Ep. 21: The Invasion
I have so many things around. My ears open.
Good morning. It is good to be with you. We are on episode 21 of the plan. We're heading into the end of 2nd Kings, and I'm, I'm getting really excited because next week is when everything changes, and the story is just everything, really starts coming together, which isn't to say that this week isn't any good. But just to say, I'm getting really excited cuz I know this is a long series, we are well past my record for the longest series, I've done, but the story of the Bible is so fascinating, and the way that it moves through the entire is one story moves. The entire Bible to me is really helpful and encouraging and inspiring to me to know that I play a place. I have a place in that same story and a story that we've been looking at the way we've been summarized, in the story of the Bible. Is this, that the Bible is the story of God's plan, to establish a Place full of people who live out their purpose in his presence. So that made the world. He put people in it, and he gave us the task of ruling, the world on his behalf. That's what we're here for. That's what you were designed for and God wants to live here with us. We do that. And unfortunately, we're really good at messing that up Adam and Eve, messed it up. And and we keep messing up God's plan. But the Bible is the story of God not giving up on that plan. It's a god continually working to restore it and starting with Abraham in Genesis 12, God decides to work through one particular group of people to show the plan through them so that the whole world can look at Israel and see who God is and what he wants for his people, and we've been seeing is real struggle to live into that plan. God gave them each part of it. He made them his people, he gave them the Kingdom of Israel. He gave them his law to tell them how to fulfill their purpose. And he came to live with them and Israel. And yet they're still struggling to fulfill that to be obedient to God and to reflect him into the world. To the point that the Kingdom of Israel has now been broken into two different kingdoms. The ten Northern tribes are the king of Israel and end of kingdom of Judah is to the South. And last week. We looked at the house. Kingdom of Israel. Really went off the rails. I actually went so far as to reject God as their God and they chose bail instead and we looked at how the god called that the Prophet Elijah and Elisha later to confront them about that and call them back to the Covenant in at the end of the sermon, we pointed towards, what was going to happen to how God was going to resolve that. He sent Jay, who was a general and Israeli General and he led a rebellion. And he, he deposed a have Sun, but he actually want a little bit overboard where he killed every single member of the family of a habit. It's like 70 people and then he killed every single worshipper of bail and it was a bloodbath. In fact, it was so bad that there's one of the Minor Prophets talked about how God then asked the judge for the way he wiped out ahab's family because what ultimately happens is Jay who does lead them back to God, but really mainly because he wants them to follow him. And so he's not really sincere and following God. He's just using it as an excuse to kill off his Rivals. So as we enter the story today, if he Generations later, what we find is Israel, even though they aren't, they aren't they all isn't their main Garden, where they're back, the following God. They're not actually better off in their trajectory and God's going to take some pretty drastic action and it's going to shift the focus of our story as we go into our first reading today. I want you to remember our coordinates, how we keep our bearings in the story. Who is God, who are God's people, where is their home? What is, how can they meet with God and what has God called them to do. That's what we wanted to have in place before we move into the story. Proper. Let's start in 2nd, Kings 17, in the twelfth year of a has king of Judah, Jose, son of Eli became king of Israel and Samaria. Any rain 9 years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the king of Israel who preceded him. So he was, he was bad as bad as they had, but he was bad, Nassar. King of Assyria came up to attack. OSHA, who have been showing us are as vassal and it paid him. Tribute for the king of Assyria discovered that Jose was a traitor for he had sent envoys to sow king of Egypt and he no longer pay tribute to the king of Assyria as he had done year by year. There for shamin, S are seized them and put them in prison. The king of Assyria invaded the entire land marched against America and laid Siege to it for three years in the ninth year of Jose of the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them, a holla, and gozen, and the Haverhill River, and in the towns of the medes.
Okay, so that's a pretty big deal. 10 tribes of Israel, just got destroyed the kingdoms. Destroyed. Their King has taken away their deported. Most of the Israelites deported. The Kingdom of Israel is gone.
