Unfinished Business

Thank you for listening to the river.

Bend Church podcast Riverbend Church exists, Elite all people

to know love and live New Life in Jesus Christ.

We hope that you enjoy this message.

Not sure how to move forward. Past that, you know what I'm

saying? Is anybody ever introduced you

way above your means, anybody raise your hand?

Thank you. Ben for that.

Nobody raised their hands. So I guess you did a really

fabulous job with that introduction.

I'm so grateful to be here. My name is Jared, has he

mentioned? I'm honored, honestly, honored

and grateful to be a part of what God is doing here.

My wife Kalyn is here, I promise I won't make you stand up, but

she is certainly behind And around and beside.

For those of you men who know what it means to have a better

half, she's certainly that for me and I'm grateful that she's

here with us today. I'm honored to to dive in, to

scripture with us that that's really why I'm here.

As Ben said, pastor been said, I'm going to be walking with the

staff a little bit during the week and with the with the

leadership of this place and already have been for a few

weeks and my heart is just serve and help from some experiences

that God has given me. Over the past several years and

praise God even though they were valleys, when I was walking

through them, he's prepared us as anybody ever walk through a

valley that he's prepared. You for something to come to

help somebody else. Walk through that Valley,

anybody know what I'm talking about?

I am alive to tell that story to and so grateful to be here and

hopefully bring some helpful truth to you.

Because here's what I know, the word of God is living and

active, and he doesn't need me, but he chooses To use me.

He doesn't need any of us but he chooses to use us to tell that

story and to bring truth to the Forefront and to put Jesus on

his rightful place at the highest place on the throne.

And that's what I love. I'm looking around and I'm

listening to all that God's been doing here and what I want to

encourage you with if you're brand-new today, or maybe you've

been walking through this season and maybe it's been difficult

for you. But here's what I want to

encourage you with Ministry has not pause.

Just Ministry has not stopped. God is not finished with his

work, through his church, through his bride, the bride of

Christ. Do you realize and he's making

his bride beautiful? And you're here for a very

specific reason. I believe that God has placed

every single one of you here for reasons, far beyond anything

that I could dream or imagine or think.

He's put you here to be a part of what he's doing.

He wasn't caught off guard or surprised by what's happened in

this season. He's not surprised by what's

coming in the next days. He knows exactly who's going to

be leading this place into the future even though we don't yet

We Trust in that, but I want to encourage you Ministry has not

stopped. It's not on pause, it's still

happening and you're a large part of that.

I'm so grateful to be a small part of that with you.

Over the next several weeks. We're going to be going through

a series called when the dust settles and as we've been

praying through what this looks like and as we come on the heels

of Easter, we thought it would be really nice to consider all

that happened after the resurrection. correction and the

Ascension of Jesus and I think as I've been digging in and

studying where we're going to be headed, it's very relevant to us

today when the dust settles after Jesus died after he rose

on the third day and after he appeared to people for 40 days

after he died and Rose, And then he spoke to his disciples before

he ascended into heaven. But there's a large gap of time

between then and now, and we're in this season after the dust

settled of the turning point of history, when Jesus

accomplished, what he accomplished on the cross

forgiveness of sins, eternal life, for all those who trust in

him. He accomplished that and then he

left. His mission in the hands of a

group of men. That would later grow into more

than just them. And men and women that make up

the body of Christ. The church that we are a part of

today's some two thousand years later.

But here's what I want to remind you of the mission has not

changed. Do you remember Matthew 28 verse

Matthew 28:18

18, through 20 and Jesus came and said to them?

All authority? In heaven on Earth has been

given to me, go? Therefore, watch me, get used to

this. Watch me, get used to this TV go

therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations.

Go Make Disciples, baptizing them in the name of the father,

and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe

all that. I have commanded, you and

behold. Here's our confidence.

He is with us. Always to the End of the Age.

Go, this is the mission. We call it the Great Commission.

This Mission has not changed, think about this with me for a

second, the disciples that Jesus left his ministry with They

crossed barriers significant barriers in their day, they

cross cultural barriers. They crossed socio-economical

barriers there. They were breaking down walls

with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and and I want you to hear this.

