Holiday Homilies and Reflections on 2024 | December 29, 2024

All right, well good.

Thank you guys.

Thank you.

That was great.

Great time to worship

on this holiday.

Weekend where

we've got a lot

of festive fun.

You might be trapped

right now in the

middle of Christmas

to New Year.

You might have

Christmas this

afternoon.

You might be like me.

And we keep prolonging

our trip with our

in-laws till tomorrow

and then the next day

and eventually get to

Christmas with them.

It's a holiday season

and there's a lot

going on, so I'm

gonna do something

totally crazy,

something we've never

done here before.

'cause I know some

of you guys are like,

man, I wish on this

holiday Sunday instead

of one sermon, we

could get like seven.

Right?

God's perfect number.

So, hey, if you're

one of the guys on

staff, could you jump

up here for me please?

Uh, let's see.

We got, uh, I think

we got Springer and

Tom, I think Dax,

dad and Josh, I

think over there.

Perfect.

Look at this.

So we're doing

something really

crazy this morning.

And, uh, if you're

one of my favorite

students from MCA,

you probably heard

I wasn't preaching

very long this

morning, and that's

why you showed up.

Brilliantly played,

but we're doing

something called

holiday homilies.

Now, the only reason

we're using the

word homilies is

because Dax needed a

fancy churchy word.

So thank you Dax,

for the churchy

word homily.

Uh, but what we're

gonna do this,

this was this

great idea we had.

Uh, that's a

great idea.

And I say we to try to

share the blame, but

you know, like on a

great sports program,

they're like, uh,

let's do a best of the

last week of the year.

Your, you

know, kind of a

celebrate what, 24.

So here's what I did.

I said, Hey guys,

think back to all the

amazing sermons this

year, and let's just

pick your favorite.

Why'd you laugh, dude?

Pick your

favorite part.

Just one sermon

highlight.

And you can each

share it as like

a best of Sunday.

That's what I

got right there.

Silence

crickets, right?

Um, but then I started

thinking, you know,

these guys are always

like, when do I get

a turn to preach?

So now if I give

you guys each like

three minutes, it's

gonna be perfect

and I'll have taken

care of 2024, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So here's what we're

gonna do this morning

as we wrap up 2024.

We're gonna do

something crazy

called, A simple word

of encouragement,

A simple emphasis

on the word simple.

Everybody up here

picked a single

syllable word except

for Dax to share with

our church family.

As we reflect on

2024, what this year

really maybe has

been like or what

God has really been

speaking to us about.

But as we kind of wrap

up 2024 coming to a

space of saying, God,

we want to share this

message, seven of 'em

from seven different

guys, a simple word

that you maybe can

take with you into the

new year, something

that's been meaningful

to us this year.

And we're gonna do

it relatively quickly

'cause everybody

has plenty of time.

Plenty of time.

Rusty's gonna

start us off.

I'm gonna wrap us up.

So here we go, man.

You better go.

Hey, that set?

Yeah.

I'm just kidding.

We're not

gonna do that.

That just for fun.

Hey, I've got

cheerleader footage

up there today.

I don't even know

what to say, man.

I, I, listen, trust

me, I don't have a

lot left, so I'm not

gonna take a long,

I, I'm not gonna

take much time.

Nice.

Because my

word was time.

And as I look back

on 2024, what a

time wasn't it?

I mean, it was a

time of confusion,

conflict.

It was a crazy year.

Would you agree?

Ukraine, Russia.

Israel and the social

events of our nation.

It was absolutely

insane for the

first time.

Christians aren't the

ones denying science.

We've always

been the science

deniers, right?

Because we believed

in creation.

Now the whole world

is denying science,

and we're the only

ones standing here

going, science.

The science.

It was a crazy time.

And if we look at

everything going on

around, oh, and I

didn't even mention

the elections.

There you go.

That was fun,

wasn't it?

Crazy time.

And if we look at

all the circumstances

around us, it

could be very

discouraging time.

And yet he's still

on the throne.

He's still Lord

of Lords and

King of Kings.

And in Psalm chapter

Psalms 46 · chapter mention

46, if you read the

whole psalm, and

I'm not gonna read

that this morning.

He talks about, the

psalmist writes that

he is our refuge.

A refuge is

someplace to be safe.

He is our refuge.

