October 30, 2016
last Sunday as I mentioned earlier
Our theme was all about the fact that God is with us. As a matter of fact, that's that's the way God loves by being with us. You see that in scripture from the beginning to the end that God expresses his Love To Us by being with us the very incarnation of Christ, which we will celebrate during Christmas is celebrating that God came to be with us. That was his expression of love John write this in 1st John 4. He says dear friends. Let us love one another for love comes from God everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. This is how God showed his love Among Us. He sent his son one and only he sent his only son into the world that we might live through him. So God expressed his love by being with us in Christ coming to us in the Carnation sending in the Incarnate. Finding Christ This is Love. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins dear friends since God so loved us. We are also to love one another
and John said something similar while this continues no one has ever seen God, but if we love one another God lives in us and his love is made complete in us and then John says something similar.
Now my scripture is not working right? Sorry.
It's just continuing on and on.
All right. I don't know why it had all the extra. Sorry about that. John said something similar and John 15-12. Jesus says this is my commandment love each other in the same way. I have loved you and still scripture reveals that God is with us as matter fact God being with us is one of the core ways He Loves Us by being with us and then scripture says that's how we should love one another. If God has loved us this way. Then we should love one another the same way and that means by being with one another now, that's what we talked about last week and someone very insightful. He asked me during the week. It's hard. How do you do that? Why is it so difficult to love people? It's a challenge to do that and it's hard to do that and then I think this week if you got that email we talked a little bit about what it means to let God love us so that we let his love come to us then it's easier for his love to come through. But I want to continue to talk about this God being with us and a nice loving others and how we rise to that occasion. So to speak because the truth is when we often try to do the things God would have us do or to do the things we feel called to do or the things that are a challenge to us to beat the kind of people. God want us to be we don't always succeed. Can I get an amen? No one here. I think website know I've always succeeded every time I've tried to witness to someone every time I've gotten up on January 1st instead. I'm reading through the Bible. I'm through the whole thing by the end of January every time I've said, I'm going to pray more often I've succeeded right? We're all in that category. We struggle sometimes to go successfully in the right direction that God calls us to sometimes we fail Bob golfer who were using his book for part part of the guide in this series and I told you about him last week that despite that picture what you need to know about him is he's a successful lawyer. He's a New York Times bestselling author he works as counsel to Uganda for the UN and go see gone to every 100 days and helps start schools and do ministry there and work in the course and free children that have been taken in the court system in prison without a trial. He is a tireless disciple of Christ doing great things everywhere. Despite the goofy look on his face, but that's who he is. He also teaches law at Pepperdine University is it Is not busy enough and last week we shared about the fact that in high school. He wasn't cutting it and he knew it wasn't cutting. Its he thought I'm not even going to pass. I'll just figure out how to take that test Quinta High School get a job hiking in the mountains cuz that's what I'm going to do with my life and a friend who was with him who said I'm with you helped him turn that decision in the right direction and what a blessing his life has been since then but he shares the story in the book also of his very first job his first real job. He got a job at a very nice restaurant. It was such a nice restaurant that the waiters had to wear tuxedos. And so in order to be a waiter you had to spend a year being a busboy in order to get the privilege to go buy your own Tuxedo in order to be a waiter in this restaurant. It was that nice instead of tables in this restaurant was all by itself in a gazebo. So you had your own table elevated with a gazebo around it and you got your fine meal served to you and so excited about that job work for a year as a busboy. And then finally his manager came to him and said you could start waiting tables. You can go by your tux. And so he went and bought a tuxedo out of his own money didn't