This is this is astounding to me that as they cross through and

broke through those barriers they didn't change the message

one time. It was the same message of hope.

It was the same message of love that.

Jesus Christ, that God sent his son, Jesus into the world to

save Sinners. And then his grace is enough

that his Mercy is more and because of his death and his

resurrection, all those who trust in him can have the

Forgiveness of sins. That's the message, it hasn't

changed. We don't need to put flowers

around it and add to it and make it something better than it

already. Is it carries life?

It's the good news. So in this season, as we

consider what's next? I want to remind you.

And encourage you that the plan is the same, the mission is the

same. Maybe you're an athlete or a

coach in here. The play that we're running is

the same and the message that we're carrying has not changed,

and if it does change and if it has changed, I promise you.

We will miss it. We will miss it.

I was reading in John Wesley's Journal this week and I found

this fascinating, his, his courage and perseverance.

If you don't know who John Wesley was, he was a great

father of the church and an evangelist in England in the

1700s. And he wrote this in his journal

over the course of a month. And and you'll hear in here some

very difficult times as he was walking through and trying to

preach the gospel that has not changed in England.

This is what he wrote someday am May 5th.

I preached in St. Ann's was asked not to come back

anymore. Sunday p.m. same day, May 5th.

I preached in st. John's, and the Deacon said, get

out and stay out. Very next week.

Sunday May 12th I preached in st.

Jude's and can't go back there, either.

Sunday p.m. Sunday am.

Excuse me. May 19th.

I preached in Saint somebody else's church, and the deacons

called a special meeting after and said that, I couldn't

return. Watch me.

Get used to this TV. Y'all can't read that.

Do. Can you can you read that?

I'll do it anyway. So so the same day on Sunday

p.m. May 19th.

I preached on the street and they kicked me off the street,

see the progression. And then Sunday, am the very

next week on May 26th, I preached in the meadow and I was

chased out of the meadow as a bull was turned loose during the

service. And happened to me, yet.

Praise be to God. I hadn't been chased out of the

service. Bible with some big old horns on

it. This is what I picture.

Sunday am June 2nd I preached out at the edge of town and and

they kicked me off the highway couldn't even preach on the

highway later. That night though.

Sunday p.m. June 2nd afternoon, I preached

in a pasture and 10,000 people came out to hear me.

What could have moved him to continue on after so much

rejection after so much denial? What in the world could have

possessed this preacher to continue preaching?

This unchanging message like you wouldn't bring in new stuff

either? Like, what, what could have

motivated him to keep going? Was he looking to grow his

platform? Was he looking to draw a bigger

crowd? Was he looking to grow the

fastest growing Church in England?

With what was motivating him to keep pressing on.

I couldn't help but notice no matter how many times he got

knocked down. John Wesley knew how important

his job was. And he knew that he wasn't

finished, he I knew that God wasn't finished.

He knew that the job wasn't finished.

And he would continue, proclaiming the good news until

Jesus came back or called him home.

I can't help. But think when I read that story

and read his journal that he's following in the footsteps of

the disciples who were also beaten and abused and denied and

rejected as They Carried this, message in this mission, Turn to

Acts chapter one with me, if you will it'll be on the screen as

well. Acts chapter 1 verses 1 through

Acts 1:1–11

11, I want to read this whole passage and then I want to dive

into a few verses in particular as we study it today.

Acts chapter 1. Starting in verse 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

When you're ready you could tell me by saying amen.

Alright alright the first book. Go Theophilus.

I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach until the

day when he was taken up after he had given commands through

the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, chosen, he

chose them. He presented himself alive to

them after his suffering by many proofs appearing to them during

forty days. And speaking about the kingdom

of God, and while staying with him, he ordered them not to

depart from Jerusalem but to wait.

For the promise of the Father, which he said you heard from me

for John baptized with water but you will be baptized.

You will be immersed, you will be covered and filled with the

Holy Spirit, not many days from now.

