PROXIMITY | The Power of Your Circle | Part 4

Hallelujah.

>> Grace Summit Church, how we feeling

today?

>> My goodness, man. That was some good

worship. Thank you, worship team. Miss

Whitney. Yeah. Confirmed. Pastor Mark is

alive. Uh my wife and I were able to go

out to dinner with Mark and Kate last

night and and uh man, they're they're uh

really enjoying the sbatical and

catching a time of refreshing and uh

soon and very soon they'll be back with

us. So we're excited about that. Don't

start singing the old songs, Carla.

She's going gather on me.

>> And uh man, it was good to see Avery up

here.

Miss Averly, it's so good to have you in

the house. Let's celebrate Miss Avery

Hannah. My goodness.

>> Yeah, she's bringing the cool to the

worship team.

>> Uh hey, a couple of uh uh prayer

uh things. Uh many of you know Tom

Pierce. Uh man, he was in the hospital

all last week. And uh if you don't know

Tom, he's uh he's the a guy that has uh

so much love that it's just oozing out

of him and he loves to give hugs and he

gives the hardest, firmst hugs.

>> Yeah, man. He'll just grip you. And we

love Tom. He's a staple in this church

and uh man, we've been praying for him.

He's in the hospital. I got news. He's

home and uh we want to we want to pray

for him. uh continued prayer for him and

Sue and uh he's on the mend and uh Tom,

we're praying for you, buddy. We love

you

>> and we prayed for you in first service

and we're going to pray for you in this

service. So, I'm going to ask Pastor Dan

if he would join me up here and uh pray

for that need. I'm going to ask Pastor

Jack if he would join me up here also.

And uh you guys uh we have some special

guests today. My parents are here.

>> Hallelujah.

So, if you don't know, uh Dan and Bonnie

Lee Hugh, uh they're the they're the

very attractive couple over here. And uh

my mother had her birthday yesterday.

>> That's fun.

And uh she's finally over the hill. I

think she's 40 years old,

>> which makes me 20. Hey,

>> I go back to my 20s.

Uh good to have them today. And many of

you have been praying uh for my mother.

She had uh bypass surgery, emergency

bypass surgery. And man, she's here.

>> God healed her and and doing great

things and uh she has a stent uh needing

to be put in real soon. So, we want to

pray over that blessing. So, over that

need. So, Pastor, if you can pray for

Tom and Pastor Jack, if you can pray for

Bonnie Lee Hugh, my beautiful young

mother out there.

>> Bonnie Lee.

>> Bonnie Lee Hugh.

>> Bonnie Leehu.

>> Yes. Okay, pastor. He's got it.

>> I got it.

>> And uh if we can all join together.

Listen, guys. A church that prays

together stays together.

>> Amen. And so we need to we are praying

church here. Pastor Dan, go ahead and

pray.

>> Well, Father, we just thank you for

pausing the service just to be able to

acknowledge that uh you know everything

that we bring to you before we bring it.

But we acknowledge the need in Tom's

life, God. And we thank you for what

you've already done. We thank you, God,

that you watched over him during the

hospital stay and during the surgery and

now he's home. And we just pray that you

would continue to watch over him and

raise him up, God. Do what only you can

do. Just bring back his health and his

strength. And may he be back here very

soon, squishing us all, Lord, in Jesus

name. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> Father, we're thankful that wherever two

or three are gathered, you're in our

midst. We recognize your midst here

right now this morning. and we recognize

your power and authority over Bonnie's

life, that she's fearfully and

wonderfully made. That I pray that uh

Lord that there would be a peace and a

calm that would come over her, her

family, her friends. Lord, just an

awareness of your power and authority in

her life. I pray that every doctor,

nurse, helper, anybody that's involved

with her life and her rep, her her

surgery, her healing, her recovery,

Lord, they would be guided by your hand.

They might not even know it. That's

okay. You know it. And I pray that you

would guide those folks to be able to

bring success and healing and full

recovery to her quickly. And that Lord,

her family would be blessed. Your name

would be exalted. And we thank you for

it in Jesus' name. Amen.

>> And can we celebrate the Lord together?

>> Thank you, pastors. Listen, uh we are a

praying church and uh we have many that

uh send prayer needs to us uh as you

have needs in your life. Um I tell you,

we Wednesdays we pray, uh right in here

in this room. And uh man, we love to

have the different needs uh to pray for.

So, call the church office, let us know.

Uh there's also a Facebook uh prayer

group. I'm not sure who's all on that

thing, but man, I'm getting updates

regularly on on different prayer needs

and things like that. And uh man, it's

it's uh uh really the one true source of

freedom and power that we have is

prayer. Amen.

All right. Hey, we're going to dive into

the word of God. This is uh the last

Sunday, I think, unless God uh shifts

things. This is the last Sunday that

we're going to uh talk about proximity.

And so we've been on a a bit of a

journey. Uh we talked about proxim

proximity to God. Uh drawing near,

staying near. Last week we talked about

proximity. I'm getting tongue tied

today. Proximity. Proximity to purpose

and proximity to pain. And today we're

going to shift gears and talk about

proximity to people. How many know that

people matter?