That's a really big deal. So, what's left? If the key loser has gone, well, chapter 18 starts this way. In the third year of Hosea, son of Eli king of Israel. Hezekiah, son of ahaz King of Judah, began to reign of Judah is still around and their King is Hezekiah. So now the only we haven't really looked at the southern Kingdom so far, and now they're the only ones left. So who was the story about now?
About Hezekiah and the Judah ights. Technically the name for someone from the kingdom of Judah. Judah. Alright.
Where is their home? The kingdom of Judah? And if you've noticed in the mass, we've been looking at so far, Israel tends to be surrounded by nations of about the same size, like their neighborhood is, is country is about the same size and they often are the biggest kid in the, on the Block. The neighborhood's changed a bit.
Is that Judah is this little brown patch here? Next in this huge green Empire of the Assyrians and what you normally call A Little Kingdom on the edge of a huge Empire. The word is a vassal you saw it in the reading a vassal. So the king of Judah is currently a vassal of a, Siri know, what is a vassal. A vassal is a country that is technically on paper Independence, but that's only if they don't aggravate the big Kingdom next to them. It means that they do what the Empire tells them that the Empire. Next then tells them to do. They probably pay protection money to that Empire. If that Empire goes, the war, they go with them. The closest example I can think of in my lifetime would be the countries in the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. So like East, Germany and Czechoslovakia all those different countries. They weren't technically part of the Soviet Union, but they just happen to agree with the Soviet Union on everything. Right, those are baffles. Technically, they're independent, but there are consequences. If they disagree with the big Empire with the bully on the Block. To the next coordinate is presents. How can they meet with God? The word god at this point? This is what you do has going from their little country. But God's presence is on Earth is at the temple, which is in Jerusalem in their Capital City. They actually have access to the presence of God Israel. The northern kingdom had the issue that they couldn't meet God in their Kingdom. They would technically have had to go to Jerusalem, but for the B God lives with them so that they got that going for them. Now. What is their job is specifically? What is Hezekiah his job as their Leader by. Now, you know, the main job of the Kings of Israel and Judah it is to obey God we made that pretty clear, right? Every sermon we talked about how important it is for the Kings to obey God because they rule on got that. But here I think the Hezekiah has a unique opportunity to get clarity from another source of information. Those weird what it said after the third out of four siblings, so I got really good at something. I would watch when my brothers Got in trouble. My older brother's I would watch what did they do wrong? How did they get caught? And what were the consequences? And I used that to try and avoid getting in trouble myself, right? I was paying attention. I learned. And thankfully, I think it's easier for a younger sibling, cuz I wash my brother Stefan, all the landmines and then I knew where they were price of Hezekiah is smart. He has seen Israel, get punished, and he can pay attention to. What did they do, wrong? And avoid that right self chapter. 17 tells us exactly why God sent Israel and Tensai. Why he destroyed the northern kingdom. It says all this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord, their God who brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of pharaoh king of Egypt, they worship other gods and follow the practices of the nation's. The Lord had driven out before them as well as the practices that the Kings of Israel had introduced from Watch Tower to fortified City. They built themselves high places and other towns, they set up Sacred Stones and asherah poles in every high heel and under every spreading tree, the Lord warned, Israel and Judah through all his Prophets and seers turn away from your evil ways. Observe my command to decrease, but they would not listen and were stiff-necked as their ancestors. Who did not trust in the Lord, their God. They rejected his decrees in the Covenant, their ancestors and the statutes, you'd warn them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. Daughter than the general. Obey God and worship. Only God. There's 22 highlights. That kind of come out of that. Number one is he should destroy the idols in high places, right? Don't worship other, don't worry and don't Worship in other places, then, don't offer sacrifice and things in places other than the temple. That was a big thing that God is real trouble, and it tends to be in the book of Kings. The, the most significant way that the kings are judged there, a good King. If they tear down the high places that are really good teeth. They tear down the high places. If they, if they build new high places, they're really bad. And that's kind of a scale that they rated on, right? So destroying the idols in high places is really important and the other one is listen to the prophets. If you're not sure, listen to the prophets because God sends prophets to tell them what to do, and the Israelites had plenty of profit. They actually had more profits than the southern Kingdom telling them. Hey, you're on the wrong track and they just didn't listen. So Hezekiah is smart. That's what he'll do. Now, we're going to the story. The question. Just how smart is Hezekiah, how well does he do? And at this point, we've been burned so many times that we're not expecting much