Heart of Service

♪♪ In the first service, I said, take a look at Celebration News. And that was the news, Jesus is King. How many believe that's really the only news that we got? And honestly, that's probably the smartest thing I'll say all day long is that Jesus is King and that's the news. And no matter what news you hear about and what we all, of course, see almost every day, we've got to keep that reality that Jesus is our King and he is the author and the finisher of our faith. And we're honored to be with you and, of course, honored to be with our campuses here today in the Austin area and Italy and Mozambique. Great testimony of bringing water to that hospital and excited about what's happening in Mozambique. And if you have any questions about even being involved in what we're doing in Africa, in particular Mozambique, man, we'd love to answer any questions that you have. It's real Africa. It's real life. It's really where you would, I say it like this. This is not Epcot, Africa. Have you ever been to Disney in Orlando? And you go around the water there at Epcot and you visit the various countries beginning with Canada. If you haven't been, that's not Canada. That's not Canada. And then you kind of go around to London and you make your way across the bridge.

How many have ever been there more than I, like 20 times with the kids? We went there so often the kids begged never to go back. And then you come around and then you've got the last place there representing Africa. And there are those incredible opportunities and exhibits there, but what we're seeing in Mozambique and what we're seeing in Maputo North, five hours, it's pretty remarkable. We're building two buildings, two more locations, and on two major highways. It'd be like I-35 there in Xaixai. Sounds like China, but it's not. X-A-I, X-A-I. And much of our resources go to making a difference in Africa, making a difference in that country. And if we don't get into the education, so we have the leading school in all of Mozambique. We have built buildings that you would be happy to put your child in here in America. But when you and I consider reaching Africa or even the nations, the way other faiths are reaching the world and reaching in particular Africa is that they are paying moms and dads for their children to be given to them five days a week. They will be paid. Mom and dad will be paid. And then mom and dad gets $30, let's just say a month, which the average salary is less than that. They'll get $30 per child, and then they will get that child free education, clothing, food. And that mom who might go to our church on a Sunday morning gives

that child to a particular group in the mosques and other faiths, and then they, for five days a week, are in a whole nother world being indoctrinated. If we don't get into the space of education, all the crusades in the world, and there have been crusades enough to where Africa has been saved twice, why are we losing the battle? It's because we're not where we need to be daily into the lives of the next generation. How many know it's important, education is important, that we're right where they are? And thank you for that golf clap. That's okay, I get it. I get it, it's early in the morning. You stayed up to watch the soccer game last night. There's more important things going on, I get it. We're in the book of Mark, and I want you to turn with me to the book of Mark chapter 9, and I'm excited about all things WAVE this week, and the thousands of students that will be here pray as God lays it upon your heart for just a move of God in this week's WAVE conference, and all of our speakers, and just all of the next generation, grateful to be pastoring a church that is forward-thinking in how do we reach the next generation. Because tomorrow I turn, and listen, don't applaud before I say, tomorrow I turn 62, don't clap, unless you have a gift card, you can clap. I didn't get one clap in the last service, so y'all are equal. And as you age, you begin to realize life is really about setting up the next generation.

And really, frankly, life, as we all will go through this process of aging, you come to a place in your life where you ultimately think about, am I making a difference? beginning at home, beginning in my own home. Am I a servant to people? And really, when you read the Bible, and when you study the Bible, the Bible, the book, and anyone and everyone that was used or written about in the Bible, really comes down to this. They were servants. The Bible is a book of servanthood. That is what it's all about. Paul the Apostle says these words. He's in a dungeon. He's in a pit. He's in the deepest, darkest place of his life. He's going to give his life, and he's been, of course, taken, and he's in this dungeon. I've been there in Rome. Many of you have probably had in that same place experience where Paul was, and here is Paul in book of Philippians, and he says, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain, but if I'm going to continue to live, if I'm going to be on this planet, if God gives me a heart, if he gives me breath to breathe, if he gives me another day, he goes, if I am to live in this flesh, this is going to mean fruitful labor. This means I'm going to serve until the day I am taken into heaven. I am going to give it all for God. I am not going to stop being a servant. This is going to mean fruitful labor, and I do not know which to choose. Paul is considering the idea, and, of course, he's going to say it right here, I am hard pressed in both directions. I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ. Who's had that thought even this morning? Take me away, Jesus, and you are like, Lord, I am ready to go.

