Built for Pressure | The Weight of Our Yes

- Welcome to Reach KSC, everybody. It's so great to have you with us. I just wanna invite you all to stand up and join in. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ Mercy, yes, your will ♪ ♪ Jesus, it's mine ♪ ♪ Keepin' my heart and in the fire ♪ ♪ God after time ♪ ♪ Born against me ♪ ♪ You're watchin' in love ♪ ♪ Where I'll be here for me on time ♪ ♪ Born in love ♪ ♪ I trust in God ♪ ♪ I say you're the one ♪ ♪ Who will never pay ♪ ♪ We will never pay ♪ ♪ Your desire is here ♪ ♪ All the time it is ♪ ♪ I know you're the one ♪ ♪ You're the one ♪ ♪ Lord, I find it ♪ ♪ So this is my strong way ♪ ♪ This is my song ♪ ♪ I'm prayin' by listening ♪ ♪ You can say you're callin' me on ♪ ♪ I trust in God ♪ ♪ I say you're the one ♪ ♪ Who will never pay ♪ ♪ You will never pay ♪

♪ I trust in God ♪ ♪ I say you're the one ♪ ♪ Who will never pay ♪ ♪ You will never pay ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ A mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ A mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ A mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, I trust in God ♪ ♪ My father, I trust in God ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ A mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪

♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, baby ♪ ♪ My father, baby ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪

♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ My father, Lord, I'm a mini girl ♪ ♪ In the answer, Lord ♪ ♪ That's why I'm such a sin ♪ ♪ That's why I'm such a sin ♪ ♪ Why's won't you go ♪ ♪ If you hurt, if you answer ♪ ♪ Why's won't you go ♪ ♪ If you hurt, if you answer ♪ ♪ Why's won't you go ♪ ♪ If you hurt, if you answer ♪ ♪ That's why I'm such a sin ♪ ♪ That's why I'm such a sin ♪ ♪ My Savior, the one ♪ ♪ You will never fail ♪ ♪ You will never fail ♪ ♪ I come to sing God ♪ ♪ My Savior, the one ♪ ♪ You will never fail ♪ ♪ You will never fail ♪ ♪ Why you'll never fail ♪ ♪ Why you'll never fail ♪ ♪ Why you'll never fail ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ (audience applauding) (gentle music)

(audience applauding) ♪ Happy birthday ♪ (gentle music) ♪ You will give light ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will bring light to the dark ♪ ♪ Make sure you give hope ♪ ♪ You restore every heart that is broken ♪ ♪ And the great are you ♪ ♪ You will give light ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will bring light to the dark ♪ ♪ Make sure you give hope ♪ ♪ And restore every heart that is broken ♪ ♪ And the great are you ♪ ♪ Your breath when we are lost ♪ ♪ So we pour out our place ♪ ♪ Pour out our place ♪ ♪ Your breath when we are lost ♪ ♪ So we pour out our place ♪ ♪ You will be ♪ ♪ The great are you ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will bring light to the dark ♪ ♪ Make sure you give hope ♪

♪ You will love ♪ ♪ You will bring light to the dark ♪ ♪ Make sure you give hope ♪ ♪ You will restore every heart that is broken ♪ ♪ Make sure you give hope ♪ ♪ You will restore every heart that is broken ♪ ♪ Make sure you give hope ♪ ♪ You will restore every heart that is broken ♪ ♪ And pray our you Lord ♪ ♪ So we are out of place ♪ ♪ For out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ For out of place ♪ ♪ So we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪

♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ ♪ And so we are out of place ♪ (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language)

(singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (applause) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪

(upbeat music) ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Do you want, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Save up the ground ♪ ♪ All my tradition, play down the walls ♪ ♪ All my religion, no reason ♪ ♪ Better, no reason ♪ ♪ Better, no reason ♪ ♪ Save up the ground ♪ ♪ All my tradition, play down the walls ♪ ♪ All my religion, no reason ♪ ♪ Better, no reason ♪ ♪ Save up the ground ♪ ♪ All my religion, no reason ♪ ♪ Better, no reason ♪ ♪ Better, no reason ♪ ♪ Save up the ground ♪ ♪ All my tradition, play down the walls ♪ ♪ All my religion, no reason ♪ ♪ No reason ♪ ♪ Better, no reason ♪ ♪ I've been down the wrong way to play along ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ You're there for my care ♪

