House For All | Rodrigo Vargas

- Y'all way is your name. Hileskines, he is who he is. (audience applauding) And when his people gather to worship the name, that establish the firmament and the earth, in a throne above all others where he sits and we call him King, Lord and Savior. His presence falls down in that place and begins to move amongst the people. So today is the day of celebration. Not of what we've done, but of what y'all way has done. And in this moment, I ask in the mighty name of Jesus that this moment of worship don't move us too quickly, but it starts to penetrate our hearts and our souls that have been medicine to our spirits. And it be the enlightenment of our eyes to see the revelation that you have for us with the same mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead may we be able to walk in that authority. May we walk in the same authority in which you have placed Jesus on a throne above every rule and power and dominion and authority and that we receive it so that we may look more like you. (speaking in foreign language) We worship you, y'all way. Be with us as we enter a time of listening to your word. And I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus and the people of God gave a big ole' loud.

Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen. You may be seated. What's good Houston, Texas, happy 10 year anniversary. If this is your first time with us, I wanna tell you that you are not just a special guest, but you are also one of our answered prayers. I tell you, I say this every week that we exist to connect the people to God with the life giving message of Jesus Christ. And that message says that it doesn't matter what your past looks like, doesn't matter what mess you brought in here or what doubts were in your heart. Jesus loves you right where you are, but he also loves you too much to leave you where you are. And this includes every man and woman who is watching us that is incarcerated right now through the Panda Wap Union Houston. Would you help me welcome our unit, Bridget Gabbas. We love you even though we can't see you, we love you and we can't wait for the day you walk in to join us in person. We're celebrating 10 years of union use, 10 years of God's faithfulness, 10 years of miracles, 10 years of salvation, 10 years of baptism, some deliverances, breakthrough repentance, redemption and reconciliation and church, what a journey it has been. But after 10 years, we're still committed to connecting people to God. That is our vision. And we do that by preaching the gospel of Jesus

and making disciples of all people. From our living room beginning as a house of prayer into a sanctuary where we became a house of worship and over the years where God moved in the power of the gospel, the power of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit, we became a house of miracles and testimonies. Can I get an amen? But I wanna talk to you about today. What I wanna talk to you is that after 10 years today, I wanna talk to you from the title. After 10 years, we are still a house for all. Now, there's a parable Luke 14 that we're gonna, we're not gonna read, but it's called "A Parable of the Great Banquet." And I've preached on it many times over the last 10 years. But today, I'm gonna look at three verses right before it. Jesus is eating at the home of a prominent Pharisee, which is a person who is a person. He introduces what I love to teach about the upside-down kingdom and there's a principle in the upside-down kingdom that it says humble yourself and he will exalt you humble yourself and he will elevate you because in Jesus's kingdom I want to tell you that the last is first those that we're going to come in first will come in last that those who want to be great must become a servant. And then that's when you will be rewarded and today I want to preach to you something that is the heart of our culture here at Union Houston so if you're visiting with us or you're looking for a church or a community or a house to belong to a family I want you to know that it comes right out of Luke chapter 14 verses 12 through 14 would you stand with me as we read the Word of God then Jesus said to his host when you give a luncheon or a dinner do not invite your friends your brothers or sisters your relatives or your rich neighbors for if you do they might invite you back so you will be repaid but when you give a banquet invite the poor the cripple the lane the blind and you will be blessed instruction with a blessing although they cannot repay you

