12/18/22 Guest Speaker Stephen Hagen

Thank you so he's actually going to take it okay and then he might be able to I guess [Music] song okay perfect thanks so much thank you foreign thank you foreign thank you please this challenge foreign there we go hey good morning church well it's good seeing y'all here at First Baptist Church and for some of you I've got to enjoy the kids presentation this morning they did a fantastic job didn't they did an absolutely fantastic job even those volunteers who worked so hard to get it all squared away I tell you what it was just it was a really really good time seeing those kids and all the hard work that they've done let's see here a couple of things for you I'm not preaching today so amen all right interesting but now Steven's gonna be here he's preaching and his wife Janet will be here I'll introduce them later before they come up and speak and we do have a couple of things that are not in the bulletin we're gonna be passing the offering plate again as you guys know we're getting back into that habit and so that'll be happening and remember last week I told y'all be prepared because in response to Stephen's message today today is our Lottie moon what they call an end Gathering and in gathering is basically it's a day set aside to give to a certain thing and so right up here

At the front we've got our little church here because we're building the church Capital C the church corporate the church Universal body and during the invitation time will be your opportunity to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering and that goes to support missionaries all around our globe through the Southern Baptist convention and when you give we're going to be talking a little bit about that but what Stephen Jen are going to share about is not something that they that we all of a sudden get to participate in but it's something that we're already doing through our financial gifts and so I'm really excited about what the Lord is going to teach me today and teach you as well a couple of things you'll notice in the bulletin you guys need to get these bulletins okay there's lots of good information but the 24th okay that's next Saturday we've got our Christmas Eve candlelight service that's at 5 block just a very simple service we're going to go up absolute Max of 45 minutes okay so if you're looking for a great service to Worship the Lord hear some preaching sing some Christmas carols and enjoy your festivities it's it's a great thing so that's at five o'clock on Saturday on the 25th there is there are no Community groups okay there's no Sunday school for the kids we're just going to do worship service that day okay and so I would encourage you because you know Sunday is the day that we set aside to Worship the Lord there's no more important day to come and gather and Worship the Lord then on the day that he's already set for us to come and gather and to Worship the Lord and so that's going to be on December 25th that's week from today and then the 26th 27th office is closed and then on January 1st we're going to do our normal Sunday morning service time so it's going to be Community groups Sunday school kids quest

Regular worship service so if you're a night owl you know just be prepared for that let's see here a couple of other things on January 1st on that day we're going to be starting our new sermon series through the book of First Peter and this is part of our Church's gift to you as you guys know this has been our habit you get these Scripture Journal Bibles where you get to sit down take notes write observations I encourage every single one of you bring a bring a physical copy of God's word here's a gift to you to write your own little commentary by the time that we get finished with first Peter you're going to have your own annotations your own underlines your own markings and things like that and then you're going to be able to look back on it whenever you whenever you so desire to do so and also there's a little note in the bulletin from Nicholas Denham he is our children's director of Children and Family Ministries and he is we've got a slew of kids over in Kids Quest now we're running very regularly into that 30s Mark and you know it's it's awesome praise the Lord amen we want to we want a noisy church we want a growing church as I've said before if we're not going to make disciples one way we're going to make them another and so we've got kids that are coming up through our Nursery into our children's ministry and we need to add either you know there's two things that we do either re-add an additional track for Missions and Scripture Memory and before you say well the parents need to get in there like literally the parents are serving in two or three different ways in our church body okay and if you're already serving in two or three different ways in our

Church body you can tune this out but if you're not serving anywhere you need to tune in because as a part of the church you are instructed by God out of the joy that he's given you for your salvation to go and make disciples and to teach them to observe all that he has commanded them right all right right we are commanded to do that right and this is an easy way for you to teach kids Scripture Memory and missions and what that will do is it will allow us to actually get to even 40 on Sunday mornings because we're not stopping growing we're going to keep growing to the glory of God Amen and we're going to reach families we're going to equip dads to be the primary disciple makers of their home we're going to equip moms to be the primary disciple maker of their children because we believe that is what God has instructed us to do and so if you want to get involved in that you need to contact Nicholas because he would love to have some more people in there the converse is that we start having some of our older students coming down in service which is good and it's right for it to do but we like keeping that open to the parents and letting them make that decision so prayerfully consider that seek the Lord seek his face just take it to prayer will you just commit to praying about that church all right there's like three people that just said they pray about it would you if you're not serving anywhere would you just take time just to pray about how you might serve would you do that for me okay well I think that's it so praise the Lord amen why don't we take a moment and I'll just transition us into our time of prayer as has been our habit we like to take a moment before we begin just singing to prepare our hearts and our