I am ready to be with you rather than all these kids that you have given me that I couldn't get dressed this morning with the help of my husband. All that to say, there's nothing wrong with going, Lord, come quickly. Of course, at the same time, Paul says, yes, but I also know I am on this planet to make a difference. He said, though I'm hard pressed from both directions having the desire to depart to be with Christ, for that is better, but to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. What he's basically saying is, if I were to be taken from the Lord from this planet, y'all would not know what to do. How many moms feel like that? You know what I'm saying? Paul is saying, I am going to live though I'm in the biggest, deepest pit of my life, and here I am suffering for the gospel. Here I am dying for the gospel. I am being imprisoned for the gospel. All I'm guilty of is telling people that Jesus was crucified. He died as the Lamb of God. He is the Messiah. He's the Savior. He was raised from the dead, and put your hope in Him, and here they are throwing Him into prison. And as a result of being thrown into prison, he could have said, I'm out of here, God, and in fact, I don't even know if you're real. But that's not Paul's experience. Paul says, I know you're real. I know who I met on that road to Damascus. And the reason why Paul became Paul, the reason why he was probably the second greatest besides He was the greatest revelator of Christ, as he wrote two-thirds in the New Testament. Arguably, probably one of the greatest figures that we've ever seen hit this planet.

He was transformed because he was served into the kingdom of God by Jesus Himself personally. He was in the midst of murdering Christians, and God came to him. And He didn't come to him saying, if you hurt one of my babies again, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to throw you into the fires of hell. He didn't say anything but Saul, Saul, you're a chosen vessel. I've appointed you to be before people and to kings. I want to use you. I want to transform the world through you. And it was the goodness of God. It was the way God served Him. And Paul would say, how could I not want to be on this planet except for the purpose of serving other people? How many are thankful that God gave you goodness and His mercy has caused you to change from your life of sin to righteousness? How many know it's the goodness of God that leads a man to repent it? We all get frustrated with people. We all get frustrated with people that we live with, people that we work with, people that we are neighbors to. You serve them into change. You don't yell into change. You don't scream into change. You can't make people change. In fact, the only way ultimately that change comes from the scriptures is that we serve people. And we have the heart that book of Mark is going to cover today in Mark chapter 9. It's the heart of Jesus. It's the heart of Paul. And so here's Jesus. The Bible tells us in our particular chapter now, we come to this idea of.

Serving he says from there they went out and began to go through Galilee and and He did not want anyone to know about it for he was teaching his disciples and telling them that in other words There were some private conversations happening This wasn't for the general public That he the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men and they're gonna kill him and when he has been Killed he will rise three days later Verse 32 some things have never changed But they couldn't understand it They were blinded they were just in darkness But they were just frankly in spiritual ignorance. They did not understand this statement and they were afraid to talk about it They didn't want to ask him They didn't want to approach him. They didn't want to they didn't want to go to him and say now. What do you mean? What are you talking about this death and this killing and three days later, but you're gonna see why they couldn't understand it and there's a reason why they couldn't understand it as They are now wondering what he's talking about and they not understanding this statement They came to Capernaum and when now they're in the house Jesus questions them and he says what what were you guys whispering about behind me? Have you ever been in your own home and people are conspiring to kill you or Perform a coup behind your back You're like you're out there barbecuing you can look through the window and they're all in the kitchen going Like he doesn't know what he's doing What in the world is going on and we all have that going on We all have had those groups and those people and so here's Jesus. He goes. Hey, I'd like to know something Can you guys talk to me about what y'all were whispering about? Can you tell me about the thoughts that you had? I'd like to be included and So as he's asking him what this Conversation and their conversations were their discussions were the Bible says they knew they were caught they were silent. They were busted and So the result is as they were talking watch this The real reason why they couldn't understand and the reason why they didn't say anything in response to this question is They weren't discussing anything concerning the kingdom of God or even the mission of God and the plan of God and the wisdom of God