And then in verse 10,

he says, be still,

be still and know

that I am God.

One of the highlights

of my year was the

sermon series that

we did, uh, based on

the book Practicing

the Way three

concepts of the book.

If you didn't read it,

you should read it.

If you think you

got it, you need

to read it more.

Read it.

Take.

It's not a hard read,

but take some t, take

some time to read it.

Three basic

principles.

Be with him,

become like him and

do what he does.

Halfway through the

year, Marty and I had

opportunity to go to

Canada and back it up.

One slide and I took

that picture one

evening outside of

our cabin walking

to the dock.

I've titled

it Solitude

Time to Be Still and

know that I Am God.

The world is

going to hell.

We know that already.

It's written here.

We can take refuge in

the King of Kings and

the Lord of Lords who

sits upon the throne.

My encouragement for

you, it's to be still.

And know that

he is God,

don't worry, Sally,

we're not getting

married again.

It's not on.

Don't worry, Sally.

We're not getting

married again.

So when Andy, that's

a weird inside joke.

I gotta be honest.

If you don't

understand, last time

you preached last time

I was up here, if you

guys haven't been here

the last time I was

up here preaching a

sermon, you gotta hold

that, that closer.

I actually proposed

to my wife and we

got our vows renewed.

So that's the

inside joke.

And um, and she

wouldn't do it again.

That's what you

said, right?

Just to be sure.

I, I am, I've

gotta get It

keeps going hard.

I know.

Okay, so when Andy

asked for a word I

sent him, Hey there,

my word is slump.

He's What is Slump?

Slump?

And if there is, uh,

time in the new year,

I would like to do

a sermon on that.

So more to come later

as I'm currently

reading a book on

overcoming spiritual

slump, something that

I now realize I have

been in since getting

out of seminary and

in Andy response back

was very interesting.

We should definitely

talk about that topic.

That's a really

insightful perspective

and probably worth

exploring a little

bit more over

some wings soon.

So still waiting

on that wings date.

But I am reading

a book and it is

actually by one

of my favorite

professors when I

was in seminary, Dr.

Lenny Chetty.

And the book is

titled Overcoming

Spiritual Slump.

And if you guys

all know me, I'm a

huge baseball fan,

and players can

get into a slump.

And to get out of

the slump, they have

to go onto a streak.

So my word is streak.

Um, but I wanna

read a passage real

quick, going back to

slump just from Dr.

Chetty that I

found kind of true.

And if I can find it,

I had it saved and now

I can't find it again.

It's really hard to

hold a microphone

and do this at

the same time.

There we go.

Every single person

I'm convinced will

experience staleness

or stagnation.

At some point, you're

likely heading into

going through or

coming out of a

spiritual slump,

we will likely

endure several

seasons of aridity

in our lifetimes.

These are intense

seasons when your

appetite to be with

God through prayer

and scripture, and to

live for God through

trust and obedience,

diminished like air.

Slowly leaking from a

tire danger abounds.

You are vulnerable to

old temptations you

thought were in the

rear view mirror and

new ones that pop up

like moles, you're not

fast enough to whack.

So that's where I was.

But in 2025,

I want to go on a

streak for God coming

outta seminary.

I had to read hundreds

and hundreds of

books and this is the

first book that I've

really picked up,

um, in a long time.

Well since 2019,

if that tells

you anything.

So I believe that

we all need to go

on a street for God.

There are gonna

be times where

you don't feel it, but

I just wanna let you

know that God always

feels it for you.

He is always there

with you every single

step of the way.

No matter if

you're not feeling

praying that day.

And I'm not saying you

shouldn't pray that

day, I'm just saying

there's going to be

days where you don't

feel like that, that

you feel like you can

do it on your own,

you don't meet God.

And that's where

we need to continue

our streak.

And even though we

don't feel it, know

that God is right

there with you and

every little thing

that you do, God is

right there with you.

My verses Hebrews 12,

one through three.

Therefore, since we

are surrounded by

such a great cloud

of witnesses, let us

throw off everything

that hinders and

the sin that so

easily entangles

and let us run with

perseverance the race

marked out for us.

Fixing our eyes on

Jesus, the pioneer and

perfecter of faith.

For the joy set before

him, he endured the

cross scorning its

shame and sat down

at the right hand of

the throne of God.