♪ So much there for me ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪

♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ ♪ All I need to know is that you're there ♪ Yes Lord. Come on. Come on, if God is all you want in your life, let's just sing that out right now. Can we do that church? Can we invite His presence in here? Come rest on us, God. Hey. (choir singing in foreign language) (choir singing in foreign language) Hey. (choir singing in foreign language) (choir singing in foreign language) God, you are all that we want. You are all that we need. So God, I pray that you would cultivate the hearts, cultivate the soil, so that your word wouldn't just land on rocky soil, but that it would land on cultivated soil, ready to take root and bring a harvest, God,

so that you can have your way, that you can do what you want with not just our lives, but with your church in Jesus' name. We said, "Hey man, come on, can we give a shot "of praise to the Lord this morning?" Hey man, hey, before you find your seat, would you turn to one of your neighbors and give them a high five, a fist bump, a handshake, something to just say, "Man, it is so good to see you this morning." So I'm so glad you endured the morning to get here. (gentle guitar music) Hey man. Hey man, how many of us are glad to be here this morning? (audience cheering) Good, good, I'm impressed. I am impressed, usually it's like, woo, you know, everybody's alive. I have somebody come preach one week. Thanks for grabbing that Ed. I put it out there and you picked it up, I appreciate that. You know, there's a passage of scripture that I reflect on and it's used in many scenarios like I'm getting ready to use it, but I think there's so much more content to this passage and it's in Matthew six and it says, "For where your treasure is, "there your heart will be also." And Jesus says something interesting here

because he doesn't say where your heart is, there your treasure is because there's a lot of people that's heart is even with the church, their heart is with serving, their heart is there but their treasures just don't follow but he says where your treasure goes, there your heart follows. In other words, one of the ways that God shapes our heart is through what we're willing to put into his hands. Have you ever noticed that when you invest in something that all of the sudden you start paying attention to it? Amen, like if you buy stock in a company all of a sudden you've got apps on your phone that track stock, you don't even know what it looks like, you're just looking at the number, amen? Come on, that's me. Couldn't tell you nothing about NASDAQ, I thought it was NASCAR, I don't know, you know, couldn't tell you nothing about any of it but all I want to see is the number in green, amen? As all I know, I don't care what it is, if it's in green, it's good. If you invest money into your house all of a sudden you start paying attention to the lights staying on, come on somebody? All the bill payers in the house. [BLANK_AUDIO] their lives why because investment creates interest right and Jesus says the same thing happens spiritually where where you put your treasure there your heart begins to follow and and that's one reason in my mind why giving matter so

much because tithing isn't trying to take something isn't God trying to take something from us it's actually God teaching our hearts to remain surrendered to him in every single aspect of life literally every time I tithe I'm making a declaration God you have my heart you have my whole heart because if he didn't I wouldn't do it trust me there are other things I could invest my money into than the kingdom of God but there is not anything else that I would invest my money in except the kingdom of God first my money doesn't have my heart my possessions don't have my heart my my fear about tomorrow doesn't have my heart God you do that's what it that's what it says and when we give here at reach we're not simply just funding an organization we're investing in what God is doing through his church right reaching people rebuilding lives discipling families and creating opportunities for people to encounter Jesus maybe for the very first time so as we prepare our hearts today don't just ask how much how much am I gonna give how much do I have left over ask God what does what does my giving say about where my heart is because Jesus said where your treasure is there your heart will be also so if you want your heart to follow the things of God you got to invest your treasures there first and it's not so that the church can get more money it so that God can have your whole heart so as I have some ushers come I would just ask that you pray that prayer God where is my heart where do you want my heart and how do I close that gap how do I close the gap from where my heart is right now to where you want it because there is this deficiency and I don't want it to be there I wonder if you would pray that prayer God I want you to have my whole heart today not part of my heart not not nothing but God I want you to even have the secret chambers of my heart that I have not allowed you to travel through because I know that it's going to cost me something in my life it's gonna cost me something in my in my in my securities it's gonna cost me something in my in my in my surroundings and everything and so God would you would you teach me to give you my whole heart today as we give God would you help me surrender everything in me so that you could have all of me in Jesus name amen come on where are we going it's it's a

surprise do you like surprises yeah surprise we're going to believe as we go we're going to do compassion ministry we're going to feed them we're going to speak to their hearts we're going to minister to families and children we're also going to build with our hands we are so excited to once again be joining with partnership in the national as we go to Belize in April of next year if you want to learn more about this missions trip and the exciting opportunity that we have to grow with each other as we go and serve others then we would love for you to come to our interest meeting on September 20th at 1 30 p.m. and the 2-0-1 growth track classroom we'll see you there come on amen come on let's save that day can we do that how many of us want to go on a missions trip amen amen amen we are going to go amen so whatever date that said what did that say look at that some people paid attention see I was testing you whenever my wife and I very first got married we would you know I was really big on like conversation type stuff like I'm petty when it comes to some things like I'll just be honest and Everybody can know something personal about me. If I'm talking to you and you are constantly looking at your phone, I'm offended, okay? And so when we very first got married, my wife, she would always be like, I don't know, scrolling Instagram or something. I don't even know if Instagram was a thing way back then, but, and then I would be talking and then I would just low key stop. And then I would just go as long as she would go. Until she looked at me and was like, what was you saying? Oh, I want driving, I had a suspended license, you right? So I was sitting in the passenger seat, you know? No, 'cause then she would have been scrolling,