right out of 20. Kings of Israel of northern kingdom. Not a single one was rated. Well in the book of Kings. How does Hezekiah do? Well, turns out Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord Justice is Father David Dunn. He removed the high places. Smash The Sacred Stones are cut down the asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake. Moses had made up to that time. The Israelites have been burning incense to it. Hezekiah, trusted in the Lord, the god of Israel, there was no one like, in the Mont him among all the kings of Judah, either before him, or after him, he held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him. He kept the commands, the Lord has given Moses and the Lord was with him. He was successful in whatever he undertook. Hezekiah serve God and tore down the high places as a great. It really really well. You did exactly what he supposed to do. And because he did that, he had success. His kingdom was stable. His rule was strong. He was his, the syrians actually got distracted and wars and other places. And so they pretty much left him alone. And in fact, he even what I see in this don't don't, I'm not saying the Bible says, it's but what I see going on here, it seems like Hezekiah, at least he himself is on track to be a new Solomon. Says he's doing things the right way, right? And so the trajectory seems to be when you do things the right way, God build up the kingdom and they end up becoming that Kingdom on a hill that everybody streams to kind of a thing. And that's what's happening with Hezekiah other prosperous, their stable. He even actually starts to reconnect with the people that are left. In the northern kingdom, is not all the Israelites are gone. There still Israelites there and it says it Hezekiah, sent word, to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh. Those are the two biggest northern tribes. Inviting them to come to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, and celebrate the Passover, the Lord, the god of Israel. We actually he gets all the hazard lights that are still in the land together. To celebrate Passover things are going really. Well. It looks like he is on track to rebuild the whole Kingdom of Israel, because he's being faithful to God.
And and I think Hezekiah could be forgiven for being really confident at this moment. A little overconfident, unfortunately, as it turns out because he the size of the next natural step. If he's got God on his side. And God is rebuilding the kingdom. He doesn't need to worry about is Siri anywhere, especially since they've been off worried about other parts of the Empire. He got on my side. I can be bold. I can I can take the kingdom where it needs to go. And so, because the Lord is with Hezekiah and he was successful, whatever whatever you do, you rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. It hasn't I grew stronger. He decided to rebel against the Assyrian Empire. The Bold move.
And often when we tell stories from the Bible, about people doing things on God's behalf and being told about them. The lesson is see when your bold and you do something for God. God makes it work, and it that works out, then you get the thing that you were bold to do.
Not how the story is going to go.
Because what actually happens is it in the 14th year of King, Hezekiah his rang rainson, Acker of the new king of Assyria attacked, all the Fortified cities of Judah and capture them. That's the way the book of Kings puts. It turns out. We've actually found the propaganda. The sennacherib wrote to talk about this campaign and we have his version of the events to it's a little bit more detail. He says, ask for Hezekiah the Jew, who did not bow in submission to my yoke 46 of his strong walled towns and innumerable smaller villages in their neighborhood. I besieged and Concord. I made come out from them 200, 200,000 10 people and durable. Horses mules, donkeys, camels, large and small cattle and counted them as The Spoils of War Hezekiah himself. I shut up like a caged bird with in Jerusalem, Israel City. So what actually happened is that that the Assyrians have conquered Judah and they've laid Siege to Jerusalem everything. But Judah is Concord, they've successfully. But these 46 fortresses Oswald say they have an unbroken record. They just victory after Victory, the Giudice haven't even been able to slow him down. So they've just been devastated by the Assyrians, which is exactly what happened to all the other enemies of the Assyrians. So when he goes after Judah, they don't fare any better. And now Hezekiah is Walled up in his City. All the people of Judah who are left have streamed into, the city is full of refugees, and he's staring at the biggest most, most violent army in the world at his Gates. So he sends out three representatives to meet with the commander of this Army and they have a conversation and the commander of these Syrian Army is brilliant with psychological warfare, or you might even say spiritual warfare. Is there is what he says the field matter said to them. Tell Hezekiah. This is what? The great king. The king of Assyria says, on what are you basing? This confidence of yours? You say that you have the council and the micro War but you speak only empty words on. Who were you? Depending that you were Bell against me. If you say, Tammy, we are depending on the Lord, Our God, isn't he? The one who's high places and Alters Hezekiah removed saying to Judah and Jerusalem, you must worship before this altar in Jerusalem. Have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord? The Lord himself told me to March against this country and just