So when they had come together, they asked him Lord.

Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel is now the

Time Lord. He said to them, it's not for

you to know times or Seasons that the father has fixed by his

own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy

Spirit has come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in

Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the

Earth. And when he had said all these

things as they were looking on, he was lifted up.

Just just lit, just levitated on up.

Lift it up in a cloud. Took him out of their sight.

And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went behold two

men stood by them in white robes and they said men of Galilee,

why do you stand looking into heaven?

This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in

the same way as you saw him, go into heaven, what a scene, what

an amazing. See that the Jesus just spoke

these powerful words and then just went went up and the

disciples are there wondering what to do now.

Right. Like what do we do now?

He's gone. The Acts of the Apostles is what

we call this book of Acts. Some many scholars have said

that it might be better titled. The acts of the holy spirit

because the Holy Spirit was certainly the one acting the one

doing the, the power behind the Apostles doing and in fact, they

did nothing apart from his power, they did nothing without

him and I need to remind you today.

It's I need to remind myself as well.

Well, we do nothing of Eternal significance.

Nothing. Apart from his power.

You remember John 15:5 where Jesus was teaching and he said I

John 15:5

am the Vine. And you are the branches.

I am the Vine, I am the Life Source, you are the branches and

whoever abides in me, whoever is connected, close stays connected

with me, will bear much fruit? Because I'm the Life Source, but

then he goes on and he says, apart from me, you can do

nothing apart from me. You can do that.

And I was thinking about how that isn't really line up with

positive self-talk, right. And some things you might be

seeing on Instagram or Facebook or Tick-Tock or whatever you

have like, it positively nothing.

Apart from me, you can do. Nothing.

But it's a it's actually great news today.

It's great news today. Let me tell you why, because he

can use anybody, he can use anybody, anybody, who.

And here's where we're going today, here's the outline.

Anybody? Who number one rests in his

plan. Number two, relies on his power

and number three reveals what they've received.

I'm coming through those one at a time, if you didn't get them

down to, okay, we're going to walk through.

But number one, let's look at this.

He can use anybody who rests in his plan acts 1:6.

Acts 1:6

This is what we find here. So when they had come together,

they asked him Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to

Israel? And he said to them it is not

for you to know. This is a letdown this is a

letdown answer for the disciples make no mistake Lord it is it

this now the time And Jesus said it's not for you to know the

time or the season that the father has fixed by his own

authority. It's not for you to know but but

that's a that's a fair question. Before we throw the disciples

under the bus and called him stupid, for asking.

This question, it's fair, they've been walking with,

Jesus. Don't forget for years.

They've been walking with Jesus and he's been talking about how

the kingdom is coming. The kingdom is at hand the king.

Adam of God is near and they're asking this question, fairly

like is now the time is this is this the moment where you're

going to usher in the victory ultimately and you're going to

take the kingdom and and restore the kingdom here.

He said, it's not for you to know.

It's not for you to know. I was thinking about that a lot

this week about why? The disciples couldn't know.

And why we can't know the time and the season that has been

fixed. By the authority of God that the

when the kingdom will ultimately and completely be restored and

we will be brought into Glory with God, because of Jesus one.

Why can we not know that And as I was thinking about that in

studying this text, I think it would actually be very dangerous

for us to know times and Seasons.

I think he would be very dangerous for for us to know

exactly when it was coming and how it was going to happen and

how to predict it. I think we might start

Ministries around the fact that we know and we have the answer

and we might put our name on the front and say come find the

answer here. I can help you.

Aye, aye! Aye.

Aye. As soon as we turn the church or

any other Ministry into, I come to me.

We failed. We've ultimately failed this

temptation to rely on knowledge. Is it dangerous thing?

Mark chapter 13 verses 33 through. 37 is very interesting

Mark 13:33

to me. Be on guard.

Keep awake. Watch me.

Get used to the TV for you do not know when the time will come

be on guard. Keep awake.

You don't know the time it is like a man going on a journey

when he leaves home and puts his servants, in charge each, with

his work and commands. The doorkeeper to stay away.