I don't know what was going on, but I hear it's not, I know. So we was both living in the living room, you know? I was on one couch, she was on the other side of the living room on another couch. Rule of thumb for those men that are dating right now. That's how you do that, okay? Yeah, they didn't want to hear that, did they, baby? That's what I did though, wasn't it? But, this has no purpose other than what I was just talking about. And so, then when she would look up at me, like, continue on, I would say, you don't even know what I was talking about. She's like, yeah, I do, I said, what? She's like, shut up. And I was like, yeah, exactly, that's what I thought, you know? And so, then, is what I meant is, some of you was paying attention and I said, see, I was just quizzing you, I just needed to know if you was really listening, 'cause now I'm not gonna continue on what I was saying, 'cause it meant no value. And so, we won't talk about that, but I'm glad that you was paying attention in the front row, especially, and so, thank you, amen, Jesus' name. So, like I said, there was no weight, spiritual meaning, anything behind that, other than you just found out something personal about my life. And so, now, every time somebody's talking to me,

they're gonna put their phone in their pocket. Thank you, amen. So, we just wanna welcome you home. We are just so glad that you are here, that you are a part of what God is doing right here at REACH, and maybe today is your first time or your first time in a long time. We are so glad that you are here, or so glad that you are back, and we just believe that God's best is yet to come for you in your life. And I am just excited for what God is doing in this place, and for you to encounter what He is doing here, because I believe that what God has in store for us is amazing, not just because of today, and not just because I'm speaking, but because of what He wants to do in each and every one of our lives. And so, I love seeing radical stories, people just being transformed by the hope of the gospel. And so, we are in a theme of church on the move, and we are going through the book of Acts, and we've been here for a little while. But today, I'm kind of switching gears and going into the next series, if you will, that is titled Built for Pressure, okay? Built for Pressure, and it begins to just look into the next couple of chapters of the book of Acts, and it kind of just gets in and starts showing some of the pressure of the church,

but the church was built for pressure, because if you don't withstand it properly, it can divide, it can break, it can do things, but we were built for pressure. Now, imagine a mom, right, sitting in her car in the church parking lot. This has kind of happened before, but I'm not telling that story, but imagine a mother sitting in a car, single mom, she has her child in the back seat, service starts in five minutes, she could probably hear the five minute countdown timer out there, sounds like a rave going on inside, but she hasn't mustered the courage to even open up her car door yet, and she's already been checking her appearance in the mirror, right, like she's been looking at the multiple mirrors in the car, but what she can't fix in the mirror is everything that is lying underneath of the surface. Everything that only she can see, everything that she knows, the things that kept her up last night, when she barely got any sleep, the things that are at home, falling apart in her life, or in her relationships, or at her job, and frankly, she's almost at the end of herself and talking herself out of going inside, and suddenly in that moment of emotion,

her child interrupts her and says, "Mommy, are we going in?" She takes a breath, And now pause for that picture for a moment. Because before she ever even hears the sermon, someone has the opportunity to show her that she's welcome at our church, or at any church. Before her child ever even hears a Bible lesson, someone has an opportunity to kneel down, learn their names, and help them feel safe at the place that they are walking into. Before she ever asks someone to pray, she's looking around wondering, can I even trust anybody that is in this place with what I am carrying? Because I know what it is, and I'm scared, I'm wounded, I'm hurt, and she knows that she needs help, but she just don't even know who she can trust you. Come on. Now imagine someone meets her at the front door, not rushing past her, but actually noticing her. And letting her know that she's noticed, right? A city kid's worker patiently helps her child get settled in and works with them and calms them down and helps soothe them. And someone makes room beside them and says, hey, you're welcome to sit here instead of mean mugging because you expected your whole click to sit on the same pew. I know we ain't no regular church, you know. That's how regular church is. Regular, you know, churchy people is like that.

Like, you know, I gave here, and so my name is on this seat and no it ain't, I'll cut that portion of the pew off and put it outside. If that's your seat, then tune in on 98.9 FM. You get like a flashlight out there that says that, you know, like the old driving, anyway. (audience laughs) And then when the word is preached is what happens because these things have progressed as she finally lets herself listen. And afterwards she turns to somebody or comes down and says, hey, could you pray with me? Because things are just really hard in my life right now. Now that person in that moment doesn't have to have every single answer, but they listen, they pray, and they help her take the next steps in her walk with Jesus and whatever that case may be. Now think about how many people had a part in that morning. Not everybody preached. In fact, only one person did. Not everybody sang. Some of them may never even know what they was, what this person was going through, and you may never know the way that somebody carried through the door or how God used your faithfulness to help them carry it. Come on, come on. To one person, they was just here 'cause they were scheduled in services. Thank you.