Minds for worship and so if you would bow your heads close your eyes with me as we prepare our hearts foreign it's been a very busy season and this is really the first opportunity that you've had since last week to really focus on the Lord would you just tell God that your cup is empty and that you want him to fill you this morning with this presence all right perhaps sickness has been in your home and you're just tired of it you just tell the Lord say God I just I want you to fill my cup today perhaps you're hearing the joy of the Lord is your strength and you're doing really well and you have joy you have peace and you're excited to be here would you just tell the Lord that you're just really happy to be in the house of the Lord today so God we do thank you we praise you we glorify you today I pray that you would just be with us in our worship service Lord as we worship through song may they be loud as we worship through offerings may they be full of joy and Clarity and prayers as we worship through the word Lord I just pray that you would just equip Stephen with just the right words to say that they would just fall upon our hearts that are open and are receptive to you God well we're just so thankful for your kindness and your mercy we thank you for the hope that we have through Jesus Christ we thank you for the gift of your grace to this world we just ask that you would just be with us today Jesus name amen well I invite you now to stand as you're able as we sing this morning angels from

The Realms of Glory [Music] angels from the Realms of Glory when your door all the Earth ye who sang creation story now Proclaim Messiah's Birth come and worship come and worship worship Christ a newborn king [Music] shepherds in the field abiding watching or your flocks by night God With Us is now residing Yonder shines [Music] Saints [Music] watching along in Hope and fear suddenly the Lord descending in his Temple shall appear come and worship come and worship worship Christ a newborn king come and worship come and worship worship Christ on newborn king [Music] the guest of sins are going to come and lead us in our Advent candle lighting good morning good morning our Scripture reading today is out of the first chapter of the Book of Luke verses 26-33 in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and the virgin's name was Mary and he came to her and said greetings o favored one the Lord is with you but she was greatly troubled at the same and she tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be and the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus he will be great and will be called the son of the most high and the Lord God will give him the Throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be

No end three weeks ago we led the prophecy candle remembering those who spoke first spoke of the promise of the coming Christ child and the hope that we have in him two weeks ago we lit the Bethlehem candle remembering the Journey of Mary and Joseph to the city of David in the Supernatural peace that God gave them to go about his work last week we lit the third Candle on the Advent wreath the shepherd Scandal remembering the joy that Jesus brought to all the Earth to everyone from Kings to lowly Shepherds and today we light the fourth Candle on the Advent wreath the Angels candle the Angel's candle reminds us of the great love God showed to his people through the Advent of our Lord Jesus it reminds us of the care he showed to Mary and to Joseph as he sent his Angelic Messengers to prepare them for his great work it reminds us of the great multitude that proclaimed the message of love to the shepherds in the field it reminds us of the love that God brought to Israel through this baby born in Bethlehem the candle also reminds us of the great love God showed through the life of Jesus it reminds us of how God made a way for his people through the substitutionary sacrifice of that same child it reminds us of how Jesus humbly submitted himself to the cross and in the greatest act of Love ever known for the punishment for the sins that we committed and it reminds us of how we are offered salvation through his sacrifice that will only believe let's pray dear Lord we praise you and we thank you for the person and the work of Jesus we thank you for the love that we remember during this Advent season we ask that as we celebrate and remember the birth of Christ you would remind us of the whole

Story of the Gospel help us to rejoice in Christ in the love that you sent to the world and in the new life that we can have in you if we'll believe amen okay well I'd invite you now to stand again as you're able as we continue to worship our Lord and Savior through song [Music] Angels We Have Heard On High sweetly [Music] echoing their joyous [Music] stay oh Shepherds why this Jew believe why your joy is [Music] foreign [Music] the Lord a new morning [Music] see him in a Manger laid whom the choirs of angels pray Mary Joseph land your aid while our hearts in love [Music] shall see stay I'm going to invite our ushers up I don't say it all that often but you know as we worship together it doesn't bother me whether you stand or you sit or you do what you need to do what I'm concerned about is that we're here to worship today amen so you can feel free to remain standing you can feel free to sit this is a place of worship among the people of God and I'm going to lead us in our prayer for the operatory so if you would bow your heads with me dear Lord we ask that you would bless this offering God remind us of the work that you have set before us to do to love you to love each other and to love our community and our world that is the mission of this church and Lord as we give help us to give to remind us that we are giving to

You into your work whether that is through our financial givings or through our time and our talent Lord just remind us of who you are and help us to worship you for it's in Jesus name we pray amen [Music] Oh Come All You Unfaithful come weekend no you are not alone foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] he's the lamb who was given slain for our pardon his promise is peace [Music] this is those who believe so come though you have nothing come [Music] see what your God has done Christ is born oh are you Christ is born [Music] foreign [Music] people Behold our God see Seated on his throne come let us adore him Behold our King nothing can compare come let us adore for him foreign [Music] hold on our God I got it on me [Music] nothing can compare him