>> How many know that your relationship

with people matter? And and so we want

to talk about that, what God has to say

about that. Would you pray with me?

Father, we thank you, Lord, God for

revival breaking loose in our hearts

today, God. Father, I thank you, Lord,

for enlightenment, God, understanding.

Give us clear direction. Father, there's

so many uh people that come and go in

our lives. And some people are there

throughout our entire lives. But Father,

help us. Give us the wisdom to know what

we should do with these different

relationships. Understanding. Father, I

pray Lord that you would preach to us

now. Get me out of your way, Father. You

speak into our hearts. I thank you for

the anointing upon the preaching of your

word now in Jesus name. Amen.

>> Uh here's what I've learned in light of

proximity to people, and I've learned it

the hard way. Do we have anyone else

that learns things the hard way? Uh I

have a consistent track record of

learning things the hard way. And uh

man, it's kind of trial and error

sometimes as we go through life. But uh

what I've learned is that you can be

close to God, proximity to God, and be

wounded by people.

Amen. You ever been wounded?

By people. Sometimes the people that

we're closest with hurt us the most.

Uh you can find purpose. We were talking

about purpose last week. You can find

your po purpose and still be surrounded

by the wrong influences.

You can survive your pain

and still be in relationship with people

that keep reopening the wound.

Have you been there? One man said this.

He said, "Show me your people and I'll

show you your future."

Man, uh this is this is youth group

stuff, right?

>> Who you hanging out? Who you hanging

around? Don't hang out with the bad

crowd. Can I can I say it's even more

important as you step into adulthood, as

you have a family, you have a job, you

have all of these different

relationships. And I'll tell you this,

the enemy would love, especially when

you found your purpose and you're

drawing near to God, the enemy would

love uh to put the wrong people right in

your path. And so, how do we handle

that? How do we how do we deal with

that? Sometimes the problem isn't just

what we're doing, it's who we're doing

it with.

So I want to talk about people uh who to

get close to and who to create distance

from. Say proximity.

The wrong people can keep you from the

right places

and knock you off the right path.

Before we dive in, I want to ask some

questions.

Not for you to answer out loud.

Who has the loudest voice in your life?

If it's you, you have missed the mark.

Who has the loudest voice in your life?

Let me put it to you this way. When

you're going through crisis and you're

going through pain and you're going

through struggle or or you need that

little piece of wisdom, that unsurity

place, who is it that you run to?

Who do you go to?

Who knows the real you?

Not just the Sunday you.

I've been in church a little while.

>> Oh yeah, I've met two versions of people

on the regular.

>> Oh yeah, I got to know you on Sunday

morning and then you didn't know I was

in the aisle at Kroger and I said, "Man,

I saw you on a Tuesday." And I'm like,

"Whoa, there's a whole another you."

>> Who knows the real you?

Not just the Sunday you.

You know, the way that you answer those

questions

tells me a lot about the direction

you're headed in life because people

matter.

Relationships matter. Today, I want to

give you five people groups.

And God has a lot to say about it.

Matter of fact, I found out in first

service that I have way too much content

to preach in the time allotted.

I don't know who ushers.

>> There's not another service after this.

>> All right. Pastor Jack says there's not

another service after this. All right.

So, we're not beating the Baptist to the

to the buffet today.

I'll keep us concise.

Five people groups. I promise you every

person in your life fits into one of

these categories.

You know, it might make sense

at some point this week even to start to

think about the people in your life,

to think about which category they're

in.

The five people groups.

Number one is scorners.

That's a word we don't use a lot

anymore.

and dagum scorners.

I want to hang out with the scorners.

Sheesh.

It's a Bible word. We're going to talk

about proximity to scorners. And really,

I feel to spend a little bit of extra

time on this.

Proverbs 22:10

Proverbs 22:10

says this. It says, "Drive out a scorner

and strife will go out and quarreling

and abuse will seize.

Can I tell you that it breaks God's

heart to see his children in a place of

abuse, emotional abuse,

quarreling,

strife.

The Bible says to drive it out, to drive

out the scorner.

There are those that God calls us to

distance ourselves from.

A scorner is often in scripture also

called a scoffer or a mocker.

So what is a scorner?

It's not just someone who disagrees with

you.

Sometimes we especially in this crazy

culture we live. We got this cancel

culture craziness going on and somebody

disagrees with me so I distance myself.

That's not a scorner. If somebody

disagrees with you that's not uh a right

or a license for you to distance

yourself from them.

that was free.

Everybody disagrees sometimes and I have

never that I remember ever found a human

that agrees with everything that I think

I think they should, right?

Some pretty good thoughts going on up

here.

You're never going to find anybody that

agrees with you on everything.

Disagreements happen. A scorner is

somebody who has decided that they're

the final authority in their own life.

And anyone who challenges that becomes

the target of their contempt.