Amen. For the green check. Amen. Not the yellow question mark. Not amen. (audience laughs) But to one person, it was just their Sunday to serve, but to her though, it may have been the first time in a long time that she actually didn't fill alone. See church, this is why this matters because we're not simply just trying to keep a service running. We're caring for people that Jesus loves, that Jesus deeply cares about, but caring for people takes more than just noticing them. It takes trustworthy people. People whose character makes it feel safe to ask for help. People led by the Holy Spirit. People with wisdom to know how to respond, and it takes people willing to accept responsibility. Sometimes a hurting person needs more than just our concern. They need somebody that's actually willing to care. See, today I want us to consider what it takes to become a church that does more than just recognize a need, but one who actually becomes a church ready to respond. So the first thing that it takes to become a church ready to respond is we have to move toward the need. We have to move toward the need.

Act six says this, but as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Well, shoot, that means a growing church is gonna have problems. Be prepared. The Greek speaking believers complained about the Hebrew speaking believers. Well, that's the unchurched folk was mad at the church folk 'cause the church folk was acting like church folk. Saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. And so the 12 called a meeting amen Of all the believers. I like the NIV it actually says that the 12 called a meeting of all the disciples Because it's one thing to call a meeting with a bunch of people that say they believe in God But it's another thing to call a meeting with a bunch of people that actually do believe in God and walk it out And it's doing what there's see they said We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God not running some food program The other one says and NIV it says not waiting table See the early church was rapidly multiplying and that growth exposed a genuine need Greek speaking widows We're being overlooked in the daily distribution Basically in the daily ministry Because remember everybody had started putting all of their resources together And so now there was a benevolent fund a lot of scholars say that about this time that most of the people had begin to work And had had had some of their own Money to be able to take care of themselves. And so one of the main needs in the church at this time was caring for the orphans But somehow are the widows but somehow the Greek speaking widows were being overlooked Not the Hebrew speaking ones and so it's safe to say that a growing church will experience some kind of growing pains But this wasn't a complaint about personal preference It wasn't someone's favorite song or the lack thereof Hey, man, tithing envelopes are not meant for song request

Hey, man It wasn't it wasn't about where someone wanted to sit it it wasn't even about receiving Recognition see there's a difference between a personal preference and an authentic ministry need Big difference see a preference focuses on what would make me more comfortable Not not just me. I'm talking about me in general as if that was all in our minds thanking see a ministry need Focuses on what would help someone else experience the real love of Jesus See the heroes of act six are not the people who are identified the problem come on They are the people who actually became part of the solution See leaders do more than just point out problems Anyone can point out what's missing If you're looking for something wrong, you go find it. I don't care where you're at Anyone can criticize what's not working anyone can stand at a distance and explain what somebody else should be doing Come on somebody But true leadership moves toward the needs and ask hey, how can I help carry this? How can I see consumers identify problems for other people to solve? While contributors accept responsibilities for problems that they can actually help solve See there's there's there's a difference in this because this is what is actually see There's a difference between those that can help solve stuff and those that are actually being Just point of like hey, there's a problem over here. There's a problem over there. There's a problem But see true leadership Moves toward the needs and ask how can I help carry this that doesn't mean that every problem that we notice is your assignment Martha Busybody it also doesn't mean that every personal frustration represents a failure in the church a Genuine ministry burden should move you towards service. It should move you towards prayer It should move you towards sacrifice and responsibility Not merely just toward attention see if if the need only makes you want to talk It might be criticism It might be coming from the eye of a critic, but if it if it makes you willing to serve Maybe it's calling Maybe maybe it's calling why because legitimate needs should always be handled in legitimate ways

That's a word from the Lord right there See the concern in the church that we see here was brought to the recognized leadership of the church The leadership then gathered the decision See, there was no public campaign to embarrass the church leadership. There wasn't people jumping on social media trying to gain face, ridiculing the church leaders. There was no attempt to bring division so that we could have people see our perspective and have people look at what we wanted people to believe because we would actually lose some kind of integrity or face to the public if actually people had to see that we was the ones that was getting dealt with. See, there wasn't none of that. There was no attempt to divide the Hebrew speaking and the Greek speaking believers into opposing groups. Will you go over here? You go over here. No, the church addressed the need without allowing the difference to actually destroy its unity. Yeah. See, that's healthy church leadership. See, spiritual maturity is not only recognizing what's wrong, it's responding to what's wrong in the right way. See a legitimate concern can still become, hear me on this, a legitimate concern, a real concern can still become destructive if it's handled through gossip. If it's handled through accusation, if it's handled through manipulation, especially if it's handled through division, well how do I know it's division? Are you gathering people on your opinion without going through the proper channels of church leadership? If you got a separate opinion, I'm not, by the way, there is no situations going on right now that I'm talking about. We're in Act 6, okay, I'm just letting you know.

