Pillar DC Church Service - 3/27/2022

Right. This morning. We're going to be continuing an r-series Through The Sermon, on the Mount. We began The Sermon on the Mount last week. We're going to Matthew 5:13 through 16 this morning as you're turning. Do you want to just quickly remind you that right? Now? We are collecting Easter eggs, cuz we're going to be having a small Easter egg hunt after Easter Service, on the 17th, which is in 3 weeks. And so, we're just asking everybody to bring a dozen or more eggs that are already filled with candy. So bring the Dozen or more eggs, filled with candy, and there's a donation box downstairs in the basement and you can drop them off there. I just we're hoping if we can all work together than we can collect plenty and then we'll be ready for that egg hunt. So you can bring those at any time over the next three weeks. I'll be a tremendous help. Rodger, finding your way to Matthew 5 1316. I wanted to share with you a story that I read earlier this week about adoniram Judson to add an arm Judson, was a missionary to India. And by all accounts. He was one of those people that maybe you've met one of those people before you spent time around one of those people that just reminds you of Jesus, you know, it's just there's something about them that just exudes christlikeness. And when you spend time around, then you just find yourself wanting to draw closer to God, wanting to know, God more just by being around that person by all accounts. Adoniram Judson was one of those people. And so he was, he gave his life to make Christ known among people who have never heard the gospel before in India, and one time upon her return visit to America. As he got off the ship. There was a young boy Playing at the Wharf and immediately was struck by the very presence of adoniram Judson and later on and lock the youngboy reflected that he said never before. Had, I seen such a light on any human face. When the boys saw Judson. He ran to find his minister to go ask his Minister, who this man is the boy and his minister went to find Judson and the minister himself got so engrossed in conversation with Judson that he completely forgot about the young boy that was standing by his side. Many years later that young boy became the famous preacher Henry Clay Trumbull and Trumbull served as a Chaplain in the Union Army and is a faithful preacher for decades afterwards and his encounter as a Young Man without an arm Judson had such a powerful effect on him that later on in life when he wrote his Memoirs. He entitled one of the chapters, what a boy saw in the face of Adonai on Judson. Henry, Clay Trumbull could never get away from the influence of Judson and countenance, because he saw Christ exuded from him. Adult the life of a person who has been transformed by the gospel, can have an enormous impact on those around them and we began our Series in The Sermon on the Mount last week and The Sermon on the Mount we said last week that Doug told told us last week, The Sermon on the Mount describes the true people of the true king. In other words, you want to know what a disciple of Jesus is supposed to look like read The Sermon on the Mount. Do you want to know what a disciple of Jesus is supposed to look like read The Sermon on the Mount? The last week we looked at the Beatitudes and verses 1 through 12 the character of a true disciple Spirit. True disciple is Meek. Pure at heart, merciful a peacemaker Etc. And then the rest of the sermon Jesus unpacked, the conduct of a true disciple. To the Beatitudes are like an introduction to the rest of the sermon. They describe the heart of a true disciple in the primary point of verses 13 to 16. Is that a transform heart will lead to a transformed wife. If you embody the characteristics describe and verses 1 to 12, it will be evident in your life. Your conduct in your conversation will be Salt and Light to a dying and Dark World. So let's read. Matthew 5, 1316. I'm going to pray and then we'll dive into the text is what God's word says.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and Trampled Under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, nor two people light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others. So that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. I pray, God, I thank you for your word. And I pray now that you would help me to accurately, teach your word this morning. I pray that you would fill me right now. Holy spirit told me to get out of the way, but I pray that God, you would work through me in my weakness and I pray that you would all all of us ears to hear. So that you can shape and mold us and in sanctify us as your people this morning. We love you and we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

