WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.896 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church sermon podcast. 00:04.896 --> 00:06.396 We're so glad you're here, 00:06.396 --> 00:08.356 and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.356 --> 00:09.476 builds your faith, 00:09.476 --> 00:12.536 and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.536 --> 00:15.616 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.616 --> 00:18.276 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.276 --> 00:20.696 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.580 --> 00:26.220 If you have your Bible, please open it with me to 1 Thessalonians in your New Testament. 00:27.040 --> 00:32.900 You might also want to make your way to Acts chapter 17 because we're going to be in Acts 17 for a while as well. 00:32.900 --> 00:37.340 In a message I'm calling God's Plan for Churches. 00:38.000 --> 00:43.100 We're beginning a brand new series going verse by verse through 1 Thessalonians, 00:43.180 --> 00:48.740 which is one of Paul's very first letters, if not his first New Testament letter. 00:49.040 --> 00:58.400 I'm calling this series the hope of his coming because the second coming of Jesus is mentioned in all five chapters of this short letter. 00:58.500 --> 01:06.940 And one of the main themes of the book is that Jesus is coming back someday, not as a suffering servant, but as a ruling king. 01:07.818 --> 01:11.878 Now today's message is sort of a introductory message. 01:11.878 --> 01:15.258 So we're only going to cover one verse in the letter today. 01:15.538 --> 01:19.958 So let's read it together. All right. It says, Paul, 01:19.998 --> 01:24.618 Savanis. Now we know him by his nickname, Silas and Timothy, 01:25.338 --> 01:29.838 to the church of the Thessalonians in God, the father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 01:30.298 --> 01:34.518 grace to you and peace from God, our father and the Lord 01:34.998 --> 01:36.158 Jesus Christ. 01:36.742 --> 01:42.182 Now, whenever we write a letter, we sign the letter at the very end of the letter. 01:42.222 --> 01:45.582 But in the first century, they signed their letters at the beginning, I think, 01:45.902 --> 01:50.142 so that people didn't have to unroll the entire scroll to see who it was from. 01:50.579 --> 01:56.479 So we see here that it is the Apostle Paul who's the primary author, humanly speaking, 01:56.899 --> 01:58.279 but he's not writing alone. 01:58.479 --> 02:03.759 He's got two co-authors with him, a guy by the name of Silas and a guy by the name of Timothy. 02:04.479 --> 02:07.259 And they're writing to a local church that... 02:07.252 --> 02:10.892 was in the city of Thessalonica, which is in modern-day Greece. 02:10.892 --> 02:15.652 Now, any time we read one of the New Testament epistles or these letters, 02:16.272 --> 02:20.632 it's very important that we realize that we're sort of entering into the middle of a conversation 02:20.632 --> 02:23.092 between two people who already know each other. 02:23.632 --> 02:26.412 I'm sure you've had that experience before, 02:26.472 --> 02:29.432 where you walk up on two people having a conversation together, 02:29.572 --> 02:30.892 and you think... 02:31.315 --> 02:36.995 You know exactly what they're talking about, only to find out that's not at all what they're talking about, right? 02:37.795 --> 02:40.015 Context matters, doesn't it? 02:40.015 --> 02:45.695 Well, there is a specific context in which 1 Thessalonians... 02:45.811 --> 02:52.231 was written. In order for us to fully understand what God is saying to us through this letter, 02:52.651 --> 02:59.231 we need to do our very best to understand the context. First off, the Thessalonians knew exactly 02:59.231 --> 03:06.071 who Paul, Silas, and Timothy were because just a handful of months earlier, 18 months or so at most, 03:06.691 --> 03:08.171 these men had started the church. 03:08.879 --> 03:12.599 You see, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were church planters. 03:12.599 --> 03:14.139 Yes, they were missionaries, 03:14.139 --> 03:17.139 but they were missionaries who planted churches. 03:17.139 --> 03:20.119 Scripture teaches that churches 03:20.119 --> 03:23.099 are supposed to start other churches. 03:23.099 --> 03:26.279 Now, starting churches certainly is not the mission. 03:26.279 --> 03:29.259 Jesus gave us the mission in Matthew 28, 03:29.259 --> 03:31.239 when he says, go into all the world 03:31.239 --> 03:33.479 and make disciples of the nations. 03:33.479 --> 03:35.619 That's the mission. 03:35.609 --> 03:41.249 But while church planning is not the mission, it certainly is a huge part of the strategy. 03:41.909 --> 03:43.909 We see that from the book of Acts. 03:43.949 --> 03:47.569 The very first church in Acts chapter 2 was in Jerusalem. 03:47.729 --> 03:50.129 It had over 3,000 people on it day one. 03:50.749 --> 03:53.389 And they met at the temple in Solomon's porch. 03:53.569 --> 03:56.509 They also broke up into small groups and met house to house. 03:56.509 --> 04:03.809 But as we read Acts, it was not long before one church became many churches. 04:03.993 --> 04:08.133 Now, the Bible teaches very clearly that there is one body of Christ. 04:08.233 --> 04:09.513 There is one church. 04:10.053 --> 04:13.293 But it also teaches that there are many churches. 04:14.313 --> 04:15.813 So, which is it? 04:16.293 --> 04:17.391 Well... 04:17.392 --> 04:18.592 It's both. 04:18.592 --> 04:20.392 The word church or ecclesia 04:20.392 --> 04:22.992 that we see in verse number one of Thessalonians, 04:22.992 --> 04:24.732 it means the called out ones 04:24.732 --> 04:29.632 and it refers to an assembly of gathered people. 04:29.632 --> 04:32.072 So the one body of Christ 04:32.072 --> 04:34.852 that the scripture sometimes refers to 04:34.942 --> 04:37.322 is called the universal church by most people. 04:37.422 --> 04:40.362 It's referring to all believers throughout all the world, 04:40.702 --> 04:42.122 throughout all of time. 04:42.642 --> 04:46.742 Other times, the universal church is referred to as the invisible church, 04:46.742 --> 04:50.102 referring to the fact that we can't visibly see it 04:50.102 --> 04:52.282 because people aren't gathered. 