That's a pretty interesting argument. Because Hezekiah, when he tore down to the high places, there wasn't a lot of people as in none of God wants us to worship of the high places cuz that's what they were doing. They were worshiping Yahweh at the high places. So, there were a lot of people that I know that you just destroyed God's trying. If Hezekiah is wrong, in what he did. Then he would have really angered Yahweh. Right, he would have really angered the god of Israel of God, like those Shrine. So now, he picks a fight with a Syria and the syrians come in, and nobody is able to stop them. And he's, and now, the general standing in front door saying, hey, maybe you were wrong about the high places. God sent me here to punish you because you did the wrong thing. How else are you supposed to interpret? The fact that I just Waltz in here and took everything from you. Does it seem like Gods on your side? It's a pretty powerful argument.
And when Hezekiah here is it, he is, he does the right thing. He sent someone to ask the prophet to check into the problem, is this, right? And there is a profit at this time. He's rather famous. You play Saya. You want to book you here at Christmas and Easter and probably a lot of other times. It's called the book of Isaiah and tell your master. This is what the Lord says. Do not be afraid of what you have heard. Those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed to me. Listen, when he hears a certain Rapport. He will, I will make him want to return to his own country and there, I will have him cut down with a sword. So they basically don't listen to him. He's not speaking for God. He doesn't know what he's talking about. You're on the right track. So just trust God. And I'm going to take care of it. God will take care of it. So Hezekiah get to that message and then this happens tonight, group received a report that tirhakah, the king of kush was marching out to fight against him exactly what was going to happen, but you guys are really good with a spiritual psychological warfare. He sent against sent Messengers to Hezekiah what this word. Say the Hezekiah king of Judah, do not let the god you depend on to Seaview. When he says, Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard of what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroy them completely. And will you be delivered? Now, shortened that I didn't give the whole thing because he list countries that they destroyed and, you know, one of them was the Kingdom of Israel. You know, who the god of the Kingdom of Israel is, it's the same God that has a Kaya's depending on. So he's pointing to the tracker to look at this list of guys, who could not defend their people from the Assyrian Empire. One of them is yours.
And you think that just because I'm getting, I'm getting pulled away on a little errand that you're going to get away from. You know, your God can't actually stop me.
Because if he could things would have gone, the way they went. The history of your kingdom would not have gone the way it went. You wouldn't be in this situation. If God was on your side or God could defeat me.
So the syrians tried to make Hezekiah, I doubt God's plan, Isaiah told him to trust God. And that's, that's the tension that he's in and that is it easy for us to look back and say, oh, well, Hezekiah should know exactly what to do with. So obvious just trust God, but if it were that obvious we would be better at dealing with that doubt in our own lives, right? It's easy for us to look at that cuz we know how the story of even if you don't know the specifics or you know that the story of the Bible is generally young Godwin. But in our own lies, we Face the same kind of situations where things don't go the way we were expecting these. Well, maybe maybe this isn't really what God wanted for me even though it's something that clear in the Bible or we say maybe God can't actually win this only doing things. God's way can't actually win this battle or get me through this crisis and we we struggle with those doubts all the time. So that's why. I, I can really I can really sympathize with Hezekiah in this moment. And I also think it's really really powerful what Hezekiah chooses to do here. Hezekiah, received a letter from The Messengers, in Reddit, then he went up to the Temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. So he has this message from the king of Assyria saying, God can't save you. God can protect you. I'm going to Street and he takes that letter into the temple and he unrolls it before. God. So often what we want to do with our doubts and our struggles as he want to hide them and pretend they're not happening and not talk about them with God, cuz we think somehow, it makes us a bat makes me a bad to leave her if I'm struggling with that. So we don't talk about lays it all out. There. He takes the message and he unrolled it before in the presence of God. Hezekiah pray to the Lord Lord the god of Israel and thrown between the Cherry Bean. You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made Heaven and Earth, give ear O Lord and hear. Open Your Eyes, Lord, in see, listen to the word sennacherib has sent to ridicule the Living God. It is true. Lord, that the Assyrian Kings have laid waste to these nations and their land. They have thrown their gods Into the Fire and Destroy them for. They were not Gods, but only wouldn't stoned fashion by human hands. Now Lord Our God Deliver Us from his hand so that all the kings of the earth may know that you alone. Lord our God. Something really important that has a kind of says here that I think we need to key in on because this is one of those phrases that I heard a lot in the Old Testament, and never quite got what it meant. Why does he tell why is he ask God to deliver them? So that the Nations will know to the kings of the earth will know that you alone. Lord our God.