have enough set up a payment plan with the tuxedo shop and they said you can take it and make payments as you start making money as a waiter very excited about that his very first night. He done all the training. He practice the speech. Is he doing everything you're supposed to do to be an excellent waiter in this fine dining establishments went and got his tuxedo was was rushing to work stopped and grabbed some Mexican food. He said it's got to work got his first table doctors in there while she said they all look like they could be the Surgeon General. They're all dressed, you know, so fine and eats they order their food. He was so excited. Give him a great speech about how the best experience this evening you're going to have because of meats the best food. You'll ever eat did everything just the way he was supposed to do in his fine Sido at this wonderfully elegant restaurant and he said then when he was handing a big plate of prime rib to one of the people at the table as he extended himself because of the Gazebo set up these Stables your kind of cramped for space so he had to extend himself and that lift one leg and get all the way across to drop that plate down for that person gently and kindly in this elegant restaurants now pause for a moment. What's the worst thing that could happen to you? And I'm breaking the rules coming down, but I'll go back up. I promise what what's the worst thing that can happen to you? If your waiter in this moment, you're very first table These Fine doctors and their wives you're wearing a tuxedo if you had Mexican food little earlier, you're stretching your body out a little too far to extend that place. What's the worst thing that could happen in this moment? We're talking about something that happens to everybody by the way in case you're thinking I don't want to talk about that sort of thing. It happens to absolutely every once and the worst thing that you can imagine that would happen at this moment is exactly what happened to Bob Goff in that moment. He said I couldn't believe it. He said his extended myself my stomach started the Grumble and then I wish I could have been a bird but it was not a bird that came out of that moments the worst moment possible swimming and there was no avoiding it everyone. It was this huge displace that interrupted the entire meal. I mean there was immediate silence. He said even the tables around his table with what is going on. What are you doing that kind of moment the gentleman at the table went straight to the major D explain what happened even made the motion to know and he knew he was in trouble. He was fired on the spot. Six more months paying for a tuxedo that he would never use donated it to Goodwill. He said he always remember his grandmother said to him you don't want until you're fired from a cup of a couple at least a couple times you really not anybody. He said even as he was leaving that evening in his VW Bug thinking I can't believe this I work for a year to get this gig. I bought My Own Tuxedo in my very first night. I very first meal. I'm blue it I mean it's all over but he said even then he was kind of laughing to himself in this is amazing and what a story I'm going to have to tell my kids about the reality is sometimes you're going to fail. Can anybody hear relate to that? Does any parent want to say there are many lessons I want to give to my kid. And if you want to encourage them to reach for the stars, absolutely, but you also want them to know that there are going to be times in life when you fell. Isn't that an important life lesson? What happens to us? If we think that we're not going to fail? Or that we think failure is not an option for us.
If we think we're not going to fail will go out maybe to starry-eyed and have a large crash that might even cause us to say well, I'm never going to love again. I'm just not going to get married after that relationship failure. I'm just going to give up completely rest of that career failure. You know what I'm not cut out for this. I'm never going to be this. I never got we might give up completely because we were naive about the reality that we're going to have failures or the other thing that we might do is if we think failure is not an option then what will we do? We won't try Willie. Will only do what is safe will only do what we feel like I know I could do this for sure. So I will try that and when what when other opportunities come our way. Will judge them on whether or not we think there's any risk of failure and so we will pull back and Reserve our self. I'm trying the truth is I think that we have this dilemma in our Christian walk so often. The sometimes we Soul fear failure because we think failure is not an option. So we sold our soul fear failure that we don't try anything that's challenging or risky.
I'm debating whether I go off-script here or not.