What's the definition of a scorner?

Proverbs 21:24 says, "Mockers are proud

Proverbs 21:24

and

they act with boundless arrogance."

You ever met that guy?

Arrogant, proud, hotty. They wear it

like a badge. And they don't just debate

you, they mock you.

They don't just debate you. Now listen,

we can disagree and we can be peaceable

and you and I know we can we can talk

about it. This is the way I see it and

it's not the way that you see it and we

can talk, man. At the end of the day, we

can even agree to disagree,

right? Uh scoffers, scorners don't do

that. Uh they they disagree with you and

then they mock you or ridicule you for

it. They don't just correct you, they

belittle you.

They don't just disagree, they're

dismissive.

And here's the thing that makes them

most dangerous is they hate correction.

They hate correction. Proverbs 9:8 says,

Proverbs 9:8

"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate

you."

Do not rebuke a mocker

or he will hate you.

If you try to correct a mocker or a

scorner, they don't just reject the

correction, they come after you.

They attack. Jesus said this in Matthew

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7 and verse 6. He said, "Do not

say do not."

>> Do not.

>> Do not throw your pearls before swine.

What's a swine? That's a That's an old

stinky pig.

Do not throw your pearls before swine,

lest they trample them under their feet.

catch this and turn and tear you to

pieces.

What kind of relationships do we have?

We need wisdom.

What are these pearls that Jesus is

talking about? It's speaking of things

that have have high value. It's speaking

of things that are holy. It's your

heart.

You ever been vulnerable with your heart

and really opened up and then somebody

turned and attacked you and trampled

your heart underneath their feet?

That person would be scorning you.

He says, "Cast not your pearls before

swine, lest they turn and rend you, lest

they turn and tear you apart." Have you

ever been vulnerable and shared uh a

piece of yourself only for the other

person to turn and use it as ammunition?

Maybe it was 15, 25 years ago and

they're still using it as ammunition.

Yeah.

Jesus says, "Don't give yourself to

those people. There are people that we

are called to distance ourselves from."

And these pigs,

what Jesus isn't saying is that they're

less valuable humans.

They are humans that value God less.

They're valuable. They just don't have

the same value for God that we do. There

are people who have proven that they

will only mock, trample, and attack. And

listen, we all have a bad day. Amen.

We all have our moments, our little

stinky old flesh rises its head, and we

we get all angry and upset and we attack

and and all that stuff. That's not the

people that we're talking about. We're

talking about this is a disposition.

This is an ongoing unrepented

action

of mockery and attacking.

Proximity isn't about value.

It's about assignment. Say assignment.

Everyone has value in the eyes of God.

That means everyone should have value in

our eyes, but not everyone has the same

access.

Amen.

Scorners find your weakness and they

exploit it.

They make you the problem for pointing

out their problems. It's that victim

mentality.

I love you enough to say something. Man,

it's ugly stuff. And then and then all

of a sudden we're not even talking about

that stuff anymore. Right away they turn

and attack you for something and go,

"Wait a minute, that's not what we're

talking about." They cause strife. They

poison the room. They mock what is holy.

And we're called to love

>> everyone.

The mark of a Christian isn't how well

you love Jesus. It's how well you love

your Judas.

Love is for everybody. Access is not.

Access is not. God never designed you to

walk with everybody the same way. Jesus

didn't walk with everyone the same way.

He had the 70.

He had the 12.

He had the three that he was close with.

And then he had the one whom Jesus

loved.

I want to be able to write that about

me. The one whom Jesus loved.

Different people

require different distance.

Jesus loved everyone, but he didn't walk

with everyone the same.

I like to ask myself the question, am I

giving pearl access to pig behavior?

Do I continue to open myself up and drop

my guard and be vulnerable and offer

what's precious and what's what's holy?

Do I continue to do that to somebody

that just continues to trample and

attack?

Cast not your pearls before swine, lest

they turn and rend you.

Am I calling it loyalty

when it's really just the absence of

boundaries?

Well, they they do that, but I'm just

I'm loyal to them,

but you become the doormat in the

relationship.

Am I speaking to anyone today?

calling it loyalty when it's really just

a lack of boundaries. I want to give

somebody in this house today permission.

You can say, "I love you.

I love you, but you don't get this level

of access to me anymore.

I want to give you permission." And we

don't feel guilty about it.

We know what God's doing.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else,

Proverbs 4:23

guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it."

Do you know that

having that one relationship that has

that negative impact that we continue to

pacify and we continue to coddle and we

continue to allow into our life can have

a negative impact on every other

relationship?

When you say yes to a bad relationship,

you're not allowing yourself enough room

for the good relationships.

Yeah, I've been in those things, man.

It's just it messes with my emotions. It

messes with my thought, that quarreling

and that strife. And man, I just got

attacked. Now, how am I supposed to come

and be fully fully available to the good

people, to the right people that that

have my best interest at hand that are

that are pouring into my life? Or maybe

I'm supposed to be pouring into their

life? How can I do that when I'm

emotionally distraught because of this

one relationship that will not quit?