04:52.462 --> 04:54.102 It's not all gathered together in one. 04:54.382 --> 04:58.262 But I believe that someday we will visibly see it someday 04:58.262 --> 05:01.522 when history is over, as we know it. 05:01.762 --> 05:06.302 The church, all believers of all time, people from every tribe, nation 05:06.302 --> 05:09.982 and tongue will be gathered together as one in heaven 05:10.182 --> 05:13.282 as the universal visible church before our Lord. 05:14.202 --> 05:16.902 But that someday is not today. 05:17.662 --> 05:20.202 For now, in God's genius, 05:20.202 --> 05:23.962 he has organized his church into churches. 05:24.588 --> 05:29.028 local, visible expressions of the body of Christ. 05:29.368 --> 05:30.668 Valley Baptist Church, for example, 05:30.748 --> 05:35.228 is a local, visible expression of the body of Christ. 05:35.368 --> 05:36.628 We are a church. 05:37.750 --> 05:42.870 Well, Paul is writing to a church that's in Thessalonica. 05:43.650 --> 05:46.790 It's a brand new church that has just been started. 05:47.130 --> 05:51.370 And in a moment, in Acts chapter 17, we're going to read about how it got started. 05:51.530 --> 05:56.930 But I want us to back up for just a moment, since we're talking about church planting today, 05:57.070 --> 05:59.230 it's going to be a little different kind of message today. 06:00.010 --> 06:02.710 I want us to back up to Acts chapter 15. 06:02.708 --> 06:11.188 And we see that in Acts 15, the church at Antioch sent Paul and Silas out as missionaries. 06:11.188 --> 06:15.148 And everywhere Paul and Silas went, they told people about Jesus. 06:15.628 --> 06:19.668 And everyone who believed, they formed local churches with them. 06:20.022 --> 06:26.602 Now, while they are on their mission trip, they picked up a young man in Lystra by the name of Timothy. 06:27.162 --> 06:33.282 And we read about, if you're to read between Acts 15 and Acts 17, we read about how Paul, Silas, and Timothy, 06:33.502 --> 06:38.442 their plan was to travel to Asia, but the Scriptures say the Holy Spirit forbid them. 06:38.842 --> 06:40.041 He didn't let them go. 06:40.042 --> 06:44.722 And Paul received this vision from the Lord of a man from Macedonia saying, 06:45.042 --> 06:48.102 "'Please come and please help us.'" 06:48.406 --> 06:52.106 Now Paul rightly discerned that that was from the Lord. 06:52.106 --> 06:54.306 And so they changed course and they headed towards Europe. 06:54.306 --> 06:58.766 Now Paul and Silas and them would later go to Asia Minor, 06:58.766 --> 07:01.746 but that was not yet in God's perfect timing. 07:01.746 --> 07:05.366 So they went as directed and they went to Europe. 07:05.366 --> 07:09.526 And their first stop in Europe was to the city of Philippi. 07:09.533 --> 07:12.473 And when they were in Philippi, they preached the gospel. 07:13.273 --> 07:18.593 And a lady, a woman by the name of Lydia, a prominent businesswoman, she received Christ. 07:18.733 --> 07:21.253 Her heart was open to him, the scriptures say. 07:21.753 --> 07:28.633 Eventually, they shared to Christ to the point many others got saved, but eventually they were arrested. 07:28.633 --> 07:35.033 And the Bible says that they were beaten severely with lashes upon their back, and then they were thrown in jail. 07:35.420 --> 07:37.520 Long story short, because we don't have time, 07:37.520 --> 07:39.920 God miraculously sends this earthquake, 07:39.920 --> 07:42.480 their chains are loosened, they're released, 07:42.480 --> 07:43.459 they're free to go. 07:43.460 --> 07:45.280 And in the midst of that situation, 07:45.280 --> 07:49.920 the prison guard is saved and his family is saved 07:49.920 --> 07:52.020 and him and his family are baptized 07:52.020 --> 07:55.560 and the church at Philippi was born. 07:55.560 --> 07:59.840 Now Paul and Silas, they were forced to leave that city 07:59.840 --> 08:02.540 after that situation and they were asked to leave, 08:02.540 --> 08:03.802 so they left. 08:03.803 --> 08:11.983 Now, at this point, I think if it were me, I would be very tempted after being beaten, after being put in jail, to just go on home. 08:12.643 --> 08:15.963 You know, let's go. There's people back home that want to hear about Jesus. 08:16.083 --> 08:18.743 Maybe I'll tell them about it. But that's not what they did. 08:19.143 --> 08:21.983 They went to the next city. They went to Thessalonica. 08:22.243 --> 08:26.783 And when they arrived in Acts chapter 17, verse number two, we see what they did. 08:27.378 --> 08:48.538 It says, 08:49.332 --> 08:56.532 And a great multitude of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading men and women joined Paul and Silas. 08:56.532 --> 09:02.472 So Paul, as is custom, he goes straight to the synagogue there in Thessalonica. 09:02.732 --> 09:04.992 And he begins telling people about Jesus. 09:05.332 --> 09:09.812 And some of them believe mainly the God-fearing Greeks of the day. 09:10.312 --> 09:15.372 But Luke adds that a lot of the leading women believed as well. 09:15.370 --> 09:18.210 Now, there's a little side note, but isn't it interesting 09:18.210 --> 09:20.750 that the first European convert in Philippi 09:20.750 --> 09:24.370 was a businesswoman by the name of Lydia. 09:24.370 --> 09:27.690 And now the first converts in Thessalonica 09:27.690 --> 09:30.990 included prominent women leaders. 09:30.990 --> 09:32.990 Do you know, if you look through church history, 09:32.990 --> 09:38.130 that godly women have always played an important role 09:38.130 --> 09:39.590 in the kingdom of God? 09:39.590 --> 09:43.830 They're at the heart of God's kingdom work so often. 09:43.906 --> 09:47.386 Now, none of these ladies became pastors, 09:47.386 --> 09:49.846 but Luke points them out because I think 09:49.846 --> 09:54.226 they became critical prominent leaders within these churches. 09:54.226 --> 09:56.986 Now we see that in Thessalonica, 09:56.986 --> 09:59.926 there were three basic responses 09:59.926 --> 10:02.026 to the gospel message that they proclaimed. 10:02.026 --> 10:05.766 It's really the same basic responses that we have today. 10:05.766 --> 10:07.486 Some of them received it. 10:08.406 --> 10:10.666 Some of them rejected it. 10:11.750 --> 10:13.790 And others of them ridiculed it. 10:13.910 --> 10:20.590 And we're going to see that those who ridiculed the gospel message, their ridicule quickly turned to persecution. 