2020 Vision: Gospel
Transcript
Good morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. We have both our church been studying the Gospel of Matthew. We'll pick that up in a few weeks, but we're going to start this year doing a series we've called 2020 Vision. And when it's the year 2020, you have to.
You have to call it 2020 Vision. We don't make the rules. We're just following up. But we're going to spend a few weeks talking through prayers and some hopes for our church family as we join together this year. Try to be gospel-centered, community on mission in Casey. Learning to love one another, learning to love this area of the city, learning to grow together in our love for Jesus.
We just want to take a few weeks to say, hey, let's look at some things that we're praying God will be at work in for us as we try to follow Him together. This is an exciting morning. It's exciting that we get to come together. There were a lot of reasons to say no to doing this. The biggest one being, I don't like change. I mean, you could sum up most of the reasons under that heading.
Change is annoying. No, thank you. But we prayed about it. Our congregations kept seeking the Lord on it, and we kept coming back until we felt like this is something the Lord would want us to do, that He would work in this. And even in the midst of things that will be difficult, isn't it good to be a part of something that God's doing? Isn't it good to be involved in something that He's leading in?
And doesn't He usually lead us in things that cause us to see our own sin, to see our need for repentance, that cause us to see our need for Him? And won't it be a joy and a blessing as we get to walk together in this? So I'm excited. I'm going to pray. We'll pray together, and then we'll go to the text we're going to be in this morning. God, we thank you for the grace that brought every one of us here, and we ask for grace to carry us forward.
And we pray that your name will be praised, and that we would enjoy the glory of the name of Jesus, that you would empower us through your Spirit to love and follow you. In Jesus' name, amen. Grab your Bibles, go to Hebrews chapter 10. Can you turn me down a little bit? Because I'm afraid to get excited at this point. Grab your Bibles, go to Hebrews chapter 10, verse 11.
If you have a blue Bible, you're on page 584. If you have one of the black Bibles, you'll be able to read the words, but we're not going to tell you what page it's on. We are going to start in verse 11. And what the author of Hebrews is doing is been walking through and explaining to a largely Jewish audience how Jesus is the fulfillment of much of what happened in the Old Testament. Much of what God had set and established in the Old Testament. And that he's not just the fulfillment, that he's better.
That he's better than the angels. He's higher than the angels. He's a better priest. He's a better sacrifice. That he is to be exalted above everything. And so we're picking up in Hebrews 10 where we're looking at that kind of a pattern where he's been lifting Jesus up.
And then he's been saying, OK, because of that, here's how we respond. And because of that, here's what we look like. And so as we kind of culturally. Am I cutting in and out? OK. Hello.
OK, I will do my best with a handheld mic. Sometimes I do. And then it comes back. And that's all you needed to know to follow Jesus and be happy. So I will try.
I'll try to keep my arm here. I've worked on it because my wife mocked me incessantly. She's like, you know which end picks up sound, right? You know how microphones work. All right.
This time of year. We're trained to start setting up some goals. Most of us kind of look into the beginning of the year. We're coming out of the Christmas season where I don't know if you're like me. You were like, you know what? It's cold.
I'm going to eat 5,000 calories a day and just sit in my house. And then you hit January and you're like, you know what? Why don't we arbitrarily decide it's January and let's get our act together again. And so some of us, that's kind of what you do. But there's this pursuit of I want to get better.
I want to work towards something. I want to achieve something. And so we as a church are just saying, hey, let's look at what the Bible says. Let's set some hopes and dreams and prayers for our church family. And let's set them in a way that mirrors what is good in the gospel. Hebrews 11 and every Hebrews 10 verse 11.
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. So they had high priests. They had this priestly service and they had the high priest and they had other priests that would offer sacrifices for your sins. So you would sin and then you would need to go get atoned for by the blood of a sacrificial animal, your sin. And they did this daily, which was good because we sin daily. I don't know about y'all.
I'm not just like nights and weekends. Like I need, you know, need atonement all the time. And so people would constantly have to come and have sacrifices for their sins. So they, but it says it never actually took it away. It would atone for it, but it was all short term. It never took it away.
And then it says this, but when Christ had offered for all time, a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. So he said a priest stands daily, but Christ offered one sacrifice. And then he went and sat down that he died on the cross to atone for sin, a full sacrifice that would, that would work for all time. And he's a, the high priest who did not come back the next day to stand up at his service again, but he went and sat down because it has been covered forever. It says he sat down at the right hand of God. Verse 13, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
Could you imagine that? Going to meeting someone in power and they kick back in a really big chair and they put their feet on top of someone. And maybe you work up the courage to say, what is that? And they go, someone who opposed me. I would become real agreeable. I would just be like, whatever you say, but that's what Jesus is going to do.