And I'm not just about preaching flowery

messages to you. Well, we got real

issues of life, real situations going

on.

Boundaries.

Guard your heart.

If they keep trampling what's holy,

tearing you apart,

that's when it's time to put up your

guard and set some boundaries.

Sometimes I've seen people think that

they're under spiritual attack when it's

really just a lack of boundaries.

Matthew 10:14 Jesus said, "And if anyone

Matthew 10:14

say anyone,

>> if anyone will not receive you or listen

to your word, shake off the dust from

your feet when you leave that house or

town."

Man, if they don't receive you, kick the

dust off your feet and keep it moving.

>> Keep it moving. I ain't got time for it.

The time on earth is short. The Bible

says, "This life is but a midst or a

vapor in the eyes of eternity. I don't

have time for quarreling and strife and

dissension and all that stuff. I got

time for Jesus. I got time for love. I

got time for peace. I got time for

purity. I've got time for spiritual

growth and spiritual. I've got time for

that. But I don't have time for for the

for the pig that wants to keep trampling

me under their feet and attacking me.

>> Look at your neighbor and say, "I got

time for it."

>> Jesus is saying here, he's saying, "Man,

I I've done my part. I'm just not

carrying the dust,

the drama, the rejection into this next

season. Kick the dust off your feet and

keep it moving." You know, Paul preached

about boundaries. uh the Corinthian

church. My goodness, I don't know what

was going on in that church, but there

were some there were some major sin

issues that Paul was dealing with and

and uh we have some young ears in the in

the house. I'm not even going to tell

you what the issue was, but you can read

1 Corinthians 5 if you want. Heavy issue

going on in the church and and the

church was allowing it. It was they were

just kind of tolerating this this nasty

thing going on in the church world. And

Paul dealt with it. 1 Corinthians 5:4,

1 Corinthians 5:4

he says, "In the name of the Lord Jesus,

you must call a meeting of the church. I

will be present with you in spirit, and

so will the power of the Lord Jesus.

Then you must throw this man out and

hand him over to Satan."

Woo! Paul,

take it easy, buddy.

Throw this man out. Hand him over to

Satan. So that, say, "So that." So that

>> there's a why behind the what?

>> So that his sinful nature will be

destroyed and he himself will be saved

on the day the Lord returns.

He says, "You're boasting about this.

It's terrible. Don't you realize that

this sin is like a little yeast that

spreads through the whole batch of

dough. Get rid of the old yeast by

removing this wicked person from among

you."

Man, I think about the the umpire on the

Bailey. He says, he says, "You're out of

here." Right? Sometimes you just got to

get that spirit in your life, man.

Enough is enough.

Enough is enough. A boundary line is

drawn.

Paul tells the church, he says, "Hand

over to Satan."

See how he likes that?

Hand him over to Satan. There's a why

behind the what? So that his flesh, a

sinful nature will be destroyed and then

he'll be saved when Christ returns.

That's not cursing them, that's blessing

them.

1 Timothy 1:20, talking about a couple

1 Timothy 1:20

of other guys, he says, uh, he handed

Himenius and Alexander over to Satan

that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Sounds harsh

until you see the why. This is not

punishment for revenge.

It's discipline for redemption.

Sometimes the most loving thing that we

can do is stop cushioning the

consequence of other people's sin.

Mercy does not make an allowance for sin

to continue. I'm just going to show them

mercy.

Mercy doesn't make an allowance for sin

to continue.

Doesn't make an allowance for the abuse

to continue.

As long as we keep rescuing

them, softening the landing, paying the

price, they'll never feel the full

weight of their choices. And they never

come to themselves. You guys remember

last week we're talking about the

prodal, prodical son, that God didn't

send a a team of counselors out to the

prodal.

Maybe if we just talk to him,

maybe he'll he'll come to his senses. He

just he just needs some extra grace and

mercy. God didn't send a team out to

him. He sent pain.

>> Remember the pain preached.

>> Sometimes we need to feel the weight of

our own choices, the weight of our own

consequences with nobody else uh

coddling me for me to catch the weight

of this and go, man, I I got to I got to

do something different because the

weight of this is heavier than I can

than I can carry. And so I've got to get

myself back to Jesus.

What I've learned is that God can do in

one season of rock bottom

infinitely more than what we can do in

five years of coddling somebody.

>> Mercy is not an allowance for sin.

Closing

the gate, stepping back

is not you throwing them away. It's you

getting out of God's way.

Titus 3:10 says, "Warn a divisive person

Titus 3:10

once and then twice. After that, have

nothing to do with them."

Not your obligation anymore. Romans

Romans 16:17

16:17 says, "Watch out for those who

cause divisions and create obstacles

contrary to the doctrine you've been

taught."

He says, "Avoid them."

Avoid them. I'm just preaching a word

today that's not popular.

boundaries.

Told you I got too much in my notes. I

got to skip a couple pages.

Proximity to scorners.