I'll save it. I'll come back to this. We need to think biblically about the challenge before us and so I want us to look at scripture and I want us to do kind of an honor of Genie sand and orpah, you know, I want to do a bird's-eye view of st. Peter's life because I think when we look at these Scriptures, it opens the window on how we should think about failure because we think incorrectly about failure so so much in our life as Christians and has a church office in Matthew 14, when you look at Peters lights, he's walking on water what an amazing things but what happens immediately after walking on that water as soon as he has that kneeled at that minute trip success. He looks down and he starts to sink in Jesus has to rescue him. His life is full of this sort of pattern when you look at Matthew 15th. Jesus's teaching in parables. And see it says that he quite everything to his disciples, Peter says wait a minute. Can you help us understand that and this is what Jesus says to Peter. Can you imagine Jesus having to say this to you? Jesus says to Peter. Are you still so dull? I mean, how many times do I have to teach you this? How many times do I have to explain it to you guys behind the scenes and you still go wait a minute. I don't know what you're talkin about. Think about Mark 8 when Jesus talked plainly were told him plainly about his death. I mean smart goes out of his way to make it clear. Jesus wasn't cryptic. He pulled the disciples decides. He said here's what you guys need to know. This is what the prophets in the car all about that I'm going to die. This is God's plants and ever he teaches plainly how about his death Peter pulled him aside. And what does Peter knew he corrects him Jesus Lord. You've got it all wrong. It's not going to happen that way never what happened at West Jesus has to say get behind me Satan what you're doing is not from God in John 13. Jesus wants to wash Peters feet. The rest of the samples are okay just doing some personal and do it. What does Peter do and I know you're not washing my feet. Once again. He feels comfortable kind of correcting Jesus. What are you doing? You're not going to wash my feet and then Jesus. If I don't wash your feet, you won't be won't be cleaned. You don't understand this moment. And Peter says one that case wash my head wash my arms like everything is just like computer. Just just let me do what I'm doing here this evening in Matthew 26 Peter and the disciples. Jesus says if you'll just hang with me for an hour here while I go pray to the father if you'll just stay awake and watch and pray with me and what happens when he comes back Peter and the disciples are what
I mean is that failure if Jesus himself says could you stay awake for an hour and pray with me? I got you Lord. I'm with you 100% He comes back twice more. It happened three times in a row 3 times they fall asleep. When Jesus asked them to stay awake with him and John 18 when guards come into the garden. Someone says Lord should we get our swords should we defend ourselves and before Jesus able to answer and answers? No, but before anything else can we have Peter's decision is you don't ask questions first. You don't ask Jesus for the first thing you do is you pull out your sword. Can you cut off somebody's ear wax? And that's exactly what he does. The first thing he does. Is that failure. Didn't give us a chance to tell him what to do for cuts off a guy's ear Jesus heals. That guy's ear and Sassy look your own, you know Peter at the sword down, but the Sword Down. John 13
Jesus says to his disciples. Look you guys need to know you're going to fall away from me. They're going to strike the shepherd as the prophet says and the Sheep will scatter you're all going to fall away from me. It's okay. I'm telling you. This is going to happen. I'm telling you this so you will know it's going to happen, but don't work. I'm going to come back and I'm going to gather you in the way the process is going to gather my sheet back. So so know this is going to happen. And Peter once again says no no Lord. I'm not going to deny you all the rest of these might deny you but I'm not going to deny you even if I have to give up my very life and die Lord. I am not going to deny you and uses Peter look, You're going to deny me three times before the rooster even crows three times. You're going to deny me three times to this disown me know Jesus. You're wrong. You're wrong. Then what happens? Three times. Someone says to Peter. Hey weren't you with those disciples know I was not know I saw him. He was he was one of those guys hanging out with and he's from he's from that. I was not Find me a third time that you're a follower of Jesus. I remember you being with him and no runs away denying Christ. I don't know how many more moments that we could look at we could keep going through scripture and we could see these moments of failure in the life of Peter that occur again, and again and again.
And he said the cycle. a follower of Jesus but there's more to it than that in there. In John 21, Jesus comes to Peter. He's on the Shore by the water fixing breakfast. And Peter is the one that spots and then realizes that's the Lord jumps out of the water went straight to him in Jesus says to Peter. Do you love me three times matching those three to Niles and each time Peter says, yes, Lord. I love you know that I love you and then he says feed my sheep. Be my shepherd care for my people care for my flight here from my church, and he restores Peter to that role. In Acts 2 Peter gets the privilege of being one of the first preachers to preach at Pentecost the Holy Spirit Works in such a way. His preaching in the sermon is effective in such a way that 3000 are saved that day. This is a milestone in the history of the church. Right? We all know that Pasta Jack's to the Pentecost is what we base conversion x 238 Peter preached the sermon so you got to hear these words to Peter. This is what it means to convert 3000 were saved that day the birth of the church in Acts 3. Someone has crippled comes to Peter and says look can can you give me some money I'm poor and I can't walk. I'm crippled and he says I don't have any money for what I do have. I'll give to you in the name of Jesus stand up and walk and he stands up and walks.
