Fools for the Kingdom

All right, let's pray and we'll continue on. Abha, we thank you that your presence is here.

We thank you that you've been leading us a certain way for the last few weeks, Father.

And we want to continue in that direction because you are preparing us, shaping us,

molding us. You're chipping stuff off of us so that we are how we need to be for you.

I thank you Abha that tonight or today you're going to move our hearts in the direction that

you want us to go. So help us to see everything that you're showing us. Help us to hear everything

that you are speaking. We need you as we said before in Jesus name. Amen. I want to read out

a few lines from one of my favorite songs. Here it goes. There are roads that are still untouched,

that have yet to receive your love. And all creation is crying out for the cross. There

are hearts that have yet to see the power of Christ that has set them free. For such a love,

you have sent your son to save what's lost. So there are roads that are still untouched by the

good news of Jesus Christ. There are hearts that haven't yet seen what the power of God can do for

them. There is a picture that I wanted up, Brandon, if you can bring up. It's just a simple picture,

but sometimes we've got to look at it, look at our city, look at our nation, look at the countries

that we go to with a different perspective. There are roads that are still untouched. And this one

here on the map, BC, it's only showing you the main roads. There are plenty of other roads,

all leading to different lives, all leading to different people. I want you to just think about

that. Roads that are still untouched. There are lives that have yet to see what the power of God

can do for them. We have seen it, we've experienced it, we rely on it on a daily basis, but there are

people out there who haven't seen. And all through the last few weeks, what God has been doing in us

is this commission that he is sending us on. Go, Matthew chapter 28, 18 to 20, go therefore and

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit, commanding them to, teaching them to obey everything that I've commanded you. And I'll

be with you until the very end of age. So we go. That's where we start from. But there is one thing

that we are going to look at today, which is in our going, as God sends us, there is one thing

that is critical. We've got to be very foolish. We've got to be fools for the kingdom. And when

I say fools, all of a sudden there are so many ideas that come to our mind. Am I asked to be

silly? No. You're wise when you're a fool. So we'll touch on that verse first. Let's read 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, 10. This is a requirement for us to go. If we are to go, we have to follow the pattern

that Jesus set for us already. We have to follow the pattern that the apostles have set already.

And in our going, in our praying, in our preparation for what is to come, we are saying we want to be

fools for Christ's sake. Read 1 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 10. It says, We are fools for

1 Corinthians 4:10

Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. This is Paul speaking to others. We are weak, but you are

strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. Disrepute. What does it say? You did not know Christ

before, but I came to you with a foolish message as far as the world is concerned. I came to you

being a fool for the sake of Christ, but as I became a fool for you, you became wise in God. As I became

weak, you became strong in God. And that's the verse we're going to look at today. Being fools for the

kingdom, emptying us for the sake of the kingdom. Because we've been speaking, we've been hearing

this idea that the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God is here. It is waiting to break into

lives. And one of the prerequisites for us to walk in it, to walk in the ways of Christ, is to know that

the world and the systems and everything that we see outside is the exact opposite of the ways of

Christ. It's actually very misleading when we have this image that we sometimes say there is a road

and then a person has to take two ways, right? It's like a Y-shaped road. It never is. It's the

exact opposite. You either follow Christ and everything that Christ says is opposite to the

systems of the world. It's the exact opposite. There is no hybrid. There is no overlap of those

ways. They are exactly opposite. And the ways of Christ will look foolish to the world outside.

And Paul says, and we say, we want to be foolish for the sake of Christ, for the sake of the kingdom.

So we'll touch on that today. So our king, let's first talk about our king then. So our king, who

is the king of this kingdom, who we follow after, he is the all-powerful, good, creator God. He's all

powerful. He's good. He's creator God. That's the king we are preaching to the world. But God chooses

it this way, that this king was the same humiliated king on the cross. This king was the same king who

died. This king was butchered. This king was accursed. This king was beaten upon, spit upon. And this

king, as Sue said, is hung on a cross. And this message is the message of the cross, that if you

are to follow Christ, you have to look at the cross, which is a foolish message as far as the

world is concerned. But anyone who is preaching the message of Christ, anyone who is preaching the

message of the king cannot separate themselves from the cross. You cannot. Christianity is not a

religion of self-improvement. It is not a religion of this is how God can make you better. This is

not something which is one of the ten different ways to God. This is the only way to God. And

Christianity is a religion of rescue and salvation. Christianity is a religion of rescue and salvation.

In other words, if you do not want rescue, if you do not want salvation, Christianity is all about

it. You cannot preach Christianity. You cannot preach Christ without preaching rescue, without

preaching salvation. So our king is all powerful. He is kind. He is glorious. He is the owner of the

universe. Colossians chapter 1-16, it says, for in him all things were created, things in heaven,

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

things on earth, all things that are visible, all things that are invisible, all authority,

all thrones, all kingdoms, all kings, they all bow down to Jesus. So that's the Jesus we know.

But the Jesus that we talk about is not just that Jesus. The Jesus we proclaim, the Jesus we

announce, the kingdom that we speak of has a king who also died. A brutal death on the cross. For what?

