus is kind of weak, and he's kind of for the weak people. And I just want to tell you, man, read John chapter two. I'm telling you, Jesus ain't soft, church, all right? Anybody ever just tells you, "Jesus, "he's just all meek and mild, man." No, my man, Jesus, is like going to the middle of Grandville Mall, flipping tables upside down, and making all kinds of a scene. They're calling security on Jesus in this moment, all right? How many of you know Jesus isn't soft, right? But watch what's happening here. So amazing, the temple in Jerusalem was like the center for Jewish worship. There were synagogues throughout the land, but the temple was whatever Jewish person dreamed of coming to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. Most of it was reserved for people of Jewish religious and spiritual background, but there was one place, one place where Gentiles, non-Jews could come and seek the presence of God. And that was the temple courts. This was the one place that you and I could walk in, and we could say, "I want to get closer to God." And you know, watch this. The Jewish leaders had allowed that one place, the temple courts, to basically be turned into a farmer's market. Now listen, some of y'all just love your farmer's markets, all right, I see you.

I see you in Fulton when I've been at the farmer's market there. All right, I see you downtown Holland when you're there. You love yourself some farmer's markets, and the same farmer who's selling his lettuce to Meyer, and he shows up there and drops it off, and you buy it, he sells it to the farmer's market, but when you buy it at the farmer's market, you leave, and you're like, "Oh my gosh, this lettuce is so amazing. "It's just the best lettuce ever. "I can just taste the earth in it." You know, I can tell it's so much more health. Bro just took the same load to Meyer, but you're like, "Oh, this is so good. "It's from the farmer's market." All right, and so I'm a fan of farmers, what I'm not, and what God's not a fan is to set up a farmer's market in the one place that the Gentiles could worship. All right, and that's exactly what is happening, and Jesus sees this, and how many of you know, God has a passion that anybody from any background can seek his presence, right? Doesn't matter what ratio are, doesn't matter how old you are, doesn't matter how long you've been gone from church, or if you've never been in church, God wants to make space for you. And so Jesus up here overturning tables, and getting all crazy, and the disciples see that. The disciples watch this whole thing play out,

and they remember a word God spoke more than 1,000 years earlier in the Bible, and this word of prophecy was from Psalm 69 and verse nine, where it said, "Zeal for you." If I were to walk up to you right now with a microphone, and I just said to you, like, hey, I got one question. Tell me what you think Jesus is passionate about. And if I walked up to this section, I said, you guys look like all the evangelistic people. If I said, tell me what Jesus, and you say, Jesus is passionate for lost people. Jesus wants to see sinners get saved. Jesus wants to see people are far from God, step into life through Christ. That's a pretty good answer, isn't it? Not bad, not bad. And maybe I'd walk over to this section over here, and you guys look like all the compassionate people, all right? Them I don't know about, but these that you guys, and I say to you, hey, what's the one thing? What's one thing you just, and you're like works of mercy, works of compassion and justice. God wants to set the world right, bring more of heaven to earth. I think Jesus is passionate for helping people in practical way. That's a pretty good answer, y'all. And then let's suppose, you said, thank you. Somebody said, thank you over there.

Like, you're welcome, yeah, I gave you a good line, all right? And then suppose I walk over your section, and you're like, well, I had one answer, but the mission's pastors in the front row, so we all know what the right answer is. What's Jesus' passion about the nations? That's what I got. Taking the gospel as far and as wide as we can, the people have never heard the name of Jesus before. Pretty good answer to this section. I like what you did there, all right? You're gonna get a good points here with the mission's pastor, all right? She's gonna like you. But let me tell you something interesting. In the entire Bible, there was only one singular text that talks about Jesus being zealous for something, and it is this text, and what it tells us is that Jesus Christ is zealous for the church. What is Jesus passionate about? What is Jesus zealous for? The Bible answers that question. Jesus is zealous for his people. Matthew chapter 16, do you remember what Jesus said in verse 19, or verse 18? He said, "On this rock I will build my church." Notice, he didn't say, "On this rock." I will save individual Christians so they might follow me forever. That's not what he said in it.