Consider him

who endured such

opposition for from

sinners so that

you'll not grow

weary and lose heart.

So just remember that

when you start to grow

weary and you start

to lose heart, know

that God Jesus came to

pay the price for you,

that he is there with

you in walking with

you every step of the

way, and start to get

back on that streak

for God where you

are living your life

according to what he

has set out for you.

All right.

Hello, white Rock.

If you guys don't

know who I am, I'm

the children's pastor.

I'm usually next

door trapped next

door all the time,

right, Tom, sorry,

let me tell you.

So I was a little

nervous being in front

of all you adults,

all you the parents

now that it's like

who rubber meets

the road stuff, make

sure I know what

I'm doing, right?

No, uh uh,

good morning.

I just, uh, there

was kind of places

I wanted to go

with that, but I

think, I think the

setup was pretty

important, whether

intentional or not.

But, um, we, uh,

we have a chance

in life to really

speak life into

those that we do life

with, those we love.

Um, as your children's

pastor, um, every

interaction I have

with your kids is, is

very important to me.

And we can all

remember growing up

something somebody

said to us in passing

a blip, but for

some reason that's

stuck in our head

our entire life.

Right?

You know, if we we're

doing something,

then that one saying

comes to mind.

And that's why I

feel like for me,

God has had me at a

place of really being

mindful of my word.

Um, and, uh, I, I

think it's important

if you're gonna start

with your words, you

really need to start

with where you're

at and being still

and knowing who God

is, not just in your

life, but in the

lives of everyone

around you, the, the

lives you have the

most impact with.

And that's usually

your children, your

spouse, your family.

Um, and I think,

um, you never know

where people are at.

So, um, our words

are important.

Getting people out of

a slump into a streak.

It might be a word

of encouragement,

pointing them

to Jesus.

And it's not just, I

think it's not just

so much being mindful

of what's coming out

of our mouth, but

being intentional

of the words we're

saying to others in

the fact and in this

place of, Lord, what

would you have me

say to this person?

Lord, what would you

have me say to this

child right now?

Lord, what do you

want me to say

to this person?

I'm holding

the door for?

Um, words are

important.

I, I own a small

business, so,

um, words are

very important in

trying to operate a

business and, and.

Doing what I say,

all that, all that

stuff matters.

But specifically what

I wanna, what I wanna

focus on is our place

of speaking life and

words of encouragement

into others.

Um, we're not

really sure where

our words will,

will spur growth.

And usually,

sometimes it's in

an impossible place.

I took, I was out

working at some big

parking lot and in

the middle of this

parking lot was this,

this plant that broke

through this asphalt.

And I thought it

was, I had to take

a picture of it.

I didn't know that.

Why?

But maybe it was just

for this moment here.

But we don't know what

words we're speaking.

We'll spur life in

Jesus Christ when

we're just trying to

be the empty vessel

for Jesus Christ.

And the easiest way

we can be, the hands

and feet of Jesus

is with our words.

Our actions are

very meaningful.

But all of that,

all of creation,

all of creation

started with words.

All of the destruction

we cause in our

life will start

with our words.

Um, the, the

destruction we cause

in others' lives.

Um, and more

specifically the words

we choose not to say.

We choose to be

quiet in a moment.

Maybe God's

spurring you to

encourage someone,

um, and we miss an

opportunity to get

them out of a slump.

Um, being still

and knowing who

God is, uh, is, is,

is very important

in this 'cause.

You gotta trust that

God is who he is and

know that the Holy

Spirit, the same Holy

Spirit that's working

in our lives, is

working in everyone

else around you.

Um, and that same

Holy Spirit he needs,

God needs us to, to

spur those words of

encouragement, to be

the hands and feet,

to speak the words

Jesus would say to

anyone in a moment.

You know, and that's

why Ephesians 4 29

was the verse I chose.

Do not let any whole

unwholesome talk come

outta your mouths,

which is usually where

everyone stops at

that verse, and that's

the biggest, okay.

Yeah, I gotta be

mindful of my words,

but I think the, the

second and third half

of that verse is so

much more important,

but only what is

helpful for building

others up according

to their needs.

That may benefit

those who listen.

Um, when we're the

hands and feet of

Jesus, when we're

watching those

moments, when you

guys start pulling

yourselves back

and asking God to

be there and the

Holy Spirit speak

through you, you'll

start to see people

need some words.