To save me. For what? To save you. And so we cannot speak of Christianity. We cannot speak of this

message unless we speak of the crucified Christ. And Christianity is a religion of salvation and

rescue. I remember meeting a guy in Starbucks two or three years into my stay in Vancouver.

We started talking and he seems to be really knowledgeable of the Bible. He really knows it.

He is speaking things from the Bible and then he proceeded on to tell me it's just one of the

different ways to God. And Bible is something that I use, I read on a daily basis to improve myself.

And this world unfortunately because we don't speak enough, because we don't proclaim enough,

it is one of the ways as far as some people are concerned. The roads that are still untouched,

the lives that haven't seen the power of Christ need to know the real message of Jesus Christ,

which is a message of rescue and salvation, which is a message that says this is the only way back

to the Father. There is no other way. There is no other way. And I'm going all over but it's okay.

I wanted to say this later. But I want to say it now. One of the things that's stopping us

from progressing the gospel of Christ in Canada is political correctness.

For Paul and the apostles it was something else because the Jews demanded science. The Greeks demanded wisdom.

But for us in this day and age, one of the things we have to go past, break down,

is political correctness. It absolutely is. There is still a question of wisdom. There

is still a question of wisdom. There are still questions for science. But there is in Canada,

in the places we live, places we work, our schools, our colleges, our universities,

our neighborhoods, there is still one thing which is blocking, stopping, trying to

impede the progress of the gospel, which is political correctness. I want to read out the

definition because I was looking this up when I thought about this. Political correctness

is a term used to describe language, policies or measures that are intended to avoid offense

or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. It's intended to avoid offense.

But then the word that we read, the message of Christ is

a stumbling block to the Jews. And it is not politically correct. But it is the message that

we carry. And so I don't want us to go from here after this, after these weeks thinking

there is the kingdom, it's at hand. And I don't want us to go from here after this, after these

weeks. It's at hand. But practically for us, we have to look at the system that has been built up.

For different countries, it's different because in India, if you go, it's not this, I can tell you.

It's not political correctness. There it's a different thing.

But here it is something that stands up against the ways of God.

And we have to recognize that and break it down because it stands against the ways of God.

We have to recognize it. We see it and we say I am opposing it.

Christians are people who go in the opposite spirit of the world. The world goes a certain way.

The world goes a certain way. The Holy Spirit in us, the excellent spirit in us that was in Daniel,

it goes the opposite way. It doesn't conform to the ways of the world. It goes in the exact opposite

ways. So if the world says you need to be politically correct, the kingdom says the word of my father,

our father says, you speak what I've given you. It is going to look foolish. It is going to look

not sophisticated. It is going to be an offense to someone but that ain't stopping us.

And so the message today

for us is to practically look at our lives and say what's stopping us?

Because sometimes it's political correctness. I'll list down three other things. Avoidance is another one.

Avoidance because sometimes it's easy just to avoid. It's easy just to not talk about it.

It's easy not to talk about it because if you just avoid certain parts of the discussion,

certain parts of the gospel, it's not offensive anymore. God loves you is a great starter. But

then if you go into the cross into what Jesus did and what Jesus commanded, then that becomes an offense.

Avoidance,

political correctness. Let's see our as I'm talking, let's look at our lives. What's stopping us?

What's stopping us? Is it the need to be sophisticated? Because sometimes what happened,

the world does to us is it works in a way to conform us to the ways of the world which is

it needs sophistication. It needs a certain way of saying things. And Paul in one of the

epistles, I'm going to read this from 1 Corinthians chapter 2, 1 to 5. Let's read that.

1 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

1 Corinthians chapter 2, 1 to 5. Let's read that. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 1 to 5.

1 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention 1 Corinthians 2:1–5

This is Paul who is speaking. The guy we read all the time and we wonder how can he write like this?

Sentences that never end.

And he said this,

This is Paul speaking. So we speak like him in that

I know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I know nothing else

except Jesus Christ and him crucified. He knew more but he knew that everything he knew was

not significant at all. When it came to the gospel, this gospel in itself was the power of Christ.

Nothing else needed to be added to it and therefore Paul is saying and therefore we are to say

I'm here. No and I know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I do not come

with lofty speech and wisdom. I don't have big words. I don't have sophistication.

And when I was with you, I came to you in weakness and in fear and much trembling.

Because when we read what Paul has written, when we think of what happened, we don't think of it

like this. But he came in much fear, in trembling. He was unsure, not very impressive,

but the message he carried, the gospel he carried was the power of God that was unto salvation.

So one of the things that

so we talked about political correctness.

Avoidance.

Dilution. That's another thing. Dilution because you're diluting the message by,

you can easily dilute the message of Christ by skipping a few parts in it where it's not offensive

anymore. Where it's not, where the person listening to it will not feel like you're an odd

guy or how can he speak like that? It's not politically correct. It's just how can that be?

But this message has always been a message like this to which we are not to add anything,

to which we are not to remove anything, from which we are not to remove anything.