Therefore, stay awake for you to not know when the Master of the

House will come in the evening, or at midnight or when the

rooster crows are in the morning, anybody got some

roosters, all right. Or in the morning list, he comes

suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to

all stay awake. Stay awake.

He said it three times or more stay awake.

Does that mean Jesus wants us to literally Not go to sleep.

No, it means Be watchful. Be vigilant, be aware be on

alert because it could happen at any moment.

Stay Ready. Stay prepared.

This is a clear message from Jesus here.

And if we knew when the time was coming, we might actually slip

into this dangerous pattern of procrastination that we all know

all too well, just wait for the day.

Just wait for the day, the day will come but God didn't design

it that way, he designed us to operate by faith.

Staying ready for the time that we don't know.

Stay awake. I think there's something better

than knowing times and seasons. As much as we want to know the

times and the seasons, I think there's something actually

better than that. Knowing that not one word of the

Lord has ever fallen flat. Knowing that every word that

comes from the mouth of the Lord.

This is what the Bible says. Every word that comes from the

mouth of the Lord will not return void, it will accomplish

that for which it was sent. I think there's something better

than actually knowing everything ourselves and it's that we know

that the father is in control and he's never failed and he's

not going to start now and he has it in his powerful hand.

We can rest in his plan. God is never too early and he's

never too late, the future is in his power.

And it's submitted to his word. Think about that.

Trusting in his word is better than knowing when it will come

about. Number two.

Rely. On his power, we need to rest in

his plan. We also need to rely on his

power. What does that mean?

Acts 1:8, but we, but you will receive power.

Acts 1:8

When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power

through the Holy Spirit. You will receive the power and

the presence of God. Could it be that God living in?

You is better than God walking with you?

Could it be some of your? Like, well, but I have my walk

with Jesus, and that's what we want yet.

Don't hear me tear that down because the reality is he walks

with you because he's in you, right?

So could it be that God living in?

You is better than God being beside you walking with you.

Jesus shocked the disciples when he was speaking of the holy

spirit's work. In this way, he taught this and

John chapter 6. 18, verse seven, nevertheless Right here.

John 6 · chapter mention

I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage.

It's to your advantage that I go away for.

If I do not go away the helper Capital H because it's the holy

spirit will not come to you. But if I go I will send him to

you. He said it's to your advantage.

It's better. It's it's a this is a win for

you. If I go away because, The holy

spirit will come. He will be your helper.

He will give you power. And he will help you remember

all that I have spoken and taught, he will bring it to your

remembrance. The Bible says he will help you

and this is better. This is to your advantage Christ

in. You is the hope of glory.

That's what Paul wrote Christ in.

You the hope of glory and Christ Is In You by the Holy Spirit,

God the Holy Spirit resides in the Christian.

The disciples wanted more knowledge, they wanted to learn

more, they wanted to know more but Jesus knew that they needed

power. Power was necessary.

Knowledge was not enough without the Holy Spirit.

You see that? And it's not different for us

today. We must remember it's the same

thing. We should not expect it to be

different for us today. Let me tell you Talent.

Won't be enough. Programming.

Won't be enough strategy, the very best strategy and I've read

a lot of books on Church strategy and I promise you the

very best of them will not be enough.

Organizational structure. It's important.

It's not enough, it's not enough.

Serving some of you have been in this church, I talked to a few

that have been here for longer than 25 years.

You've been serving Faithfully. One of the things I've noticed

about Riverbend is how it's marked by volunteerism like true

servants. Consistent Faithful Servants.

You've been serving Faithfully? Can I tell you?

We're grateful. Don't stop.

But serving without power is not enough.

Some of you have been giving generously of your resources for

years and you've made it possible for this church.

Church to be a vessel for the gospel to be presented to be a

city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Some of you've been given so faithfully.

And now we have another campus in Oakwood across town closer to

where I'm from go big blue, anybody y'all are scared to say

it and we got some more Johnson folks in the house and I thought

People don't want to claim Johnson anymore, but I do I got

them right here. Bleed, Blue.