He's going to crush his enemies so that they are his footstool. Verse 14, for by a single offering, he has perfected for all time. Those who are being sanctified. Now you may be the type of person who really has some good goals for this year. And there are some good goals to set. And maybe you're actively working to try to grow and be better.
There's some habits and some sin that you're trying to kill and grow into. And that's beautiful and good. And the Bible is for growth and it's for diligence. But let me explain something to you. If you are trying to atone for your sin, you will do that daily. You will fail constantly and you will not be made perfect.
If your goal with this year is I'm going to fix myself, I'll finally feel okay. I won't have shame and guilt anymore. I'm going to make sure that I'm all right. If you're working from this place of I've got to accomplish this, you will fail. But if you belong to Jesus, you get to start this year perfected for all time.
Sure. Set some goals. It's fine to exercise. You can quit smoking or cut down from two packs to one or whatever. Go back from vaping to smoking. Whatever.
You can set your goal. That's fine. But know that in Christ you have been perfected for all time. And that is what is at work in your soul and where it matters you are perfect. And that is our starting place in Christ. That if you belong to him, that is what he has done.
That's what it says. That by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. That means those who are being set apart to belong to Jesus. Those who have placed faith in him and those who he has at work in to change. He keeps going. Verse 15.
Do you know how good that is? You see he wrote them on stone and he proclaimed them. And they were supposed to put them on their hand and their forehead in little boxes that they would remember the law so that they might behave. But it was all outside in. So that's the way most of us approach life.
And that's the way many of us approach Jesus. Let me learn your rules and then I'll start to behave. Just tell me what I'm supposed to do. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to not to do? Is there a certain way I'm supposed to dress?
Is there a certain way I'm supposed to talk? Let me learn the rules. And we go to war on ourselves to make ourselves better. And it is exhausting for anyone who's ever tried. But he says that's not how it works.
That he's going to redeem those. He's going to forgive. He's going to make perfect all those that would come to him. And then he's going to work from your mind and your heart. He's going to work inside out. And for those of you who have met Jesus.
Some of you maybe it's the last year. Maybe it's the last six months. Maybe it's 10, 15, 20 years ago. Isn't that how that worked? You placed your faith in Jesus. And then suddenly you started changing.
And it wasn't this insane amount of effort. It was just coming out of you. And yes, it hurt. And yes, there were times where you were having to struggle to grow. But in so many ways it was at work.
Almost like a force that was coming inside out. That was not something you were going to be able to control one way or the other. And that's good news. And this is where we begin. As we start this year. And as we start together as a church.
And then he says this. Which blessed my soul this week as I was thinking about it. Verse 17. Then he adds. I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more. The reason that blessed my soul was that I fail to remember things constantly.
The more you're around me and the closer you are to me, the more frustrating this is. So my wife's at the front of the line and then everybody else can follow in behind her. She could have me wrap my own Christmas gifts. I'd still be surprised on Christmas. Like. I just.
If I don't work real hard to put it in my brain, it's not going to stay there. I could never be a waiter. Like it just wouldn't work. I would. There's no way to do it. And it's not that when you remind me, I'm like, oh yeah, I remember.
It's people will talk to me about things and I'm like, nope. I got nothing. Matt Freeman figured this out. We worked together. As we started this church a couple years ago. The Mill City Church.
And we. Working together. He started realizing that I didn't remember stuff. Which I think he's taking advantage of. Because sometimes I'm pretty sure he's just made up that he told me something. But that's fine.
I forgive him. But there are times where he would mess with me. Like I would say, hey, where are you? And he'd be like, I'm Elizabeth Siddiquet meeting this person. And I'd be like, oh, okay. And then he'd text.
Are you not coming? Sheer panic. What am I supposed to be? And he's like, I'm just messing with you. And I was like, why would you do that? But like, I mean, I've shown up to high school before about to walk into class.
And everybody's carrying a giant poster board. And I'm like, what are those? They're like, our project that's due. And I'm like, okay. I'm going to go see the school nurse. Suddenly got real sick.