10:20.590 --> 10:22.410 Verse number five says, 10:22.570 --> 10:33.430 But the Jews, who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace and, gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar. 10:33.450 --> 10:35.210 They started this riot. 10:35.442 --> 10:39.802 And they attacked the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people. 10:40.162 --> 10:45.022 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers to the rulers of the city, 10:45.122 --> 10:48.722 crying out, these who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 10:49.622 --> 10:54.242 Jason has harbored them and they're all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, 10:54.362 --> 10:56.542 saying there's another king, Jesus. 10:57.242 --> 11:00.442 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 11:00.442 --> 11:04.962 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let him go. 11:05.058 --> 11:09.938 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. 11:10.518 --> 11:14.598 When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11:15.118 --> 11:16.858 So here's what we see. 11:17.178 --> 11:22.998 Very quickly, all these new believers in this church, they were hit with persecution. 11:22.998 --> 11:23.872 Persecution. 11:23.873 --> 11:25.013 right away. 11:25.013 --> 11:27.513 And I think that's one of the reasons why the Apostle Paul, 11:27.513 --> 11:29.093 when he's writing to them, 11:29.093 --> 11:31.993 mentioned five separate times, 11:31.993 --> 11:35.413 or mentions the second coming in all five chapters, 11:35.413 --> 11:37.853 because they needed some hope. 11:37.853 --> 11:40.633 He's reminding them, no matter how bad things get, 11:40.633 --> 11:43.853 just know Jesus is coming back. 11:43.853 --> 11:45.333 So don't lose hope. 11:45.333 --> 11:48.373 You have the hope of his coming. 11:48.373 --> 11:50.173 Now, here's what I wanna do 11:50.173 --> 11:53.273 in a little different kind of message today. 11:54.265 --> 11:56.005 I want to focus the rest of our time, 11:56.005 --> 11:58.165 it's a little insider talk, 11:58.165 --> 12:02.265 on the fact that God's plan is still for churches 12:02.265 --> 12:04.045 to start other churches. 12:04.045 --> 12:07.325 Now, we've done that a lot as a church throughout the years, 12:07.325 --> 12:11.365 but as we grow, as we mature even more as a church, 12:11.365 --> 12:14.145 I think it's very important that we pick up the pace 12:14.145 --> 12:16.125 when it comes to church planning. 12:16.125 --> 12:17.285 Now, in order to do that, 12:17.285 --> 12:20.625 we need to increase the number of qualified church planters 12:20.625 --> 12:23.845 that we're raising up from our church and sending out. 12:24.742 --> 12:27.762 Now, we want to be like the Church of Antioch. 12:27.862 --> 12:30.122 They sent Paul and Silas out, some of our best. 12:30.222 --> 12:31.662 We want to be like the Church of Antioch. 12:31.662 --> 12:42.282 In fact, our prayerful goal is that we would plant over 100 churches in Bakersfield and throughout the Central Valley during our tenure as your pastors. 12:42.682 --> 12:44.082 And so here's what I want to do this morning. 12:44.202 --> 12:50.662 I want us to take a look at Paul, Silas, and Timothy, the human writers of 1 Thessalonians, 12:50.898 --> 12:55.898 And I want to learn from them what a church planner should look like. 12:56.238 --> 13:00.738 What kind of people do we need to be raising up and sending out? 13:01.338 --> 13:06.338 Now each point I make could be a whole sermon, but there's 10 points. 13:06.778 --> 13:10.878 So we're going to go real fast, rapid fire, right? And please don't tune me out. 13:11.058 --> 13:13.018 Thinking, well, I'm never going to be a church planner, 13:13.018 --> 13:16.338 so I don't really need this. First off, you don't know that. 13:17.273 --> 13:18.452 You don't know that. 13:18.453 --> 13:19.913 You don't know what God has in your future. 13:20.473 --> 13:23.593 And second, these points apply to every Christian, okay? 13:23.853 --> 13:31.573 So you just invite the Holy Spirit into this and ask him to apply it to your situation in life, all right? 13:31.573 --> 13:35.633 Number one, church planters have a sinful past. 13:37.557 --> 13:43.357 This is important to recognize because sometimes people put missionaries and pastors and church planters on this pedestal, 13:43.657 --> 13:47.197 and they think, well, it's only for perfect people to go out and start churches. 13:47.357 --> 13:49.757 No, it's for sinful people saved by God's grace. 13:50.817 --> 13:53.197 People like all the rest of us. 13:54.297 --> 14:00.257 Did you know that the people with sinful pasts are the only ones that God ever uses? 14:01.739 --> 14:02.859 That's all he uses. 14:03.339 --> 14:06.819 The Bible says all of us are sins for all of sin. 14:07.319 --> 14:13.339 And so one of the prerequisites to ever being used by God in your life is to recognize that and to admit it. 14:14.199 --> 14:17.499 Now, you might be thinking, yeah, Pastor, but you don't understand. 14:17.499 --> 14:19.279 You don't know what I've done. 14:19.379 --> 14:21.499 Listen, I know what Jesus has done. 14:21.854 --> 14:23.134 I know what Jesus has done. 14:23.634 --> 14:25.594 The Apostle Paul, before he met Christ, 14:25.894 --> 14:27.774 he was a murderer of Christians. 14:28.054 --> 14:29.874 In fact, in the known world at the time, 14:29.974 --> 14:32.954 every Christian was fearful of Saul of Tarsus 14:32.954 --> 14:35.134 because he hunted Christians down. 14:35.514 --> 14:37.554 He imprisoned them and arrested them. 14:37.754 --> 14:39.454 In fact, he had some of them stoned. 14:40.214 --> 14:41.874 But one day... 14:42.003 --> 14:47.063 When Saul was on his way on the road to Tarsus, to Damascus, 14:47.323 --> 14:49.763 when he was headed to Damascus to arrest Christians there, 14:49.963 --> 14:55.343 he saw this bright light and the Lord Jesus appeared to him and his life was changed. 14:55.443 --> 14:58.723 It was radically saved and transformed from the inside out. 14:59.543 --> 15:04.763 And now today he is recognized as the greatest missionary our world has ever known. 