Those are pretty amazing moments in life of Peter. This one who failed over and over and over you can keep going to access it again against and ask for if they come together and they pray and when they pray for the whole shakes because of this moment of prayer and acts 10. There's a history changing moment of evangelism all through the history of Judaism in Israel. It was a religion based on ethnicity. We are the Israelites. We are the people of gods and Peter even though he stubbornly resisted at first listens to God and it's part of Cornelius conversion for he says what God shows no favoritism. Jew and Gentile alike and that's the beginning of another seismic shift in the life of the church. In Acts 12 there's a miraculous prison escape repeaters in prison, and then the next thing you know, he's knocking on the door of those you're prank thing here. I am I'm back to be part of the prayer group or just opened the jail for me to be free.
Matthew 16 think of the good confession what we asked folks to say are the words of Peter. I believe that you are the Christ the son of the Living God when Jesus said to the other disciples who do people say that I am they all gave name some say John the Baptist some say this some say that what about you Peter? You're the Christ. You're the son of the Living God upon that statement that rock that truth. I will build my church and for centuries since then the good confession is the standard a professing Christ name. This is not a new pattern think of Heroes in Scripture. Was Abraham a man without failure? Al Abraham treat his wife Sarah when God had given him specific directions. He lied. But when you look at Jacob's life is very reputation was you know, Jacob that guy's a little slick, you know, you got to be careful about Jacob. He's to eat. He's tricking his brother out of his Birthright. You know, I always exhausted he's tired. He's hungry boom great point to pounce on him and trick him in this moment. You see heroes in scripture. They had these false was David a perfect man. far from it far from it yet. A man who is described as someone after God's Own Heart and when you look at scripture all through scripture, you see that pattern concerning Heroes.
Think about the implications of this truth.
My walk with God or my success in my walk with God or whether I take risk or do the things that God would have me do aren't based on my ability to succeed. Do you realize that I think about it too often? The human way of thinking is well. This person is a dynamic individual. They are hardworking. They've got a great education. They've got stuff going and therefore they are succeeding as a pastor or disciple or mom or dad or missionary or whatever category is it's really about them individually. That's what's making them succeed. So that one person succeed in another dozen and it's about that person's character or work ethic or education, but that's not what scripture teaches Stephen in acts when the disciples are brought in and they said these men aren't educated. I mean, they're not supposed to be the type of people that you bring him. If they will clearly they would be successfully causing a revolution and stand there. Like what is it about them? It's Jesus. It is God's faithfulness. That is what we stand on when we reach out to love others and serve others and be who God wants us to be it's all about his faithfulness. You understand how radical that is that my walk with God is about his faithfulness. About his goodness about his character use you see that all throughout scripture. We had cards at the back and hopefully everybody who got a bulletin was also handed one of these cards. If not, you can get one on the way out. But on one side it says when I fell and ironically I got a couple scriptures wrong on here. So I failed when I when I wrote this little card about when I fell so there's an unintentional illustration about not getting everything right every bit of the time. So if yours is not corrected Joel 2:12 should also include verse 13 Thornton Joel 2:12 - 13 and John 22 should be John 21 because there is no John chapter 22. So if you know the Gospel of John you'll go that's not right at all creatures really messing with the Scriptures. It is John 21 that recordes Peters restoration with Jesus. When you look at these passages Exodus 34 you fail here's what you need to remember, you know, it's not on here, but I think of limitations where the the right of limitation says your mercies are new every morning. If you know the book of Lamentations that comes in the context of Israel just being absolutely defeated everything that they thought should be a certain weight everything that should be in place all of their success quote unquote was an outright felt they were flattened and judged and isolated and lonely and defeated. They had no reason to Hope By this world standards they were out. And the writer limitations did you know what and that's how I felt. I felt defeated. I felt like I see no Victory on the horizon. I see no way to succeed. I mean honestly, sometimes we can look at the radically changing nature of our culture and we can let pessimism grip our hearts and our minds and we can just feel like you know what it's all on us and we're not up to it and so failure is our future.