He remembers them no more. It's not that when he looks at you in Christ, he looks past your sin. It's not that when he looks at you in Christ, he sees your sin, but he's willing to let it go. It's not that he remembers it no more. That you have been perfected for all time in Christ. And he does not remember your sin and your lawless deeds.
Now, I don't know about you, but that makes me want to take a praise lap because I got some sin and some lawless deeds. And I'm glad that when he looks at me, he sees Christ and nothing else. I'm glad that he sees the blood of Jesus who sacrificed himself once and then went and sat down. The reason Jesus is sitting is because there's no more work to be done. That if you were in Christ, you have been made perfect. He sees your sin no more.
Verse 18. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. So we've been forgiven. There was an offering through Christ once for all. And those of us who are in Christ, this is our reality. And what's beautiful is that if you're in Christ, you're going to sin tomorrow.
And you're going to sin again later this month. And you're going to fail and you're going to fall. And at no point did you take it back from him. You've been made perfect for all time. And he has set you aside. That's what sanctified means.
He set you aside. If you place faith in Jesus, he set you aside. His law is in your mind. It's in your heart. He will remember your sins no more. Verse 19 starts with therefore.
And then over the next few verses, it's going to say since, since. What he's saying is because of this reality, because the gospel is true and it is good, let's work from there. Let's have that be our foundation. Let that be the starting blocks for us. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh. All right.
When he says holy places and he says curtain, he's referring to something he's been talking about. And he's referring to something that the Jewish people would have understood very well. See, they had the tabernacle and then they had the temple. And the way it worked was there was a holy place where only priests could go. And then there was a big curtain that separated the holy place from the holy of holies. Separated the holy place from the most holy place.
And the most holy place, only one person could enter and only one time a year. The high priest could enter the holy of holies once. There was separation. That was where the presence of God was. That was where his footstool was. That's where the Ark of the Covenant was.
When you entered in there, you were entering the very presence of God. And so one person could do it once a year. And only if they had had a certain number of sacrifices on their behalf and only if they had done everything correct, could they go in there. Jewish history is sitting in the Bible, but Jewish history tells us they started tying a rope to the high priest. Because if he went into the presence of God and God killed him, will we draw on straws to see who goes and gets him out? So they came up with the idea, we'll just tie a rope to you.
You don't come out after a while, we'll just pull you out. That was their plan. A little grotesque, maybe functional though. But we're separate from God. He's holy. We sang that a minute ago.
Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy. Which means you're set apart. You're glorious. You're big. You're beyond us.
But then it says that curtain was torn. See, when Jesus died on the cross, that veil was torn from top to bottom. And the holy of holies is now open. That the presence of God is now open. That those who place faith in Jesus get to enter into. That's what he says.
Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus. By the new and living way that has been opened to us through the curtain. That is, through his flesh. And since we have a great high priest over the house of God. Okay. So if you are making some, if we're making some New Year's resolutions.
Some prayers. Some hopes for our church family. That's what we're writing at the top. Since we have confidence to draw near to God by the blood of Jesus. And since we have a great high priest. Now.
Let's make some plans. Because that's who we are in Christ. Boldness, confidence, forgiveness. Let's make some plans to follow Jesus. First one. We're going to do three.
He gives us three. He says, let us, let us, let us. And then let us not. Let us draw near with a true heart. Full of assurance of faith. With our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.
And our bodies washed with pure water. Let us draw near to God. That's the first one. That's our prayer. That we would draw near to God. That through our hope in him.
That through our hope in him. Because we have access. Because we have confidence to walk in. Being made perfect by Jesus. Let us take advantage of that. And enjoy the glorious and good presence of God.
Do you know how wonderful he is? How beautiful and terrifying and glorious. And we have access to him. We think about silly things. Like wouldn't it be nice to have access to the mayor? Wouldn't it be nice to have access to the person who owned Best Buy?
And then maybe they could just give us some stuff. Like if I was friends with Jeff Bezos. Maybe he would make it where I didn't have to pay my Amazon yearly fee or whatever. Like we think about silly things. We have access to the glorious God of the universe. Through the blood of Jesus.
For this year. As we grow together. Let's grow in our love for Jesus. Let's enjoy him together. If we don't do anything else this year as a church family. Let's draw near to God.
Let that be what happens when we gather here. Let that be what happens anywhere on this facility. Let that be what happens when we are in our community groups. Let it be that we draw near to God. Because he has opened a way for us to do that. Let's be people of prayer.
This is why we talk about being gospel centered community on mission. There's a reason why gospel centered comes first. Because if we don't. If we're not centered around the gospel. If we're not enjoying Jesus. If we're not engulfed and enraptured by the glory of God.