15:06.117 --> 15:07.757 Some of you are brand new Christians. 15:07.877 --> 15:12.037 In fact, I praise God, many of you in our church family are new Christians. 15:12.137 --> 15:14.337 You barely know Job from Job, and that's okay. 15:16.097 --> 15:23.057 And you have no idea how God is going to use your life to help other people. 15:24.258 --> 15:25.358 You have no clue. 15:25.478 --> 15:33.538 In your mind, you're just, you're so recently removed from your life that was consumed by sin. 15:33.578 --> 15:34.617 You're just starting to fall. 15:34.618 --> 15:41.018 You have no idea what's in store for you, how God's going to grow you and mold you and produce fruit in your life. 15:41.078 --> 15:46.538 It's hard for you to imagine, but I'm telling you, he will if you just surrender to him and allow him. 15:47.058 --> 15:47.877 Now, here's another thing. 15:47.878 --> 15:51.138 Church planners need to be a part of a church planning team. 15:52.490 --> 15:55.310 When we read the New Testament, Paul is never alone. 15:55.310 --> 15:56.610 I don't know if you've ever noticed that. 15:56.610 --> 15:59.170 On his first mission trip, it was Paul and Barnabas. 15:59.170 --> 16:01.230 On his second mission trip, it was Paul and Silas. 16:01.230 --> 16:04.870 And on both trips, many others accompanied him. 16:04.870 --> 16:09.050 Guys like John Mark and Timothy, Luke, 16:09.050 --> 16:12.530 Tychicus, Trophimus, Aquila and Priscilla, 16:12.530 --> 16:15.370 and many, many others. 16:15.370 --> 16:19.330 Paul knew the importance of doing ministry together. 16:19.557 --> 16:22.317 to have a team starting these churches. 16:22.517 --> 16:26.117 Every church planning pastor that we send out needs to have a team with them. 16:27.017 --> 16:28.997 Because being a church planner, being a missionary, 16:28.997 --> 16:33.857 is a lonely and spiritually dangerous work if done alone. 16:34.897 --> 16:41.097 That's why they're all going to need a team of non-pastors to help them who can be a witness in the marketplace of life, 16:41.177 --> 16:48.337 can be salt and light in their workplace and provide ministry support and service and finances and prayer and support. 16:49.297 --> 16:50.876 Now, here's another point. 16:50.877 --> 16:55.117 Church planners, they need to be led by the Spirit of Christ. 16:56.665 --> 16:59.905 Paul, Silas, and Timothy, they were headed towards Asia, 16:59.905 --> 17:02.445 but the Spirit of God did not permit them to go. 17:02.445 --> 17:04.805 Now, we don't know exactly how they knew 17:04.805 --> 17:06.945 that was of the Spirit. 17:06.945 --> 17:10.545 Maybe their transportation plans kept falling through. 17:10.545 --> 17:13.245 Maybe the support that they needed was not there. 17:13.245 --> 17:16.085 We're not sure how the Spirit was forbidding them, 17:16.085 --> 17:18.345 but eventually the Spirit made it very clear 17:18.345 --> 17:21.325 and provides a vision from this man 17:21.325 --> 17:23.105 from Macedonia asking help. 17:24.475 --> 17:34.895 Every Christian, every believer, certainly every church planter needs to learn, and it's a process of learning, how to be led by the Spirit of God. 17:35.475 --> 17:37.135 To seek Him in everything. 17:37.675 --> 17:41.215 To rely upon Him for everything. 17:42.160 --> 17:45.160 Now, most of the time, as we're led by the Spirit, 17:45.480 --> 17:50.260 the Spirit of God doesn't give us a vision like He did for Paul. 17:50.720 --> 17:52.980 But He leads us in many other ways, doesn't He? 17:53.180 --> 17:56.860 And we always have to confirm His leadership with Scripture as He leads. 17:57.240 --> 17:58.500 You see, God knows us. 17:58.951 --> 18:02.591 He knows exactly how we're wired because he's the one who wired us, right? 18:03.091 --> 18:06.291 And so if God knows you very well, he knows exactly how to get your attention. 18:06.551 --> 18:08.991 He knows exactly how to speak to your heart. 18:08.991 --> 18:14.911 We need to be sensitive to his leading and seek him in all things above our own. 18:15.591 --> 18:16.610 Now, another point is this. 18:16.611 --> 18:21.931 Church planners, they need to share the gospel of Jesus often and well. 18:23.369 --> 18:28.609 Pastor Phil used to tell me all the time concerning the gospel. 18:28.789 --> 18:31.309 He said, tell it often and tell it well. 18:32.149 --> 18:34.849 Andrew, tell it often and tell it well. 18:35.549 --> 18:39.889 Throughout Acts, if you were to read, especially the early chapters, 18:39.989 --> 18:43.429 you'll see over and over on every page that everywhere the disciples went, 18:43.689 --> 18:47.809 they continually, ongoingly spoke about Jesus Christ. 18:47.804 --> 18:49.544 They were consumed with Jesus. 18:49.764 --> 18:52.704 They were consumed with the gospel, and we need to be as well. 18:53.284 --> 18:56.624 Whether you're a church planning or just in ministry, all Christians, 18:56.744 --> 19:00.044 we must be consumed with the good news of Jesus, 19:00.304 --> 19:02.524 and we need to tell it well as well, don't we? 19:03.004 --> 19:06.904 Some churches, unfortunately, have gotten away from the basics. 19:07.852 --> 19:11.012 of how we get to know God, the basics of the gospel message. 19:11.092 --> 19:12.412 They don't talk about sin anymore. 19:13.312 --> 19:15.272 They don't talk about the cross and the blood. 19:15.732 --> 19:17.052 They don't talk about the resurrection. 19:17.672 --> 19:19.072 They certainly don't talk about repentance. 19:20.372 --> 19:21.911 That's a problem. 19:21.912 --> 19:24.712 That is not how Paul and Silas approached things. 19:25.032 --> 19:27.992 In Acts 17 that we read a moment ago, it says that Paul went 19:27.992 --> 19:32.052 and he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, right? 19:32.253 --> 19:35.073 That is, he let the word of God do most of the talking, 19:35.333 --> 19:36.633 and then he used the word of God 19:36.633 --> 19:38.133 to persuade others to believe. 19:38.793 --> 19:40.553 And then it says that he explained 19:40.553 --> 19:44.393 and demonstrated that Christ had to suffer 19:44.393 --> 19:46.053 and then to rise again. 19:46.673 --> 19:47.973 That's what preaching is. 19:48.373 --> 19:49.573 That's what my job is. 19:49.693 --> 19:52.633 That's what every pastor's job is. 19:53.053 --> 19:54.413 Every church planter, 19:55.726 --> 20:01.366 Planting pastor needs to recognize that a church is not built upon pop psychology. 