You'll start to see

people with their

words, oh, well, you

know, it just, they'll

talk themselves down.

They'll beat

themselves up,

and they're so, so

important to, in those

moments, meet the

needs with our words,

the words Jesus Christ

would say to them.

And that's, that

would, I mean, all of

it comes down to that

being not mindful of

what words come out of

our mouth, but being

intentional that our

words are building up

others around us in

the moment that they

need it, that it does

benefit or give grace

to those who hear it.

Hmm.

Are you in the

wrong seat then?

Yeah, that's his.

You guys might

as well try.

I, I don't, I did.

I was totally

wrong man.

Sorry, I was putting

my dad towards the end

'cause I was scared.

You know what's

gonna happen and

I, I mixed you up.

Sorry.

I don't, I should

be, don't care.

It's alright.

So,

okay.

I guess my

word is care.

What do you

mean you guess?

You sent it to me.

What's that?

That was one.

How do you define a

well oiled machine?

People, lemme

just tell you.

Team.

Yeah, man.

Well oiled.

There's no us in team.

Sorry.

Go ahead.

I care about

what you're about

to say, dad.

Yeah, I can shut.

Okay.

And, uh, it came up

here when, when you

see it on the screen,

it's gonna show it

in some newfangled

version of the Bible

called the NIB.

Instead of the

old King James.

I like the King James

version of this verse

better 'cause it

just said, cast all

of your cares on him

for he cares for you.

Um, spent a lot of

time in the hospital

this last year.

Not for me, but

for other folks.

And, you know,

that's, that's not

my best gift when I

go into the hospital.

I want to encourage

people and pray for

'em and make 'em

smile and laugh even

if it hurts their

insides while they're

trying to heal.

And, uh, I just do all

that back in days gone

by, when Matt Linley

was part of our team.

Why people would

say, pastor, we

really appreciate

you coming to see us,

but it's all right.

If you wanna send

Matt, he can come.

That would be great.

'cause Matt could

sit there for hours

on end and just be

patient and kind.

And me, I'm, like

I said, a little

bit more boisterous

type things.

Isn't that

right, Tracy?

Yes, yes.

Okay.

So, but the biggest

message of all

that is he cares.

I had the opportunity

yesterday to have

a conversation with

a good friend that

was only about 26,

27 years overdue.

And we sat down and

I asked him how he

dealt with an issue

that as a pastor just

about destroyed him.

And I said, how,

how did you come

through all of that?

He said it was hard.

It was really hard.

And uh, he said, I

know there was a lot

of condemnation from

people around me and

other Christians and

other pastors, but he

said, I kept seeking

God and seeking God.

And I went and I

talked to my earthly

father, who he said

at this point in

time in his life,

had lost almost all

ability to talk.

And he said, we

would set and I would

talk and I would

tell him what was

going on and how I

got where I was at.

And he said, my dad

would just cry and

say, I'm sorry, those

are the only words

he could get out.

I'm sorry.

And he said, no

matter how many

times we talked, it

was always the same.

I'm sorry.

And.

He said one day I

was sitting with a

friend in a restaurant

and we were talking

and he said, how do I,

how do I come across

something where I've

walked against what I

know I shouldn't do?

And, and God has

said he hates

what I am doing.

And his friend looked

at him and he said,

well, what'd your

earthly father say?

He said, he just

said, I'm sorry.

He said, what was

he sorry about?

He was sorry

about what I was

going through.

And he said, what

do you think your

heavenly father

thinks right now?

He said, don't you

think he's sorry

for what you're

going through?

He said the damn

burst within me.

And he said, I

just sat there in

the middle of that

restaurant and

bald like a baby.

He said Bald and

bald and bald.

And he said, I came

to realize that I'd

been preaching about

mercy and about

forgiveness and

grace for 25 years.

And he said, it

finally hit me

that I was lost

before all of this.

And when I was doing

everything right,

I was just somebody

who was lost that

God saved and God

didn't look at me

as being more lost.

And he said he

was sorry for me.

And you know, God

is sorry for what

we go through,

whether it's sinful

or whether it is.

Just the everyday

things of life.

And surgeries on

surgeries and the

loss of loved ones

and all of that.

He cares.

He doesn't care

because we're good.

He doesn't care

because we're

righteous.