I don't really want to be a part of your community. And I think your mission is stupid. So we want to be people who draw near. Who enjoy and are overwhelmed by the glory of God. And we get to because Jesus has paid the way for us to walk in. So sometime this year.
You're going to fail. Sometime this year you're going to fall short. And the natural sinful inclination of our heart. Is to run. But we've been washed.
We've been perfected. Let's draw near. There are times where my son. Has done something he ought not to do. And you can see it on him. His face looks different.
He looks. And he just. There are times where I'll pick him up. Hug him. He gets disciplined. Because I care about him.
But I'll pick him up. And I'll hug him. And I'll hold him. I'll tell him I love him. And you can feel after a while. He just relaxes.
What if this year when you failed. And fell short. And you felt shame and guilt creeping up your neck. And you felt overwhelmed by it. You ran to God. And let him wrap you up in the perfection of Christ.
You just got to rest. In the fact that. You are not in charge. Of receiving and earning glory on your own. You are not in charge of saving yourself. You are not in charge of earning this.
You cannot. And if you try. You will fail. And my prayer is you'll fail quickly. And run to Jesus. Because the gospel is good news.
So let us be people who draw near to God. The next one. Let us. Verse 23. Hold fast the confession of our hope. Without wavering.
For he who promised is faithful. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope. Without wavering. So what's the confession of our hope? Well our hope. Is Jesus.
And his work on our behalf. The confession of our hope. Is us saying out loud. Jesus and his work on our behalf. Like I've trusted in Jesus. The confession.
I'm making the confession. That Jesus Christ paid for my sin. That I am not good. That he is. That I am not holy. That he is.
That I didn't save myself. That he did. That's our confession. That we believe in our heart. And we confess with our mouth. So he says hold fast to that.
Let that be something that you do not let go of. Your belief and trust and hope in the gospel. When I grew up in church. I would have people say sometimes. That you couldn't do certain behaviors. Because you would ruin your witness.
Can't act like that. Can't talk like that. Can't do that. You will ruin your witness. Meaning that you won't be able to then tell people about Jesus. Because you will be acting just like the world.
Now. They were right. In a lot of the behaviors they said we shouldn't do. But the reason we shouldn't do them is obedience. And joy. But I want to step in here and fix something.
My witness is not that I am well behaved. My witness is not. Hey look at Chet. He is great. That's terrible. My witness is Jesus saves sinners.
So when I mess up I get to repent. I get to say hey guys. I shouldn't have acted like that. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. And then I get to say I trust Jesus who forgives sinners.
My hope. My confession is him. Then it says let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. He pushes it again to Jesus. Because he's the one who promised.
He's the one who said this is going to work. He's the one who's faithful. Our hope is in him. I grew up playing sports. I remember I was playing little league baseball. And I had a coach that yelled at me a lot.
And I was afraid of him. Because he was an adult. And I figured if it came down to it he could take me. So I told my dad. He keeps yelling at me. I'm scared.
I don't like this. So my dad sat me down. He said okay. I said I'll tell you what. He said he's just fussing. And some coaches are like that.
They're a little more stern. They're going to be loud. They're going to play sports. This is going to happen. They're going to yell at you. Some of them are trying to motivate you.
He can yell at you. And we're okay. And you're okay. But I'll make a deal with you. If he touches you trying to harm you. I'll break every bone in his body.
And I said yes sir. Fair deal. And I went to practice. No longer afraid. Because he who promised was faithful. He meant it.
And how much more beautiful. Are the promises of God. And how much more faithful is he. To be our defender. And to be our hope. So that when we fall into sin.
And we fall into guilt. And we fall into shame. And we fail. And we set our mind to do something good. And we fall short of it. That we can run to him.
And we can hold fast. To the confession of our hope. Which was not. That we would be able to do this well. And if you became a Christian. In the hope.
That you would be able to do this well. And if you became a Christian. Because you are going to be moral. And behave. You are not a Christian. But I have really good news for you.
That was never going to work. But Jesus Christ. Saves. All who hope in him. And none who hope in his name. Will be put to shame.
And I have to say that to myself sometimes. When I feel very down. And like I haven't done what I'm supposed to do. And I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do. And the outlook doesn't look bright. It doesn't look like I'm about to turn it around tomorrow.
I will remind myself. None who hope in Jesus will be put to shame. We have been made perfect for all time. So hold on to that. As we go through this year. Let us end the year.