[Music] who has felt the nails upon his hands God [Music] Eternal humble to the Grave [Music] Jesus Savior isn't now to Reign Behold our God [Music] foreign [Music] he will reign forever you will reign forever [Music] you will reign forever [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] come let us adore him Behold our Kings nothing can compare come let us adore him [Music] oh come let us adore him oh come let us Christ the Lord you are Lord yesterday today and forever God we praise you this morning just simply for who you are but Lord in your goodness and your mercy you reached down to us you came to Earth God Eternal bore our sins and humbled himself to the cross Lord we praise you God help us never to stop being Amazed by the Gospel it's in Jesus name we pray amen well before I have Jan and Steve come up here and share with you guys what the

Lord is doing in the Philippines I thought it would be prudent to introduce them to you if you've been a part of our church for a while you know who they are they are from roach is that correct and so they're locals and they are out in the mission field doing what we talk about making disciples of all the nations and so I just want to take a moment they're going to share a video and kind of just showing you what the Lord is doing there in the Philippines and then Jen's gonna come up and kind of give you an update from that video and then Stephen's gonna come and preach the word and so if you would turn your attention to the screens we're so thankful that you guys are here I want to introduce two tribal groups in the Philippines first the buccalot tribe where Fierce Headhunters they're culture dictated that a man was not truly a man until he had taken ahead no Outsiders had ever survived contact with them and the surrounding areas lived an absolute Terror until God miraculously protected The Men Who first brought the Gospel to the buccalot tribe the Buffalo tribal church was established in the 1950s and their lives were changed forever now there is a thriving Buffalo tribal church that has been functioning on their own and leading their churches for almost 30 years now I want to introduce the OG to tribal groups the OCTA are a negrito tribe which means they resemble African pygmies and they are considered to be the poorest of the poor and the lowest of the low racial discrimination against them runs rampant their group name agta is even used as an insult meaning stupid or ignorant they had the reputation of being Beggars and thieves incapable of anything more sadly most ogta even seem to believe this about themselves [Music]

During our first term on the field we worked to plant churches amongst the OCTA while we did see some fruit there were many barriers to us effectively reaching the ogta tribes at this point God planted an idea in our hearts how cool would it be if God would use the buccolo tribe to reach the ogta tribes Steve loaded new OG to Believers in our vehicle and drove 20 hours North to a bucolo church conference the ogta had always believed the lie that tribal people are too stupid to lead their own churches but they saw the truth in action before their very eyes and that changed everything this confirmed to us that the most effective way to reach the ogta tribes was to mobilize and train the buccalot tribal church and that is how we spent the next several years began with a consultation with the Buffalo churches to determine what they lacked to Be an Effective sending entity that consultation determined that they needed help in two key areas training and supporting the ones they send working with our partners we classify these needs as life and livelihood the training aspect both for the churches and for the ones who are sent out fall into the life category the lack of a way to support them falls into the livelihood category for the book to become an effective sending entity it is absolutely essential that we strengthen the Buffalo Church in both life and livelihood our family concentrated on the training aspect and God provided wonderful Partners to establish economy within the buccolo tribe to address that side their main project is a coffee plantation that is creating cash economy for the entire people group so that Believers have income from which to give to support the ones their churches send our passion is to strengthen the church where it is to send the church where it

Is not we have focused on mobilizing the church to send not mobilizing people to go and we have been amazed to see how the Buffalo church has been strengthened as they focus on the unreached even when they have sent out some of their very best we have also encouraged the buccalot churches to lead in this from the very beginning after a day of prayer and fasting to determine if they wanted to send who they wanted to send and where they wanted to send them the buccalot church sent the first teams to the ogta in 2011 and as of May 2019 they have sent out 22 adults including seven families we developed an on-the-job style training for them that includes both on-site and off-site training they start with how to learn the ogta languages and then work through strategy principles for Effective Ministry after we trained the first group they took over training the ones who were sent later the newest one just this month it has been incredible to see God work through the book glow to reach the ogta and as they plan churches they are mobilizing and training the OCTA to join them in the work since the buccalot aren't as reliant on us now we recently started using these same principles to mobilize the mangyan tribes they have sent out two families so far to work alongside us and we can't wait to see what God is going to do as he continues to use tribals to reach tribals in the Philippines foreign as Cody said we're local I like to call myself from Camdenton it just sounds better than being from roach but it's always great to be back here a little bit of great a little bit of interpretation as I have so many

Teachers from school and MTC when we went that way but yeah it's really our privilege to be your IMB missionaries and it's especially a privilege to be here on your Lottie Moon Sunday so thank so I just want to give you a short little update since the video since the time that was done a couple years ago the book alone have now sent out more than 30 missionaries these missionaries have planted more than 12 churches and they've started about a hundred different Outreach groups some very recently in the last couple weeks even that we're praying will become churches so in addition we mentioned the mangyan at this end of that we've been partnering more and more with the mangyan tribal groups as well and they've recently sent out three additional families to partner with us with the tribal Bible College which we'll talk about more in a minute yeah so when we hit lockdown a couple years ago we were supposed to be back a couple years ago to share it just felt like all of our plans were really falling apart it was a year where we thought we knew what we were supposed to be doing we felt like there was a lot of things that were the culmination of a lot of plans but God had other plans but by his grace he really used that time to really open up a lot of doors things that we had been praying for and seeing while we weren't there God was at work and that's really what we want to be able to share is just that this is his work and but during that time one of the things that we saw was as that OCTA were there locked down in their places not only were hundreds becoming more and more open to the Gospel as they started asking the big questions and the fears that brought on but also it became a time where as they were being discipled they started really taking ownership