But there might have been some stuff in the past that has happened, but that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about Greek speaking Jews and Hebrew speaking Jews. But here's the truth that I know is disciples, true followers of Jesus do not weaponize needs to draw attention to themselves, or the mission statement, or the core values, or any of that. You can't weaponize, well I thought we was reaching the one, we are. Well I thought we fight for our tribe, we do, we reach the one. And maybe that one ain't a part of the tribe no more, I don't know. I ain't nobody trying to say nothing, no. Because if you fight for a group, then that means you're fighting for the whole, not for the division, right, not for these things. See the thing that makes it interesting to me is they bring the needs through the proper channels with humility and willingness to help, why? Because growth requires ownership. See the church had reached a point where the needs could no longer be carried by the apostles alone. The answer wasn't for the apostles to work harder, the answer was for spirit filled people to rise up and accept responsibility. See the church doesn't become stronger when more people identify what's missing, it becomes stronger when more people will be willing to help carry the needs. And every legitimate ministry need is a real person, literally. A child who needs to be discipled. A guest who needs to be welcomed and loved and make them feel a hurting person who needs real prayer. A new believer who needs guidance or a struggling family who needs support and people to just build around them, a community that needs to hear the gospel, we're not asking people to search for something wrong with the church, you're going to find that, promise you. No longer you stick around, the more you'll probably find if that's what you're looking for. We're asking people to recognize that they have something valuable to contribute to its

mission. See don't just come looking for a problem that will give you a platform, look for a person you can help carry. Look for a person, you know what I love, I love hearing about stories of ministry happening when I'm not even around. That's what I love. When I get to hear about stuff that's going on and people coming together and stuff is happening, why? Because I have committed my life and ministry to helping people discover their true identity In Christ, especially the. Like hear me, I celebrate recovery. I celebrate sobriety. Every step someone takes. Every step someone takes toward rebuilding their life matters. But my burden is that people can become so focused on what they're recovering from, that they never discover who they truly are in Christ. See, I personally want you to know that there is more than what you're leaving behind. I want you to know who you belong to because underneath the struggle, there are real questions to answers that still need answers. Questions like who am I? 'Cause if you can't ever answer that, you're gonna be struggling for the rest of your life. If you have no identity and no purpose and no value, you'll continue on trivial pursuits trying to find answers and solutions for questions that you don't even know you're asking. You're trying to feel a void in your heart

with something that is not ever going to fill it. Questions like, does my life even have value? Well, if you'll never ask that question and seek out the true answer, you'll keep trying to fill it with things that are empty. Can God still use someone like me? We will literally become so busy searching for the next thing that will make us feel better that we never actually bring these questions to Jesus, honestly. And practical help and relief matter. I get it, I really do. In Acts 6, hungry widows needed food and the church took responsibility for feeding them. Their needs deserved a real response and at reach at the same love, that same love moves us to help people rebuild their lives and to walk with them as they discover their identity in Christ, but me helping you discover your identity in Christ is not giving you permission to continue living the same way that you've always lived. Offensive truth will hold you accountable that will call you higher. And then five years down the road, you won't even realize how you got there if you would respond to some of those things. See, your past may explain where you've been, but it does not have the authority to define who you are in Christ. And this is why I care so deeply about discipleship because I want people to know that they belong to Jesus,

that forgiveness is real, that your lives have purpose, that they have something to contribute to his church, but helping people discover that takes people willing to walk beside them. Someone willing to listen, someone willing to open the Bible with them and take them where they need to read the truth and see what it means to actually be a man of God or a woman of God and someone willing to keep showing up, even as they learn to follow Jesus. And I cannot personally be that person for everyone who walks through these doors. That's the truth. And the burden God placed in my heart, guess what requires more hands than just mine? That's where you come in. That's where the church comes in. Because your willingness to move towards someone's need could become part of how they discover who they are in Christ. Let me ask you this, when you see a genuine need, do you merely just mention it to people? Or are you willing to move towards it? Because willingness alone is not enough. The apostles were not simply looking for people who saw the need, trust me. You'll find those. They were looking for people with the character to be trusted with it, which leads me to the second thing, to become a church that is ready to respond

and that is become the person. We have to become the person at six, verse three, says this, and so brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the spirit and full of wisdom and we will give them this responsibility. See, I think reading this, I think there's actually more to this than we admit to see most times because the apostles recognize the need, but they weren't just willing to place anybody over it. They didn't say, hey, find seven people with a bunch of free time. (audience laughing) looking for a position. They didn't say find seven people who have been attending the longest. They didn't even say find seven people with impressive resumes. They said find people who are well respected, full of the spirit, and full of wisdom. Why? Because before they looked at what these men could do, they looked at who these men had become. And they didn't leave it up to some self recruitment opportunity. Scan this QR code if you want to be a leader at reach. That, that ain't what they did. They wanted the disciples to get involved. Not because they were trying to develop some sort of democracy, but because people can see blind spots that you have been conditioned to overlook. Because if you ask other people about the character of you, what do they say? Because see, we have been conditioned to overlook things in our life, blind spots in our life. And that's why we quit placing ourselves around people that point out those blind spots. But if you're just surrounded by people that help condition your sinful lifestyle, you're never going to grow. You're never going to get to who God has called you to be. You're never going to rise to the place that God and you can make yourself believe that you are. But it's just not the case. And so the ones picked, they needed to be people that were thought of well by other people, not just thought of well by themselves. Come on, well, there are a bunch of people that think they write for the job, but you are not a bag of chips. Or all that