you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous let's pray Father God we thank you for your word we thank you for these words that our Lord Jesus gave to us 2000 years ago today I ask you in the name of Jesus holy spirit that you begin to soften the heart and hearts that you begin to open blinded eyes and you begin to open ears that have been muffled by the world and distractions right now in the name of Jesus I rebuke all distractions all negativity any spirit of division dissension I may be in the atmosphere I rebuke any wish that's sitting in here in this place they need to leave because the powerful name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus is in this place and right now I ask you holy spirit to move mildly and begin convicting hearts Lord to begin to remove the things that don't belong and put in the things that you belong but most importantly let these words be what you want to say and not what I want to say if you want to move me in the sermon I'm all yours help me deliver which that which you have imparted into me and I pray this in Jesus mighty name and the church of God said amen amen amen amen we are talking about a house for all now these verses right of immediately after these verses follows a parable in which a parable is an earthly story okay that was told in that day but it conveys a spiritual meaning and Jesus tells this story of an important man which represents God his father and he prepares a great banquet in which he invites people he knows and they say yes right you ever been invited to a party and you're like yes right I'm ready to go right they say they're they're gonna come to the banquet but suddenly on the day of they have better things to do that's with the parable that he's up that he comes after these verses now I need you to get this context because let's be honest one thing you're gonna know especially if you're new with us is we're an honest church we don't do fake fake we do real real and and we got to be honest you know this sounds a lot like us we run to God when life is falling apart right when we're hurting when we're broken when we're broke and we should because only God can help us only Jesus is the answer I'm going to be honest you but then he blesses us because that's who he is he is faithful he is loving he is compassionate and merciful like it he blesses us he forgives us he favors us and suddenly you know what that that barbecue at Texas are playing today I see y'all y'all wearing your gear I love it my man's wearing the right jersey right there either the birthday party some of y'all saints will do a birthday party on a Sunday at noon But from a spirit field, Bible reading, saint, who's been sanctified and saved by the blood of Jesus.

Come on, now you can do better than that, now, now, but this is the natural behavior of human being. We, the game becomes more important, the wedding becomes more important, the Sunday funding become important, right, and it becomes more important than the one who saves us. I want to tell you, that's religion too. That's why I'm making a big deal, because running to God when things are bad and forgetting him when things are good is religious. It's your own form of religion, it's your own form. So the master tells the servants, "Hey, you know what? These men's hosts didn't want to come." So you know what I need you to do? Go out in the highways, in the bioways, in the alleys, in the valleys and bring me all the misfits of the discarded, those that nobody wants to seek the poor, the crippled, the forgotten, because I'm going to have them all in my house because my house will be filled. What God is saying is his house will be filled, and if the saints don't want to act according to the scriptures, and according to the spirit, and according to his part for them, that he's going to pull people off the street and invite them into this house and do what he set out to do with this church. Now I need you to hear my heart, because especially if you're new here today, I believe the Bible was relevant then, and because it's the living word of God, it is still relevant today. Jesus says, "Is it only rebuking the Pharisees and the religious system of that day?" He's rebuking the Pharisees at Union, Houston, and the religious system you created for yourself. In many ways, He's rebuking us, our religion, our traditions. Let me say it this way, the way we transact with God, and in these three verses Jesus gives us three things, write them down, these are your points, the rebuke, the requirement, and the reward for the house of all, the house for all. Let's start with the rebuke, the rebuke, when I say rebuke, I need you to fix your mind around this idea first, because too often when you hear rebuke, especially if you went to a religious church, a rebuke was a reprimand. It was church discipline, how many of you were brought before the church, and we're

like this young man, he's been watching pornography, and embarrassed and shamed in front of everybody. You think that's rebuke, but rebuke is something totally different. It isn't someone getting in your face and tearing you down. A rebuke is a critique, or a call to turn back, shift, I like to use this word redirect. So a rebuke from Jesus is a call to redirect to his way. Jesus says he is the way that life and the truth, he is it, the way the truth and the life. Jesus rebukes, he's not crushing you, he's not punishing you, he's moving you from your way to his way. Let's not desire, a rebuke from Jesus is not rejection, it's redirection. A rebuke from Jesus is not rejection, it's a redirection. You're frustrated, you're bitter, you're hurt, you're in pain, because you've been doing it your way. Let's do this for those of you that are here today. Let's redirect and do it his way, amen. That means that we're going to have to ship from us to them, from us to them, from watch us from religion, our own form of religion to relationship, because some of us struggle in religion, we do things our way, we cuss at the wife, we cuss at the husband, we kick the dog, we cheat on our taxes, we cut corners, you're lonely, you've had a stressful week, you can't take it anymore, you put on porn, you masturbate, and then on Sunday you're coming, "Oh God, I'm sorry." But what if you were in a relationship with the Lord, where before you went and did that Okay, before you open your big fat mouth, You look at your best friend, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior and King and said, would you help me in this moment? That's a relationship. But to ask Him for help, you gotta know Him. And so, religion says you must do good to be good. Jesus says you are good because of what I've already done.