He cares

who's up.

Okay.

All right.

Well, I sat down in

this chair because

that's what Andy

told me to do.

'cause I am

trying to obey.

So, uh, I picked the

word obey because, um,

I actually said as a

joke when Andy first

talked about this plan

of like, Hey, we need

to pick a small word,

a small word to use,

uh, for these sermons.

And I said,

obey as a joke.

And then time went

on and I was like,

actually I think

God is telling

me to use this.

So, um, I picked

obey because I'm

someone who does

not like to obey

If someone tells me

not to do something.

I wanna do that.

I don't like to

be put in a box.

I don't like rules.

Um, I don't

like obeying.

In fact, I know for

instance, Andy would

not have wanted a

video to be placed

in the, during

sharing time today.

But Marty told

me, Hey, I need

this put on.

And at first for a

like a little bit,

I was like, well, I

should have Andy's

back 'cause I know

he's not gonna want

this in the ceiling

or in the whatever.

But then I also

remembered a time

many times Andy has,

you know, put videos

of me getting hit

by water balloons

and slingshot from

like 15 feet away.

And I'm like,

you know what?

It's okay.

I'll, so,

yeah.

Yeah.

I gotta obey the

pastor Meredith.

Exactly.

So there you go.

There you go.

Um, but, and if you

know me, maybe, you

know, that's kind of

who I am as someone

who doesn't wanna

do what everyone

else is doing.

I don't wanna do

what's mainstream.

I don't wanna fit in

the box of the rules.

Um, but most of you

really, almost all of

you know me now after

I've surrendered my

life over to Christ.

Many of you don't

know me from 19 years

ago, if you wanna,

uh, that was someone

who did not like to

follow the rules.

Yeah.

Uh, I had long hair

because my mom always

told me I needed

to get a haircut,

so that just made

me wanna not get a

haircut even more.

Um, so yeah, as

much as Kenny G

there looks like he

could rebel against

a bunch of things.

Yeah, I was

rebellious.

Um, and I don't like

to, I don't like to

follow the rules, but

that word obey has

took on a different

meaning to me as

I've become a father.

And, and I'm sure

all of you who are

parents understand

exactly what I'm

talking about.

Um, and especially

it didn't, it meant

a little bit with my

daughter Petra, but my

son Caspian, if you've

met Caspian, he, he

is my jet as Jamie.

Uh, uh, when I

tell him not to

do something,

he immediately

wants to do it.

And even just, we

were with family at

Christmas time and.

We were in a church

and they had all

these icons and all

these really important

things that they were

running around and

almost knocking over.

And I just said,

Castine, don't

this rug, do not

step on that rug.

I'm serious.

If you step on that

rug, you're gonna

get a spanking.

And he looked at

me and he goes,

and I spanked him and

he started crying and

I was like, I, you

did this to yourself.

So, and that's, and

the thing is, it's so

frustrating because I

just see me and him,

and it's frustrating

to see yourself

and your kids.

They're harder to

spank at 15, lemme

tell you next.

They're harder

to spank at 15.

Yeah.

Especially when they

get bigger than you.

Yeah.

Um,

so yeah, that's,

that's my experience.

I don't like fitting

in these boxes.

But as I've grown,

grown closer to God,

I've realized the

value in obeying God.

Um, because here's

the thing, just during

that time of that

picture and within

the year after that

picture, I was in

all kinds of problems

in my life because.

Of choices that

I made on my own.

'cause I didn't want

to fit into rules that

I was supposed to do.

Um, and so God kind

of really spoke

to me this first

John five three.

In fact, this

is the love.

This is love for God

to keep his commands.

And again, even

the word obey,

it almost sounds

controlling right?

And maybe some of us

don't like the idea

of we have to be

obedient, we have to

be controlled by God.

And, and you

understand that

differently when

you become a

father or a parent.

Um, but there's a

difference between the

way God is a father

and the way I make

Father, because I

want these rules for

my kid because I know

it's for the better

of them when I tell

them, you know, not to

eat this thing 'cause

I know it's gonna

make them sick or not

to touch this thing.

'cause I know it's

gonna make them sick

or this is dangerous.

I know those things

and God knows

those things too.

But if I'm being

honest, sometimes

my rules for my

kids are for my own

selfish reasons.

Daddy needs

quiet time.