in a bag of chips, should I say? Yeah, I get it. The assignment involved food distribution, some might think, well, how hard could it be? Listen, if you are dealing with needy people, it involves vulnerable people, it involves financial resources, it involves cultural tension, and it involves the unity of the church. I mean, what appeared to just be a practical responsibility required spiritually mature people. Hear me church, there are no insignificant assignments when people's lives are attached to them. I was talking to my daughter, Adeline, my youngest the other day, yesterday, I think we was going to Sam's Club to buy investment and infomile. And that's a fact, we was buying stock. And she said that this kindergartner had came into her classroom, she's in fourth grade, this kindergartner had walked in there and said, teacher, there's poop all over the wall in the bathroom. There's a little boy. And she said, so the teacher called the janitor or whatever, and I guess later on the teacher said there really was poop all over the walls in the bathroom. And then Adeline goes on to start talking about how nasty it is, because even these girls, like they leave pee all over the seat. And I'm like, well, how does that happen? Because I thought they've always been telling us men that we're the ones that do that. You hypocrites, you brood of vipers. I feel the Lord right now. Now, let's pretend we're not at SCA school and pretend that we're at reach KC church, where everybody saves their boo boo for Sunday morning. I ain't never walked into so many restrooms, like, "BOW!" (audience laughing) That's probably not a lie. We're using half the coffee grains next week, moving forward. You go see people walking around, church, go on! (audience laughing) Like, "I'm not pooping at that church no more!" (audience laughing) (laughing) Now, I gotta remember this illustration for next service 'cause this is not in my notes.

(audience laughing) If you couldn't tell. Now, follow me. Imagine you walk into the bathroom. (audience laughing) And there was somebody in there helping that situation. My God. (audience laughing) Because here's the truth. I don't know what she said, but people thought it was funny. (audience laughing) Here's the truth. Is those type of situations will deter somebody from ever meeting with Jesus. Because if you walk into the bathroom and there is poop smeared all over the wall, (audience laughing) you're like, "I'm out this joint." (audience laughing) I don't know what happened and I'm not fixing to find out. (audience laughing) But I'm going to another church. I'm going to the Baptist church down the street. I know the Baptist. Come on. (audience laughing) Hey, there is no insignificant assignment

when people's lives are attached to it. If it means pastor, you need somebody to, we was talking about this at the new building the other day when the leadership was walking around, the staff was walking around the church, is we're going to need people to change the trash cans in between services. We're going to need people to make sure that that cinnamon apple smell good is refilled, amen? (audience laughing) And that the air is circulating properly. (audience laughing) Turn the air on so we can get the cold air return to start moving it out of the building. Why? Because your first impression of this place should not be something that would distract you from wanting to walk into this room and possibly meeting with Jesus. There is no insignificant job. (audience applauding) Whether you're changing poopy diapers in city kids, little town, or you're cleaning up poop on the wall in the big people's bathrooms. Everybody's got a mission. And the thing that made me look at this passage of scripture was there was three prerequisites according to scripture to appoint people in these positions. And the first one was this, that the congregation was told to select men

who were well respected. Somehow I'm still on the first point and it's 1103. No, no, I'm on the second point. We doing good. (audience laughing) See, I like when I surprise myself. (audience laughing) See, their character had already been observed by the people around him. They wasn't trying to use a position to build a reputation. Their reputation actually qualified them to receive this position. Why? Because a title doesn't produce trust. Consistent character does. A title does not produce. See, leadership is not built by only what happens on a platform, it's built through how you treat people. It's built by how you speak when you're frustrated. It's built on how you respond when you're corrected. If I would have had hair out, I'd have messed it all up right there. (audience laughing) It's built through whether you keep your word or if situations get tough, you retreat. See, it's built whether you remain faithful when no one is applauding you. See, it's built whether you're a private life, it's built by whether your private life