They were discussing with one another of which one of them was going to be the greatest What keeps you in darkness What keeps you from seeing God what keeps you the Bible says Satan blinds the minds of the unbelieving? Satan blinds The mind yes, God opens the mind and yes, God graces us with repentance But the Bible also says Satan blinds people and he keeps people in the darkness and they're in darkness Because their life has nothing to do with God and everything to do with themselves and Jesus here is of course knows he knew what but they were discussing and they were discussing which one of them is going to have the throne Which one of them is going to be the greatest and God is not rebuking them for greatness In fact, he's not rebuking them for the desire to do great things. I Do believe that we live in an exceptional country I do believe that we live in the greatest country that has ever existed in the history of the world I will also tell you the founders were not also oblivious to the fact that we've got to get better They wrote that we may be a more what perfect Union, but if there wasn't an America there wouldn't be the gospel that has been going forth There would have not been I'll be honest with you. There would have not been a world All that to say There's nothing wrong with you going. I want to be better. I want to grow. I want to change I want to be more like Christ. I want to be more shaped into his image. I want to be sharper as I age I don't want to be sloppy. I want to be sharp. I want to be on point I don't want to be someone that just begins to just fade away into oblivion Lord Would you just do and create a new thing in me do a new work in me do a new thing in me? But the point being as they are talking about greatness he goes, oh well if you want to talk about greatness Here's what greatness is. He then brings them together and he puts in their midst Sitting down. He puts a young boy in the midst of them all and of course he says he who wants to be great he who wants to be first he has to be last of all and Greatness is serving Taking a child he set before them and Taking him in his arms

He said to them whoever receives one child like this in my name Receives me and whoever receives me does not receive me but him who sent me Jumping forward to verse 45 of Mark chapter 10 again the same theme this morning about serving The Son of Man did not come to be served but sir and To give his life a ransom for many. My first words as I was writing and just thinking about today was there's nothing new under the sun. Have you ever just had somebody totally miss the point of what you just said? Like how did you get, how did you come up with that direction? How did you come up with this plan when that plan was not even the plan that was even close to being reality or even being something that was presented? And here these disciples have been walking with Jesus and we're talking now. He's coming to the end. He's giving them one clear picture after another. I'm going to be crucified. They're going to deliver me into the hands of evil men. They're going to kill me. They're going to mock me. They're going to do all of these evil things to me. But he says, guys, three days later, I'm going to come back. And what's not new under the sun even today as a church and even as a disciple and a follower of Christ and even Christ giving us the scriptures and teaching and sermons is that despite how much Jesus tells us and how much Jesus speaks to us and how much he gives us what he gives us on daily bread, if you will, we still are about ourselves and that we are concerned more about ourselves than about the gospel. Or we, of course, we do come to church and we do come to receive and we do come to hear and we do come to get what God has for us. But what Jesus gives us over and over and over is that if we're not careful, we come for the purpose of ourselves where the real center of the church or the real center of our hearts and the center of our attention really has nothing to do with him but ourselves and what he's doing in us. And into greatness, when you consider greatness, what Jesus is telling us is that ultimately as he walks with us and you walk with him, there should be a greater and greater evidence that just as Jesus laid down his life for others, so should I. That if we have an issue in our world today and I think even in the church but even in our world, how many would agree, most people are not thinking about other people, they're thinking about themselves. Call it a consumer generation.