And I invite you to be in relation to that. Jesus is redirecting religious people, traditions and cultures because cultures demand. Cultures weigh down, cultures hand out rules. Cultures are contradictory to Jesus and they do this all in the name of Jesus. What I really need you to see is that at the root of this problem is one simple thing. We try to transact with God and He's rebuking that. At the root of this, if you see it, go and invite people that can repay you. Why Jesus is the same, don't try to transact with people. But here's the problem is we gotta stop training God like a transaction, like it's a deal, like it's a contract. I do this, so you'll do that. I show up, I give, I serve, I get and I behave. Right? And in exchange, you'll bless me, you owe me. You know what the problem with that is? It's the same thing I said a couple of weeks ago. I, I, I, me, me. That's a contract and that's not a relationship. It's about you and not the one on the throne. We approach God with an invoice. Look what I've done for it. Yeah. Now here's what I need from you. And when the blessing doesn't show up the way we wanted it, the way we envisioned it, the way we did it. Well, we get bitter.

We walk away because the transaction didn't pay out what we thought. That's not the gospel church. You cannot earn what Jesus has already paid for. And that's dangerous because the way we transact with God ends up how we transact with others. So because you do the dishes, fold the clothes, cook the deals, the meals, right? They got to do everything you want them to. Because you are a card, you make all the money or you make most of the money, right? Then they got to like what you got to like and think how you got to think. It's because if that's you, you've been transacting with God. And so now you're transacting with that person. If I relate to God like a deal, then I'm going to relate to people like a deal, right? If you love expecting something back, is that really love? I love you if you love me back. I'll serve you if it benefits me. I'll serve if it fits my schedule. Well, I wonder who created the time that you have. (indistinct) I wonder. I'll show up for you if you can show up for me when I need you. That's the dinner party Jesus is describing, inviting people who can pay you back. We do it in church too.

We build rooms that look open, but they're only open for other Christians. Hey, look, ah, we act like we love all people, but we only really open ourselves up to people like us, who talk like us, who look like us, who give like us, who can help me get ahead like us. We speak Christianese in church andese, blessed and highly favored, walking in one accord, praises be to the Lord, instead of just using everyday language that hurting people on the street can relate to, that can understand, and we begin to perform. Do a little tap dance for you. We put on a holy voice, oh, yes, a spiritual smile. Everything is blessed, everything is paid, working, everything is great. In the meantime, you're falling apart inside. But why, why do we do this? for the banquet, for those that have it all together. And relationships, it's not about being (speaks foreign language) I see you struggling. You know what, you always pay the tacos, but today I'm paying the taco, I need you to sit here and tell me what's going on with you. Talk to me. Religious cultures don't allow people to be real. And you can't pray, love, serve and give with a hook in it. Anything with a hook in it is a transaction. If I pray, so yomi has a hook. If I serve to be seen is a hook.

If I give to get is a hook. A hook is designed to throw, catch something and bring it back to who? You, that's not love. Love doesn't have a hook. Love has an open hand, what's mine is yours. Open arms, come on in and open doors. Religion is exhausting. Religious people are exhausted, frustrated and bitter, the most angry of people because religion demands something they cannot give. And Jesus is offering relationship. Watch what he says in Matthew 11 for all of you who are tired and weary. Can I get some people in here that are tired and who has come to church with some pain, some weirdness and some tiredness? Come on now, I got some gospel right here. Jesus says, come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is like. Here's what you need to do. A yoke connects two animals together so they can carry a heavy load together. Now, Jesus is saying, hey, look, when you are weak, I am the strong one. When you are tired, I'll keep going for you.

When you are yoke to Jesus, you will have a load but the load doesn't disappear, you just don't carry it alone. Religion says you got to carry this all alone, don't tell anybody and don't tell the pastor. Don't tell the pastor. Why is he telling their husband? Don't tell the pastor. He's too busy. I get man confessed to me, all right, I didn't want to call you because he was a bit not. Don't tell me, if you tell me I'm too busy one more time. No, get kicked in the nuts. (audience laughing) Jesus says, get in this yoke with me. That's what he's saying, get in this yoke with me, right? Because I know you can't, but I can't. That's the rebuke church. He's not tearing us down. He's redirecting us from religion, to relationship out of transaction, into transformation out of a hook. And into a yoke with him. And after he redirects us, he gives us the requirement, the requirement. Here's what verse 13 says, but when you give a banquet, wait, don't go too fast. Don't worry, that's it, that's all I want. When you give, see, it doesn't say if you give a banquet, but when that means that Jesus is saying, we gotta give a banquet.