Being people who drew near to God. And held firmly to the gospel. 2020 will be a good year if we do that. If you're holding firmly and unwaveringly to the gospel. At the end of this year. And we drew near to God.
Because the way has been opened to us through Christ. This is a good year. And God has blessed this church. Here's the third one. Let us consider. How to stir up one another.
To love. And good works. I love that. So he starts with the gospel. He says. This is what's real.
And since that's real. And since Jesus has saved us. Let us draw near to God. Let us hold firmly to the gospel. Let's hold firmly to our confession of our hope.
And. Let us consider how to stir up one another. Towards love. And good works. I like the phrase stir up. Because you usually think about stirring up trouble.
Some of you. Became very adept at this. Probably around middle school. You started your mouth early enough in the day. You could have two people broken up. Or two people fighting behind the gym by the end of the day.
Some of you had friends like this. You know what I'm talking about. You could stir something up. You could just whisper something over here. You could whisper something over there. You learned how to phrase it.
You learned how to walk over and say. You know. I don't think you look funny. I don't know why they said that. See that sounded kind of nice. It was sneaky.
Like. We know how to stir trouble up. We've seen it happen. But he says. Let us consider. Meaning plot on.
How we might stir up one another to love. And good works. The reality is. Many of us will stir people up. Towards negative things. Without having to consider.
Isn't it easier to talk about stuff you don't like. Than stuff you do like. Isn't it easier to tear something down. Than it is to build something up. Isn't it easier to say something cutting to someone. Than to compliment someone.
Some of us don't have to consider how to do that. And let me tell you something. Church family. If you want to find something to be upset about. If you want to find something to be frustrated about. This is a wonderful church to be a part of right now.
We could all leave here today. With things that we want to talk about. And chew on. You could leave here today. Saying. Why was the volume turned all the way up.
You could leave here today. Saying. Why were all the lights on. Some of you could leave here. And say. I didn't know that song.
And other of you could leave. After singing. Holy. Holy. Holy. And say.
What does thou wert and art mean. Art. I know. Like I took that in school. But what is wert.
There is going to be plenty of things for you to be frustrated about. For you to have questions about. Plenty of things that are changing around you. The hope being at the end of the year. We are holding on to the gospel. And some other things we are going to have to have let go of.
But let us consider. How to stir one another up. Towards love. Plot on it. What if you started showing up here next week. And you were like.
I am about to stir up some love. What if when you got to know something good about somebody. Or got to know somebody. You helped them introduce them to somebody else. You started whispering good things about people. Do you know who has been serving here like crazy.
What if you went over and said kind things. Not flattery. Real things. Real encouragement. What if when you were going to hang out with your community group. Or when you were showing up to Sunday school.
You were thinking. How can I stir up love. How can I stir up good works. How blessed would we be. And at the end of this year. What if you spent all the time.
That might would have normally been spent. Stirring up something that was negative. Pointing out something negative. And actually considered. How to stir people up towards love. And good works.
How much more blessed is our church. How much more joy is there. Oh let us do that. Let us consider how. Let's plot on each other.
If you know somebody. Ask them to go get lunch. And then invite someone else to show up. It's a secret friendship date. And then help them get to know each other. That's one of the most beautiful things.
That happens in churches. Is you invite one of your friends to come hang out. And they become better friends with somebody else. Isn't that good? That's a real thing. You're like.
Bye. See you in heaven. Bye. Let us consider how to do this. Let us fight for this.
Now he's going to say not. So he says let us, let us, let us, and then he's going to say not. He's giving a caveat to this last one that I think is very helpful. Let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some. Now, he's saying that some people in the early church, when the church was getting together, just wouldn't come. Cephas would be like, hey, we're having a board game night.
Somebody would be like, hey, we're going to do a meal at my house. And Tychicus would just be like, not coming. We were going to make a list and read out the people in our church family who do this, but they're not here, so it wouldn't help. Y'all can tell them when you see them. Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another. Here's the thing.
We're meant to stir one another up, and you have been gifted by the Holy Spirit for the edification of the church. If you're not around the church, you can't do that. And if you're not around the church, you can't stir up and you can't be stirred up. Not to love and good works. Not to something that's helpful. Not to something that's long-lasting.
Not to something that's eternal. How often do non-believers stir you up? Church, fear? Criticalness? Depression? And how often do we need to gather and make it a point to gather together and not neglect gathering together that we might be stirred up towards things that matter and towards things that are good and towards things that are valuable?