Of the work themselves so the Buffalo missionaries are there the mangyan missionaries are there and they're making disciples and have been doing that and there's churches but it was during lockdown where some of the OCTA Believers really began to step up and say thank you for your help we need to work forward going but we own this and they formed we're joined together to form what they called the Beagle tribal Church Association and this was really momentous for the OCTA because the OCTA culture doesn't allow for working together I mean it doesn't technically forbid it but if you understand that it's not something they ever do and one of their core beliefs is that whoever you are you can't change and what that means is the moment Cody and I have a conflict and we're Baptist so we're going to have conflict right you know that's just the moment there's a conflict I'm going to be the good person and assume I know Cody can't change he's that way and so I will avoid him if it's a big deal I'll avoid him for the rest of my life and so in working together for churches obviously the first time they had their meeting I get a call afterwards and they're going we'll see this guy did this and this guy did this and my first thought was this is going to happen what's happened in the past of the avoiding conflict is going to be more important than what we were doing together but by God's grace when he finished that call he said and so here is what we're going to change going forward how we're going to work through this going forward and it's been an amazing thing to watch as they're starting to recognize that we can work they can work together and they're really taking the ownership and it's worth it to them to trust God that people can change even Cody

I think they laugh sometimes as long as I'm making fun of you but that he can change each other and they can work together after the OCTA tribal leader leader formed the bical tribal Church Association the first thing that they came back to us what they were asking is they said we really feel like we need some better theological foundational training for our young people coming up and also for our church leaders and so they asked if there was a way to get a tribal Bible college going in their area they had heard that the money on had one up in their area and so they asked if it would be possible so we did like a test semester to see how it would go we were thinking maybe a couple would actually attend the three-month training and it was 18 ogta who graduated from that first semester of tribal Bible College and so we said wow God is at work here we need to figure out how on Earth to help them moving forward and it was just amazing we've actually had a dream for many years of getting some land and having a way to do some church planning training and some livelihood skills training and we just haven't been able to find any land I want to I'm going the wrong way all right so I'm going to let you do that because I don't know what I just did down is forward here we are so we have had a dream for many years to buy some land and we just couldn't find anything that seemed at all within reach but it was amazing how once the ogta were the ones who felt the need and were asking God to provide he provided amazing piece of property that has a water source a coconut Plantation plenty of room for the tribal Bible College as well as the livelihood skills church planning training and the first semester on that new land started in October and so it's

Been amazing to watch how God has provided that oh wait sorry this is still me yeah so recently Steve was actually working with our tribal partners and in the meeting that he was in at that point with the mangyan and the book load and those are actually like larger tribal group names there's lots of smaller groups in those as well he counted up that there was actually 17 heart languages in our closest Partners so and our partners working together it's 17 languages and those are all different cultures that are trying to work together as well there's lots and lots of differences but they're learning to work together for the sake of reaching the rest of the ogta tribes and like Steve said even to the point of learning how to resolve conflict and work together they're willing to make sacrifices face challenges and even resolve conflicts for the sake of getting the Gospel to the rest of the ogta tribes there's this sign I think that's probably the next picture there we go we pulled up to the property in last month right before we came back to the States and this was nailed to a coconut tree and it just really caught my attention because bbcf is the book Bible Christian Fellowship so that's what the one sending missionaries btca is be cold tribal Church Association so that's the OCTA mtca is the mangyan tribal Church Association we're with IMB and then Global empowerment is another one of our key Partners over there and all of those are working together for the sake of reaching the rest of the OCTA and it's just such a privilege to see and it just made me think too that the same way that they're willing to work through all of the cultural differences between all of the groups working together as Southern Baptists you guys are doing the same thing there's probably not 17 heart languages out here in this particular

Group but you're still there's still conflict there's still things that come up you're still needing to make sacrifices and face challenges and resolve conflicts for the sake of getting the Gospel to all nations in the world so thank you so much for the part that you guys play in that for standing behind us the way you do as Cody was saying at the end of the time there you guys will be collecting for your Lottie Moon Christmas offering and that's what allows us to be on the field if you'd like to partner directly with our ministry as well with tribals reaching tribals please come and sign up for our email updates get a new prayer card if you haven't had one in a while the kids have changed just a little bit our youngest is now 6'3 so that gives you an idea and then also we're raising funds for our ministry expenses and the project funds for the tribal Bible College so if you'd like to partner with us more specifically there's lots of opportunities to do that just come see okay anyways thank you guys and we're going to jump ahead here into the time in the word and before I read this passage I just want to set a groundwork of what it was that God was doing in my heart as I was reading this passage was the one that really jumped out to me the first stretch when we were Philippines we had two months where nobody was allowed out of their house without a pass on certain days to buy food unless you had a you know a job an essential job that you had to do and it was really hard sitting there thinking about the hardships that we were going through and this was two weeks after having found out that we really need to get out of the house because I was reacting with my asthma and that's what was keeping me so weak all the time