"On this rock I will build what?" You guys can do better than that. I'm just gonna tell you right now, all right? You're 11 o'clock, yeah, it all kinds of time to sleep in, even if you were to wake in last night. "On this rock I will build." There we go, now we're talking. That's what Jesus, Jesus is passionate for the church. Jesus is passionate for this, now watch this. We need to slow down here because what I found over the years, I've been a pastor for a long time now. And what I found is, whenever I say church, or whenever Christians read church, many of us, most of the time, simply substitute the word Christian in for church. They're like, "Oh yeah, okay, yeah, I got that." Jesus is passionate for Christians. And it is true that sometimes in the Bible, when the word church is used, it's talking about the church, what we call the church universal. That is to say, Christians everywhere for all of time who will follow Jesus. Oh God's passionate for the church, right? But catch this, in the entire New Testament, there are 114 references to church. Their Greek word for church is ecclesia, somebody say ecclesia. I didn't know you guys spoke Greek, that's so good, all right? And watch this, 114 different uses of church, ecclesia, and more than 85% of those do not refer

to the church universal, they refer to the church that is local. Watch this, yes, yes, God cares deeply about the church universal, about all Christians from all times, in all places, but the weight of the biblical teaching, the weight of Jesus zeal in the Bible is actually talking about actual communities of Christians who gather, who worship, who serve, who submit to leadership, who care for each other, who live on mission together, this is the local church. That's the weight of God's passion in the Bible. Yes, God cares deeply, loves the church universal, but can I tell you God spends most of his time talking about his passion for the local church. Now, some of you go, I understand God's passion, but I mean, how really, how passionate is he really? For like, it's just the local church, how passionate is he really? local church is to read two verses forward in John chapter 2. Because in John 2 and verse 19, Jesus says this, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days." Right after they have seen Jesus' zeal for the house, he says, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days." Now when Jesus makes that statement, he is not talking about the physical temple that they are gathering in. He is talking about his own body. When he says, "Destroy this temple," he is pointing forward to the time when Jesus knew he would go to the cross and his body would be destroyed on the cross for sin. When he said, "Destroy this temple," he was pointing to the time where there would be stakes driven through his wrists, driven through his ankles for your sin and mind. When he said, "Destroy this temple," he was pointing the time where all of the consequence of your sin and mind would be put on his back. All the power of death put on his back. All of the power of Satan put on his back. When he said, "Destroy this temple," he was saying, "I love this

church so much. I'm willing to die to establish my church and I'm going to raise it up three days later. I'm going to come up out of the grave. I'm going to defeat those things so that my church can step into victory in Jesus' name." That's how much he's passionate for the church. He gave his life for it and he was raised to life again that we might live in victory. How many of you know Jesus loves his church today? How many of you know Jesus is zealous for his church today? This is the passion of Christ. Only one place he says is zealous. What is zealous for? His church. Now, I wonder what your reaction is to Jesus' zeal for his church. I wonder what your response is to Jesus' clear passion for this thing we call the church. Honestly, if you look in cultural, people's response to the church is quite varied, actually. Some people who call themselves Christians, I don't know if they are or not, but it seems like some people who call themselves Christians react to Jesus' passion for the church largely by making fun of the church. There's all contingent of people. They love trolling the church on social media, trolling pastors on social media, always pointing out faults, look how stupid they are, look how they are, always prideful, always like they understand how the church ought to be. Let me tell you, it is not that. There's a whole contingent of people that like to make fun. Now, let me be very clear, the church has plenty to make fun of, right? Like, hey, let's just make peace with the fact right now that as long as the church is made up of and led by human beings, we're going to have some junk, right? I was thinking about that old comment people used to say of, if you ever find a perfect church, like, don't start attending there because you're going to be the one who messes it up, right? This is the reality. There's plenty of reasons because to have, you know, point fingers at the church because, yeah, like people mess things up. But this is some people, their reaction to Jesus' zeal for the church is largely just to make fun of it. And then there are other people, they're like, you know what, I don't really need the church. Yeah, maybe you've run into some of these folks. They're like, listen, look, pastor, pastor, understand about the church, but I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And I do not need the organized church for that, all right? I'm good. All right, done before you get all. I got my Bible. I got my getting music on my Spotify. I'm good. All right, I don't need like all the whole local organized church thing. That's the way some people approach it. Just me and my personal is me and Jesus, right? By the way, I want you to be close with Jesus,