That is the plan. Right. That is the mission that God chose Israel for Israel exist as a nation to show the world who God is And Hezekiah his preferred way to show the world who God is, was to build an Empire that was prosperous and wise and better than Solomon's. Everybody would be able to look at this Victorious Kingdom. And see that's who God is because God's on the side of this great Kingdom. That's probably what he wanted. But now he's under siege and he's surrounded by this Army that could easily destroy him. And what he asks is for God, to accomplish his plan, in this situation, in these circumstances because God's plan can still happen by delivering Jerusalem. If God defeat a powerful Army, In this way, that will show the world who the true God is. He can use this power less city under siege the same way. He could use a powerful Empire, like Solomon's and so Hezekiah what he has in view is God's plan. He doesn't say save us because I've done what you told me to do, and I've been Faithfully doesn't say say this because I don't want to die here as they save us because all those things are true. If you would had many reasons to want to be safe. Right? But the reason that he brings before God is that this is how this will accomplish your plan. Do Deliver Us in a way that shows the world that you are God? Hezekiah ask God to deliver Jerusalem for the sake of his plan to reach the nation's. And that's what makes the situation in Jerusalem different from the situation in Samaria at the beginning of the sermon, then now God can deliver Jerusalem in a way to vindicates who God is. Because it has acai is looking to show the world. If we get delivered, it's only because God say this, and it's only because he's the true God.
So, what happens? That night, the angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185000 in the Assyrian Camp. When the people got up the next morning. There were all the dead bodies. So sennacherib king of Assyria, broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. But he doesn't include that part of the story in his propaganda. He actually leaves it where I left it. I came up in the city and then it ends that he moves on probably cuz he doesn't want to admit to this part where God shows that the King was serious, not actually control. Then one day while he was sleeping in the temple of his garden is Rock. His son Andrew, lamech and romelu and Sherry zerr killed him with a sword. They escaped to the land of air ride and is already on his son, succeeded him as king. I just got that was going to happen. Heard Hezekiah is prayer and deliver, Jerusalem from the Assyrians.
Now, they're not exactly in a great place. They survive, they didn't been so much win as they survived, right? They're going to come out of this very whole bunch of towns destroyed, but they're still there. And the only way to explain that they're still there, is the fact that the god of Israel is real and he protected them. And for now the kingdom of Judah survives frown. What we learn from the story and again, so often were looking at these stories in a completely different circumstances from us today, but we, we worship the same God and we work in the same plan were called to be part of the same plan, even though we're in a very different stage of God's plan. We work with the same. So, what do we learn from the story? The first thing, I think it's really important for us to to know this. Is that even when we follow God's plan, we may find ourselves Under Siege. Anyone who tells you the following God will give you victory in everything that you want is not telling you the truth. I know I end up talking about this a lot. But I think it's because we are the opposite. A lot that this idea that, if you follow God, he's going to win all your battles. The way you want. He's going to give you all these things and if we're faithful, we get the things that's not how it works. Sometimes it we know God is a God who loves us and cares for us. He's a generous father. But when we follow God, we still may find ourselves Under Siege last week. We talked about the fact that sometimes it'll be because we're representing god, well, and people reject God, but other times it's just because it's not the path that we're going to take, you know, you went for a, you went for a promotion and you just didn't have the credentials or you didn't know the right people or the person didn't make a good decision, but they made the decision, you know, maybe there are a lot of things that can happen where, you know, you took you what you're trying to buy a house, but it's a hard market and they're just, there isn't something in your price range because those are the circumstances of the world that were in there. A lot of things that can happen where you are, following God. And you still find yourself under siege relationships are broken circumstances aren't going well. Your health isn't going, well, whatever these things are. Will you find yourself under siege? And it's not because you're not following God.