Main point of the sermon this morning is that true disciples glorify God by pointing people to Jesus. They're transformed lives the lips. Your disciples glorify God by pointing people to Jesus, Through transforms lives and lips. Jesus uses to illustrations to describe how this happens and their fuel stations are going to make up our two points. This morning's are two points. First pointed true, disciples are salt to a Dying World in the second point is that true disciples are light to a dark world. True disciples are salt to a Dying World on the heels of describing the character of a true disciple. In the Beatitudes. Jesus says to anyone who is his disciple. He says you are the salt of the earth. And salt was an extremely valuable commodity in the ancient world with many uses. We don't typically think of salt is valuable today because we have an abundance of it. And it's just that thing that sits on the table and you put it on your ticket on your rice or whatever, right? With salt was extremely valuable in the ancient world. It was obviously used to flavor food and help food tastes a lot better. I was also used as a purifying agent to disinfect woodz in the ancient world doesn't feel very good. But it's good for you ever heard the term rubbing salt in the wound, right? That's what you do. Cuz it makes the Moon actually hurt worse, but it actually does purify the wood. But most importantly, salt was used as a preserving agent to prevent meat from rotting and decaying. Before the age of the refrigerator salt was the primary way. The meat could be preserved. So salt literally saved lies and kept entire populations from starving. And because of this, it was extremely valuable. It was even used as currency around the world in trading. And Roman soldiers. Often times, our actually paid and salt. You ever heard the phrase that he's not even he's not worth his salt. That's where that phrase actually comes from. Cuz salt was actually uses wages many places in the ancient world. It was so important that wars were actually, fought over salt and entire economies were based on it. So, when Jesus says, the Christian you are the salt of the earth he is. I think first of all, saying that our lives could stand out in stark contrast to the world. If you have the character of a true disciple, as described in the Beatitudes, it will be evidence. Your life will bring a distinct flavor to the world. It will do good in the world will bring value in the world. Someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, rather than groping for pleasure in the, in the fleeting pleasures of sin will stand out. Someone who is merciful and forgiving instead of taking Revenge will be distinct. Not only does the life of a true disciple stand out. But in a sense, Our Lives should be like a preserving agent in a dying and decaying world. Scripture explains that the world is in bondage to corruption. When sin entered the world, death entered in and for all of creation is under this curse of corruption. In The Godly lives of Christians who embody the beatitude, the whole world from moral Decay to some extent. This doesn't mean that we can stop the world from corruption. But rather that the influence of the Gospel can and should have a positive effect and influence in the world around us. Sinclair Ferguson is a pastor in an author and he says this, he says Christians whose lives exhibit. The qualities of the blessed. That is the Beatitudes will have a preserving impact on a society that if left to itself will rot and deteriorate. Without the influence of the Gospel Society will suffer moral, Decay and become putrid. How true has this been? You're sadly. As the church has become more like the world. The church has become less and less effective in society. Often times we look at the moral Decay around us and we shake our heads at all the wickedness out there, but we ought to start by taking a look at ourselves first. Much of the blame lies at the feet of the church as we've compromised at cozied up with the world, rather than striving to be a different from the ways of the world is possible. It's no wonder that our culture is experiencing moral, rot. Salt is needed because the world is dying and decaying, but if our Christianity is also dying and decaying, it won't be any good.

The church does not make a difference in the world or attract the world to Jesus by becoming like the world. How many churches? Ruler and remove some of the more expensive aspects of got word that they can attract more people to Christ, but the church has its usefulness. Actually lies in our uniqueness, our usefulness lies in our uniqueness Martyn, Lloyd Jones, that was a preacher and England in the end of the last century. And he said, the glory of the Gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world. She invariably attracts it. Our ambition should be to become as much, like, Jesus. We possibly can, we should strive to flee from sin as fast as we can to be as different from the world around us as we possibly can. So if, if the question you are asking yourself, is how close can I get to sin without actually crossing the line? You're asking the wrong question. You're not thinking like a Christian one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Ask the question. How far, and how fast can I distance myself from the corrupting influence of sin? How can I get away from it? Now? This is not to say that we should go live in a monastery and set ourselves separate ourselves from society. That was the mistake of the church in the in the third and fourth centuries. Consult is useless. If it's not in contact with the beat. Okay, they can't preserve anything. If it's not in contact with the meat, we must be in the world, but not of the world. True disciples must influence the world, not the other way around. I'll just ask you, are you influencing the world around you? Or is the world influencing you? What happened in your life? A true disciple of Jesus Endeavors to live as much like Jesus as he or she can as a witness before a watching world. So is your life different from the world around you? Do you speak differently in the world? Do you look at different things in the world? Do you listen to different things than the world? Do you spend your time and your money on different things in the world? Not talk to people before who told me that they've worked at a at a certain place, certain job for a year or more. And that their co-workers don't even know that there. This hardly seems possible. If one has the character described in the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes will be apparent in the life of a true disciple. You you can't hide them, we won't display them, perfectly of course, but they will be consistently present and increasing measure as we mature in Christ.