supports what actually is happening in your public testimony. responsible and do what it takes to fulfill that role, but Scripture teaches us actually to become responsible before ever receiving the position. See, God often wants to, He watches how you carry yourself before He ever entrust you to carry anything else. See, platform ministry is not what gives credibility. These entitles don't create influence. Credibility is earned when people consistently see Jesus reflected in our lives. They were well respected. They looked out and said, "Hey, who do you think could be a good leader?" And they were, "It was me, I should be that one." They nominated seven people, and secondly, they were full of the spirit. See, the apostles weren't merely looking for polite people, they weren't even looking for talented folks, they weren't even just looking for dependable people, just people who were willing to show up. They were looking for people whose lives were under the influence of the Holy Spirit. See the phrase full of the Spirit describes more than just some momentary spiritual experience that a lot of churches and denominations have wrapped this around, but it points to a life continually shaped and directed by the Holy Spirit. See these men needed the Spirit because the assignment involved people and people can be complicated. There were cultural differences, there were wounded fillings, there were accusations of discrimination, and there were only limited resources that they had that needed to be distributed fairly. That sounds like a messy situation, and talent alone could not heal that division. In fact, personality alone could not produce unity within the church. See the church needed leaders who would respond according to the Spirit rather than according to the flesh. See the more responsibility you carry, the more dependent upon the Holy Spirit you must

become. I think sometimes we prepare for leadership by developing our skill sets. We'll sharpen our tools, we'll do all of these so that we can get better at this while neglecting our spiritual lives. See, Acts 6 teaches us that spiritual fullness wasn't optional, even for practical assignments. God isn't only concerned with whether you can perform the task, He's concerned with whose influence governs your heart while you do it. See the Holy Spirit shapes how we serve, how we communicate with people and Him, how we handle conflict, how we treat people who are different than us, come on, we have to be full of the Spirit. And thirdly, they were full of wisdom because being full of the Spirit didn't eliminate the need for wisdom. These men needed practical judgment. They needed to know how to organize a daily ministry. It's one thing to be able to walk around and speak in tongues and slay people and do all these things. It's one thing to be able to even pray over people and see healings, it's one thing, but if you don't have practical wisdom on how to listen to somebody when they're talking, love you baby, we have gained wisdom over the days. I'll make it up to you later, not, just had a baby, how to, you need practical wisdom to learn when to shut up. We have to learn how to make decisions without creating greater division. See spiritual leadership requires both a surrendered heart and a sound mind. Character matters way more than credentials, but character also doesn't excuse incompetence. See the church shouldn't have to choose between people who love Jesus and people who know how Spirit-filled people should be prepared when it's time to be prepared. Spirit-filled people should be willing to grow even if they think they've capped out. See, anointing doesn't remove the need for wisdom, it should make us hungry for it. But some people want greater responsibility without ever developing greater capacity in their lives. But if God is ever going to trust us with more,

we must allow Him to mature us spiritually, emotionally, and practically. Don't only pray for a greater opportunity. Start asking God to increase your capacity to learn how to carry it well when it comes. Because, see, these men were trusted before they were ever commissioned. The congregation selected these seven men. The church didn't simply make decisions for that community, it empowered trusted people who could understand and represent them. See, wise leadership doesn't just solve problems for people, it raises up leaders from among them. We need to become the person. Because when people start stepping into their assignment, the entire church moves forward. When the right people rise and carry responsibility, the mission begins to gain momentum. And the third thing that it takes to become a church ready to respond is we have to carry the mission. See, Acts 6, verse 7 says, "So God's message continued to spread." And the number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem. In one translation it says the number of disciples greatly increased in Jerusalem. And many of the Jewish priests were converted to. See, Luke begins this passage with a problem, but then he ends it with progress. See, the pressure didn't stop the church, it revealed people who were willing to carry it. Before Acts 6, the apostles were carrying responsibility that had actually become too great for just 12 people. And the solution wasn't for the apostles to work longer hours. The solution was for the people to rise up and take on responsibility. See, a growing church cannot be carried by a shrinking group of committed people. The apostles continued carrying their assignment, but the seven began carrying these. No one had to carry everything, but everyone had to carry something. See, God has never asked any one of us to carry the whole church, but he's asked everyone to carry your part. See, the seven weren't replacing the apostles. In fact, they wasn't even competing with the apostles. They were working alongside of them, so every part of the ministry received the attention that it deserved. This wasn't division, it was multiplication. See, delegation doesn't divide the ministry, it multiplies its reach.

When Spirit-filled people begin to accept responsibility, leaders are strengthened, people are cared for, and the mission begins to move further than it ever did. The practical service of the people helped advance the spiritual mission of the church. Here's the truth, is that the seven were appointed to oversee the daily distribution of the food, and on the surface, the assignment may have appeared less spiritual than preaching from a pulpit. It may have been more attractive than just some public ministry, but their faithful service actually removed an obstacle that threatened the church's unity and their witness. Now imagine with me for just a moment the witness of the church to the community and what they would have seen if the complaints would have made it to Facebook. But because these folks stepped up and served discreetly and faithfully, it increased the witness and the impact of the entire church. You don't have to stand behind a pulpit to spread the word of God. Someone had to handle the distribution. Someone had to care for the widow. Someone had to make people feel treated fairly. Someone had to carry the practical weight so that the spiritual mission could go unhindered. Hear me on this. There is no meaningless ministry when it helps someone encounter Jesus. If your service helps reach people, your service is connected to the gospel. Every single person, see what feels ordinary in your hands can become. Hear me on this church. Faithfulness creates room for the word of God to spread. Come on, come on. See verse seven begins with this result. So God's message continued to spread. And Luke connects the healthy resolution of the problem with the continued progress of the gospel. See the seven didn't create the power of the gospel. They helped to remove unnecessary obstacles that could have hindered its movement.