He has a story of how we did something wrong with you. Not perfect. But in this circumstance, it doesn't say he was sinful for going to war against against the Syria. It just wasn't the plan that got. It wasn't the way God was going to protect you. That just wasn't in the cards for him. And the same thing will happen to us that we will be in circumstances where we feel like we're under siege.
and in those moments, it's easy for us to doubt God's plan and choose our own plan instead. And again, I know this is something that I also talked about a lot. And I think it's because I see it as the biggest temptation of Christian circumstances in our current place and time. The biggest Temptation we have is to try and accomplish God, wrong memes where we lose faith in doing things. God's way. We lose faith, in doing things with Integrity with honesty, with compassion, with love. And instead, we turn to other ways to accomplish our goals. We think well, it's not compassion is going to work. So I'm going to turn to anger. I'm going to turn to hate her into dishonesty. I'm going to turn to all these other means of trying to accomplish either things were Gods. Can you were things for my own life? Because we genuinely lose faith that doing things God's way will lead to the right outcome. Which in some way means that we don't really trust God to carry through on his plan and we're going to take control and make sure that it turns out, right.
And I know that's a major Temptation for us today because I feel that all the time. But the reason why I hardly do anything on Facebook cuz I struggle with social media, cuz it's just it's so hard to, I don't know. It's just a weird atmosphere, but that's the Temptation for us. And so, what we need to learn from this story, is that what was true for? Hezekiah is true for us because it is the exact same God. I is the exact same God who has the exact same mission to show the world who he is through his people, so that we can all be reconciled to him and do what that tells us is that if we trust God, in those hard times, he is faithful to fulfill his plant in our lives. Not pronoun, is important. His plan. Because Hezekiah his plan would was probably to have a big prosperous Empire. And for their prosperity and their Victory to show God to show people. This is the most powerful God cuz they're the most powerful Kingdom in the oven is going, right? God still a better way than through Solomon, right? Hezekiah gives us a better testimony than Solomon but it's through a very different path. And even though it was a much harder one to walk in terms of comfort level. I would much rather be Solomon than Hezekiah. Hezekiah trusted God and God accomplished his plan through Hezekiah.
And through the story of Hezekiah, we had this incredibly powerful witness of, who got his that inspires us today. And you, as you are faithful to God and times that are difficult, you can be that to others.
You can be that additional witness that list that Shana witnesses that shows people. It wasn't the special things that he just stood for Hezekiah. God. Does this all the time?