Oh no, look at this, you got to give a banquet. And if you're gonna have a banquet, hey, how many of you are organizers and preparer of things, raise your hands. Then you know there's gonna have to be a preparation for that banquet, right? You just don't throw, you're men. Hey, we're having a barbecue. What time two? You show up at two and home boys are like, hey, we gotta go get the meat now. What? What? Why ain't they all damn ready to eat meat, what are you? The women, they've been up since six in the morning preparing everything. They got flowers on the table, ice. resources are needed work goes into it and guess what servants are the ones who prepare and invite to the banquet the requirement Jesus is asking of us is in one phrase you got to give a banquet see the requirement is that we prepare as a church for those who are in need why who did he tell us to go get the lame the crippled the broken the lost the destitute the discarded the misfits the addicted those that have a past my people that are incarcerated the divorce the atheist the Muslim and the Jew you didn't Houston is a house that prepares to welcome anyone and everyone who needs Jesus we we are not building religion we are not building traditions we are building an atmosphere where people you love and welcome by the Almighty Yahweh I'm glad you clap because that means we have to prepare and for you to prepare a banquet for Jesus your heart has to be right Jesus needs a hundred percent commitment that's why you keep sitting cuz you're a hundred percent committed

a hundred percent commitment to Jesus not to me if you're watching not to your pastor honor your pastor but not the commitment is to Jesus I'm telling you as Lee pastor of Union Houston my greatest desire is a 100% all in sold out commitment to Jesus Christ of Nazareth and no one else not a church thing not a church location or building I'm talking about being committed to the way the truth in the life Jesus Christ I'm not looking for perfect people but in process people not perfect but faithful and that process is called discipleship that that's what we're offering here at Union Houston today's the big launch day for our connect groups I I'm encouraging every single one of us in fact if you're wondering I wonder if this is church for me you'll never know if it's our church until you get into our connect group culture that's where you're gonna experience the most church that's where you're gonna grow the most that's where you're gonna learn the most that's where you're gonna see the greatest amount of transformation is in a connect group so you want to make sure you sign up if you're new with us here's what I recommend I'm gonna recommend you that you do foundations okay even if you've been in church all your life I'm gonna tell you foundations he's gonna shake the paradigm that you thought church was okay the second thing is if you've been to foundations and I recommend you go straight into a freedom group and then if you've been to freedom then you need to get into what we believe group which is basically theology and doctrine you need to form your own theology and doctrine biblically scripturally or Ben you need to be in a maximized manhood group wise make sure he gets in a minute you tired of him being lazy you tired of him being weak you tired are you always praying and you always fasting get get his butt in a maximized manhood group and if for those of you that haven't I'm gonna recommend that you seriously consider the disciples way it teaches you on how to become a disciple to help Jesus make the more disciples of him and guess what we have two groups that are in Spanish 100% in Spanish why do we do this because this is what it means to be committed to Jesus not perfect but in process in fact in Luke chapter 10

Jesus says only one thing is required I'm a summarizing for you and I'm gonna read you the scriptures being committed to him and only him in fact here's what Luke chapter says Martha Martha you are worried and upset about many things so listen saints saints church church you are worried and upset about many things about the rise of Muslims about the rise of abortions about this and that in the third right the division in our country and the war in Iran you're worried but but she says or indeed only but few things are needed required or indeed only one and Mary has chosen what is better and will not be taken away from Martha was distracted with my many things but Mary was committed to only one thing listening to what Jesus was saying many things don't do it only one thing does and his name is Jesus and you will never Preparation as a disciple is all you're asking of you. The more you know Jesus, the more you look like Jesus. The prophet Micah in fact says this, "He has shown you, O Lord, of what is good and what does the Lord require of you." Here's the three things to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God, Micah 6-8. That requires a hard transformation, not a religious transaction. The requirement here is clear and simple. It's not easy at times, but it's clear and simple. In fact, a man once came to Jesus and basically said, "I've kept all the commandments. What must I do?" And Jesus says, "Love, O Lord, your God, and with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love your neighbor." I said, "I've done that. I've done that. Yes, I'm in. What must I do to inherit the kingdom of God?" You see it? You see it? Have you ever seen that? What he was doing was transacting with Jesus? Hey, what do you need for me, right? You need a little time money, Jesus, right? You need someone on your board, right? When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still like one thing? Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and then you will have treasure in heaven." Then once you've gotten rid of all your idols, then you can follow me. Now, Jesus was not saying money was evil. Jesus was telling this rich young ruler to get rid of the idols in his life, because he's made an altar out of a success, his money, his properties, an altar out of his wealth, an altar out of his power and control. And that's many of us in here today. Many of us have made altars, things into idols in our lives. Jesus is challenging us today. Am I first? He's challenged his young man.