But the right or limitation says that's how I felt but then he says but then I remembered. I remembered who God was. And what God is like I remember that he's gracious and patient and has Everlasting faithful love and that he doesn't judge us as we deserve but instead he's gracious and everlance and that stirred. Hope in my heart again. That's what you see in scripture again. And again is in those moments of Crisis folks not thinking about themselves. Not saying we're here is the moment now do I have what it takes? Can I somehow Network or figure out how to solve this problem on my own? It's in that moment that people say you know what? I'll turn to the Lord. I'll turn to him Exodus 34:6 talks about when God revealed himself to Moses supposes that I really want to see what you're like, what do you like? He said I'm gracious. I'm slow to anger and abundant in compassion. This is who I am Psalm 103 says the same think we have to remember the song that says that God is gracious that he's slow to anger that is full of compassion and forgiveness Psalm 86:5 the same thing the song is that's here's what we must remember to the people of Israel when we are defeated or down-and-out. We must remember not ourselves not our own me is not our own efforts. Around good looks are good, which we must stop and say you know, what God is with us. And God is gracious and compassionate slow to anger and full of forgiveness, Joel 2 12 and 13 the same thing in this moment of crisis in a moment when they should feel completely devastated and said they pause and say you know what God is good and gracious and kind and patient and forgiving Jonah 4:2 is absolutely hilarious. So if you don't remember it is versus you can go whenever John for tooth. Do you know what the Book of Jonah is about? It if you're not familiar with it is where God says to a prophet. I want you to go and preach good news to Nineveh in the profit because this real had gone in this direction of thinking it was all about them know we are all that and a bag of chips because where is real, I mean they thought that when God had the same profit after proper to say you're misunderstanding my grace my forgiveness is for all people. You're supposed to be a life to All Nations not a judgment to All Nation, you're supposed to be alike to All Nations. And so he says to Jonah go to Nineveh and preach good news to them. And then it was this awful Nations that Jonah hate because there's really hates this station of him as their means sinful ungodly people. Can I got this going price them and Jonah says no, I will not do it and he gets on a boat and sales in the opposite direction to get away from this call of God and the boat. He's thrown off the ship a whale swallows him up. He spends three days in the whale contemplating. Maybe I should have obeyed God after all maybe he you know, maybe he is more. Maybe I'm not the captain of my own ship in the master of my own. Dispute up on the shore where you can once again be obedient to God and so he goes and preachers tune it to Nineveh and guess what number does well as focus on just so dramatic cards, but it's really about the whole books. What does it mean if they repent and turn back to God when it's probably come and preaches them and then and Jonah 4:2 Jonah is angry. This is the end of the book. He's angry god and goddesses 40 Wrangler about he says, I'm angry because I knew what you were like, I knew if I wouldn't preach to them you would forgive them all and that's exactly what you did because I know you're a God who is compassionate and forgiving and slow to anger and gracious. Is this is a hilarious verse and God says and you feel like you have a right to be angry about that. Duress that chapter he teaches Jonah until Jonah finally goes maybe as someone who needs forgiveness and patience and graciousness in my own life. I should be glad that you are God who is patient and slow to anger and gracious. Can I get an amen? I want God to be gracious and loving and forgiving with everyone, don't you? I want the good news to be preached to every corner of the Earth. I want everyone no matter what they've done whole Lord forbid that we think that somebody's past should prevent them from hearing the gospel and repenting. Do you realize how self-defeating that is the somehow safe? There are some people who shouldn't get the good news and some who should if we really understand the tremendous Grace and faithfulness and character of God, then we should celebrate being those who are called to distribute that same open-handed graciousness and character of God. And so what what Peter learned in his lifetime what he learned from Jesus when he failed again against and yet still allow Jesus to use him. We have to learn that lesson failure is going to happen. It's going to happen. There's no avoiding that whatsoever. But we depend not on our own character or own goodness are on faithfulness. We depend upon the character of God's the one who is gracious and kind and forgiving and slow to anger so we can fell just like Peter and still be used by God again. And again amen. Can you imagine what it would be like if we lived in such a way that we thought cool if I fail then God will never use me against you if that's how we live sometime. Sometimes we sit on our hands and we're so afraid to try stuff. We're so afraid their wrists up the church. Sometimes has the most timid organization on the face of the Earth. We're terrified of risk it we should be the ones who have the least of fear about risk because we have God backing us up as long as what we're striving to do is his will as long as we're striving to reach those who need to be rescanned Minister doing cared for he's got our back on everything but so often as bad as anybody's Not trying to fuss at you guys are not me. So I mean it's so easy to have that in my own head. Look, let's be conservative. We don't want to do something that too many people be bothered by that for this might affect this one. And so everything is kind of just type in conservative and worried about that because what if
You realize we're failing by not attempting.