And it just felt like okay Lord what are we doing here why are we here stuck in a house what's going on is any of this worth it and when I read these verses what it really jumped out to me was not that any of the issues of that day had gone away or that stretch of time and it stretched out way longer than I ever imagined it was eight months before we were able to travel down to our people group and that was only because of typhoon allowed me to get in because of bringing in relief which was NOW essential travel a year and a half before our youngest was able to go into the mall or go out and around and none of the issues went away but it gave me the perspective of looking back to see the blessing of God in my life as we were able to be involved in what he was doing so I'm going to ask as I read this passage that you guys will stand with me and we're going to read this passage together before we break it down a little bit it says here God be merciful to us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us Salah that your way may be known on Earth your salvation among all nations let the peoples Praise You O God let all the peoples praise you I'll let the Nations be glad and sing for joy for you shall judge the people righteously and govern the Nations on Earth Salah let the peoples Praise You O God let all the peoples praise you then the Earth shall yield her increase God our own God shall bless us God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall fear Him let's pray heavenly father I just come before you this morning I just pray Lord that you'd

Encourage each of us through your word Lord you'd encourage each of us of the blessing we have of being a part of your body that's involved in this great work Lord this great work Lord of seeing all nations the ends of the Earth worshiping and gloring in you Lord and Lord we thank you for the role that each and every one of us gets to play in that Lord I just pray that you'll give us your perspective that we would be in awe again of the awesome privilege we have of being blessed by you to be involved in your work Jesus name I pray amen this isn't a really complicated passage it's something that Israel would sink it's part of their song book that they would have it's probably you could say the best song book because it's the only one we have that's inspired but the issue isn't so much with whether or not it's complicated the issue is whether or not we keep this perspective because even though this was part of Israel's songbook by the time Jesus arrives and honestly we can say much sooner than that even though this would be something they would likely sing together when they gathered in the temple to worship even though this was likely something they would sing to their kids at home like so happens so often their perspective had started to morph away from that now the first part of this is really easy to be able to sing it's easy but yet at the same time humbling it's the blessing that God had told Israel to speak over one another as a blessing to each other God be merciful to us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us we could spend a lot of time talking

About the absolute essentialness of starting there at mercy of God the ones nodding the hardest would be all my teachers out there from when I went to school the ones who've known me since I was a kid if it wasn't for God's mercy I don't get to be here for any of the stories that we told you earlier God still does his work I just don't get to be a part of it but they start out here with this call of God be merciful to us because if we are really honest we'll recognize none of us deserve the privilege of being involved in what God is doing if it wasn't for God showing his Mercy on us we have nothing and it starts out with be merciful to us and bless us and it's easy to think about blessings in the context of we want God to give us the blessings that we need and God has been so abundant in the blessings that he's given to us but the reality is the word blessing here is actually the Hebrew word for the translation is the cause to kneel it's the word for blessing like what Abraham does over Isaac when he has him kneel before him and puts his hand on him it's the word for blessing like Jacob does over each of his twelve Sons and he puts his favor on them as He blesses them but he also talks to them about what he's expecting for them now in those particular cases it's also God's blessing as he announces prophecy over them but it's that idea of passing on favor and responsibility favor and opportunity about what you're going to be involved in about what that one who has caused to kneel I guess you could say it's similar to when Knights were knighted right they had them kneel and they gave them the awesome privilege as the king or the queen or whoever put

Their sword on them and made them a knight it was a blessing but it was a blessing that came with all of the responsibilities and that kind of got to me when I got looking into this because I realized it's a perspective Shift versus the way I often think about blessings I often think about blessings of the things that we all do when we need we need a car when we need a house when we need to get better when we have sickness or whatever it is and that doesn't this doesn't take away from any of those that is something that God does but if that's what you think that's the only thing God's doing here when he's talking about blessing or the only thing they were asking for or we're supposed to be singing when we ask God for we're really missing it because the reality is God doesn't always give us those blessings in the exact way that we want and if you stop everything else you stop your prayer you stop your asking for his Blessing until you get every blessing you can think of you're never going to get involved in what he's actually calling you out to do God does give blessing but he also promises to give us trials and other things that we need just like covid while I'm sitting at home and discouraged and frustrated I don't know what he's doing in hearts out there and the way that he was forming them and giving them that Vision that they wanted to be the ones to start to reach out to their own people group and not rely on the buccal of missionaries and the manyan he was doing that in their hearts during the time when it would have been really easy for me to say God