Go Knights, we're still in the playoffs, by the way, and

soccer, I think we want on on Friday.

So I'm at Chestnut Mountain Church in Flowery Branch, which

is like three miles from Johnson and I get way, less cheers for

Johnson than I just did. I just want you to know?

I got really taken off guard by Family.

We're from the same. Okay, all right.

Serving, giving some of you have been giving Faithfully

generously to this place. You made it possible for

Ministry to happen Beyond these walls and for years, and decades

and generations. And you've set this place up to

be a city on a hill. Can I tell you?

We're grateful. Don't stop sowing seeds

Faithfully into this place, but can I tell you that generosity

is not enough? Without the power of the Holy

Spirit. If the Holy Spirit was removed

from our services. Would anybody notice the

difference? if the presence of God was

removed, And we did this on the backs of best-laid plans and

Best Built bands and very best better.

Much better Preacher Man than me.

If we brought the very best, we had to the table and the Holy

Spirit of God wasn't here. Would anybody notice the

difference? How long would it take?

for us to realize if we removed all of the things that we put

our trust in how long would it take for us to realize that God

really didn't need us anyway, he chose to use us but he and

really need us because his power was enough to hold time.

His grace was enough to old-time, his Mercy was more,

his gospel. Was enough to save Souls, it

just needed to be spoken. He didn't need to be dressed up.

This is what the whole, this is what the early church was built

on this reality that they could not do anything without the

presence of God. The spirit of God, the power,

they couldn't do they were desperate for it?

Are we desperate for it? We desperate John Stott an

incredible Theologian. Brilliant thinker has this great

quote before Christ sent the church into the world, he sent

the spirit into the church. The same order must be observed

today as well. Before Christ sent a church into

the world. He said, wait for the promise of

the father, I'm sending the Holy Spirit, which is to your

advantage. And when you're clothed with

power, when you receive power, then go, we desperate for his

presence. Are we relying on his power?

Number three. Reveal.

What you received, reveal? What you have received acts 1

Acts 1:8

verse 8 says this, but you will receive power when the Holy

Spirit has come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in

Jerusalem and in all Judea Samaria to the end of the Earth.

The work of the Christian is designed to be bigger than you

can do on your own. It was Time this way it was

designed so that we would have to rest on his plan and rely on

his power and reveal. What we have received, what

we've received, not what we've manufactured, not what we've

conjured up. Not what we've developed in our

pipeline. well, we've received Jesus says, you have received

this power, you will receive this power to be my witnesses to

for the purpose of being a witness.

What is a witness? What does that mean a witness?

We know it's someone who has seen or heard or experienced

something and then now goes and tell somebody else about it,

right? If you've witnessed a car wreck,

And you have to stay there for a long time on the side of 85,

risking your life to tell somebody about what happened on

the fender bender. That's really not that bad and

they're probably not going to even draw draw up a report about

sorry if I'm projecting some things that I've had to go

through my life. When you witness this crime,

what do they ask you? They ask you what you've seen,

what you've heard, what you know about the situation, what have

you experienced? That's what Jesus is calling us

to hear and first to his disciples to witness to give an

account for what we've experienced to reveal.

What we've received. Look at first John, 1 1 through

3, That, which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon

and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life.

You see how he's setting the table for witnessing it.

They've experienced it tangibly. The life was made manifest, it

was present. It was in front of us.

We experience it and we have seen it and testify to it and we

Proclaim to you. The eternal life, which was with

the father and was made manifest to us verse 3 that which we have

seen and heard we Proclaim. Also to you so that you too, may

have fellowship with us. And indeed, our fellowship is

with the father and with his son, Jesus Christ, the Apostle,

John understood the call to be a witness to reveal.

What he's received with the Apostle's have experienced.

And this is what Jesus calls us to do as well.

To witness so that others might experience this Fellowship.

With God. You know, what's most

encouraging about this for me? I I think what's most

encouraging about this reality that we're talking about today

of being a witness? Is that everybody?

Who's experienced? Jesus can be a witness for

Jesus, anybody he can use anybody.