You can write this down if you're taking

notes. If you mislabel people, you'll

mishandle people.

Number two is proximity to sinners. Now,

scorners are sinners, but not all

sinners are scorners.

And so, we get to be able to

compartmentalize or separate and

understand what my responsibility is.

What should my proximity to sinners be?

Can I say this? Sinners are not those

people. They're our assignment.

They're our assignment.

Luke 5:30. And the Pharisees and the

Luke 5:30

scribes grumbled

at his disciples, saying, "Why do you

eat and drink with tax collectors and

sinners?"

Jesus answered them,

"Those who are well have no need of a

physician,

but those who are sick. I have not come

to call the righteous, but the sinners

to repentance.

Jesus didn't apologize

for who he was eating with. He explained

his mission,

his assignment. Listen, he was accused.

Jesus was accused of being hanging out

with these drunkards and glutton,

right? He

What kind of rabbi? What kind of What

kind of a Christian gentleman is that?

He's hanging out with these with these

tax collectors and these the drunks.

Doesn't mean that Jesus was sitting

there getting drunk, but man, he's

building relationships. Some of my

favorite things to do are to meet people

that are lost out in the world. I don't

know if you guys have ever uh met me

before, but I've never met a stranger.

Never met a stranger. I'll kick up a

conversation with just about anyone.

Man, I love being out in the world just

ask getting to know people. Hey, what

what do you do for work? Get to love on

people a little bit, bless people a

little bit. And if I'm not received,

man, I just kick the old dust off my

feet and keep it moving. And what I'm

not doing is being the weird Christian.

Uh, do you have do you have a couple

minutes? I could talk to you about our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Golly, church, knock that business off.

Carrying tracks around. They're going to

tell them they're going to burn in hell.

You guys seen those, Sam? I'm so glad

those are in the past.

>> I used to be given a stack of them and

have to go out on the streets talking to

the prostitutes and drug addicts. You're

going to burn in hell.

Yeah.

Just go love people. Get to know people.

Know that they're the assignment, not

not the problem. Amen.

>> Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, "You're the

Matthew 5:14

light of the world." Like a city on a

hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one

lights a lamp and puts it under a

basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a

stand where it gives light to everyone

in the house. In the same way, let your

good deeds shine out for all to see. So

that everyone say everyone,

>> everyone,

>> everyone will praise your heavenly

father. Light isn't very effective

unless it's shining in the dark.

>> That means we as believers go out to the

dark places and shine our light. I'm not

negatively impacted by the darkness. A

matter of fact, the light of God on the

inside of me overwhelms the darkness.

And the darkness doesn't even understand

it. Amen. But but I'm going to go let my

little light shine. Oh my I'm about to

sing a song.

>> Yeah. Hide it under a bush. No, I'm

going to let it shine. Come on.

>> My goodness.

We got to get out there and let our

light shine. And sometimes we as

Christians get out in the world and we

we look at all the sinners like they're

a burden. We hear the table next to us

and they're talking about craziness or

whatever and we go feel dirty just being

man. Get saved.

>> Get saved. Know your assignment. Know

your mission. That that's that's who God

that's who Jesus is here for.

>> Amen.

>> Part of a old legalistic church model

years ago that we don't listen to

secular music and we don't go here and

we don't go there. We don't go. If they

even serve alcohol, I'm not going to go

into that place. That's where the drunks

are.

>> Golly.

Think that's where Jesus wants us?

Let me give you some permission. Go hang

out with some drunks this week. Amen.

Well, tell them about Jesus. Go love on

him.

Great commission says go. Say go.

>> Jesus said it. He says go therefore and

make disciples.

Your assignment is to intentionally find

lost, hurting people and love them into

the kingdom. Sinners are the people that

I love on purpose.

Let me give you a caveat.

Man, I don't know if we're going to make

it through all five. We're going to make

it through all five.

>> Promise.

>> Last two might be kind of quick, but

we're going somewhere. Stick with me,

folks. Let me give you a caveat to

friendship with sinners and even

friendship with believers. Anyone?

Galatians 6:1 says, "Brother brothers,

Galatians 6:1

if anyone is caught in a transgression

or a sin, you who are spiritual should

restore him in a spirit of gentleness."

Catch this. Keep watch on yourself lest

you too be tempted.

Now, if you were just you were a drunk

three months ago and you're just getting

free from alcohol, can I tell you don't

go hang out with the drunks cuz you

might get tempted.

But if you've been clean and sober and

God delivered you from that and you've

been you've been uh away from that for

40 years, don't keep yourself in a

little box. I can't go here cuz there's

that's bondage, man.

>> Not just talking to the drunks. I'm

talking to everyone. Every type of sin,

every type of temptation. Now listen,

we're called. We have an assignment to

go and to let that light shine. Unless

I'm tempted by that, man, I got to use

wisdom because because I'm not willing

to forfeit my own salvation to to hang

out with you. Amen.

>> Sometimes we have that person at work or

that old friend

and you think you're witnessing to them.