I have no blessing where are all the blessings all the things that we're asking for and don't get me wrong we asked to be released from Bucktown we were praying for God to give us Health we were praying that he would take care of people and we are praying for those who were struggling to feed their families but I was grateful for these verses because it kept me with the perspective of recognizing that the blessing of God his favor on us is about allowing us to be involved in his work it's not always going to be in the way that I'm expecting or wanting to be Marin was asking about why I didn't continue on being a pilot I thought a pilot would be a fun way to be a missionary when I knew God was calling me called me when I was really young and I thought oh that'll be fun and exciting that's not the way God had planned for me that's not where he directed me but if we're looking for one particular thing we might be disappointed but if we recognize God's what he's doing in the world and as a good father he's put his Blessing on us to be involved in what he's doing in the world our perspective can change and so regardless of how many times our car breaks down or whatever else is going on that we would say is not a blessing if we see that together we can be a part of accomplishing what he talks about here and let's lecture we look at that what does he say he starts it out why do we want to be blessed and why do we need his Mercy that your way may be known on Earth your salvation among all nations the blessing of God on Abraham was never about Abraham alone but that he would be a blessing to All

Nations the blessing of God in Adam and Eve when he gave them the garden to live in and multiple and to care for and the authority over the Earth was it ever about just right there and for them but that they would multiply and fill the Earth and take it to everywhere of course we know the people have scattered and multiplied right we get to go into all these crazy places and I've talked to others who've been to places three days in the Mongolian desert driving across my car and you don't have to slow down because there's nothing you know and they're way out there and then you find there's still people there there's people everywhere now but they don't go with the knowledge of God they don't know about his ways and that's where he's called us as his church as he put his Blessing on us we know more it's more explicit for us now as Believers after Christ has come and died for us and rose again but before he went up into heaven what did he say he said this at a time when even his disciples who've just spent three years with him are asking saying is now the time for this blessing when you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel honestly not a terrible question something they had been looking for and longing for and a blessing that God had promised he would do but what does Jesus tell him he said it's not for you to know the days of the hours the hour of the day but the father has reserved this for himself but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and until the ends of the Earth and we start to see this happen now the reality is

As people who want God's blessing on us we're prone to doing exactly what Israel did of recognizing God and His Mercy but starting to ask for the blessing and forgetting about what the blessing is for about what we need it for and that next step that next verse actually all the rest of the verses there that your way may be known on the earth your salvation among all nations let the peoples Praise You O God let all the peoples praise you oh let the Nations be glad and sing for Joy so you shall judge the people righteously and govern the Nations on Earth the other verses that God used for in my life during the lockdown time was Matthew 24 and 25 where during that time they're also wondering about when all these things are going to happen they're worried about the temple being destroyed and when Jesus will come back and essentially he tells them don't worry about that all of the things that normally people would say are signs the earthquakes and the famines and the wars and the rumors of wars are just the beginning and don't be surprised by any of those things but what does he tell them is the thing we're supposed to be looking for Matthew 24 14. But the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached as a testimony to All Nations and then the end will come as we look at God's blessing from this perspective the perspective of if we bring his spiritual Reign first to Every Nation tribe and tongue as we work together through our offerings through our sacrifices through making disciples here in the community and reaching out to those who are needy and hurting and sending out those God has called

Then we get to look forward to the day when the real king will reign with real Justice and real righteousness on Earth glorious thing to look forward to that is the more we look around at the Earth the more we can get discouraged and see all the reasons why we need blessings right now but if we remember that all of the things that we see are not going to be fixed until the king comes and Reigns and the problems that I face in my life weren't solved in any other way other than Jesus coming and bringing me into his family into his kingdom and now bringing me into his Blessing where we get to live for something bigger than just the things that we see around us every day but we get to live for the thing that will bring real Joy to the people we see suffering and hurting all around us and that's where the real blessing is it's great when God gives us with something that we don't deserve whether it's my son having someone give him a truck or whatever it is those are amazing but it's never as amazing as watching what God is doing around the world when he's bringing people who are so far from him and using this tribe of people who used to be Headhunters when Lenny's parents went up there people thought they were crazy because they were still taking heads up there once Jen's parents went up there they thought they were crazy to bring babies up there to this group that up until recently had celebrated every time someone would go out to commit murder and they were now a two-day hike from

The end of the road and could only get a plane in every now and again people thought we were crazy when we went down to bicol into a people group that was living in the midst of a communist Rebellion into a people that every time you hear about them and they say you go up there they say oh don't go up there they poison people when they go in there but can I share a couple of stories with you to testify about the privilege we've had of being about this blessing and about others who've had a part of that and I'm not getting this clicker to work so if you can advance forward a couple of slides yeah go back to okay go forward all right we're out of order I'm not sure what happened so go take me to that family that family that was just there yeah right there thank you this is pastorizias pastorsius I think as far as I know never made it to any kind of Elementary education he was taught to read by the missionaries that were sent to the hmongyang missionaries who got there because they had been kicked out of China because of the Boxer Rebellion no I'm sorry the cultural revolution that was that was a whole generation four generations before that actually sorry to my history teachers in here you can't fail me anymore but the missionaries that taught him to read his dad had led him to the Lord who had been led to the Lord by one of the missionaries amongst he went to the mangyan Bible School and he was asked to help lead their Association of churches he did that for a number of years before he got asked to be a teacher at the Bible School and then eventually became their principal and he was nearing the time