Remember, I told you that earlier.

He can use in fighting if you've experienced him.

You can witness about him. You don't have to be an expert.

You don't have to be a scholar, you don't have to have all the

answers. You don't have to have a good

testimony. What in the world is a good

testimony. My testimony is just not as

good. I I guess that means that your

history is not as big or that you haven't sinned as badly as

the other which I'm really putting air quotes around this

guy's like what does that even mean?

Is it not a good testimony that Christ has redeemed you from the

curse of the law? Is it not a good testimony that

you were dead? But now you're alive.

Is it not a good testimony that you were lost?

Like everywhere, looking everywhere else but him, but now

you are found. He found you and pulled you out

of your pit and put you up on the hill to be proclaiming, his

truth is it not a good testimony that you were blind.

But now you can see is not a good, I don't have really good

testimony. I don't know if I want to share

that. Can I do something for it?

Can't say something in love, I don't really know you well

enough yet, but can I say something.

Maybe if you feel like you don't want to share your testimony

because you feel like it's not good enough.

Maybe you're thinking too much about how your testimony is

about you when it's really actually about him.

It's always been about him. Maybe we get lost in comparing

ourselves to people around us. When we say we don't have a good

testimony, it's not as good as them.

Maybe we're looking at the wrong place, maybe we should be

looking. At the perfect Son of God who

was in Perfection. He was in heaven with the father

and chose to take on the form of a servant and be found in human

flesh to bear. Our sin.

The Bible says that he who knew no sin became sin, so that, in

him, we might become the righteousness of God.

You see how our testimony starts to get much better when we focus

on what he did, rather than what we did.

And don't stop talking about what God brought you through.

That's an important part of your testimony.

Please don't mix my words up. I'm sorry if that's what it

sounds like. I'm just trying to encourage you

to focus more on your savior. Then what you've done, focus

more on what he's done, then what you've done.

I remember when I really began studying the word, I really

began studying it for myself. It was in my early college years

when I really started to study the Bible and I remember in the

beginning, I was like I couldn't help.

I couldn't wait to tell somebody about what I was seeing what I

was learning. I couldn't, I couldn't stand it.

I was just looking for somebody to talk to about it and I was

thinking about that this week and I was I was Convicted Jared.

Do you still have the same Zeal that you had then?

To reveal what you've received. Do you still are you still

looking for anybody who will listen to what you're seeing?

And my heart is heavy this morning for the Christians, in

this room. And, and in Oakwood across town,

my heart is heavy for the Christians that are here, who

might have might find yourself in a rut, where you really not

zealous to talk about what you're seeing and hearing what,

you know, like, like it's a distant memory, what God did for

you and your you just kind of going from one Sunday to the

next trying to get the next dose.

My heart is heavy for us who have lost this Zeal, the passion

the desire to reveal what we've received.

Maybe you're here today, maybe you're here today, just to hear

me say it's not too late to start.

It's not too late for you. Maybe you've been walking with

God for four decades. In case you're wondering for

decades is longer than I've been alive.

Now by much I'm creeping up on it. maybe you've been walking

with God for four decades and It's been a long time since

you've talked to somebody about what you're seeing and hearing,

you know, in learning and about Jesus, about the Holiness of

God, the glory of God, what he's done for you.

Maybe it's been a long time. Can't tell you, it's not too

late. Ask God today to awaken your

heart with a passion to reveal what you've received.

Dig into this word, consume it consistently. he'll reveal

things to you and then take steps of obedience to reveal

what, he's Giving you what you've received. as we come to a

close today, I don't know how much longer I have because they

didn't start the clock. So lucky you you know, still

says 28 minutes which never was going to happen anyway.

Just kidding. I'm doing.

Okay, I think I just have no idea how long I can go.

Which is to your benefit. As we come to a close today, can

I remind you that God's plan to reach the world?

Is you that his plan is US Christians Unified.

The redeemed people of God coming together as a vehicle, to

carry the same, message to the world.

That's been saving them for Generations.

The same message it for his plan is for us to come together as a

vehicle. The local church, his bride to

be on the same mission that the apostles began.