Would we get rid of those things to give him 100 percent? That's what he's asking. Are you okay getting rid of those ideas? My ideas, because a house for all requires a people who are all in. Listen, we just spent the weekend revival nights. We were out here worshiping till late at night, moving the spirit. I mean, people are getting slain in the spirit prep, people praying, miracle signs, wonders that old thing is beautiful. My wife got crazy tambourines. She's our crazy church lady just walking around with tambourines. And God's going to move because he's faithful, but can I tell you, he'll move more powerfully and more mightily when we're all in. But here's the best part. There's a reward attached to all this. Because verse 14 talks about the reward and you will be blessed. I need you to underline will be blessed. I came here to tell you today that Jesus is going to play bless you. He will bless you. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Church, here it is. Here's the reward. When we live open-handed with our giving, open arms, welcoming those that are not welcome to anywhere else that is scarred in the misfits. Those know nobody wants. When we prepare an open table or anyone who wants to come can sit and eat at Jesus's table, not Union Houston's table, but Jesus's table. When we are preparing to receive new souls, new families, new testimonies, you will be blessed. We will be blessed. We get a reward. Our reward will be given on the day of resurrection. Now there's two parts to this report. First is that you're going to be resurrected. And that should be enough for you to be like praise the Lord, praise the Lord, praise the Lord. You get to be with him forever. The second part is probably my favorite part. He will reward you himself when he looks at you and he says, well done. Good and faithful servant. Church, that's the reward. That's the reward we're living for. Not to be repaid at the table with positions, with honor, with titles, with invites, but to be repaid at the resurrection. Not a pause from people or approval from, but an approval from the King of Kings. One simple well done from the one we could never repay. But there's a way we can also get a foretaste, a little taste right now of what is still to come. And it happens when we live this way,

when we live with our hands open, and when we welcome the beautiful families of our community. So right now I'm gonna ask you to do something. Would you open your hearts so you can hear my sister Brenda's story? (gentle music) - Well, my name is Brenda, Brenda Torres. I was born in Mexico City. And my parents migrated here to the United States when I was five years old. And they landed in Spring Branch, Houston, Texas. And I've been here ever since. So I grew up in Spring Branch. I was raised in Spring Branch, and so I love Spring Branch. I am a single mom. I'm a single mom with two beautiful kids. I've been a single mom for 15 years now. (gentle music) So, you know, because I wasn't raised in a home where we went to church or we even knew of church, you know, knew of Jesus, it was a rough childhood. It's just, you know, when you don't really know of Christ, right, you don't know the identity. So I struggle with identity. I struggle with self-worth. At the age of 12, you know, I started doing drugs. I started hanging around with the wrong people. And so it was, I was just really around bad influences. Throughout the years, as I started growing up, I was, you know, addicted to drugs, right?