There is no avoiding failing.
Case you thought there was a way to play it safe. I buried the treasure in the ground and when the master gets back he's going to be so pleased with me. You're the one telling you gave me. You Wicked lazy servant. God wants us to take risk. He wants us to celebrate his goodness and his grace he wants us to live like children who know we have this amazing father who is gracious and loving and forgiving as long as all the cattle on a thousand hills got our backs. He wants us to live that kind of life. Don't ask you if there's a question on the back of your card and I get the worship team can come board. What would you do to show the love of God if you feared in action more than failure?
What would you do? To show others your neighbors your family this city the love of God. If what you feared most was not failure, but in action. What would you do? You realize you don't have to feel fear failure, right? Scripture is full of people who did what God wanted them to do and failed. Royally. And God said, that's okay. Pick some up dust them off to learn something Peter. Do you love me going to feed my sheep? Let's go at it. Can you imagine if Peter had just said you know what? I'm no good. I'm just a failure. I'm not going to risk it anymore. He would have never preached that sermon 3000 were converted to stand up and walk your he'll never been there when the prison tours through open to the power of God.
Find challenging you and myself. at the top of that list I and I mean that we should be taking risk. We should be bold. We should be loving others boldly. I read recently that. 39% bald people in North America who say I'm a Christian they go to church and and they say, I believe I have an obligation to it to speak to others about Christ that the only 39% have ever spoken to someone else about Christ.
How many in your lifetime as a Christian? Have you lead someone to Christ?
Can you say during your lifetime I've left at least one person to Christ.
You know why we don't do that. best Warframe afraid of failure What if I what if I ask me a question, I don't know the answer. What if they think I'm weird and then I don't want my kids to play with their kids anymore. I mean, what if what if until we operate by fear? instead of by faith but what if what would you do? What would you attempt to show others the love of God? If you feared in action. More than failure.
Could it be as simple as inviting someone to church? It's not rocket science is it? I think if we really wanted to every one of us could bring someone to church with us next Sunday.
How's that for specific you'll sometimes your your applications just aren't specific enough faster. You know, I leave feeling okay, but I just don't know what I'm supposed to do about it. When's the last time you invited someone to church?
You got to know how to invite people to places don't you raise your hand if you've ever taken anyone anywhere with you? You're taking friends to a wildcat ball game. Your friends out to dinner. How do you do that house that work? Well, let me give you some principles here. Okay, that usually starts with someone that you have some sort of relationship with already that sound reasonable assumption. All right. So you start with someone with which you have some sort of relationship already and it's usually the case that you have a basically positive relationship with that person, right that sound fair. So if you have somebody do you have a relationship with and it's basically a positive relationship you're halfway there and then you invite them and it's very much like inviting them to a ball game or out to dinner or over to your house for a cookout. You say Hey Kevin, would you like to go to church with me next Sunday? We can go out to lunch afterwards. I'd love it. If you came to church with me next Sunday, I'll meet you in the parking lot and we'll walk in together because I know you might be thinking. I've not been to church in a long time or I don't know about your church. I heard about your preacher and I don't know that I want to go there, you know, who knows what that person is saying? honestly Could you invite somebody to church next week? Is that too much to ask?