Let's just be quiet

for the rest of the

car ride, right?

Please don't leave

your room at night.

I, I can't have you

coming up and bugging

me when I finally

have time to myself.

Those kinds of things,

those are selfish

rules that I have for

myself, and that's the

difference with God.

God doesn't need

time for himself.

He doesn't need

anything from me.

So when God makes

rules, it's only

for my benefit.

And in fact, that's

not the whole verse.

The rest of the verse

is actually, in fact,

this is love for God

to keep His commands.

His commands are

not burdensome.

What God is asking

you to do is not

something that's hard.

Jesus tells us that

his yoke is easy.

So my encouragement

to you is to obey God.

'cause it's for your

better, no matter

how much it goes

against your nature.

Amen.

Amen.

Absolutely wonderful

work being said

up here today.

I'm gonna start

mine off with

a story though.

And job.

Yeah.

It's on.

It is on.

Okay, I'm gonna start

off with a, a story.

Uh, over the last

six months, so six

months ago, me and

my wife prompted into

a, we were trapped

in a corner called

being the called,

called by God called,

uh, into the youth

pastor positions.

And, uh, that,

that brought some

challenges, some

challenges that

more experienced

men in my life, uh,

said, things are

gonna come your way.

So be ready.

Make sure your, uh,

foundation is solid.

And through those six

months, challenges

is start to rise.

New stressors, things

started breaking

in the house from

a physical sense.

Whether it's a

dishwasher that I

won't wash, ice maker

that don't make ice

water heater, that

doesn't heat water.

Those lists kept

coming on and on.

Then on to maybe some

arguments started

coming between me

and the wife, right?

Maybe I was choosing

to not use my

time so wisely

and put investing

to relationships

and my time with

Christ as well.

Started to get a

little bit funky

with the new

schedule, trying to

run certain things,

organize things,

reach out, have

conversations that

I hadn't had before.

And then I started

getting into a slump.

Things started

getting a little,

uh, rough, started

getting a little

emotional, started

getting a little bit

down, maybe negative.

And then my

conversations with

my, my kids were,

um, not ones that

for, uh,

encouraging, right?

I wasn't growing

those, um, those

weeds through the

asphalt, so to speak.

So that started

getting uglier,

uglier and uglier.

Uh, I wasn't proven

that I cared in the

right manner, either.

Cared about.

Christ is my number

one, cares about my

family in other neat

ways, and things got

uglier and uglier.

My goodness, didn't

care enough to bust

out scripture when

I was struggling.

So things got

getting nasty.

So I was just straight

up not obeying the

Lord, and I found

myself at a point

where I was just

about to explode.

But in this last

month, December, my

wife's so clever.

She's resilient too,

but she's many things.

But I was like, Hey,

we have this study

Bible assistant, so

men can lead their

families in scripture.

Let's use that.

What would be

a good one?

Instantly.

She's like, well,

Luke, it's got

24 chapters, ends

on Christmas Eve.

How neat

would that be?

So we do that

every night and we

don't miss, we're

diligent about it.

We listen to

the verse.

It prompts us with

some cool questions.

I get to hang out

and invest some time

and some encouraging

words into my kids.

Some time with my

wife and some time

with the Lord.

See what he has to

say about things

so I can get to

know him better.

Day after day, he

encourages me because

he's near, here's

my word, she's

always right there.

So like my, I would

be from my baby girl.

She was sick, uh,

not so long ago.

Puking and all sorts

of stuff like most

of you guys have

been experiencing

this season.

She was bad and

although I couldn't

do anything for

her really, except

bring water and

other little, uh,

encouraging drinks

to help her maybe

not be as miserable.

All I did was sit

on a, a little

bed outside the

bathroom and, uh,

listen to her.

Have at it a couple

encouraging words

as she goes by.

And I was just near

to her 'cause that's

all I could do, and

that's all she wanted.

And I think it's

amazing that God has

just been near to me

all these questions.

I, I should

take notes.

I should write

a journal.

The amount of times

that those verses

throughout Luke

were just talking.

I mean, I was just

looking at God

and I was just

like, I hear you.

He's just right

next to me.

I never left you

for a second.

Right.

Quick hug, arm around

the shoulder kind of

stuff that a dad does.

I got you bud.

Yeah, you jack

that one up.

Sure did.