20:01.526 --> 20:02.165 It should not be. 20:02.166 --> 20:03.806 It should be built upon the word of God. 20:04.466 --> 20:06.426 Let's reason together from the scriptures. 20:06.766 --> 20:09.226 Let's explain from the scriptures. 20:09.226 --> 20:15.266 And let's demonstrate point by point from the scriptures that Jesus died for our sins and rose again. 20:15.875 --> 20:19.575 Let us all share the gospel of Jesus often, 20:19.575 --> 20:21.415 and let's share it well. 20:21.415 --> 20:22.815 And here's another thing. 20:23.755 --> 20:28.495 Church planters make incredible sacrifices. 20:29.455 --> 20:32.295 Think about all the sacrifices that Paul and Silas 20:32.295 --> 20:33.134 and Timothy made. 20:33.135 --> 20:35.295 I mean, they left their families behind. 20:35.295 --> 20:37.535 They journeyed by foot and by sea. 20:37.535 --> 20:39.295 They were beaten and stoned. 20:39.295 --> 20:40.895 They were put in prison. 20:41.592 --> 20:43.652 multiple times. 20:43.652 --> 20:46.612 They sacrificed greatly for the gospel. 20:47.772 --> 20:51.052 Starting new churches always, always, always 20:51.052 --> 20:55.452 requires sacrifice for those of us who are sending 20:55.452 --> 20:58.172 and supporting and those especially for those 20:58.172 --> 21:00.892 who are going and planting. 21:00.892 --> 21:02.832 Another thing is this, church planners 21:03.912 --> 21:05.872 must prepare for battle. 21:07.872 --> 21:08.952 Church planners. 21:10.398 --> 21:13.298 must prepare for battle because church planting is not for sissies. 21:14.296 --> 21:20.496 for warriors. The apostle Paul told all of us as believers in the book of Ephesians to put on the 21:20.496 --> 21:26.336 whole armor of God. Why? So you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, the attacks 21:26.336 --> 21:31.016 of the devil. You see, there's a spiritual battle that's taking place for the souls of men and women, 21:31.156 --> 21:34.916 and we can't see the battle, but it's taking place. It's taking place in the heavenly realm. 21:35.116 --> 21:41.836 It's taking place on earth amongst us here. And every one of us as Christians, as followers of 21:46.496 --> 21:47.242 Christ, we are soldiers in the battle. 21:47.243 --> 21:51.262 Now, here's what church planners sign up to do. 21:51.263 --> 21:52.483 They sign up to charge the enemy in the battle. 21:55.223 --> 21:57.007 If you charge the enemy, you can expect to be shot at. 21:59.687 --> 22:01.806 You can expect to be shot at. 22:01.807 --> 22:03.966 So you better be armed up every day 22:03.967 --> 22:07.706 or you're gonna be wounded or worse yet, 22:07.707 --> 22:09.506 you'll be a casualty of war like far too many 22:09.507 --> 22:12.846 in ministry are. 22:12.847 --> 22:15.686 Another point is this, church planners need persistence 22:15.687 --> 22:18.466 and determination. 22:18.467 --> 22:20.106 Think about the determination and the grit 22:20.107 --> 22:22.346 that the apostle Paul and Silas had. 22:22.347 --> 22:25.186 I mean, they just wouldn't quit. 22:25.187 --> 22:26.806 In Philippi, Paul and Silas, they were arrested. 22:26.807 --> 22:29.185 They were beaten. 22:29.186 --> 22:31.645 with lashes, they were put in jail. 22:31.646 --> 22:33.525 And then they eventually were forced to leave. 22:33.526 --> 22:35.965 They didn't quit and go home, though. 22:35.966 --> 22:38.005 No, they traveled about 100 miles 22:38.006 --> 22:40.525 through the city of Thessalonica. 22:40.526 --> 22:43.425 And I'm sure as they traveled 22:43.426 --> 22:45.305 and walked on that old Roman dusty road, 22:45.306 --> 22:46.794 I'm sure they were tired. 22:46.795 --> 22:47.754 It's a long ways. 22:47.755 --> 22:48.854 I'm sure they were hungry. 22:48.855 --> 22:51.214 I'm sure they were thirsty. 22:51.215 --> 22:52.534 Maybe even the scabs that were still on their back 22:52.535 --> 22:55.094 from the beating they took, 22:55.095 --> 22:56.474 broke up and began to open up 22:56.475 --> 22:58.614 as they carried their belongings 22:58.615 --> 23:00.894 and their shirt was filled with blood. 23:00.895 --> 23:03.194 We don't know exactly what it was happening, 23:03.195 --> 23:06.694 but they would not quit. 23:06.695 --> 23:08.914 They just kept putting one foot in front of the other 23:08.915 --> 23:09.590 until they arrived at Thessalonica. 23:09.591 --> 23:11.250 And what did they do? 23:11.251 --> 23:13.870 They walked right back into the synagogue 23:13.871 --> 23:15.990 and they started sharing with the Jews 23:15.991 --> 23:18.310 who were troubled to hear about Christ, 23:18.311 --> 23:19.830 but they kept sharing Jesus with them 23:19.831 --> 23:22.150 and some of them got saved. 23:22.151 --> 23:24.170 Now others, they started a riot, 23:24.171 --> 23:26.490 caused quite a commotion. 23:26.491 --> 23:27.630 And so again, they're forced to leave Thessalonica. 23:27.631 --> 23:28.950 Did they go back home? 23:28.951 --> 23:30.630 Absolutely not. 23:30.631 --> 23:32.910 They went to the next city of Berea 23:32.911 --> 23:36.170 and they went right back into the synagogue, 23:36.171 --> 23:37.830 back to the wolves that kept getting them in trouble 23:37.831 --> 23:45.894 and they kept... 23:45.895 --> 23:51.354 sharing Christ. Paul had no quit in him, and that's what it takes in ministry. Whatever ministry 23:51.355 --> 23:58.354 you're involved in, it's not for the faint of heart. It takes grit. It takes determination. 23:58.355 --> 24:04.974 It takes love and an unwavering confidence in the gospel. In fact, that's our next point. 24:04.975 --> 24:05.474 Church planners, they've got to have an incredible confidence in the power of the gospel to change 24:05.475 --> 24:06.877 lives. 24:12.017 --> 24:16.136 As Christians, how in the world can we be so resilient in a world that hates us? 24:16.137 --> 24:17.876 In a world that has opposition, how can we be resilient? 24:17.877 --> 24:22.736 It's because we know we have the power. 24:22.737 --> 24:24.197 We know the power is found in the gospel of Jesus. 24:29.897 --> 24:30.957 Unfortunately, there are some churches who have lost confidence in the simple power of the gospel. 