Call it where we come to get but we don't come to give. What these disciples wanted and of course, we're all guilty. We've all sinned. We're all in that same boat. These particular disciples and I'm talking about those that are walking as close to Jesus as anybody walk, they are talking about the throne. They want the throne. They're thinking, who is going to sit on your left and on your right? And they're looking for their own agenda and their own particular way of getting something from God when the ultimate reality is it's not about a throne, it's about thorns. And what it's ultimately about is this cross. And that's why Paul could say in the deepest, darkest of pits and hardship, if I'm going to live another day, it just means another day of serving. If I live another day, if I live another month, if I live another year, if I live another decade, it means one thing. My life is going to mean fruitful labor to whoever comes around me. You can go to the end of the book of Acts and the last verses in the book of Acts, of Acts chapter 28, Paul is in this dungeon and the Bible says he being sentenced, he being in chains, it says, and whoever came to visit him, he gave them the ways of Jesus and the kingdom of God to the very end. How many want to be known as a servant? Ultimately, the only change that will come to your home begins with you serving those that are the closest around. But my wife, Pastor Joe, you just don't know. She's not the same woman. When we walked down that aisle, it was fun. And then it's fangs. All I see are fangs. Ain't no fun. We used to have fun. Now it's fangs. We're biting and chewing. And I'm not talking about her neck. I'm talking about my butt. She's after me. It's a little cold. I'm going hardcore. I'm waking some of you all up. What usually is the death to every marriage, every church, in every country is that we stop serving. July the 4th, I said to my sons, Mason, Connor, and Jackson, we were in DC last week. It was 120 degrees with the heat index. And that's why a lot of things were canceled. And I said, but we're gonna do something today, and that is we're gonna go see Uncle Keith, my brother, who we just buried at Arlington Cemetery. And I and the boys would get on the train and we'd get there at the Arlington Station, and I'll be honest with you, it was hot, it was hot. I told Keith in my imagination, this is hard.

And then I thought, with the tens of thousands of people who gave their lives, and we would meet people on that bus who were visiting family for the first time, 21-year-old young man who died in Afghanistan with his family, and I'm telling you, they were country. I don't think they've ever seen a car. They were country. They were country. And they were paying their respects to her brother, and she wanted the nephews to see the hero that he was. And we would go find my brother, section 62, tombstone, headstone 1423, Keith Champion. And I'll be honest with you, my brother's in a new section, which means there's no trees, which means it was 120 degrees. And I said, Keith, you didn't get a tree. In fact, if he could speak, he would say, I didn't get a tree, this is hot out here. But when I think about the serving of our country, how serving is what has made our country great. It's the service. How many are thankful for the men and women that have served our nation? They're serving. And the moment we stop serving, and the moment we stop serving, the moment we stop what Jesus said, servanthood leads to greatness. If whatever you're doing doesn't serve, or add value, or make a difference in the lives of people,

what is your greatness? It's in vain. And what Jesus is saying is, guys, I know you don't get it. I know you don't understand all the things that I'm saying to you. In fact, it happened again. In John chapter 13, Jesus was washing their feet. And he goes, you know what I did to you? And they, of course, they didn't know. Jesus said, you call me teachers, you call me Lord, you call me master, you call me king, you call yourself a Christian, you call yourself a disciple, you call yourself a follower of Jesus. If then, and you're right to say that, if then the Lord and the teacher washed your feet, should you not also wash one another's feet? I've given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, there's a blessing not in knowing it, but in what? Doing it. And I know I'm talking to the core, in fact, I'm talking to the real congregation of our church. If you're in church in the middle of July,

you mean business with God, unless you were paid to be here today. I do believe that the summertime is the greatest time to prepare for the harvest of what God has. Consider the ant in the summer. Doesn't vacation, but labors in the summer to prepare for the future harvest. And I just wanna challenge you with these thoughts today, that Jesus says, even in those last moments in that upper room, guys, I'm leaving you the pattern, but I'm leaving you also the principle that life happens and only happens, in fact, the blessing of life is in your serving other people. And in your serving, there comes a blessing. And of course, they didn't get it. They didn't understand it. And you and I, when we are concerned with ourselves, and I'm not against that, we should, and of course, we have our responsibilities, our burdens, our needs, we have our jobs, we've got our bills, we've got all those various things that can consume us. But they were talking about their position, their ranking, their title, their agenda, yet they were walking with Jesus. And instead of hearing the mission, instead of hearing the message, instead of hearing the purpose,