I was setting drugs. And so, you know, it wasn't to the age of 26 that he found me. There was a time when my mom, you know, was in a very bad place. She was going through a bad depression. And it was just, it was a very rough situation for, you know, in our lives. My mom was going through depression. My brother was in prison. My dad started drinking after being sober 30 years. And so, you know, the whole family was just in a very bad place. And I remember there was just one day where, you know, she, somebody invited her to church and she went to church. And when she came back home, she was a completely different person. My mom ended up going through spiritual warfare. Literally, right? We didn't understand at that moment. I just remember her coming home and she's speaking in tongues. And because we don't know what that was, we call 911. And, you know, she would always invite us to church and be like, "Nah, that's not for me." You know, but made Mother's Day, she invited us and I was like, "Okay, just because it's Mother's Day,

I'm gonna go to church." You know? And I, you know, we went to church. You know, I went to church with my kids and they were little at the time. But I remember saying to myself, "I want what she has. I want what I want. I wanna be a part of that." And sure enough, you know, she invited me to a woman's Bible study and I went to a woman's Bible study with her. And that night, they said, "Do you accept the Lord in your heart?" And I said, "Yes." So, you know, when I accept Christ in my life, you know, I start seeing things different. You know, I start seeing things different and I start realizing, you know, maybe the stuff that I went through is so that I can help others. So, you know, when I started serving at church, I've always been with my mom, you know, because she was, you know, in the Spanish-speaking church, you know, we were always been together. And so, we were serving all the time. And by all the time, I mean, you know, Mondays, we would go out to evangelize the streets. Tuesdays, we were doing discipleship classes. Wednesdays, we had events. Thursdays, we had, you know, Bible studies at homes, right?

And then Fridays, I was training people for media. Saturdays, we had like three services. So, I was serving, I was the only person. So I was doing all three services, right? Plus Sundays, we would, we have different churches at different cities. And so we would, I would drive out too, whether it was Beaumont, Conroe, New Brownfields, whatever it was, I would drive out there to take pictures, right? And so it was, it just becomes a lot. It becomes, to the point where, you know, you're serving, you're serving, you're serving, you're serving to where you're no longer serving for the Lord, now you're just serving for men. I'm having to really just start from scratch, right? Like, start from the beginning, start my, you know, my first love with him and, and, and, you know, whenever I left us, you know, like the Spanish-speaking church, I left, you're kind of, you know, you feel one that God doesn't love me anymore because I left. You know, I'm self-condemning myself. Like, I can no longer break chains. I can no longer prosper. You know, he's just, he's so mad at me because I'm no longer serving. And it was just this self-condem, that we, I know now it's not of him. And it took me four years. It took me four years to find me realized

that that's not what he wants from me. So I'm like, huh, you know how we say, you know, church is at home. I can do church at home, you know, we can, we don't need a church. And so throughout those, those four years, you know, my mommy's always telling me you need a church. I'm like, no, you know, we're fine at home. You know, we're, but inside, I'm just, I was not okay. And so I remember one night I was just reading a book. If a book talked about, you know, in a, in a household, you have the kids, you have the wife, you have the husband, and the husband is the head of the household, right? He's the covering of the household. And I was reading a book about, you know, if you're a single mom, you need to find a church, a pastor, that carries that mantle. And that's the covering of your home. In the meantime, you do find a husband. Now, I remember it. I'm like, no, I need, I need to find a church. Like I need to find that covering. And, you know, the Lord's funny, you know, 'cause he'll talk to you, he'll show you, and he'll tell you what you need to do. It's just up to us to be obedient. And that night I started scrolling through Facebook. And I ran into a union he used to post about a worship night.

And I said, huh, this is interesting. I wonder where that's at? And it was on Bingo Road, which is maybe five minutes, three minutes. And I always, I used to always say, man, I want a church near here in Spring Branch. And sure enough, I went to worship night. I went to worship night, and I walked in, and I automatically felt his presence. I felt his presence in that very moment. I remember after worship night, they asked for prayer. You know, if there was prayer partners in the front, and I went up for prayer, for prayer. I was like, you know, first I was hesitant. Like, I don't know, you know, but I went up for prayer, and Pastor Edith was open. And so I went up for prayer, and I never could forget the first thing that she said to me was, was, God said he's been waiting on you. God said he's been waiting on you. That was game over. That was done. I knew that union was home. I knew that union was home, and that I found home. You know, my son now, you know, I knew that I always wanted them to serve. You know, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, right? And now, you know, my son is serving. He's about to start serving in production.