24:38.017 --> 24:42.536 They've allowed themselves to get distracted by programs and processes and budgets and things of that nature. 24:42.537 --> 24:43.677 They lost sight of the simple message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 24:46.957 --> 24:49.196 Listen, no program has the power to save. 24:49.197 --> 24:51.276 No pastor has the power to save. 24:51.277 --> 24:54.576 No music ministry has the power to save. 24:54.577 --> 24:56.287 Only Jesus has the power to save. 25:00.247 --> 25:02.706 Church Planner needs to have a supreme confidence in the gospel message 25:02.707 --> 25:03.867 because when the going gets tough, and it's going to get tough, 25:06.187 --> 25:10.866 he must know that he never preaches in vain, 25:10.867 --> 25:16.386 that the Word of God never returns void, that God is always working. 25:16.387 --> 25:20.866 The very fact that he has gone out as the Spirit led, 25:20.867 --> 25:22.055 the very fact that he is declaring Jesus that success. 25:28.535 --> 25:29.574 That success, our job as Christians is to tell people about Jesus and then leave the results up to him. 25:29.575 --> 25:30.735 That's success. 25:32.115 --> 25:33.415 Two more points very quickly. 25:38.955 --> 25:40.769 Church planners need to pray for and work for citywide impact. 25:44.029 --> 25:51.288 Oftentimes we think very small, too small. 25:51.289 --> 25:58.008 William Carey, the great missionary, in fact, he's known as the father of the modern missions movement. 25:58.009 --> 26:08.009 He said, expect great things from God and attempt great things for God. 26:08.569 --> 26:09.710 Do you remember when we read a moment ago the accusation that that mob made against Paul and Silas and Jason and all the brothers? 26:14.530 --> 26:16.769 He said, those who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 26:16.770 --> 26:19.529 What an incredible statement. 26:19.530 --> 26:21.149 That's the kind of reputation I want us to have as a church. 26:21.150 --> 26:23.649 We've turned the world upside down. 26:23.650 --> 26:25.549 But listen, they hadn't actually turned the world upside down. 26:25.550 --> 26:27.549 They had turned it right side up. 26:27.550 --> 26:29.269 Because that's what Jesus always does. 26:29.270 --> 26:30.129 But to the world, it seems so backwards. 26:30.130 --> 26:33.449 They don't understand. 26:33.450 --> 26:38.769 Their eyes have been closed to the good news of Christ. 26:38.770 --> 26:40.051 And it's our job to get them the gospel so their life can be turned right side up. 26:41.971 --> 26:46.550 Sometimes churches think way too small. 26:46.551 --> 26:48.010 Now, the fact of it is, we have to think small because individuals matter. 26:48.011 --> 26:53.150 Families matter. 26:53.151 --> 27:01.990 We've got to shepherd all of God's people, but the world is a big place, isn't it? 27:01.991 --> 27:07.790 And sometimes if we're just focused just on us, who's going to tell the person out there that desperately needs what we know, 27:07.791 --> 27:08.791 that we have a Savior who loves us, and we have a relationship with God that they can have if they surrender to Him? 27:10.021 --> 27:12.301 Every church is placed in a particular city. 27:10.051 --> 27:12.051 Now... 27:12.681 --> 27:14.021 In our case, it's Bakersfield. 27:14.661 --> 27:17.701 And I believe it's a church's responsibility to reach, 27:17.941 --> 27:21.181 try to reach their city for Christ or die trying. 27:22.701 --> 27:24.161 One church can't do that. 27:24.161 --> 27:26.381 Even a big church like Valley. 27:27.233 --> 27:30.993 can't possibly reach our city for Christ alone. 27:31.153 --> 27:33.093 We need a bunch of churches, 27:33.493 --> 27:37.373 more and more churches sharing the good news. 27:38.053 --> 27:40.573 When Paul wrote to the church in Rome, 27:40.933 --> 27:43.013 at the very end of his letter, he said, 27:43.231 --> 27:47.591 He said, now be sure to greet those who are in Aquila and Priscilla's house, 27:47.711 --> 27:51.151 the church that's meeting in Priscilla and Aquila's house. 27:51.551 --> 27:56.731 So already in the church of Rome, the one church that first started became multiple churches, 27:57.111 --> 28:00.091 turning the world upside down. 28:00.751 --> 28:06.011 Now here's our last principle for today, and it's one that really applies to all of us. 28:07.151 --> 28:11.411 Church planners desperately need our support and our prayers. 28:14.585 --> 28:19.705 Every Christian, I believe, should be involved in church planting. 28:21.305 --> 28:23.765 By either praying, I think all of us should be praying. 28:25.685 --> 28:28.005 Some of us need to be equipping. 28:29.005 --> 28:31.931 That is... 28:31.932 --> 28:34.972 helping raise up the next generation as parents. 28:35.112 --> 28:39.272 We desperately need your help to link arms with 28:39.272 --> 28:41.572 as we're trying to raise our kids to love Jesus. 28:41.712 --> 28:43.652 Some of you, God may be wanting to, 28:43.792 --> 28:45.292 on the equipping side of our kids ministry, 28:45.552 --> 28:47.252 our youth ministry, our college ministry, 28:47.572 --> 28:49.772 investing in those who are going to be sent. 28:50.652 --> 28:53.112 It's praying, equipping, giving, 28:54.112 --> 28:59.052 going, and for some, even leading. 29:00.350 --> 29:06.010 Now, not all of us are called by God to lead or to go. 29:06.430 --> 29:08.270 And that's within His design. That's okay. 29:08.390 --> 29:10.690 We only want to do what He wants us to do, right? 29:11.690 --> 29:14.230 But it is very important that we do our part. 29:15.250 --> 29:20.630 Every member of the body of Christ needs to be carrying their weight in this. 29:21.530 --> 29:24.230 Shouldering their part of the responsibility. 29:26.675 --> 29:28.475 We're all called to be a part of it. 29:28.475 --> 29:31.595 William Carey was headed off to India in the late 1700s 29:31.595 --> 29:35.075 and he famously said to his friend Andrew Fuller, 29:35.075 --> 29:39.475 he said, I will go into the pit if you'll hold the rope. 29:41.655 --> 29:43.855 By hold the rope, he meant if you'll support. 