Where for them it's common to retire and he was ready to go home and his church was looking forward to him finally being home after 20 or 30 years out and then he got asked somebody said hey would you be interested in trying teaching that one semester of Bible school down there at be cool one of his father Mania who was a missionary there had sent a request back and said could you send teachers we're going to work together and make this happen so he and his brother said okay yeah we can do that he'd been locked down like everyone else for the last year and thought he could go out and it would be an amazing opportunity for Ministry and maybe a little chance to just take a break from all of that's going on when you try to get churches working together he got there and just caught the vision when they started asking him saying we need a Bible school here and he goes back and he wants to go out and he asked me he said can you go with me because they're church leaders the associational leaders had said yeah we want to do this well partner will send you but will only send you if your church will send you and so he said can you go with me down there and some of the church leaders to go talk to the leaders of the church because last month they just voted me to be head pastor and would they release me from that and the day before we're supposed to go he talked to me and he says the elders met and they said we've sacrificed all these years we need you here and as much as I wanted to say oh let's talk him into it I knew this was for them to decide and it was a commitment he had made to

Them and he was part of that church and so we just kept praying that God would call out the right people but a month later he called back and he says the elders met again and they said as much as we need you here we know God is calling you there and they released him and not only him but two other leaders from their Church to go down and start this Bible School to go and start this Bible School amongst people they don't know of problems they've never even heard about because they recognized that the blessing of God includes the responsibility of doing that I guarantee you God is blessing them in that time Jump Ahead another slide that's the last semester of Bible school that he got to start and teach this is Gary now Gary came to know the Lord in high school and immediately when he had come to know the Lord he knew God was calling him into ministry as a church planter but he had seen the sacrifices that church Planters had made in his area and he didn't want to do that they wanted to farm and he decided if I'm a good farmer I'll have plenty and I can support Church Planters or missionaries that was his plan so in college he met this young girl is how she introduced herself when he got up for the engagement party is when he found out that the book load are the same tribe as the elongone the ones who had taken heads in his aunt's Village when he was a baby and he was now too afraid to break off the engagement even though he's realizing he's marrying into this group

Of as far as he knows Headhunters it was kind of a fun story because he was married into at other Christian family and he was discipled up there by these ones he had been afraid of as a kid and God kept working in his heart and he'll tell you he looked for every excuse he could he said his story is the story of Jonah but by God's grace he was sent out can you jump ahead I want to see if we have the right pictures here when his church said they wanted to send him out he finally relented and said oh hey Lord and he said everything he was afraid of was worse than he could have imagined when he got there but the blessing was also greater and it feels like almost every week it's funny now working with tribals you still they get out to signal and start posting on Facebook and I get pictures of baptisms as more and more people are coming to the Lord this is Jose is one of the worst drunks I've ever met in my life after work he would he would drink two dollars out of the three dollars he had made leaving less than a dollar for his wife to feed their four kids she was pregnant with her five when I fifth when I met him but God had sent a flood into his house so he had to evacuate out at a time when we brought relief in to his parents where we had a Bible study every other time I'd only see him as he was leaving whenever we'd come to his parents who had invited us to study the word he would leave but this time he had no house to go home to and we had rice and we shared the Gospel and we gave out Bibles and gave out some rice and we came back the next week

And he told me like months later he said we went home that night and we talked well actually they didn't go home they stayed there at the house where they were crashing and said this is important we need to hear what he has to say three months after hearing the Gospel he I baptized him and he baptized his wife we left from that baptism to go teach the word in a place where he had gathered a group to say you have got to hear what we're hearing of this King it was so different than what he had grown up with and so different from the syncretized religion he had seen around him but there was so much joy the first time he prayed I'll never forget as he sat there bowing his head thanking God for Jesus and thanking him for the hope he now has and how different this was than everything he'd understood before he did ask for protection from the cousins who were trying to kill him and then he closed his eyes and he just sat there shaking his head saying already forgiven I'm already forgiven guys we've been through some hardships over there I know you guys have made sacrifices to support us and the other missionaries but the blessing it's incomparable nothing we have been through compares to knowing is drunk not only has God changed his life and his family and those cousins who were trying to kill him yeah them too but they're planting five churches right now he brings his kids along with because they read better than he does he was learning he didn't know to read at all