I'm still here.

And so I was

just incredibly

encouraged as this

month went along.

As we came closer and

closer to Christmas,

I was like, my

God is near to me.

He's not far.

He is not like, Hey,

I'm a big wig up here

and I only handle the

big situations, but

uh, I got a couple

angels your way.

I'll, I'll send

him over next week.

Literally, me and

each one of y'all,

he's right there with

us for every choice,

every decision,

every action, and

I'm sure we let him

down a whole bunch.

And he doesn't.

He does care, but

he loves us so much.

He's right there.

He's near to us even

when we feel like

he's so far away.

It's just 'cause

we're, we're turning

and we're pulling,

we're walking away.

But he's just right

there next to us.

It's like wherever

you go, I got you.

You can be mad but

I'm right next to you.

'cause he loves us.

So my word near led

me to a a verse Psalm

34 18, the Lord is

close or near to the

brokenhearted and

saves those who are

crushed in spirit.

No matter how ugly

it gets, how far away

he feels, how down

you get, he's right

there and he loves the

dickens out of you.

My goodness.

If you're in a rough

spot, I'm just saying

I'm a big guy and

I give pretty good

hugs, but I have

a feeling his are

so much better.

So just imagine

it when you get in

those ugly moments.

'cause he's a

real deal dad.

That does it right.

Amen.

Amen.

I love all these guys.

Um, I appreciate you

guys being willing

to do this crazy

thing, you know,

the time and streak

and words and care

and obey and near.

Uh, I would love to

say that we built

this out weeks ago

with a great plan

to have these words

build off each other,

but none of them,

we didn't even talk

to each other really

till this morning.

And you can tell

most of us were doing

that on the platform,

not sure what was

going on, you know?

Uh, but I hope you

heard in some of

those words maybe what

you needed to hear.

Uh, but I also just

wanna take a second

and just say thank

you to you guys.

All these guys are

by bi-vocational

guys working hard,

full-time jobs, making

ends meet, trying to

lead their families,

and still at the same

time feel like God's

called them to serve

in some important

areas in our church.

And they sacrifice

and they serve.

You know, Josh, six

months in realized

that, hey, I didn't

take a cool position.

I, uh, stepped into

the front lines of

a military onslaught

right against the

enemy, and all of a

sudden everything's

different.

Um, and everybody

in this is, is

in a battle.

And then you are too.

You are too.

But I love you guys

and I'm thankful,

uh, for each of you

and how you serve

and all that you do.

And I love these

words and I love, it's

been cute to watch.

'cause I thought

my job would be to

maybe wrap 'em up

with what I was gonna

say, but Tom's trying

to wrap 'em up.

Dad's trying

to do attacks.

Everybody's

wrapping 'em up.

'cause they all just

intertwined in such

a cool way, you know?

Um, so my word that

I've been chewing on

really for the last

couple months, and

what kind of spurred

this idea in my head?

Is this the word home?

And I don't know why,

but, uh, for me, I

mean, I had some other

words, you know, like

belong or family, but

those are all like

two syllable, right?

Family belong, obey,

everybody else got

one simple word in.

Um, but check out

what one John says.

One John three, one

has this awesome.

Awesome statement

about who you are.

Check this out.

See what great

love the father has

lavished on us, that

we should be called

children of God and

that is what we are.

Don't miss that.

It's not who we are.

It's not a title,

it's the essence

of our identity.

It's what you are.

You are through Jesus

Christ, a son of God.

You are part of

his family and you

belong and you have

identity, and you

have a place your sons

and daughters of the

most high God, and

you belong around his

Christmas table and

his Christmas tree.

You belong

near to him.

And listen, we

spend time with our

father who we have

a relationship with,

and sometimes we hit

low spots and high

spots and everything

in between, but that

relationship, we

don't quit on it.

We keep pressing in.

Right.

Right, and the words

that we speak, the

closer we get to

him, the more we have

conversation with him,

the more we become

like him, right?

The, our words

become not just our

words, but his words.

And man, that idea

of knowing that our

heavenly Father loves

us and wraps his

arms around us and

cares about us, it's

a beautiful picture

of what it means

to be part of his

family and obedience.

In that capacity,

it changes because

when you understand

who you are, you

obey differently.