Why don't we do it?
We just think I don't want to say no, but what did I do?
What if Kevin said? No, thanks. And I say okay. I used to rush until the store, but I will. And I'll hush. I want to make this really practical before I was converted. Here's to qualify for this before. I was converted my freshman year of college being a good buddy. We were so excited to be out of high school. We thought high school is way overrated or like just put that behind us and move on. We are so excited to be in college, more in control of our own lives cuz we were not we'd have a good status in high school. Just be honest with you. We thought we were better than high school rank gas until we are excited to be in the college world and we thought me and we're going to start getting dates and we're going to get dates all the time. Now as you can still tell to this day. I'm not that good looking at a guy neither of us. We didn't we weren't we didn't think me and girls going to be lining up today that we knew there were taller guys. There were guys who were athletes guys with fancy or cars. We knew that we didn't have things stacked in our favour, but we actually made this little do we said yourself? You don't know if we asked out of 5 to 10 girls a day, even if we just get like a 10% success rate if we have 10 girls out and 9 say no. Thanks. The one says Okay, then we would have one day today. We should what if we did that all week long, we would have dates every weekend in college every weekend Friday Saturday Sunday. At least we have 3 days a week. And so that's what we did all our first semester freshman in college whenever we saw some good looking girls with whatever. Hey, how's it going? You want to go out Friday night. We were just unafraid because we didn't care if 9 in a row said no don't want to go out with you like your lost. We went on to find somebody else. I mean, honestly, it's not rocket science is it you can have nine people turn you down this week when you invite them to church at the end of the universe.
I said no. Thanks. Okay. Pray about think about somebody else invite them.
That's a simple step to saying you don't like love does it? We don't just read scripture. I loved what Paul said that we don't just read scripture for some sort of devotional. Thought we read it in order to take action. And so is Paul also said if we love God is part of that commitment to love our neighbor. And so one of the ways you can love your neighbors is to invite them to church. Or should they if you think they don't want to come to church invite him to your house for lunch and talk to him about Jesus or just be their friend invite them to Wednesday night meal. Let them know they can eat and leave that's okay. They're not sure what they think about everything start a relationship with them so that you get a chance to be with them to show them God's love the way he's shown it to you.
Don't worry about failures going to come I can guarantee you that okay, I can guarantee you that it is going to come. Just rely on God's faithfulness God's grace God's forgiveness and keep going. Keep going.
And we're going to sing Our Song of decision in a minute and you may be here this morning. And you may think I don't even know I can't even imagine talking to somebody else about Jesus cuz I don't even know what I think about Jesus. I know what you think about me. I felt so much that he wouldn't want anything to do with me. Don't let the adversary whisper that lie into your heart. Jesus specialty is to take all of us regular Peter. Like people whose lives are full of those Homer Simpson's best moments. And invite us to lean on him not on ourselves to take his yoke with it, which is light. He says in Matthew 11 to depend on his grace to learn from him. to give us forgiveness to have us know every morning that his mercies are new the way the right of Lamentations says it's a weed bite you during this song just to join us in following Jesus to join us and depending on Jesus for forgiveness for grace for patients for instruction. I know there's moments when Jesus looks at me and thinks are you still this dull? I mean, I've taught I've talked to you that lesson three dozen times 300. Are you still that doll? Just like I don't judge beat her.
Tortoise asking you to join us in following Jesus in being dependent on his grace is forgiveness his life. If you've never made that decision, I'll be in the back. You can come to me for that decision or if you're not sure what you think. You just have questions come find me in the back. They'll be folks in the back and the front for prayer if you just said a prayer concern we love to pray with you and pray for you. I said during this song seek us out for Prairie and decisions. We just want to share what we've experienced. Please stand as we sing.