The one often overlooked area of Our Lives where this all applies is in our homes. Parents. Are you being Salt and Light in your home? Do your kids, observe you hungering and thirsting for righteousness in prayer and regular scripture reading? Remember, seeing my Dad read the Bible early in the mornings. Just a consistent thing. He did every morning, you have his Bible out in his coffee, and when I'd come up, he'd be. When I'd wake up. He'd be doing that in his study or in his big lounge, chair. And they had a lasting impact on me. It creates put the seeds in my heart of the love for the word of God, just by watching him do it. Do your kids. See you being a peacemaker when arguments arise or do they witness you pouring gasoline or arguments with your spouse? Trying to get the last word in? Did they see being pure in heart in the language that you use or the attitude that you carry yourself with? All of these things will have a profound impact on this one will influence your children for the gospel. One, way, or the other more than parents. No one not the pastor at the church. Not the youth pastor, not their teachers with nothing. You parents are going to have a greater influence on your child's life, for the sake of the gospel than anyone else. For Good For Better, or For Worse. One amazing example, I read about it in the story of John Newton's mother about some of you may know the story of God, famously saved, John Newton out of a life of Saint in the slave trade. He went on to become a minister and he wrote some incredible hands, including Amazing Grace. Probably the greatest known him ever written. What most don't knuckle on his life, is the influence of his mother and his mother Elizabeth died. When he was just seven years old. She was sick with tuberculosis most of his life. So she was very, very ill and bedridden much of the time, but she was a Godly woman who wanted more than anything for her son to know, and love Jesus. John was her only child. She spent most of her effort teaching, John as a young boy from the scriptures. By the time he was 4 years old Newton could read and he knew all of the answers to the assembly's Shorter. Catechism and several other catechisms. He could recite them by heart after his mother died at the age of seven. Newton, was raised by his father at father, who he later described his very harsh and his stepmother, who was neglectful and his father actually sent him off to work at sea at the age of 11. An embittered, by all of this Newton became hardened and sin and he participated in and all sorts of sin and debauchery including the slave trade. But those seeds, sown by his mother took effect later on in his life. God graciously, save Newton out of a life of sin and slave trading and he pointed back to the influence of his mother. As a big reason, why He could never shake her Godly example in her faithfulness and teaching him the word of God. He, he wrote later on he and in one of his journals. He wrote my dear Mother often, commended me with many prayers and tears to God. And I doubt not, but I read the fruits of these prayers to this very hour.