29:46.115 --> 29:49.915 And I don't know about you, but I don't wanna let go 29:49.915 --> 29:53.415 of the rope of some of our brothers and our sisters 29:53.415 --> 29:55.035 who've gone down into the pit. 29:55.362 --> 29:57.042 And they're doing the real hard work. 29:57.102 --> 29:58.402 We just got to hold on to the rope. 29:58.602 --> 30:00.882 Our missionaries and our church planters desperately, 30:01.122 --> 30:03.742 they're counting on us to tightly hold on to the rope 30:03.742 --> 30:06.282 with our support and with our prayers. 30:07.902 --> 30:11.242 Now, I want us to finish by jumping back 30:11.242 --> 30:13.962 and looking at this first verse in Thessalonians. 30:14.262 --> 30:16.882 At the end of the greeting, the Apostle Paul says, 30:16.962 --> 30:21.002 he says, grace to you and peace from God our Father 30:21.002 --> 30:23.762 and the Lord Jesus Christ. 30:25.298 --> 30:29.238 This is a beautiful, prayerful greeting. 30:30.578 --> 30:39.378 Paul is praying that the believers in Thessalonica would experience the grace of God in all aspects of their life. 30:39.818 --> 30:44.298 Now, certainly that includes that they've initially received the grace of God, but he's writing to believers. 30:44.298 --> 30:48.398 So he's talking about that they would experience the grace of God in all aspects of their life. 30:49.358 --> 30:54.818 And that they also would experience the peace of God in all aspects of their life. 30:55.235 --> 30:56.555 Now, how does one do that? 30:58.875 --> 31:01.315 Through a relationship with Jesus Christ. 31:02.035 --> 31:05.115 That's how it starts, and that's how it continues. 31:06.135 --> 31:09.415 Now, the word grace means unmerited favor that's unearned, 31:09.535 --> 31:12.395 that God treats us a whole lot better than what we deserve. 31:14.017 --> 31:16.937 Peace means a sense of well-being. 31:18.057 --> 31:23.917 You know, even today when the Jews greet one another, they greet one another with shalom, which means peace. 31:24.337 --> 31:25.336 Shalom. 31:25.337 --> 31:28.677 And shalom doesn't refer to an absence of conflict. 31:29.417 --> 31:30.737 I mean, how could it in this world? 31:30.737 --> 31:32.857 It doesn't refer to an absence of conflict. 31:33.097 --> 31:35.857 It refers to a sense of wellness. 31:35.853 --> 31:38.193 A sense of wholeness. 31:39.213 --> 31:49.553 Did you know that God is offering grace to you and he's offering peace to you and that you can receive it today if you ask him for it? 31:51.293 --> 31:52.653 He can make you well. 31:53.791 --> 31:56.531 He can pick up all the broken pieces of your life. 31:56.611 --> 31:58.551 And listen, sin breaks a lot of pieces. 31:58.971 --> 32:00.071 It breaks us apart. 32:00.631 --> 32:03.851 Our sin, sin that's done against us, 32:04.171 --> 32:06.431 sin that's just a part of being in this sinful world. 32:06.551 --> 32:07.591 There's a lot of broken pieces. 32:07.971 --> 32:12.471 God is willing to pick up the broken pieces of your life 32:12.471 --> 32:14.031 and to put you back together 32:14.031 --> 32:16.951 like you've never been put together before 32:16.951 --> 32:22.131 to make you whole in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32:23.221 --> 32:25.181 I want to invite you to bow together. 32:26.581 --> 32:29.041 This is a holy moment in the life of our church. 32:29.881 --> 32:33.941 In just a moment, I'm going to pray. 32:34.961 --> 32:37.261 And after I pray, we're going to stand to our feet. 32:37.781 --> 32:40.961 There's going to be pastors and other leaders all across the front here. 32:41.781 --> 32:43.021 And we're going to sing a song. 32:43.801 --> 32:46.501 And as we sing, we're going to invite you to do business with God. 32:48.281 --> 32:49.401 To seek Him. 32:49.401 --> 32:54.186 Amen. 32:54.187 --> 32:55.767 and what He wants with your life. 32:57.427 --> 33:01.127 Maybe you desperately need peace today. 33:05.127 --> 33:09.407 Maybe you're feeling the weight of your sins. 33:11.602 --> 33:16.882 and your failure, and the guilt, it's eating you alive, 33:17.022 --> 33:20.142 and you haven't even realized it until now, perhaps. 33:20.862 --> 33:26.302 The weight of the world seems like it's upon your shoulders because you have sinned. 33:27.562 --> 33:32.122 If that's the case, it's very, very important to admit that to God. 33:33.662 --> 33:36.462 Just come clean with Him. He already knows about it. 33:37.242 --> 33:38.422 He already knows about it. 33:40.643 --> 33:44.983 But you must admit it to come in a right relationship with him. 33:45.043 --> 33:49.223 So you've got to say, God, I have sinned. 33:49.583 --> 33:52.603 I have failed, and I'm sorry. 33:58.603 --> 34:03.563 God offers you his grace today, the gift of his son. 34:05.103 --> 34:10.323 The Bible says, as many as received him, to them he gave the right to be called the children of God. 34:11.643 --> 34:12.723 How do you receive Jesus? 34:12.843 --> 34:14.043 You receive him by faith. 34:14.903 --> 34:17.283 To recognize that God loves you. 34:17.783 --> 34:21.323 And let me tell you, no one has ever loved you like God loves you. 34:22.243 --> 34:23.803 It's not based on performance. 34:24.323 --> 34:27.863 It's not based on anything other than his love. 34:27.963 --> 34:29.143 He loves you. 34:30.343 --> 34:34.523 And he loves you so much that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins, 34:34.523 --> 34:39.283 for my sins, for the sins of the world, for all who will call upon him in faith. 34:40.246 --> 34:40.985 The Bible says, 34:40.986 --> 34:44.386 Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 34:44.846 --> 34:47.526 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son 34:47.526 --> 34:52.546 that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 34:52.566 --> 34:55.606 I want to invite you to believe on Jesus today. 34:56.286 --> 34:58.318 To go all in. 34:58.319 --> 35:03.119 to let go of all the baggage that you've been carrying along with you, 35:03.179 --> 35:06.119 that's been holding you back in life, that's been weighing you down, 35:06.179 --> 35:10.079 that's been breaking up all your relationships, causing a lot of pain. 35:10.119 --> 35:11.999 I want to invite you to let it go. 35:12.579 --> 35:14.699 Jesus is offering to take it off your shoulders. 35:15.419 --> 35:18.079 He'll carry it for you on the cross. 35:19.159 --> 35:21.479 So you can be free from all that and forgiven. 