Big difference. See we cannot produce spiritual growth. But we can remove the obstacles that are trying to keep us from being ready for it. Because without action, neglected widows would have become a divided congregation. And division could have damaged the entire church's witness in Jerusalem at this time. See overextended apostles could have neglected the prayer and the ministry of the word. But because people rose up, every part of the ministry become stronger. See when everyone carries their assignment, nothing essential has to be neglected. The word didn't spread because one gifted leader did everything. The word spread as the body began functioning together. The strength of the church isn't measured only by who stands on the platform, but rather by how many people faithfully carry the mission beyond it. See Luke says the number of disciples greatly increased. The church didn't merely attract a larger crowd. It multiplied disciples. And that distinction matters to me because crowds can gather around a gifted personality, but disciples are formed when the whole church embraces its mission. [ Applause ] Let me ask you, let me ask you this. If God sent the people that we have been praying for, would we be ready to receive them? If more children came, would there be leaders ready

to disciple them? If more hurting people came, would there be mature believers ready to pray with them? If more people surrendered to Jesus today than ever have in the past, would there be someone ready to walk alongside of them? If someone entrusted us, if God entrusted us with more people, would we find more people willing to carry the responsibility? Because here's the truth. We cannot ask God to send us more while refusing to help carry those He's already sent. See, growth isn't only something we celebrate. Growth is something we must prepare to steward because revival can bring a harvest, but leadership builds the capacity to carry it. [ Music ] Here's the fact. Is great leadership is often formed in places that receive little recognition? See, the church doesn't need more people attending. It needs more people carrying the mission. It needs believers who will say, hey, I'll disciple the next generation. I will welcome the unseen person. I'll pray for the hurting. I'll help the believers go. See, attendance just fills seats, but ownership carries the mission. Maybe you're not called to preach. That's cool.

Maybe you're not called to lead a ministry. Everyone notices that's cool, but every believer has been giving something that can serve the mission of Jesus. So the question today is not whether there is a place for you in the mission of the church. The question is, will you rise up today and carry it? [ Applause ] Will you answer the call? Will you move toward the need? Will you become the person God has called you to be? Will you carry the mission? What if God was calling you to surrender your life even to him, maybe for the very first time? Or what if God was calling you to quit running from him and recommit your life to him fully today? Would you answer that call? If I could have everybody stand with me for just a moment, because I believe the call is happening in the room right now. I believe that God is doing something, and I believe that hearts are -- how many of us would make room for the Lord today, before the whole crowd leaves, and take recognition of this moment when people are about to surrender their lives to the Lord. Maybe it's even your friend that you brought with you or the one that's sitting beside you that you made room for on the pew this morning. Hey, if that's you and you're in here this morning and you've never given your life to Jesus and you wanna do that for the very first time,

you're in good company. Maybe you're in here and you say, "Hey, I've done this, "but I've been running from God for years now, "maybe even for decades." And you want to recommit your life to Him today for the first time in a very long time. If that's you, you've never given your life to the Lord or you wanna recommit in a very long time, since a very long time, could I just have you raise your hand with me so that we can pray with you? Come on, we wanna pray with you, we wanna pray with you. (audience applauding) Hey, we celebrate you. Hey, if that's you, could I ask a bold statement of you because we don't wanna just squander this opportunity. We wanna pray with you for real, for real and get connected with you and know your name and learn your past and who you are and what God is gonna do through you. If that was you and you raised your hand or maybe you felt like you were supposed to and didn't, could I get you to step out and come down right over here to the side? We wanna get connected with you and we wanna pray with you and believe with you and believe that God is gonna restore your life and believe that he's just gonna get you plucked in to a healthy church and just believe that God is gonna call you to carry the mission

and however he has called you to do. And so, hey, as we sing this song, make room. Would you just allow that to be your prayer for a moment and just say, God, I'll make room for you this morning. I will allow you to just do what you wanna do in my life and maybe you need to just get something right with him. Hey, can we just spend the next 60 to 90 seconds just worshiping him and just saying, God, I make room this morning. God, I allow you to do what you want in my life. Maybe you need to step out and come down to the front. Maybe you just need to worship in your seat. Okay, let's just lift our hands and just believe, God, I need a moment with you right now this morning, God. (upbeat music) - Have your way, Lord. (upbeat music) Yes, Lord. (upbeat music) ♪ Maybe you want, maybe you want, maybe you want ♪ [MUSIC PLAYING]