all right? But let's not limit it to just me and Jesus. And then there's another response that sometimes people have to the church. They see all these verses in church on the Bible and they're like, okay, okay, I get it. It's important to have some community and I've talked to guys like this. They'll be like, yeah, I get it, man. I get it. Jesus wants me in the church. And listen, me and four dudes, I know we're Christians. Like we go golfing every Sunday and we smoke cigars. And let me tell you, we're the church. That sounds pretty good. Somebody like that sounds That sounds pretty good right now, alright? would say all those things, but I just need to say, as clearly as I can, none of those responses to Jesus' zeal for the local church is either biblical or Christian in any way. None of those, they're all insufficient. If you want to know what it looks like to respond to Jesus Christ passion for the church, then the best place I can point you is Romans chapter 12. If you've got a Bible, I want you to turn to Romans chapter 12. I wish we had time where I could read more of it, but here's, I'm just going to summarize some of it for you, Romans chapter 12. So there's eight verses, I think it's beginning in like verse three, eight verses straight that talk about just like the local church, what we're doing right here. And they talk about like every person who's a follower of Jesus has been given spiritual gifts to build up their church family. And the passage talks about how we're called to be in relationship with each other and love somebody and be in community so you can love people and care about them. And the passage talks about we're called to honor each other. And no matter what background you're from, no matter how much money you got or how much money you don't have, we're called to honor each other and esteem each other in the church. You realize that, right church? Man I want every person of every single background to know you are loved in this church, all right? Jesus loves you in this church and we love you in this church. Eight verses straight, all about the church, the local church. And then watch this.

He finishes those eight verses about local churches with this statement Romans 12 verse 11. Never be lacking in zeal. Somebody shout out zeal. That words just sound familiar. We heard it back in John chapter two, right? Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, keep yourself spiritually hot serving the Lord. I'm going to read that. You all need to hear that verse again, all right? Let me just give it to you again. It says Romans 12 verse 11, never be lacking in what? Zeal. But keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. That's so good. Watch this. I was growing up and I remember seeing that verse and every time I read it and I honestly heard it preached, it was like the main point was stay passionate for Jesus. That's how I always heard it. That's how I always read it. Like man, stay fired up and that's not a bad interpretation, honestly. You read the end of the Bible, those first few chapters of Revelation. It's very clear, Jesus is not a fan of lukewarm Christians. You all realize that, right? I had to say it if this news flashed, but it says literally it says he vomits lukewarm Christians out of his mouth. I mean in case you needed some pictorial help on that one, right? But that's not actually the primary point of this text. Every time you read the Bible, you need to read the Bible, you need to read individual texts in their context.

Let me say context. Here's the risk. Here's the danger. If you pull a verse out of its context, the old phrase is when a text is out of its context, it becomes a pretext. A pretext is where you take a text and you just make it sound like and say whatever you want it to say, all right? We've got to read the Bible in its context. What's the context of Romans chapter 12? The context is eight verses straight, talking about the local church. And so finally after he says, here's what the local church is like, be in community, love each other, use your gifts to serve each other. He ends the whole section, never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor. Can I tell you what God is doing here? He's saying church, I want you Christians to have the same passion and zeal for your church that Jesus Christ had for his church. He's saying, I don't want you to be in lukewarm. Oh, I'm just going to church today. I'm going to chill for us in it before I go to Upperby's. No, he wants you passionate for your church family. He wants you to sell us for the community of faith that you are part of in the same way that Jesus Christ was passionate for the church. That's why the verse ends. I love it serving the Lord because he just got done talking about what it means to serve in the church. I need to let you know something today and Getty. The local church is God's plan A for human redemption. I'm going to say it again to you because I want you to lock it in. The local church, what we are doing here as the local church is God's plan A for human redemption.