Every time you're around them, you cuss

a little bit more. You drink too much.

You compromise more. That's not mission.

That's called compromise.

Keep watch on yourself lest you too be

tempted.

Number three, proximity to seekers.

Now, here's the hope. We're letting our

little light shine. Everybody stick up

your finger. We're letting our little

light shine before men. Jesus is shining

through us. And man, we're we're we're

blessing some sinners and uh blessing

some seekers. Hopefully, these uh

sinners will become seekers.

>> Amen.

Psalm 34:8 says, "Oh, taste and see that

Psalms 34:8

the Lord is good.

Taste and see that the Lord is good."

Man, I want the the presence of God

radiating in my life, power of God. I

want the fruit of the Holy Spirit that

when I'm out and my light shining in a

dark place that other people can taste

and see that this God that I serve

tastes really, really good. Matter of

fact, if you get a taste of God, an

authentic taste of God, you'll realize

that nothing else satisfies.

So, let them taste of your life. Some of

the best disciplehip I've ever had was

not somebody preaching at me. It was me

evaluating their life. I'm thankful for

men and women of God that that had me by

a generation of the faith and they

figured some things out and I'm able to

watch their life and and see them and

I'm drawn to that. I go, man, they have

something that I don't have. They have

something that I really aspire to be

like and and how do I do that? I want to

hang out with that guy. Be that person

that seekers want to hang out with.

Taste and see.

Sometimes we get

so spiritual, we're no earthly good. We

get so religious that we forget the

assignment.

I've watched older saints talking to

seekers, newer saints,

and the seeker will have a question.

Maybe they're confused on a doctrine or

a theology in the old guy. I don't know

why they always have the turkey gobbler.

Oh, let me tell you that's not what the

Bible says. Let me tell you something.

Real esquetology. And I'm going, just

shut up, dude. Shut up.

>> Shut up. Cuz you're trying to win the

fight, not win a soul.

>> Amen.

>> Oh my good. I almost

>> You're trying to win the fight, not win

a soul. That's

>> right.

>> Just love them. Love them. They'll

figure, you know, I had such strong

doctrine my first five years of

salvation.

I didn't know anything about anything.

But I was seeking. I was pursuing. And I

needed people to love me into the

revelation.

You'll never argue them in. You'll never

debate them in. You're going to love

them in. Invite them close enough to

taste and see

that the Lord is good.

God will do the rest.

>> Number four is proximity to saints. Look

at that. We're moving quick now.

>> So proud of myself. We're getting right

through this. Hallelujah.

Number four, proximity to saints. This

is other believers.

So hopefully our life is having an

impact

where the scorners can go do what they

do, but the sinners and the seekers are

becoming the saints.

It's not for the church

alone. It's not for the pastor alone.

Jesus said, "You go and you make

disciples. Go love on people. Go

encourage people." Man, Easter's coming

up. Invite them to Easter Sunday.

Hopefully, they become the saints. But

then we have proximity to saints.

Saints, I'll say this, are not perfect,

but saints are being perfected.

Especially new believers. Sometimes

we'll get in the church and

evaluating the Christians,

just a bunch of hypocrites.

Well, hey, we got room for one more.

>> All right.

They're supposed to be a Christian.

They've been I can't believe they said

it this way. Man, they're they're not

perfect. They're being perfected.

>> You're not perfect. If you think you

are, show up Wednesday night. We're

doing Pride detox. We'll knock that

right out of you.

We're being perfected.

My pastor used to say, man, we'd put him

on a pedestal. This guy had a an

anointing, a spiritual general, father

in the faith anointing. Uh you just wow.

And he would say, "If you get close

enough to me, you'll you'll find my

faults."

I got close enough to him.

Did you, Pastor Dan? I got close enough

to him.

I had to process that, man. I saw some

shortcomings, some failures.

He's not perfect after all.

That's where grace and mercy comes in.

Hey, I'm not perfect. You're not

perfect. You're being perfected, but I

love you enough to shoot straight with

you when I see the imperfections.

Encourage you along the way. Bible says,

"Let us consider how we can spur one

another on towards love and good works.

M.

So these saints, they're people in

pursuit. They're people who have given

their life to Christ and they're people

that have shown evidence. Say evidence.

>> Anyone can say, "I'm a Christian." Man,

they're all over. They're all over

America.

>> I'm a Christian.

Okay.

Nice tree. Where's the fruit?

Where's the fruit?

There's evidence of Christianity.

Jesus said, "You'll they'll know that

you're my followers, my disciples by the

love that you have one for another,

the fruit that you're bearing for the

kingdom of God." Jesus said this. He

said seven, Matthew 7:15, he says,

Matthew 7:15

"Beware." Say, "Beware.

>> Beware of false prophets."

Ah, had so many people

try to speak into my life.

Crazy folks, man. False prophets trying

to guide my life. Jesus said, "Beware of

false prophets who come to you in

sheep's clothing." Now, a lot of times

this scripture is used just for the

pastor of the church. He's a sheep in

wolf's clothing. Got to watch out for

Steve Ferdick. He's a sheep in wolf's

clothing. Like, I don't know. I kind of

like Steve. He's preaches pretty good

stuff.