At the beginning but he learned through studying the Bible with his family he still likes to bring his kids with so they can read the passage before they study it most effective evangelist I've ever met in my life guys keep this perspective of just remembering that God is doing something bigger in the world than just your immediate family and what's going on there God wants to bless our families no question but for what purpose and the blessing includes the prophecy it includes the command it includes the responsibility so let's not lose that privilege to be here on a Sunday when you're gathering in the Lottie Moon offering that's that's what keeps us out on the field you guys pay me to get to do the most amazing job ever thank you but don't lose that perspective in everything else that comes along because we can all get focused inward the first time I went up to the buccalo one of the older bukola pastors talk to me I guess this was after language study first time I went up that night gone out previously but he said you know Tagalog now you should be a missionary here and he started walking through all of the problems and all of the reasons why they need help they have churches that are splitting they're losing their youth they've got leadership issues they've got this they've got that and I said that sounds like my hometown I said but I've got people there back home that are continuing on the work there I said and you've got you here down in the ogta they had no church yet no one's bringing them the Gospel guys don't lose that perspective that keep reaching out to those around you as

He calls you into your Judea your Samaria keep that perspective of as we work together we can help to make certain that this happens that all nations come before him come to know him I'm going to read the last two verses here as a blessing over you before Cody comes out for the invitation can you guys stand for this let the peoples Praise You O God let all the peoples praise you then the Earth shall yield her increase God our own God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall fear Him well it is our honor and our privilege as people blessed by the Lord to be able to take some time during our service now and respond through giving I hope that you've prayed I hope that you are prepared to give and so during this time as Austin sings and plays if y'all would find one of those little envelopes that's there and put the information in and follow my lead and giving to the Lord let's pray so God we do thank you for this time we thank you for the good testimony and the challenge Lord to keep a mission mind to our Jerusalem our Judea our Samaria Lord thank you for calling us as your people aboard to give sacrificially and generously and specifically and prayerfully and Lord thank you for our brothers and sisters in the church in the Philippines God thank you for what you're doing in some of the darkest corners of the earth Lord that your kingdom is growing and flourishing that you are bringing all things under your Authority through the proclamation of the Gospel and lives that are changed and if there's anyone here that needs to receive that or that need to repent of their sin and Trust in the Gospel of Jesus Christ I

Pray that today would be that day that the proclaimed Faith In You Lord we love you and as we respond to worship now make now may Jesus name O Come All You unfaithful [Music] Oh Come All You Unfaithful come weekend unstable come no you are not alone [Music] Oh Come Barren and waiting once weary of praise come see what your God has done Christ is born Christ is born Christ is born for you Oh Come bitter and broken come with fears and spoken come taste of his perfect love Oh Come guilty and hiding once there is no need to run what your God has done Christ is born Christ is born for you use the lamb who was given slain for our pardon his promises peace for those who believe he's the lamb who was given slain for our pardon his promises peace for those who believe foreign though you have nothing come he is the offering come see what your God has done dust is born Christ is born oh Christ is born [Music] for you Christ is born Christ is born Christ is born full Moon I if y'all could have a seat real quick thank you so much for participating in the worship of the Lord together I'd like to take a moment and introduce to you guys our Elder candidates that the church has narrowed down we've got two men that I want to ask to come forward now as Steve and Jim if y'all would these are people picked by you and I've gone through that rigorous process of meeting with the deacons and these are the two that are here and what I wanted to do was just have the opportunity to drag them up to the front as your nominees it's they're just candidates right now and get them in front of you and if you have questions about hey what do you see your function as an elder tell me about your prayer life tell me about your Bible study this is a great opportunity for you to just grab them exchange phone numbers shoot them some emails things like that and you know we will have some information and bulletin in the coming weeks of when we're going to formalize that process because the Lord has chosen I think two really solid well three really solid people to be Pastors in this church and so those are synonymous and so Austin who well who's our Deacon of the week this week oh there you are Spencer Spencer if you would come forward right now and maybe we could just pray that the Lord would bless our service and our time and if you don't mind as well just praying for these men as well and there's a lot to pray for this morning after listening to that message thanks for the Hagans for bringing us that testimony and what God is doing over there in the Philippines we don't always see what God is doing outside of this country but we do appreciate it we appreciate what God is doing here to

These men solid Biblical men and as Pastor said we'll be voting on them and confirming that in the near future but be praying for them but as a pastor said grab them talk to them they're not going to scare you away I don't think but anyway getting back to just a little bit for the Higgins you know I thought it was interesting he said that tribal individuals avoiding some people because there's conflict and I thought I resemble that remark sometimes you know but I wanted to share a verse With You John 13 34 says a new commandment I and this is Jesus speaking a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another isn't that something if we could say that of our church that we love one another we don't avoid one another I know I do at times but you know John 3 16 says for God so loved the world he gave he gave he gave and gave and it says that we are to love like he did that means we are to give and give let's pray God to follow we just come before you humbly knowing we're undeserving of all that you have given to us but as saved individuals Lord who have accepted you as our Savior we are to turn around and give to others and the outside world is to recognize the love that we have for one another and to know that we then are a disciple of you Lord bless his church Bless the people in it continue to have us grow spiritually and numbers so that we can even do more for you and the world we pray this in Christ's name amen you got an hour