You know, my daughter's serving with the kids. And this is without me telling them. This is, you know, our kids are going to do more of what they see, and that's what we say. So because they've seen my walk, maybe it didn't make sense then, you know, but now, you know, because they've seen me serve now they're serving. [APPLAUSE] My sister Brenda, you're our reward. Love you. That's what a house for all. don't want religion and rules, they're tired of it, people, young people. If you've been here at all or at revival nights, young people want Jesus. I have to be honest with you, God's waiting on us, just like He was waiting on Brenda. Now, if you don't like the way I look, how I dress, how I talk, not only are you being religious, you're genuinely not following Jesus, and we're probably not the church for you. My desire is that you know Jesus, and grow in Jesus. So go somewhere where you feel comfortable, because you need Houston as a house for all. There's something that's been weighing my heart, burning my heart, and our pastors and leaders for two and a half years, and it's two words, spring branch, this community, this neighborhood right here, where we are. We love this neighborhood. We love these people. We faithfully serve this community multiple times a year alongside, hope to see your story church, spring, spring spirit, but church there has to be more, because spring branch is full of Brenda's. I want to show you a stat. Spring branch is 73% Spanish speaking, 73%, 90% of them do not have a church community to go to, 10% of the ones I do, probably go to a religious church. So what if we're the ones being directed, redirected, what if God put us here for such

a time as this, for us to prepare a banquet, the banquet Jesus is talking about, so that we can receive all the rewards like Brenda that are in spring branch, I want you to imagine. Trust you think we can do that? So today I'm officially announcing that on January 10th, we are launching a third service, a third experience here at Union Houston, and it is a full Spanish experience, but for this to be successful, a servants of the house need to prepare. We need to get involved. If you haven't been involved, you need to get involved. We need to grow our kids department. We need to grow our facilities team to be able to clean in between services and take out the trash so that we can have a clean and nice weather so that kids can be well taken care of so that ushers can usher. I need you to give like never before because we can't throw a banquet without resources. I need you to pray and believe like never before. This Saturday, we are hosting a Union and Español Vision Party. We'll have food provided by our friends, Spring Spirit, and I will cast vision. It will be all in Spanish. Last time I did it by legally, I'm doing it all in Spanish. So I need you to come and I need you to bring someone, a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, I don't know, but someone that needs to hear what God is doing at Union Houston in their language because they are lame, they are crippled, they are blind, broken people in every language and Union Houston is a house for all. Just like Jesus called us to go preach to all people and make disciples of all people, this is our moment we are being redirected in how we've been living our faith to prepare for what Jesus has for us and we start looking for a reward in heaven and a foretaste here on earth. Union, would you join me in building this house for all? Stand with me. Team, come out here and we're standing here on earth. You caused walls to fall with your power

But for miracles this is nothing That's impossible and we're standing here Only because you made and you moved mountains Come on now, you caused walls to fall with your power But for miracles there is nothing That's impossible and we're standing here Only because you made away He's making a way in Houston, He is making a way And He is calling us to prepare for the way that He is making So that we can get a full taste of testimony So that we can collect crowds in heaven That takes more than an audience That takes service in the house for all I want you to buy hands and close your eyes for just a moment Walls are falling, chains are breaking If you've never made the decision to follow Jesus He hears the decision, you're making, you're saying I can't do this enough anymore I came to the house for all I came to a house where the presence of God is I came to a house that treats the gospel That has convicted my heart of my sin And I choose today To say Jesus is the Son of God, lives suffered and died from my sin But today I am declaring that I believe He rose from the dead And has seen it on a throne And He is my Savior, Lord and King If that's you, then you want to proudly give your life to Jesus Watch you shoot your hand up right now Shoot your hand up, lousy and proudly

Father God, we thank you For the hands that are raised, Lord, keep them, bless them Guide them, move them to a connect room So they begin their process or journey as a desire I pray this in Jesus' name The altar's open I believe He's making a way today Don't leave here without getting the touch of prayer To call you my word Oh, here it goes, there is something Come on, that's it, that's impossible And we're standing here only because we're in the mountain You're the mountain Because we're to walk with your power You're for me, here it goes There is nothing That's impossible And we're standing here only because you may Happy 10th anniversary, everybody We're excited We've got gifts out there for you guys as dirty sodas Y'all can have them all We're gonna celebrate out in the lobby Prayer team is gonna be up here May the Lord bless you and keep you May He shine His face upon you May He be gracious to you May He give you peace And show your favor for the next 10 years God bless you, I'll see you next week

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