This testimony, I think, is first, and foremost, an encouragement to parent. God is able to use our feeble efforts to work through our feeble efforts to save our children. So, don't give up. Don't give up. Maybe you have adult children and their they've strayed from the lord. They're not walking with the Lord right now. Don't stop praying for them. Maybe you have young children and they're such depraved little human beings that you want power in the world. God could ever save them like my 3 kids. Don't give up. Stop praying for them. It's also an important reminder of the responsibility. We have two disciple, our children to be Salt and Light in our home. Church members. You are aware that this is in our church covenant, right? We promised to do this. Let me read you a portion of our of our members Covenant that we all signed and we've made together to hold one another accountable to it reads. This says also engage to maintain family and secret personal devotions. Are you doing that? Are you leading your family spiritually? Or this goes on to say to seek the salvation of our Kindred in our acquaintances restoring, the gospel with your children for sharing the gospel, the extended family. To educate our children in the Christian faith and to support the efforts of the church to prepare the Next Generation to put their confidence. In. This isn't just a suggestion. This is a promise. We made to one another and it's a command in Scripture. So what like men don't underestimate the impact you can have in the lives of your children by your example and by your verbal witness, both fathers and mothers. God is giving us an awesome privilege for me to take this seriously. As followers of Jesus, our lives stand out like salt, because we've been changed from the inside out. It should stand out at home. They should stand out in the workplace. They should stand out in our neighborhood at the grocery store or wherever we are our lives to stand out. If Jesus was awarded to at the end of verse 13, he says his salt has lost its taste house, would saltiness be restored. He said it's no longer good for anything. That's not useful for the kingdom. It may as well be thrown out and Trampled Under people's feet. So if you are living like the world then like unsalty salt, you are in danger of being thrown out. By the way, it's okay to admit. If you are there this morning, if that's you, I came to that place. When I was 24 years old. I realized that I was no different from the world. I had been sitting under the teaching of the Bible for 24 years. But if they all remained over my eyes, I assented to the gospel intellectually. I said, I believed it up here, but the gospel had never made its way from my head and my heart. There are millions of professing Christians. Doing the same thing. There's some of you sitting in this room. If you were honest with yourself right now, you know that you resemble the world far more than you resemble cry. You are not influencing the world. The world is influencing you. Only God knows the true condition of your heart, the evidence of your life suggest that you are in danger of being thrown out, like, salt that has lost its saltiness. No, I want to be clear. This does not mean that a true disciple, a born-again Christian can lose their salvation. Jesus says you are the salt of the earth. Christian Tsar not challenge to become salty but to stay salty. So it's your life, looks no different from the world around. You is quite possible that you were never, truly a Christian in the first place. Doesn't need to lead you to despair, though. To the answer isn't to try harder. God is merciful and gracious, and you can call out to him today to save you. Jesus came to die on the cross for Sinners who can't measure up. He bore the wrath of God that we despaired for our sin and three days later. He emerged from the grave just beating death and he freely invites sinners, like us to turn away from our sin and to believe this gospel in to be saved. And when you do that, when you call upon Christ to save you, he will save you and you will be born again. He will take out your Heart of Stone and put in a heart of Flesh and you will begin to 222 project the Beatitudes from within out of your life. Your life will begin to bear fruit like you were intended to do as a Christian. The gospel is not that we must conform to God's law outwardly. We can't. You can't confirm the guys off. We're going to read through the rest of the Sermon on the Mount and it's going to climax chapter 5 is climax. In First 48 where Jesus going to say. You must be perfect. This is your heavenly father is perfect. Why is he saying that? Is he saying that because he thinks we can actually painted know, the whole point is to drive a nail into the coffin of our self-righteousness and self-confidence. In the realize. We are utterly helpless apart from God's grace. So if you're here this morning and you know, you're living like the world and you know, and God knows he can see your heart. He can see your Motors. You can put on a show for me. You can put on a show for your friends, but I'm begging you to stop. Stop putting on a show. You don't put on a show. You're going to stand before. God one day. You won't stand before him tonight. And what will you say? What will you say? I had a good reputation. It doesn't matter if you're not born again. If you know that you're not saying if you know, you're not living like God has sent you to live, call out to him to save you and he will. He's merciful, but don't play games. He's also just and holy and you're going to answer for your sin. Either. You will pay for your sin or Christ will pay for it on the cross, please, please don't play games, guys. Please don't neglect God's free gift of Salvation. I know there are people sitting in this room for like I used to be in God. I was just thinking this morning. I was I was walking around here praying before the service this morning and and thinking about how I try to run.