It's not shepherd's clothing. They come

to you in sheep's clothing. This will be

the brother or sister in the faith that

has a word from the Lord for you.

Mhm. Yeah.

I'll start preaching here in a minute.

Word for the L from the Lord for you.

went a couple years ago trying to trying

to drive this whole church a certain

direction and everything was have a word

from the Lord for you. Have a word from

the Lord for you.

The spirit itself bears witness with my

spirit that we're the children of God. I

have enough discernment. I know my

shepherd's voice. Amen. And I look for

evidence.

>> Show me the fruit.

Be careful who you let speak into your

life is what Jesus is saying. Beware of

false prophets. These are the people

that take the title Christian. They come

to you in sheep's clothing. But he says,

Jesus says, but inwardly they're

ravenous wolves. You recognize them by

their fruit.

Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or

figs from thistles? So every healthy

tree bears good fruit, but the diseased

tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree

cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a

diseased tree bear good fruit. Every

tree that does not bear good fruit,

catch this, is cut down, thrown into the

fire. Thus you will recognize them by

their fruit.

You will recognize them by their fruit.

Saints are people who bear good fruit

for the kingdom and who build me up.

Ephesians 5, I'm sorry, Ephesians 4:16

Ephesians 4:16

talking about the body of Christ, the

church, the assembly of the believers.

It says the whole body joined and held

together by every joint with which it is

equipped when each part is working

properly

makes the body grow that it builds

itself up in love. That's the church.

That's the saints. We're building each

other up in love.

Come to trying to tear me down.

We're not designed to do life outside of

the body of Christ.

We need a body of believers. We need

Christians in our lives.

>> I watch church at home Sunday morning.

I don't need to go. Okay.

All right.

I need Christians in my life, man. I

need people that going to stir me up.

Having a bad day. I want somebody to

encourage me, man.

>> Going through it. I want somebody when I

see somebody I see one of you

struggling. I want to say, "Hey, my

goodness, I love you. God loves you

today, man. I want to stir other people

up. We need each other. We need each

other." When each part is working

properly, makes the body grow so it

builds itself up in love.

You cannot be built up in isolation.

Man, look at your neighbor and say,

"We're bodybuilders.

We're bodybuilders,

not that kind.

We want to build up the body. Even the

strongest bodybuilders need a spotter

from time to time.

Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's

Galatians 6:2

burdens and so fulfill the law of

Christ."

That word burden means that weight

that's a little too much for us.

older I get, the less I like carrying

heavy things. I used to have something

to prove and like, watch this. I'll lift

this up. Now I'm like, there anyone in

their 20s here? Because I don't feel

like

>> lifting this thing, right?

>> But isn't it nice when something's

heavy, man, to, you know, have somebody

else come along and just lift the

weight?

That's the body of Christ. Lift the

weight.

something threatens to take you under or

push you down.

Others come along and help pick it up.

There's supernatural strength among the

body of Christ.

Don't worry, I'm looking through my

notes again.

Number five is proximity to shepherds.

Proximity to shepherds.

You know, I just I kind of view it this

way. You know, I have the symbol of the

cross, Christ hanging on the cross, and

and brothers and sisters, the saints are

kind of that horizontal relationships.

It's like, hey, we're in this together,

and we want to encourage each other and

and hold each other up. And then the

seekers are they're on their way up.

They're they're getting ready to join

the the brothers and sisters in the

faith. And there that's that's the

people that we that we get to pull up

and help help really lift up. And then

sinners, they're down there a little bit

ways. We got to stretch my back, get

down there a little bit further for the

sinner because they're kind of hard to

be around sometimes. But the shepherds

are the ones that pull us up. Amen.

And I don't want you to confuse this.

Jesus Christ is the head of the church.

There's no substitute for that.

But

God from Genesis to Revelation, we've

seen how God has called specific ones to

lead among the body,

to be a spokesman, to be a blessing, to

be an encouragement,

shepherds.

He's the good shepherd.

Called some of us to be undersheperds.

Paul said this. He said, "Follow me

as I follow Christ.

Follow me." You know, you have to have a

lot of faith in Paul to be able to just

take that at face value. Follow me as I

follow Christ. Man, I've been around men

and women of faith. Again, they they've

got it. There's a connection. There's an

anointing. There's a grace on their

life. I want to hang out with that guy.

Paul said, "Follow me as I follow

Christ."

He said in another portion of scripture,

he said, "I became your father through

the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Paul wasn't their father. Paul didn't

even have kids.

But through the gospel, he became a

father-like anointing in their life, a

mentor. Whose voice is louder than

yours? Who can speak into your life? Who

has a voice loud enough to correct you

when you're when you're off track?

I believe this. Every pastor needs a

pastor.

>> I got a lot of them. And I pull on them.