People are hungry all around you.

People are hungry and your office space.

People are hungry and your school.

People are hungry at Long Street, or wherever you're about

to go eat this. We go to Long Street after this.

Is it closed on Sundays? Just like Kurtz man.

It's like Chick-fil-A Kurtz. Longstreet Loretta's to

Loretta's is closed. No, yeah, glory be to God where

y'all go eat. Well, you don't have roosters

either. Somebody said, Olive Garden or

Smokehouse. Didn't say those either.

All right, we're killing it. Hey, wherever you go eat.

There's going to be a waiter there or waitress.

It's going to be people across the table.

Then. Give me people walking in the

door that had been smiled at all day.

People are hungry. What do we do?

What do we have? What what do we know?

We know. The bread of life.

People are thirsty. We know the Living Water.

People are lost and walking in darkness.

We know where the light is we can take the light to them.

We can reveal what we've received.

Resurrection Life is on the table for them for you.

Forgiveness of sins is on the table for you for them for all

Humanity today. Forgiveness of sins is on the

table, reconciliation with God. Because of what Jesus has done

all those who put their trust in his death and Resurrection for

the Forgiveness of sins. All those who repent of their

sin turn from their sin and change their mind.

Begin following him believing in what he's done will be saved and

can they can be you today if it's never been true for you?

That can be the person at the restaurant where you're going

later that could, it could be the person at work tomorrow,

it's on the table. Call on the name of the Lord and

you will be saved. Repent and believe the gospel.

Maybe you're here today and you've never had that moment

where you've repented of your sins believed in the work of

Jesus in the person. Jesus.

Today can be the day. There's there's pastors here.

Pastor Ben's going to be up here in the front.

I'll be up here if you want to talk to me.

Don't leave this place without talking to somebody about what

it means to become a Christian. Acts 1:9.

Acts 1:9

This is where will close today. And when he had said these

things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud,

took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into

heaven, as he went behold, two men's foot stood by them in

white robes, and they said men of Galilee, why do you stand

looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from

you into heaven, will come in the same way as you I saw him go

into heaven, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven?

Why do you stand looking into heaven?

But the Angels came and said stop gazing and start doing.

It's time to go to work. Can I tell you as we come here

and we Gaze on the glory of God and and we gaze into into it,

into his Living Word and we worship Him and we lift praise

to him and we pray to him and and we give to him and we do all

these things for him. We're in a way gazing on him and

can I tell you that? That's a good thing.

Don't stop doing that, but gazing gazing is only good

insofar as it leads you to do. Doing gazing by itself.

Might be one of the most dangerous things that the church

can do. Just become a wholly, little

huddle gazing without any action, without any obedience.

Ministry has not paused here. God is not finished with this

place. And the mission has not changed.

We're not waiting for a new playbook.

It's time to go to work. We gaze upon his glory and we go

and be his witnesses to the ends of the Earth.

But it starts right here in this city.

What are you waiting for? What are you waiting for?

That's my question. Don't wait to be a witness.

Don't wait to be. What you've been called to be?

Jesus is Alive. He is speaking.

He is acting. He is the loving people through

his bride. You the church, The world will

not be changed if we settle for gazing.

We don't know the time of his return, but we know it's coming

and we know that the mission has not changed.

And can I tell you something else?

We're running out of time. Don't wait to be a witness, will

you pray with me? Father God in heaven.

We're here for you. We thank you for what you're

doing. We thank you that your loving

arms are around this place that it's you have not stopped,

loving your bride. And I thank you today.

That as we come before your word, thank you that you've

encouraged us to keep going to keep working.

I pray that this place. Would be more than a place.

Pray that these people would be Unified.

Around your gospel and being Witnesses for you.

And that the city around us would never be the same that our

world would feel the presence of God through this place.

Empower us now. King, Jesus.

It's in your name. We pray.

Amen. Thank you for listening to the

river. Bend Church podcast.

Learn more about who we are as a church and how to connect you

can head over to our website Riverbend church.

That life