The government is not God's plan A. You've been to the Secretary of State lately, my gosh. But I don't want to go too hard on Secretary of State because we were there recently, and they've got like technology is caught up. I think they're at least at 1998 now. So they're moving, all right? We're moving in the right direction, right direction. But listen, the government's not God's plan A. Non-profits are not God's plan A. Businesses are not God's plan A. I'm going to step on some toes with this. College students, campus ministries are not God's plan A. Every one of these things is important. Businesses are important. Government is ordained by God. I love campus ministries, but can I tell you, not one of those things is God's plan A. God's plan A is the local church. God's plan A is that a community of people, under leadership would rise up together and say we're going to get after God's mission together. That's the plan A. And the reason why God is so fired up for the local church is because there is nothing as powerful as the local church when the local church is working right. When the local church is working right, watch this. Lost people who are cut off from God and heading towards hell discover a message of grace and love in Christ Jesus and come home to God

and declare their salvation through baptism. That's what happens when the church is working right. We just celebrated 156 baptisms a couple of weeks ago. When the church is working right, when the local church is working right, those new believers step into the community of faith and they are discipled. They are raised up to know what it means to be a child of God. When the local church is working right, those with trauma and addictions and hurts from the past, discover healing in Jesus name and are set free in the context of the local church. This is what happens when the local church is working right. When the local church is working right, students, kids and young adults start identifying their both identity and purpose in the world through and in Christ instead of all the cultural crap that is surrounding them on the internet and on social media all of the time. This is the local church. When the local church is working right, newly engaged couples have experienced married couples, come alongside them and mentor them into godly marriage, godly husbandry, godly being a wife because they didn't have that picture growing up and now they can see it. This is the local church. When the local church is working right, long time Christians are being stretched in their faith asking what does it look like to keep stepping out

and taking risks and advancing the kingdom of God in my sphere. When the local church is working right, sick people and suffering people come into this family and they are supported and they are prayed for and they are healed in Jesus name. That's what happens when the local church is working right. When the local church is working right, the hungry in our community are fed. When the local church is working right, people in jail and who are incarcerated, hear the message of the gospel through a group of Christians who care about their eternity and watch this. When the local church is working right, missionaries are being raised up and sent to the nations that the name of Jesus Christ would be lifted up so all would have opportunity to hear about forgiveness of sins and new life through a resurrected savior. This is what happens when the local church is doing its job in Jesus name. Could you all give God some praise for his plan A, the local church is his plan A. This is why God is passionate. This is why Jesus is the list for the local church. (audience applauds) I was in the lobby the other day after church and a guy walks up to me and he said, "Hey pastor, I just wanna say thank you for getting." I was like, "You're welcome." I was always said, "Thank you for getting." But since I sensed he had more on his mind than I said,

"Hey, you know, why do you say that?" He told me his journey. He said, "When I first came to getting, "I was not a believer in Jesus. "I did not know that I was loved by God "or have a relationship with him. "I'd never been to church." He said, "I came into this church. "I discovered a God who loves me "and I put my trust in him. "I asked Jesus to forgive my sins. "I was baptized." He said, "I got into a life group here "in Getty Church where I was able to start "growing spiritually and figure out what it meant "to be a mature follower of Jesus." He said, "It was at a Getty Church "that I met my now spouse and we got married marriage mentoring here in Getty Church. He said, after we got married, we did a financial class here in Getty, and we finally discovered what it means to honor God with our finances, what it means to have stewardship, and we've good stewardship, and he said God has blessed our finances because of it. We've had places to serve and give back and be part of what God is doing in the world, and now we're looking forward to starting a family here at in Getty Church. Can I tell you, that's why we are the church right there. That man's story is why the church is God's plan A. And this is why Jesus is so very passionate for his church. And so we start this new ministry here, and I just need to tell you, everything we're doing this year, everything you'll see on church news, everything you'll hear from the stage or get an email about.

Everything is for one purpose, and that is that we might live out Jesus' zeal to build his church. That's all we're doing. That's what we were doing. Listen, so here's, we got a few things coming up. One of the things we felt like this year, we've been feeling this for a while, that our mission statement and our core values needed to be clarified and made more concise. And so as of today, we're going public with a new mission statement for our church. I want to read it to you, and after I do, I'm going to ask you to read it out loud with me. Here's our new mission statement. "We exist to worship God and to advance the love of Jesus Christ worldwide." Could you read that out loud with me? We exist to worship God and advance the love of Jesus worldwide. That's why we're here. That's why we just want to say God will appoint people to Jesus, and we want to love people as well as we can. That's our purpose. How are we going to know when we're actually doing that? That's a pretty big purpose, right? How are we going to know? Three core values. I want to take you through them one by one. First core value is follow Jesus. Everybody shout out, "Follow Jesus." Follow Jesus is when you're pursuing a growing relationship with God through worship, scripture, and surrender to Jesus. We're going to follow Jesus. How are we going to know when we're accomplishing our mission? Number two, we become family.