I tried everything I could to get away from his calling my life, but he wouldn't let me go. And so on 32, David praise, he says, got your hand was Heavy. Upon me. That's how he describes his life before God brought him to his knees. And he repented, and I'm so thankful for God's good heavy hand. He made me miserable until I repented and I'm so glad he did and I pray that God does in your life. If you're playing games with them. If you're not saying, I pray that God's heavy hand is upon you this week so that you will repent and believe it gospel and be set free because there's nothing better than being in the position of the Blessed of exhibiting, the Beatitudes in our life and it has nothing to do with me. I'm not something impressive. Lord knows I am a mess and a train wreck without God. Everything good in me is Christ in me. So look at that's you and you're saying, what do I do? 13 years ago. What I did is I got no money since it. I don't want to be this person anymore. Please change me.

Make me poor in spirit. Make me more over my sin. I confess my lack of righteousness in my other dependents on you. Nothing in my hands. I bring simply to the cross. I cling change me cuz I want to church for Chase Christians. That's the only way the city's going to change. We got people who can transform for the inside out to be attitudes in our lives.

If you will come to God and sincerity like this, I assure you that he will do it. He's not hesitant. Think about Grace. He's not hesitant to get.

Assault to a Dying World and disciples are light to a dark world. That's the second illustration. The Jesus uses the teachers that were to glorify God by 20 people to choose Jesus to transform lives and lips. The salt has has a subtle influence, but light is more intrusive salt preserves, but light projects, we weren't. We weren't meant to be closet, Christians Were Meant to display the glory of God through our words and our works. Jesus says, in verse 14. He says a city on a hill. Can't be hidden. You can't, you can't hide a city on a hill. It's going to stand out. Listeners, might notice if possible contradiction at this point. You might be wondering, passenger, didn't Jesus? Say that he's the light of the world and John chapter 8. So how is it that? We are the light of the world is true. Jesus said, I am the light of the world in John chapter 8. But just like the moon lights, up the world at night time because it reflects the light from the sun. Jesus himself is our source of light. The moon has no light in itself. It merely reflects the light given off by the Sun, and yet truly does light up the night sky. By the Light, it gives off. We can see In the same, what Jesus is reflected in the lives of his followers, our lives are intended to be a display of his glory lived out in our words and then our works and verse 16 plays the purpose. Jesus says, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. The world is in spiritual Darkness because it seemed neither sees nor knows God. Jesus said in John 12:46. I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes may not remain in darkness. Our default position being born into sin, is that we are in darkness in Jesus came as the light, and now he said to us Church, you are the light of the world. You will reflect my glory. So that all will come to know me.

As we reflect Jesus with our lives, the world is able to see and come to know God through that witness. So, here's an important thing. I want you guys to understand is that people cannot know God, apart from the faithful, witness of Jesus in both verse 13 and 14 uses an emphatic pronoun. So a Greek when he says, you are the light of the world, it literally read you. Yourselves are the light of the world or you and you alone off the light of the world is how we would actually literally read the statement you and you alone are the light of the world. So if we don't bear witness to Christ, the world will remain in darkness. The Reason God has saved you so that you can display his glory for all to see. And I want you to notice carefully that the result of others, seeing your good work is not that they will praise you, but they that they will praise God. See what he says. He says that they may see your good works and give glory to God. I see your good work. You do. The good works. God gets the glory. You do the good. God gets the glory. Why? Because your good works have nothing to do with you and everything to do with God. It's God's light shining. Like you don't walk into a dark room and flipped on the light switch so that you can stare at the light bulb. You turn on the light so that you can see everything else in the room. Okay. God has not made us the light of the world to draw a tensioner and praise to ourselves. But to him, he didn't make us a light to the people so that through our people can see him.

Any light the World season us is Christ in us, not ourselves. And I'll tell you, that's a good news for weak. People like me and you in that. Because the pressure isn't on us to perform. We are called to become Salt and Light. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. Ephesians 5:8 says this, it says that one time you were Darkness, but now you are light in the world. So walk as children of light. Jesus is just calling us to be who we already are here. He's already changed it from the inside out. If anyone is in Christ, behold, he is a new creation. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 be who you are take the basket off of your head and start letting your light shine.