When you're just a

rebellious kid who

doesn't understand

who you are, what

you represent, or

why you do what you

do, you just see

your adult authority

as an oppression.

But when you grow

into the understanding

of who you are

and what you are.

Your obedience begins

to change a little

bit to part of the

whole that you're

a part of, right?

And that nearness man,

that constant reminder

from the enemy of

doubt and fear and

discouragement, man,

it gets shut down by

the truth that our

God is present in our

midst constantly with

us no matter where

we go, we have home,

we have family, we

belong, we have an

identity because you

are a child of God.

And that picture of

all of those words

encompasses, I think

a really neat family

resemblance for us and

a family invitation.

And I don't know what

your family's like,

and I don't know

what your Christmas

has been like, and I

don't know what your

2024 has been like.

Maybe some of you

have had a great year.

Maybe some of you

had a rough year.

Either way, we're

gonna turn the page

and step into a

brand new year where

God's already there.

He's already

present in the

midst of that space.

He's not waiting to

go to 2025 with us.

He's there.

And when we step into

that space, he's gonna

be near and right

there in that, in the

midst of all of it.

And we can trust

him and he is good.

And so I hope this

morning, as you

wrap up your year,

maybe there's just

a word that God

wanted you to hear.

Maybe there's a

message from all of

this or one of these

little nuggets that he

speaks life and hope

through his words,

uh, into your heart.

He's good and he

loves you no matter

what you've done,

no matter what your

year has been like.

And he cares, right?

And he invites you

into relationship

with him and to

keep pressing on

because there are

good days even in the

land of the living.

There are good days

when we walk with

him, Lord Jesus.

Thank you.

For the time together

this morning to talk

and share from our

hearts up here on

the platform, just

a simple word of

encouragement in

ways that you've

been speaking

into our life.

Thank you for each

of these men and the

way that they lead

here in our church

and their families,

and our community.

I pray you'd bless

them and that you

strengthen them, that

you'd protect them.

I pray you'd give

them great vision

and purpose and

inspiration as we

look at the year

ahead, and that you

would lead them as

they help lead us as

a congregation and

as a church family.

And father, I pray

for all of us whether

one of these words

really resonates or

whether through the

power of your Holy

Spirit, you want

to speak some other

words of life and

encouragement into us.

But I pray, Lord,

as we wrap up this

year, that we have a

tremendous sense of

your presence and your

word in our hearts.

And Lord, as we step

into the new year,

that we would meet

you there with so much

joy and excitement.

For all that lies

before because of

who our father is

and because of who we

are as your children.

Thank you for this

morning, and thanks

for joining us

here in this place.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.

Well, these guys,

you don't know this.

You're not, you

probably wouldn't

have known this,

but most of these

guys argue with me

every week because

they want a chance

to do announcements.

They love it.

They can't get

enough of it, right?

In fact, I decided,

I'm just tired of

arguing with them

every day this year.

We're just gonna

finish up and you guys

get to take it away.

So, uh, Josh, tell us

about what's going on

with this stuff, man.

Ah, so we have

our New Year's

Eve party, y'all.

So this will be

the young adults

and the youth crew.

So all y'all right

there this Tuesday.

You come over here

at seven 30, bring

a snack to share.

Drinks will be

provided, and we're

gonna have a blast.

We're gonna

have a blast.

In fact, it's gonna

be in this room,

which reminds me,

Josh and Dax are super

excited to invite you.

As part of our family.

Remember when you're

at grandma's and

we're like, man,

we're missing a piano

bench and two chairs.

And then you go to

the room and you

get those right and

you bring 'em out.

Well, this is kind of

like that only, we're

gonna stack up all

the chairs on the blue

carpet and we're gonna

lay up all the carpet.

So our gym's open all

week, and, uh, you're

invited to help your,

your, your uncle

and your cousin over

here when we stack

those at the end.

Perfect.

Hey, uh, what's next?

Dax?

You wanna talk

about the preteens?

Uh, preteens.

They're having a

party at the harshman.

Oh.

On New Year's

Eve party.

Right.

So if you don't

know where that is,

talk to, uh, who

should they talk to?

Jamie, it's on your,

it's on your email.

Preteen people, all

other adults party

at Rusty's house.

8:00 PM to eight 15.

Don't miss it.

It's gonna be great.

Yeah.

Stop by.

Enjoy yourself.

And that's what