Man, I like calling some of them up. I

like when they call me, great leaders,

powerful. They've been a blessing. And

they call me up. They go, "How you

doing?" Doing good. How's your wife? How

the kids? Doing great. They go, "Are you

treating your wife?" Good. I kind of

like that question. I don't know. You

might have to call and ask her. I think

I'm doing all right.

Sometimes I'm going through crisis.

Sometimes I have a weight to bear that's

too much for me

and I'm thankful that I have people to

call.

I say, "Man, it's just I don't can't do

it.

good shepherds to help guide us,

direct us. I'll say this, I don't assume

to be everyone's

shepherd or pastor in Grace Summit

Church. I preached to you on Sunday and

I hope it's a blessing to you.

But good shephering requires good

relationship.

It's unrealistic for me to pastor 250 of

you and counting.

Next year it's going to be 350.

We'll see what God's up to.

But have people in your life that have a

mentor, coaching, pastoring, leading

voice that have a relationship with God

that's superior to yours. They really

connect with God and they're for you.

They love you. They'll speak into you.

Hebrews 13:17

Hebrews 13:17

talking about these people.

The Bible says they keep watch over your

souls as those who have to give an

account.

That's a heavy burden

to have to give an account for other

people's souls.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 says, "Acknowledge

1 Thessalonians 5:12

those who work hard among you,

who care for you in the Lord."

Shepherds are spiritual leaders God has

placed over you to protect you, to feed

you, to correct you,

to guide you.

And that happens in proximity in

relationship.

The shepherd's job is not to control

you.

It's to watch out for the wolves,

offer you greener pastures,

to quiet the water so you can get a

drink.

I'll say this. If it looks like control

and manipulation,

that's not Christlike shephering.

That's not Christlike shephering.

Good shepherds lead like Jesus by

example

with humility

for your good

and draw you closer to the father.

And can I say that God doesn't give you

a pastor or a shepherd to replace the

voice of the Holy Spirit in your life,

but to confirm the Holy Spirit in your

life

to clarify it.

Sometimes people get church content, but

they don't get church covering,

protection, blessing.

had a lot of people

and I'm their pastor

only in crisis

only in crisis.

But they don't want the pastor when

they're in compromise.

A lot of people want access but not

accountability.

Can I tell you that I need people to

hold me accountable?

I need accountability.

A lot of people want access, but not

accountability.

I'll ask the worship team to join me up

here.

Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders

Hebrews 13:17

and submit to them,

for they are keeping watch over your

souls as those who will give an

account."

M

the Bible teaches a culture of honor for

those called to lead.

First Thessalonians 5:12, he says, "We

1 Thessalonians 5:12

ask you brothers to respect," say

respect

>> those who labor among you and are over

you in the Lord and admonish you and to

esteem them very highly in love because

of their work.

It looks like control and manipulation.

That's not Christlike shephering.

Church hurts a real thing.

If you've had a shepherd or a pastor

hurt you in the past,

give that to God. That's between them

and God. But don't let that wound from

yesterday build a wall from what God's

doing in your life today.

God has a heart for you. They'll answer

to God with how they handled you or

mishandled you. But you answer to God

for how you handled the leaders God has

placed in your life.

Let me give you a recap

and then I'll go sit down.

Scorners

remind me to guard my heart.

They remind me to have boundaries.

Sinners remind me why why I'm still

here. I have an assignment to be a light

shining in a dark place. Seekers remind

me what God can do.

Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I'll

draw all men unto myself."

Saints sharpen who I am. They help build

me up and encourage me. And shepherds

protect where I'm going.

Before I pray, I want to ask three

questions. Again, don't answer out loud.

Just answer in your heart or maybe pray

about it this week.

Who do you need to move closer to?

Who are those that are for you and for

God that we've had too much distance?

Or maybe it's a seeker or a sinner. Who

do you need to move closer to

who do you need to step away from?

Who needs some distance or some

boundaries in your life?

The last question is who do I need to

pursue?

Who do I really need to chase down and

build relationship with?

Father, we thank you, Lord, that you're

a good God.

Father, we thank you, Lord, that you've

called us to more than just serving you

on an island, but God, you've called us

to people. Father, give us wisdom and

understanding, enlightenment. Father, to

know who we are in your kingdom and who

we are to others.

Father, I thank you, God, that you fill

us with the light of heaven. And Lord, I

pray that you set us like a city on a

hill, God. That our light would shine

before men, Father, that they would be

drawn close to you.

Father, I pray that you give us the

heart of understanding for those that we

need to have boundaries with.

Create distance from, God. Give us the

strength

to draw the line in the sand, God,

knowing that when we're handing them

over, we're handing them really to you.

Father, I thank you,

God, for this body of believers being

the healthiest body of Jesus Christ to

exist yet. Father, that we would get it,

God, that relationships would run strong

and deep in this house. I thank you for

this family of believers, God, this

family of God.

Help us, Father, to live in such a way

that honors you.

So, Lord, we pray blessing over each one

now in Jesus name. And God's people

said, "Amen.