I love how God, Mark, in fact, the book of Mark just goes TMZ on them. You know what that means? It gets the scoop on them. Brings out their heart of heart, brings out what's really inside their soul. And I'm talking about the people that were the closest to Jesus. Still, we're not thinking about building the church. In fact, they were not about expanding the church or the gospel. That's why Paul says, I'm gonna stay so that you will help. of the gospel, building the church and the kingdom of God through the local church. The reality is, is that they didn't see themselves as the church. And I want to challenge you this summer. That it's one thing to come to church, it's one thing to be a consumer, it's one thing to be an attender, and that's right, and that's good, it's one thing to be where you need to be. I think every week, and whenever the doors are open, how many were raised by a mom and a dad that says, every day the door's open, boy, you gotta be in that church? Some podunk town in Texas, you know what I'm talking about. But the reality is, at some point, it's gotta bear fruit. And how do we serve people? How do we give our lives away? How do we give our time, our talent, our treasures away? That's the kingdom. That's what God begins to recognize. So I jump to this truth, and to this particular story of Mark chapter 11. So it says that as Jesus has now been speaking about servanthood, and serving, and not just

serving the next generation, as it relates to this child being set in the midst of them. That's why we do what we do here at Celebration Church. That's why we invest a lot of time, talent, and treasure in the next generation of WAVE students, and doing what we do in outreaches through the school. That child thought, making sure the next generation has a clear path, a clear way to meet Christ. Not in complication. Not in religion. Not in something that is only about maybe the ministry, or the pastor, or those few that are the backbone, or the beginners of that. That's what can happen. And this is what was happening even in his own disciples. That they'd been with Jesus, and they were going to be able to say, well, we were there when we started it. And so when the new people come in, see what he's introducing is new people. He's introducing not just young people. He's introducing new people. And so what happens to a lot of churches, organizations, companies, we're not receptive to new people. And the old people become like territorial. They become people who are protecting their chair, their seat, their ministry, their world, their space. And Jesus goes, oh, I'm going to punch that. I'm going to pop that. Because the day that our church, the day that any organization, the day that any company begins to resist change, and resist people who might threaten their own positions, is the day that God says, I can't bless you. And to be honest with you, God can't bless someone who's not living to be a blessing. In other words, the blessing of God, can it come upon a particular life that is not intending to take the blessing that they've received and give it away? For freely you have what?

Received freely what? Give. Everything you have has been given to you by God. You know your mind to get up today, though maybe half of it is still in bed, was given to you by God. Your resources, your job, paycheck, it's all from God. Your ability to stand up, your ability to just think the way that you should be thinking comes from God. And when you recognize that, when you understand that, that that was not just so that you would be alive, it's so that you could help other people live. Yes, Paul says, I'd rather die and be with the Lord. Yes, I have finished the race. Yes, I have worked hard. Yes, I've written two-thirds of what would be two-thirds of the New Testament. Not that he knew that, but it would become that, because I'm ready to see Jesus. But in my absence, this world would not be a better place. Let it not be said that your family secretly behind the scenes is saying, I hope he dies. We'd be a lot happier. Our home would be a lot better place. That's not the way we should be living. Our life should be when we walk into places and environments and situations, we're not bringing problems, we're helping to bring solutions. Just by you being there, you bring peace to people. And so we come to the story now of the next day. He leaves Bethany, he's gone from Capernaum to Bethany, now, watch this, he's hungry. And Jesus being hungry, sees a fig tree. He sees the fig tree in life, leaf, and he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it. And when he came to it, he didn't. didn't find anything on it but leaves.