So that's what we are called to do is to trust God. When we're under siege. And to trust, that he will accomplish his plant if we stick to the way he calls us to live, because it would have been really easy for Hezekiah to surrender. So, you know what? I must have been doing it wrong. So, God must not want me to do these things. So, I'll surrender, I'll go back to. I'll bring all the stuff back. All the snow will start sacrificing on all the high places and I'll do whatever the king of Assyria wants me to do and see if you might get to survive that way. Our temptation is also to try and fight back against the Siri of the way of Syria fights against us as Christians. That's one of our big Temptations. But ultimately we trust God and we trust the plan that he's put put before us. And as we translate this into the New Testament, I think it's important for us to translate it. Well, as we look at what this means for us as Christians today, because our Temptations American Christian is to then look at doing it here. I know that like I'm a personally be under siege. You may personally be under siege and that is a good way to to process this for our own experience, but it's important for us to remember. I am not Jerusalem. And you are not Jerusalem. As we translate this idea into the New Testament, we find the Bible, the New Testament uses a different connection to talk about. There's that there's a different, the city of God, is a vice to something different, not me as a person. And the most encouraging passage that I know of to explain. This is a moment in the gospels, when Jesus asked his followers, who do people say that I am? And it will solve some of the rumors that have been flying around and just as okay, but who do you say that? I am? And Simon Peter answered. You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living. God, for the Christ, the son of the Living. God. That sounds familiar. I'm really glad Jack went back in and cover that because we confessed this every week and it's this is where it comes from. And Jesus says, blessed. Are you Simon son of Jonah? For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in heaven, and I tell you that you are Peter. And on this rock. I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. And there's a controversial, Peter means Rock. So he says you are rock. You're the Rock. And on this rock. I will build my church in this controversy. What is he talking about, Peter, the person in which case? He's the first pope, or is he actually talking about Peter's confession? And is the confessions, The Rock? I actually think it's a third option. I think that it is Peter but not because Peter is the first pope that because Peter is the first person to say, the confession that makes him part of this building, like Peter. You are the first one to confess this. That makes you the first brick in the building. And on that break, I will build this church out of people who confess that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God, and everyone of us as we confess faith in Jesus Christ. And as we obey him, we are built into this church. This city and it is that City that church that will not be overcome. You personally may be overcome in your circumstances. Me. You may not your life. May not do the place you wanted to. You can be defeated. Even any particular congregation can be defeated by the promise of scripture. Is that the Church of which we are all a part will never be defeated. Hell itself. Cannot defeat it because it is because Jesus is the head because it is filled with the holy spirit because God's purposes will not fail. So, as we choose to follow Jesus, We join in the city that will never be overcome, and the hope that you have. No matter what happens in your life is you are on the winning team. I can guarantee you that no matter what you are on the winning team.
And you have Christ with you to get you through, whatever is going to be in front of you and to be able to use you to accomplish his plan. But the way I can guarantee you Victory is not to say God will give you everything you ever wanted in this life. But to say, you are on the winning team and ultimately God's will for this world and God's will for his people is the best possible thing that could happen until was we go into eternity. According to God's plan. We will all win that victory.
Twice, we close. I encourage you to think about what may God be calling you to do or to decide in this moment now. I just look at your role in, in God's plan. What is he calling you to do? Maybe he's calling you to confess Jesus as the Christ to become a brick in that building. In that church that will never be over, to take your place among God's people. Today is the best day to do that and you can do that by coming forward during the song. You can do that by talking to one of our staff members or a Christian that you trust. If you're online, we love you to get ahold of us are just talked to some to a Christian that, you know, they can talk you through that process. But today is the best day to give your life to Christ. Maybe you're in a moment to Siege and you need to tell God, you need it to confess the god, that Temptation that you're feeling the fear that you're feeling the how overwhelmed you're feeling and just let him know, play it out the way I did and ask him to save you. You don't need to fear that conversation, don't need to fear laying out your doubts and your frustrations before. God. He wants to hear them and he will hear them and he will help you through. Maybe you need to recommit yourself to living. The way God has called us to live. Maybe, you know that you have you have taken the wrong path and you compromising the wrong way. So you need to rededicate to that. Maybe you need to be part of a group of people. Do you need help with that journey? And you can join one of our small groups or service teams and be part of a, of a small group that will help each other. With those struggles with those Journeys, with those battles. You didn't sign up for one of those who is connect card. Maybe you want to be part of a family that you want to be part of a local section of that building, that is working together to follow, God's plan to love each other and to show God's love to this world. Whatever circumstances we have. That's who this church is seeking to be and we would love for you to be a part of that. And if you want to know more about what that looks like, you can use your connect card to sign up for a class. It's been an hour and a half after church one Sunday talking about who this church is and what we do and how you can be. A part of it would love for you to make that decision as well, so I can hurt you. Now as we sing, our final song to ask yourself. What is God calling you to do today? Do you follow him?