I didn't tell them I was going to do this, but I'm going to talk a little bit about the people in my group. I mentioned earlier that I forget things. So if I don't mention you, it's just because my brain doesn't work. But I was thinking about my group and how they stir me up towards love and good works. How I love other people more because of my community group. I was thinking about Dawn and how she encourages me to obey and to follow Jesus even when I don't understand why or why I'm frustrated.
I get around her for a little while. We talk about Jesus for a little while and I just want to follow Jesus more. Emily Teagle makes me want to be considerate. She remembers everybody, cares about everybody, is so thoughtful. And it's like, man, I want to do that. Around John and Faye and this desire to obey Jesus and to just do what he says because that's what he said to do.
And the simpleness to it and this helpfulness to it. It's like, it's right, do it. It's like, that's true. I wanted to argue it out, but you're right. I probably should just follow. Brad and Jackie who helped me believe and trust in grace.
There's so many times our group's talking about stuff and they're just like, hey guys, calm down. We're okay. Jesus loves us. And it's like, that's a good point. Mary Beth makes me want to follow Jesus in real life and get to know real people, be a genuine Christian. The Toast, Chris Rocky, make me want to serve people.
Danielle Rocky makes us hang out together. And that's good. Russ makes me want to genuinely be family. And every time we get together, this is what happens. Scott Montgomery makes me want to be diligent, follow Jesus. Like every time.
Sean Carey makes me want to continue to hope in Jesus. To look forward to my happiness. They stir me up. And there's joy and there's hope in it. And we have to be together to do it. There's so many times.
I got a four-year-old and a two-year-old. The two-year-old usually goes to bed around seven, which has been wonderful. When the time changed, it was amazing at my house. It was like, it's dark, bedtime. Jesus put the sun down, you better go to sleep. Our community group meets at seven.
So there are times where my little one is grabbing his blanket and telling people goodnight. And we're like, no, Bo, put your shoes on. We've got to get in the truck. Like, we're about to go hang out with people. You're not going to sleep yet. There are times when we're all riding over there and everybody in the car is crying.
And frustrated. We're going to go hang out with our group. And we show up. And then we're stirred up for love and good works. In simple ways. It's good.
Same thing with Sundays. One of the biggest blessings of my life was God calling me to be a pastor so that I don't have to wake up on Sundays and decide whether or not I want to be here. It's been so good for me. Because this is so good. So don't neglect it.
Don't miss out. There are times where you're going to be around somebody and they're going to be hurting and they're going to be in need. And the Holy Spirit is going to work through you to bless them. And it's going to bless you in the process. Where he's going to call out of you something you didn't know was there. There are going to be some time that you're going to be around church family and suddenly you're going to be sending money every month to somebody to help them out with something.
And you haven't planned on that, but you're doing it because it's helpful. There are going to be times where you suddenly help somebody who's depressed or something. You're going over there and spending time with them and you're sharing some of your happiness with them. And you're buoying them. And it's draining you, but you're believing and trusting in the gospel and Jesus is at work. And there are going to be times where you need to be stirred up, where you need to be reminded and someone else is going to do it.
And God blesses us when we gather together. Don't neglect that. This year. Let's bring glory to God. Let's draw near to him for he is good and glorious and beautiful and beyond compare.
Let's hold fast to the gospel. And let's not neglect to gather to do that so that we might stir one another up towards things that matter. He says this. But encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. One year closer. A decade closer.
To the day. When Jesus Christ. Makes his enemy his footstool. And calls his church home. When the God of creation. Settles accounts.
Ushers in his kingdom. Where there is joy and delight beyond compare. And fear and misery. That's incomprehensible. We're one year closer. We're one year closer to the day.
And all of us have a day when we'll meet Jesus. Some of you are a year closer. From the time you met Jesus you're a year closer. Some of you are five years. Some of you are 20. Some of you are 30.
Some of you are 50, 60 years closer to the day. All the more. Let's encourage one another. All the more let's run the race that he's putting forth in front of us. All the more let us encourage one another to be about and to care about and to fight for things that ultimately eternally matter. May Jesus bless his church and may he bless this church.
Let's pray. God we ask that you would receive glory. That we would be people who draw near to you this year. That we would hold fast to the gospel. And every time we have the opportunity to stir up something. Let it be love and good works.
May you bless this church for the glory of your name. And the delight of your people. In Jesus name. Amen.