Now it was not the season for figs. So the interesting part about this is Jesus is hungry, he's wanting something, he's desirous of something. And now he is being hungry, he sees this fig tree that's not supposed to be bearing figs, but it's bearing the opinion or the messaging that it's got figs. So when he goes to it, because it has leaves, what he's basically going to confront in this tree is the false profession without fruit. He's going to go to what tree, this tree is giving off this opinion, I'm fruitful, I'm a Christian, I'm a believer, I'm a follower, I'm here God and of course I'm here and I'm unashamed of Jesus, all of those is true and right. But then the closer he gets to it, the more he finds disappointment. Because the Bible says there's nothing fruitful, it's just a confession. That's why the Bible says, be a doer of the word and not a what, a hearer. You see, I love that we have a full church, a church that is filled, but that is not the sign of health. The sign of health is those that are sitting and attending, those that are making the church full, are they fruitful? Are they serving? Are they carrying their weight? Are they making a difference? That's why we have not just ministries and opportunities for you to serve, but I'm a failure as a pastor. If all we do is grow and we give off the appearance that we are a great, healthy church and then when Jesus comes to it, he goes, I don't find where I'm being satisfied, for people are really about themselves and not about me. I want you to see this story because it's important. I don't want Jesus to hear me say on one day, I'm a believer, I'm not ashamed of Jesus. He's my Lord and Savior. We got to get the country back to where it needs to be. We got to be this.

We got to be that. We got to be great, but those are just words. I really do believe that the only hope that our country has is that we as a church are not just coming to church, we are the church, which means we're mobilized, making a difference in the lives of people, serving people, and we're making a difference. And when Jesus comes, I want to ask these questions to you. Number one, would Christ find your life making a difference in other people? What would he say? Would he find that your life is making a difference? And the Bible says, first of all, do good to all, making a difference to all. It says in Acts 10, Jesus went about doing good, healing all, and it didn't matter if they were in the church, out of church, didn't matter if they were believers or unbelievers. The reality is, is that he wants the whole world to know that he's good. That means that we are never allowed to mistreat anyone, anywhere, no matter where they are. And I hear an amen. We are to display the fruit of God. Number two, would Christ find your life making a difference in the church? My question to you is, when you read the Bible, do you understand and have you read the scriptures where the primary ministry, the primary activity of our fruit builds the church that builds the kingdom in the earth? And I want to challenge you this summer. I pray that as you enjoy your time, and rightfully so, I want to challenge you to get involved in being a part of building the church, like expressing how we can together, because together we make a bigger difference. And that's why we have things. That's why we do what we do in a clear way so that people are not wondering, how do I get involved? Well, that's why that's so important, as Jackson was saying, the transition. I've had people say, Pastor Joe, what do you want me to do? I said, well, I need to find out what you like to do.

I need to find out what makes you tick. I need to find out how God has been working in your life. And then we want to place you in those places to make the difference with the most fruit. And we want you to like it. The last thing I want is somebody out in the parking lot giving people the bird, because you don't like how people drive. We've had people out there. I had a guy, somebody said, Pastor Joe, you know, you got a guy out there flipping the bird at people. It wasn't Steve. It wasn't those guys. But it's not the guy walking out in the back. Is that you, Steve? I see you with you. But I said hey, why did we put him in the parking lot? Well, he just said you want to be outside Well, that's not good We lost 14 members that day Actually gained 32 because some people like that What would jesus say if he came to you Would be the fruit Or the relationship to the building of the church every scripture You can't read the bible without realizing that the primary building of the church is first and foremost God's arm builds his church That's why the bible tells us each one of us doing what god has called us to do For the building and the edifying of the church causes growth of the body and the growth of the body brings the glory of god in the earth We're at a 250 year mark as a country We as a church have the opportunity celebration To be a part of the next 250