Somebody shout out, "Become family." We become a spiritual family where people grow, and they belong, and they serve together. And thirdly, we're going to know we're advancing this mission God has given us when we change the world. Somebody shout out, "Change the world." We're changing the world when we live on mission by sharing Jesus, serving our communities, and sending people to reach the farthest ends of this planet. Everything you're going to hear about this year is to advance that mission and those values. Awaken was all about advancing that mission and those values. The men's conference we have coming up, February 26th, 20th, any men excited for men's conference this year. Come on, somebody, right? Our guys. You know what? I'm going to ask a different group. Any women or girlfriend excited for your men to go to the men's conference this year. That tells February just to advance the mission of Jesus to strengthen his church. We're going to start a series next week, Followers Not Fans. Why are we doing that? To join Jesus in a zeal for building the church. You're going to hear about a new group called Mission of God describing and studying God's mission that we might find our place in it. Why are we offering that out of zeal to build Jesus' church? We're even going to be doing a little building facelift here at our Holland campus in the lobby and the worship space in some of the classrooms. Why are we going to do a little building facelift? Why? We're going to strengthen Jesus' church. It's the only reason why we're doing any of this.

We just want to live out Jesus Christ's zeal for this local church. And so I want to see if maybe I could ask you for a few things as we go into this year. Are you guys up for joining on the journey on this thing? You guys game for that, all right? I want to give you guys in the back game over there in that corner. You guys good? Yeah? All right. There we go. I'm going to ask you for three things this coming year. If you want to join us in building Jesus' zeal for the church, number one, I want to ask you to follow Jesus this year. Now obviously following Jesus looks a whole lot of different things. But one of the things that following Jesus involves is when we come to gather for worship, just like this. As I'm just going to challenge you, as you follow Jesus this year, Church, I'm going to ask you, whenever you can physically do so, to be present when the people of God are gathering for worship. And then watch this. When you come, let's bring God our best. Part of bringing God your best is, I know it's going to make someone, you try to get here on time. Oh, I said it, oh my gosh, right? There are like four people here when we started the service today, all right? Looking around, I'm literally going to lay on my row. I don't need, you know? Listen, sometimes you're going to be late.

Kids go crazy. I understand that, all right? Our kids are crazy on most days. That's fine. That's fine. But listen, let's try to be here on time and honor God that way, OK? Let's come and let's give God our best offering. We're going to leftovers. Not just going through the motions. Let's give God the worship. He's due, amen, Church? The other day, somebody came up to me and they were like, they said, oh, they were visiting to Getty. And they said, oh, man, I noticed that your church, you guys are really into being expressive here in Getty Church. That's what they said. I was like, I said, I don't know about being expressive because they were like, yeah, the lifting of the hands and the clapping and all the things. And I was like, you know what, to be honest? We're not into being expressive at in Getty Church with our worship. We're just into being biblical. Because my Bible says in the book of Psalms that a good hand clap worships God. My Bible says in the book of Psalms that as we raise our hands and they are there,

that's a worship offering fitting for the Father, all right? My Bible says that when we give a good shout to God, it's an act of worship to His glory. [CHEERING] That's what my Bible says. We're not into expressive worship. I don't care about expressive-- I care about biblical worship that lives up to the glory of my Father. I said that though to somebody. And they're like, yeah, but I'm just not feeling it. It's not my thing. I'm like, congratulations. But honestly, it is congratulations. And here's why. Because if you are ever worshiping Jesus in a way that is uncomfortable to you, it tells me that your worship is not about you. It's about Jesus. So I do say congratulations if you're uncomfortable during worship. Good job for you. You're making your worship about Him not about you. I want to say one other thing about worship culture. I was thinking about this. You may have noticed that we really like to have kind of a talk-back culture when somebody's up here preaching. And you might be like, why do they do that? There's people shouting preach and stuff.