How do you do that? By the spirit? Don't gratify. The desires of the flesh. Because you've been born again. You not have the desire and the ability to do what is pleasing to God. You are blindly following the desires of your flesh and the devil. You are able by the spirit to put to death, the Deeds of the body, like, Romans 8, 12 and 13 says, you have that ability. You're no longer a slave to sin. If you're a Christian.

A true disciple. Who embodies the Beatitudes? In versus 3212, won't be able to hide it. Light, does not have to try to shine. It's very nature is to shine. Christ will be evident Works in words. One of the best examples in my life of this is Joshua Harris. Not the author, different Joshua Harris.

Being around Joshua changed the trajectory of my life. I'm at Joshua about 13 years ago. And as I was turning earlier at that time, I claimed to be a Christian but I wasn't salty. I resembled the world. I was entertained by what the world was entertained by. The Joshua was different. He couldn't help, but exude Jesus, with his life in his lips. He was really joyful. And he really cared about others. I remember he used to come into the shop. I would work at and he'd ask me how he could pray for me, and then it stopped and pray for you right there. And and I and I could tell he meant it, like you really cared and he was so Bowl. He didn't? He talked about Jesus all the time. It was like, you could just tell he was in love with Jesus, and he just couldn't stop talking about all the great things that God had done in his life and he didn't care. If people overheard him talking about Jesus. He didn't get, he would just talk about, Jesus all the time and talk about the gospel and he, he he took joy in serving others. He didn't use foul language, tell crude jokes. He was just different. It was just something different about him. And I could tell he knew. In a way that I didn't know God. And I found myself. I want to know. He does. He's got something that I don't have it. I want it. I want it. Brothers and sisters. That's the kind of person got calling us to be. That's what it looks like to be the salt of the earth and light in a dark world where to point others to Jesus, through a transfer and wise and lick. Are you the type of person What other people around you do? They want to know Jesus more because they've been around you because you spend so much time with Jesus. Like you're like a sponge. Just soaks in the water of Jesus for so long. And when you're throwing out at the end of the day, Jesus just pours out of you. Paul said and 1st Timothy 1:16. He said, I received Mercy for this reason that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ, might display his perfect patient, as an example, to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. That's God's will for your life. If you're a Christian, is that your goal for your life cuz you were going to align with his.

One of the ways that Christ will be evident in the life of a true disciple, is that true disciples cannot help, but share the good news about Jesus with others. When the when the Sanhedrin ordered Peter and John to stop preaching the gospel and Acts chapter 4, they said we cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard. Sorry guys, we can't help it. Cut our heads off if you want, but we can't help but speak about it. We know. This is the truth. If Jesus is truly alive and he is and if we to have forgiveness of sins in eternal life by trusting in Him, and we do then, we can't help. But share this. When you were in love, you got to bout the one that you're in love with because you want everyone to know. You want to share that Joy. You want to make it Facebook official, right? It's the same for followers of Jesus. No one likes lamp and then places it under a basket. Jesus says. Jesus has let your life of flame giving you his holy spirit that the you can bear witness to him. If you are a Christian and you came here this morning, confused about what your purpose in life is, you don't need to look any further. It's right here before eyes in this text primary purpose is to magnify Christ by living like him. And speaking of him to everyone who will listen, whether you are a marine, whether you are House made, whether you are a stay-at-home mom, whether you are an entrepreneur, whether you are a construction worker. It doesn't matter. That's our primary purpose in life. If you're a follower of Jesus, We got an opportunity this Easter season to share the good news with people here in the city. We're surrounded by multitudes of people who are in darkness right now and the only light of the world. Christians say you yourselves are the light of the world. The only way these people are going to come to know God the only way these people will be saved as if we tell them the gospel. They will remain in darkness and ultimately perish in Eternal Darkness. If we don't share it with them at every person in this room, including me has friends and co-workers and neighbors who are in darkness. So let's make Jesus known to them. Let's remove the basket. That is over our light. This morning. I want to give all of us the opportunity to apply this message right away. We have we have invite cards for Easter Service and bundles of three up here. And we're going to have an Easter services at 10:30 a.m. On Sunday, April 17th followed by an Easter egg. Hunt is not not a big deal when I'm doing a helicopter egg drop or something like that. We just the main attractions of the Gospel. The gospel is going to be priests. We want to serve our community. We're going to make Jesus known for claim him. We're going to have a good time. We're going to have a lot of Fellowship will have good food, but the primary attraction is Christ. And what I'm going to call you got to do. I'm asking every Christian at this room to commit, to MIT, to commit, to invite three people to our Easter Service, taking place, on April 17th. Obviously inviting someone to church. Is it a substitute for sharing the gospel with them? My hope is that you will also share the gospel with people when you invite them. But the point is that we want you to be intentional about being a light. What am I asking you to do is to commit to apply what God is calling us to do here in his word by taking these and B and giving them out over the next couple of weeks. And so I mean, in just a moment. I'm an ass and worship team to start making the way up in just a moment. I'm going to ask you guys Wild Horse, if he's planning to come up. If you're going to commit to invite three people to get three people, then by coming up and taking these three things you are committing before. Everybody else in this room. I'm going to do this, hold me accountable. Okay, if you don't think you're you can do that or whatever then don't come don't come. I'm much more respect Integrity that I do putting on a show. Okay. So like like if you're not going to use them, if you're not going to fight people don't come up. That's okay. We're not judging you. It's okay, but I want to urge you, if you're a Christian and if this is true of you like the man, like let's take advantage of this opportunity to be a light this Easter season. And then not only do I want you to commit to invite three people, and I want you to pray for commits, pray for the people that you invite start. Praying for them. Now, praying that God will use our flimsy efforts of handing out these cards to two people that he'll use them to draw people in something. They'll save people as a result of his Outreach to pray because we can't save anybody. Only God can say we're powerless, but he works through week Witnesses like us.