35:22.957 --> 35:24.957 And enter into a relationship with Him. 35:25.417 --> 35:27.397 And there's nothing like it in all the world. 35:27.897 --> 35:30.437 That's the starting place of the Christian life. 35:31.257 --> 35:34.597 And the continuing place of the Christian life is just to keep walking with Him. 35:35.157 --> 35:40.017 When we fall flat on our face, that we just get back up by His grace. 35:40.017 --> 35:44.057 And we keep taking one step after another. 35:44.708 --> 35:46.648 I want to invite you to receive Jesus today. 35:46.748 --> 35:49.788 Now, maybe you're a believer today already. 35:50.868 --> 35:53.268 When's the last time you thanked God for our church planners? 35:53.808 --> 35:56.008 When's the last time you thought about them and our missionaries? 35:56.268 --> 35:58.428 When's the last time you prayed for them earnestly? 36:00.668 --> 36:03.948 You know, if it wasn't for church planners, our church wouldn't exist. 36:05.848 --> 36:08.408 Humanly speaking, many of us would have never met Jesus. 36:09.248 --> 36:12.048 Our lives would be very, very different right now. 36:13.801 --> 36:19.561 Little Baptist Church in Shafter, Kern County, right here. 36:20.501 --> 36:25.941 First Baptist Church of Shafter sent missionaries to Bakersfield many, many, many, many years ago, 36:26.101 --> 36:27.661 and they started a bunch of churches. 36:27.841 --> 36:30.401 And as a ripple effect, our church eventually was started. 36:31.941 --> 36:36.281 Let's thank God for those church planters all those years ago, most of which are in heaven. 36:40.058 --> 36:45.638 You know, I would like to invite all of our members, every person who knows Christ, 36:46.778 --> 36:52.438 to ask God right now what level and what area, not really level, 36:52.638 --> 36:56.518 but what area of involvement He wants you to have in church planning. 36:57.478 --> 37:01.238 I firmly believe He wants all of us involved in the area of prayer involved. 37:02.958 --> 37:08.878 And He wants all of us in one way or the other involved in the area of equipping and giving. 37:10.338 --> 37:15.958 But some, He wants to go and to even lead. 37:20.138 --> 37:25.458 Now you may not know that now, but I would just challenge you to at least ask the Lord. 37:25.458 --> 37:29.258 Just let Him know you want what He wants and seek Him in that. 37:30.565 --> 37:34.645 It's all in His timing. He has each of us at different places at different times. 37:35.725 --> 37:41.045 Now, if you believe that God is calling you into ministry, a call to ministry is a call to prepare. 37:41.285 --> 37:42.505 I firmly believe that. 37:44.385 --> 37:49.225 A soldier goes to boot camp. They get prepared. 37:50.478 --> 37:52.097 to face the enemy. 37:52.098 --> 37:53.538 A call to ministry is a call to prepare. 37:53.678 --> 37:56.598 So if you sense that God might be calling you into ministry 37:56.598 --> 37:59.378 to maybe lead in one of these aspects 37:59.378 --> 38:01.318 or be a missionary, whatever it might be, 38:01.398 --> 38:03.018 maybe you don't even know yet, that's okay. 38:04.398 --> 38:06.398 And I want to invite you to come and let us know about that 38:06.398 --> 38:08.458 so we can pray for you, we can get your name, 38:08.918 --> 38:10.798 we can follow up and make sure 38:10.798 --> 38:14.018 that we help you take the next steps. 38:15.318 --> 38:16.037 Let's pray. 38:16.038 --> 38:19.438 Father, we thank you so much, Lord, 38:20.650 --> 38:22.250 for your amazing grace in our lives. 38:22.290 --> 38:24.810 And I know, Lord, that this message was a little bit different, 38:24.970 --> 38:32.650 focused on the three names that begin this letter, Lord, 38:32.710 --> 38:34.290 those who started this church, Lord. 38:34.370 --> 38:38.050 But I think there's a lot for us to learn and be reminded of. 38:38.090 --> 38:41.950 And I'm just praying, Lord, that you use it in powerful ways. 38:43.735 --> 38:45.955 to impact the world for you. 38:47.595 --> 38:51.075 Please, Lord, touch the hearts of those who need to be touched. 38:54.315 --> 38:58.215 Lead all of us by your Spirit. 39:00.205 --> 39:04.345 Give us yielding hearts, hearts that want to follow. 39:04.345 --> 39:09.325 Help us have the courage and the faith it's going to take to go all in for you. 39:09.325 --> 39:12.625 I pray, Lord, that you use our church family. 39:12.625 --> 39:16.045 There's many, many churches in Bakersfield. 39:16.045 --> 39:19.125 I pray that you use all of us. 39:19.125 --> 39:23.625 But Lord, we ask that you would just help us reach our city. 39:23.625 --> 39:26.625 Help us reach the Central Valley and California and beyond. 39:27.931 --> 39:34.871 Lord, I know it's just one step at a time, one person at a time, one gospel presentation at a time. 39:36.031 --> 39:38.131 Lord, please do a work amongst us. 39:38.231 --> 39:41.291 And I pray for any that don't know you yet. 39:41.431 --> 39:47.351 They don't have the privilege of knowing what it's like to have a relationship with you and how sweet that is. 39:47.411 --> 39:50.351 I pray, Lord, that you do a work by your spirit today. 39:51.751 --> 39:53.191 That you tug on their heart. 39:54.661 --> 39:58.201 Give them the courage it's going to take to step out and come and to give their life to Christ. 39:58.281 --> 40:00.401 We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 40:01.161 --> 40:02.361 Thanks for listening today. 40:02.621 --> 40:04.201 We hope you enjoyed this message. 40:04.201 --> 40:07.581 And if you did, we would be so grateful if you left us a review. 40:08.221 --> 40:13.201 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast if you would like to be notified when a new sermon is released. 40:13.781 --> 40:20.801 If you feel the Lord calling you to take the next step in faith through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 40:21.425 --> 40:24.865 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 40:24.865 --> 40:30.785 That's podcast to 88988 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 40:30.785 --> 40:33.985 You can also visit our website valleybaptist.org 40:33.985 --> 40:38.785 to find even more great resources. No matter where you are in your journey, 40:38.785 --> 40:42.305 know that we love you, we're praying for you, and we can't wait 40:42.305 --> 40:44.425 to see what God will do in your life.