The third question would christ find your life making a difference in him Are you feeding christ? There's three ways that you serve the lord. Number one. I've already adjusted And first is the ministry to the saints There's a ministry To the body There's a giving of good to people But maybe the first and foremost and it begins everything else is Are you serving through worship? See christ is longing for you I think he was over you and over me waiting for us to wake up going. Hey, they're awake I get to spend the day with them I challenge you let your first move out of bed. I did this morning. I can't say I do it every day. I did it today I do it as often as I would allow my My fake knee to bend I roll out of bed and I just say lord. I love being with you today I want this day to be fruitful I want to be a blessing I just roll out of bed Just roll on my knees Just say god Out of my belly you said will flow rivers of living water I don't feel like I don't want to I don't want to be in the ministry. I've tried to quit every day of my life since i've been in the ministry nor he says if you don't Go to work. I'll kill you and so I get up and I go God Wants you from this moment on To live a life of greatness And you can be great

beginning number one Giving god mercy Feeding him your life Lord, thank you for saying would you just whisper to the lord? Thank you for saying Thank you for making me. Thank you for being my father and I am your child Now you're thankful that god Is your father you were his child He wants you he wants that that's real. It's real It's real He's longing for you to not just live with him, but he says now go live with other people Make a difference serving Being of service to the body and to other people And it encompasses both god and people And so I close asking with every head bow and every eye Your ministry your leaves let me ask you that question Do they can train fruit Or is it empty is your life making a difference And what would be left Because the scariest probably the most severest message In fact the most severest statement that I can find for me is when jesus said To that fig tree that jesus left disappointed from now on you'll never bear fruit From now on you'll never bear fruit You'll never bear fruit Here's what he's saying No one will ever be misled. I will not send people to you if you're going to mislead people I don't want to be a misleading person

How many want god to send people to you And his head's about eyes closed. I want you to think about this He sends people to he sends opportunities to you He says now use him by serving people But if you're not going to be a blessing if you're not going to help then you won't have people That's why churches close up That's why companies close up that's why restaurants close up That's why hotels close up when you walk into a hotel some of us we've gone to hotels or restaurants and you think They're doing it doing you a favor, by giving you a table. The reality is they're there to serve, and we're here to serve. And if not, nobody's gonna walk in. The result is a life that will have no life around it. If you'll say today, Lord, make me a servant. Out of your belly will come harvest. Maybe you're here today and you'd say, Pastor Joe, I don't know Christ. Can I tell you, Jesus served. He served you into the opportunity today by laying down his life to die for your sins, to give you heaven. Not if you're gonna die, you will. It's not if you're gonna meet God, you will. And no matter what you think about God, no matter how you have opinionated your own thought about God and God to you is this and God in your own way, you can say all that, but I'm here to tell you, the God of the scriptures,

the God that you're gonna meet, he died for you. He said, whosoever knows me will know the Father and will know forgiveness. You can't be forgiven without Christ. He served you by laying down his life. If you're here today and you say, Joe, I'd like to receive this. If that's you, would you just slip up your hands and say, I'd like to pray. I need Jesus. I need forgiveness. I need grace. I need mercy. I need a second chance. If that's you, would you just slip up your hands? You can put your hand down. Maybe it's a rededication today. But today, God wants you to know he loves you and he wants to do great things to you. Let me say this out loud. Lord Jesus, I ask for your grace, your mercy. I come to you just as I am, acknowledging I'm guilty, I'm lost, but you are the way, you are the truth, and you are the life. From this moment on and forever, life is yours. Now, Lord, lead me. Teach me how to be a blessing, how to be service-minded and have the heart of a servant

to other people. And all of God's people said, can we just thank God for his goodness and his kindness and his mercy?