Church, you are the light of the world. This local church is a light in the middle of Capitol Hill in Washington. D.c. What an opportunity we have the most influential City in the most influential nation in the world at this point in history. And God has put us here as a light in a salt.

We have the privilege of displaying the glory of almighty God, to a watching world through our allies and lips. I must not take that true disciples. Glorify God by pointing people to Jesus Through transform lives and lips. When I ask you to do now is the team, going to go ahead and play some music and then I'm just going to ask if you're on this side of the room. If you were going to commit to invite three people to use their service than you can, you can take one of the cards from this side. And if you're on the side of the room, you can come and take a card on this side. And then once everybody's made their way back to their seats, I'll close this. I'll pray, and then will close out in the final song. Okay, so you can come for it whenever you're ready.

We got got more leftovers up after the service. If you are like a, I want invite more than three more. Now. We got plenty and we can always print more if we need to as well.

Also. And if, if you're here this morning and what I said earlier. If you know, like I've been living like the world and God's heavy hand is kind of coming upon you right now, and you're feeling the weight of the conviction of your son. Would you please come and talk to me for pastor Thomas or Pastor Doug after the service. Please come talk to us. Like I would love to help Shepherd you through. Next steps on how to start following Jesus. Like, I would love to buy Joshua. The man I told you about, he was the man one of the men that God used to help. Teach me how to start truly following Jesus. And I've given my life up to help other people do the same. That's my purpose in life. That's what I long to do more than anything else in the world. You are not a burden to me or the pastor, Thomas your pastor. Doug guys will wipe everything off of our counter for that. I can literally want for us. Please come talk to us. Please don't Please don't leave this place without calling me to do. Okay, let me pray. And then we're going to stand where your clothes at a time with someone. Thank you so much for saving us from our sin for taking broken. Sinners Like Us, who were just marred by the stain of our sin and making us clean and brand new and it giving us a heart of Flesh and then giving us the privilege of being like trophy cases for the gospel. Like, we're like Jars of Clay. Paul says, it's in Corinthians 4 with this precious treasure inside of us. What a privilege that the King of Kings would choose to display his glory. The glory I have is awesome attributes. God. I pray that you would help us become more like you so we can be a true reflection of who you are to a dying in a dark world around us. God, we love you. We thank you. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Let's Stay Together and let's sing.