You just said preach it over there to somebody. And why do they do that? Is it just to make the preacher feel good about his message? It does do that, by the way. That's helpful. That's not why we like having a responsive culture in that way. The reason why we like it is because in Matthew 18, Jesus says that wherever two or three Christians gather and they affirm the truth of something, there is a unique spiritual power and authority in that place. So watch this. When I'm preaching something or somebody else was preaching something, and you say amen, and somebody else says preach, and somebody says, you've got to tell them that. Guess what? You are bringing an authority of God on that. You're saying, isn't just Him. This is us right now. There's a spiritual way that comes with that response. It's not that hard. Everybody just try it once. Everybody over here say preach it. - Preach it. - You did it. Everybody here say amen. Amen. Wow. Actually, you gotta turn it down.

I don't even know if I can take that, all right? Go. What am I gonna make? What am I gonna make you guys say? How about, how about, come on, somebody. Nice, all right, there we go, there we go. Now listen, I don't care what you say. I just wanna say, listen, every time we got people agreeing with what's being spoken, Jesus says there's spiritual authority on that in a unique way. So what am I calling you to do as we live out our mission as a church? Jesus, zeal for the church. I'm calling us to follow Jesus. Second thing I wanna call you to this year as we, as we take on Jesus, zeal for building us churches that we would become family in this house. Now I realize that not everybody that's in the sound of my voice right now, That's okay. Like you may have heard the mission statement that I read a minute ago, and those core values, and you're like, and even some of the ministries that are coming up, you're like, that's just not my thing, that's not my jam, all right? That's fine. If, listen, if you're not passionate about this church, no problem. I wanna help you find a church you can be passionate about.

My primary concern is not that you are passionate for this church, my primary concern is your zealous from some church, all right? That's that, that's... (audience applauding) And honestly, if you're not passionate for this church, I could use your seat for somebody who is. I just said it, all right? I know, get the emails, trust me. I got a special file for it, for all of them, right? (audience laughing) Two people I love to have at this church, man. People who don't know Jesus, and people who are passionate for Jesus, and passionate for in Getty, man. I love those kind of people. If you are here in Getty as your church home, man, I wanna encourage you, could you be zealous for this church, could you get in a group for this church, could you get communities, could you serve this church, could you give generously of your finances to this church, that this church might move towards effective ministry, could you be zealous for this church? I love what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15. He said, I do not even deserve to be called in a apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them, than all the other apostles, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Listen, you don't know Paul's story. Paul hunted down Christians, had them arrested, and then looked over and stamped his approval when they were executed. That was Paul's story. You couldn't ask for a much worse character, and yet Jesus met him on a road, and he declared to Paul that he was a better saver, than Paul was a sinner. He extended forgiveness to Paul. Paul puts his trust in Jesus Christ. His sins are cleansed, and from that moment of experiencing grace, Paul says, I am going to spend the rest of my life building into the very church that I used to persecute. That's what it means to become family. And so I just want to say, if you're here, be here. We're going to follow Jesus. We're going to become family. Thirdly, we're going to change the world. Somebody say, change the world. There are only two times in Jesus' ministry where he cried. You know that? Only two times in the whole Bible where Jesus shed tears. What was one of them? I bet a bunch of you know it. Lazarus, when Lazarus died, his friend Lazarus died, and Jesus cried.

He grieved. He identifies with our pain. The other time, second time, where Jesus Christ. He's looking over Jerusalem, and he sees thousands of people who would rather spend their eternity in hell, then put their trust in him and receive salvation and forgiveness for sins. And he cries. It's only one of two times. He looks over thousands of people who say, "I would rather be in control of my life. "I would rather be my own Savior. "I'm good enough. "I'm a nice person. "I don't need you, Jesus." He said they'd rather spend their eternity apart from God than simply bending their knee and reaching out to him as Savior and Lord, and it breaks his heart. When's the last time your heart was broken for a person who's far from Jesus? When's the last time you shed a tear for someone who has no hope for eternity? Listen, we all gotta have our radar up all the time. God, who are you putting in my path that I can give an encouraging word to? You go to your job, school, neighborhood? God, is there somebody here I can talk to about their spiritual background? Is there somebody here maybe I could share something

about Jesus with? Is there somebody here that maybe I'd even invite him out to a cookout or maybe I'd even invite him to church on a Sunday? This year I wanna give you a unique challenge in Getty. And here it is, I wanna give you this challenge just three simple words, I want you to identify your one. Everybody say identify your one. Here's what that means, I want you to have one person this year that you are praying for the whole year long They're not believers. They would experience this year, the saving love of Jesus Christ. I want you to have one person that this whole year, you can intercede before heaven. You're gonna run into them, be able to talk with them. You're gonna look for opportunities to encourage them, take them out to coffee, share some of your background, invite them to church. And I want you to identify the one that you're gonna believe a year from now. We are celebrating that they are in the kingdom of heaven. Identify your one. Can you do that church? (audience applauding) And I'm gonna test you on this too, all right? I want our small group leaders to walk up their group, who's your one? I'm gonna do that for you in the lobby. You're gonna come up to me and be like,

who's your one? Some of y'all gonna run from me. I know, that's okay, all right? I'll track your butt down, all right? I've been training, I'm ready for it. Like, identify, who's your one? Who's your one? And here's what I believe. I believe as we seek to have the same zeal Jesus had for his church, that this church, in Getty Church, will become a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. I believe as we have the same zeal to build this church, that Jesus has to build this church. We will be a light, friends that brings light to the darkness and cannot be overwhelmed. I believe that as we would follow Jesus, as we would become family, as we would change the world, that Jesus will use us in such a way that lives are changed, that salvation is found, that hearts are healed, and that people come home. Do you believe it? Do you believe it, church? Do you believe it? Are you ready for that this year? Can you take hold of it, you faith? (congregation applauding) So, Father, I just wanna say thank you for your dream of the local church. Thank you, Jesus, for your passion for the local church.

Thank you that the local church is your plan A, because when the local church is working right, it's unstoppable. (gentle music) God, we don't wanna be a hindrance to your church. Jesus, we pray as we see your zealous for the local church, would we be zealous for the local church? Would we not withhold, but rather, Father, we would give ourselves fully to our faith family, that this church would be a center of healing, of hope, of health, of salvation. Oh God, help us through the power of the Holy Spirit, to live up to your high aspirations, that the local church would be your plan A for human redemption. Staying in this place of prayer. You may be here today, and you have not yet given your life to Jesus. Could be that you've been around church, could be that you've heard some sermons, but the truth of the matter is, you have never come to a place where you have personally said, Jesus, would you save me from my sins? Jesus, would you be the leader and Lord of my life? That's what it means to become a Christ follower, a child of God. I want you to know, I think the reason why God brought you here today, is because he wants you to step into his family.

And so, in just a moment, I'm gonna count to three. And when I say three, if you're here today, and you say, I wanna give my life to Jesus Christ, I wanna receive forgiveness of sins, and I wanna become a child of God today, then when I say three, I'm gonna ask you to lift up your hand. One, I want you to know, God loves you so very much, that he gave his only son, Jesus, to die on a cross for your sins. Two of the same Jesus who died on a cross, was raised to life three days later in victory, so that as you would put your trust in him, you too can live out of a place of Jesus' victory, one for you, and three, if you wanna give your life to Jesus today, could you just put your hand in the air, as a way of declaring before God right now, today is the day I wanna ask Jesus to forgive my sins. If that's you, I'm just asking you to be bold, and say, this is my day to come home to God. This is my day to say, Jesus, I need you, I see God bless you. Anybody else today, you're saying, this is the day I wanna become a child of God, and give my life to Christ. Awesome, good job. Let me pray, Father, thank you for each hand raised. Thank you for each person who wants to take

that step of becoming a child of God, even now forgive their sins in Jesus' name, and would the rest of their life be a pursuit of you as their leader, Jesus? Would it be so we pray it in Jesus' name? I think we need to celebrate some new life in the house today, Church. I think we need to celebrate a homecoming. I think we need to celebrate those whose lives will just make death to life, darkness to life.