We are to speak it as it is. And then what we also do is

we accessorize the simple truth. That's when you feel like you need to add something more

to the message of the cross so that people can be interested. More accessories, more to the message.

And this is very prevalent in our age and day to day.

Where we feel like we need to add more to the gospel. Add a little bit more about if you do it

then this. We don't need to. This message in itself is the power of God. I know I'm spending

a few extra minutes here but we really need to think about this. And we have to, we have to

but we really need to think about this.

And we have to practically apply this in our lives. To see these roads that are

for me to take, that are still untouched. I want to go with the gospel message.

As you send me. And when I go, I don't want to be sophisticated. I don't want to know anything

except Christ and Christ crucified. Nothing else. I carry the message of Jesus Christ.

I'm not going to dilute it. I'm not going to avoid anything. I'm not going to accessorize it with

other things. The simple truth and the gospel of Christ is what I carry.

And this gospel that is to save the world which is a message of great salvation. What does it save

people from? It saves people from death, disease,

sin, shame, guilt, loss of identity.

Unforgiveness, bitterness, separation from father.

Anything that the world needs the gospel provides. Because this message is anyone who

is faced with death, who doesn't know what is next. This gospel says there is life after that.

There is eternal life after that. And you get to spend your life with God. And there is death here

on earth even from which not for your entire life but when there is disease spreading, when there is

healing required, this gospel comes in, storms in and heals and delivers.

With respect to sin, there is forgiveness of sins. You may have done so many things in your past,

but I have seen that for myself, my God has healed me and he looks at me as if he looks Jesus.

And this forgiveness of sin is for you too. Shame and guilt.

Shame and guilt.

I lived in shame, I lived in guilt. But you know what? Now I don't have shame and guilt anymore.

Because I know that I am righteous. I know that I am forgiven. That's the message I carry.

Loss of identity. I walked around not knowing who I am.

But now I am a son. Let me show you what living like a son looks like.

It's from my life. I've been living like this for the last 10 years now.

And it has changed me. It changes me every day.

I struggle with identity, not knowing where I belonged, not knowing who I am.

I struggle with my God, not knowing who I am. But now when I walk the streets, I know who my father is.

I know my God and I walk fully knowing that he is with me and I'm his son.

Do we need this? This is the only way. This is the only way.

Do you feel unforgiven? Do you feel bitter to others? My father can release you.

He forgives you and then he puts a spirit in you that allows you to forgive others and not be bitter to others.

And as soon as you receive him, receive Jesus, you're not separated from the father anymore.

You're close to him anytime, any day, 24-7. You live in presence.

So freeing. You're adopted. So freeing for the world.

So our mandate is clear. Our mandate is from Luke chapter 24, 46-48.

Luke 24 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 24, 46-48. It reads, Jesus told them, this is what is written, the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.

Luke 24 · chapter mention

You are witnesses of these things. And so the church that does not proclaim, her feet is pulled back.

The church that does not proclaim, her feet is pulled back. Its progress is impeded from becoming Isaiah 52-7. Read Isaiah 52-7.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, your God reigns.

The feet, the beautiful feet that is to go. Go. The beautiful feet.

So when I don't proclaim this message, it impedes the progression of the church is impeded. It's pulled back.

The beautiful shoes that we've been given to travel these roads, to go to houses, to meet people, to change their lives because the power of the gospel can do it.

That progression is pulled back when I don't proclaim.

So without diluting the message, without accessorizing the truth, without political correctness, without adding anything to the truth, I preach this gospel, the simple message of the crucified Messiah who lived, who died, who resurrected, who is now at the right hand of the father.

I preach it with boldness because I live it. It has changed my life and it can change yours.

Mark chapter 16, one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Why? Because everything that Jesus said was for all of us. It wasn't for the disciples alone. Go, go and you preach this gospel and those who believe to them these things will happen.

Mark 16 · chapter mention

He didn't say you go and when you preach these things will happen. He said you go preach and when you preach people will believe and to those who will believe, meaning us, they will cast out demons.

They will

Heal the sick, clean the lepers, raise the dead and this is what we've been praying for.

This is what our hearts are after.

And we speak, we proclaim, we don't stop. So I want us to in response to what God is telling us today, think about Abba.

In the circles that I'm in, in the places that I belong to, work wise, neighborhood wise, schools that you go to, grocery stores, wherever I come across people because everyone has been paid for.

There is not a single person on the face of earth who hasn't been paid for. They're all rescued. They just don't know. So who can I, who can I go to? Access, I don't need anything. Just put, you've given me the shoes on my feet. I'm going to travel. I'm going to go.

And this doesn't mean that we need to go to nations. When God sends us to nations, we'll go to nations. But there is so much here. So much here. It's simple. This message is simple. There is nothing more to it. But I go with this message.

Jesus changed my heart that I don't stay away from it because you've given me everything I need for me to speak this. I live it. I can speak it. You changed my life around. And so I will boldly proclaim in the circles, in the spheres of influence that you've given me, I'll speak it.

And we'll be amazed what happens when we speak. Because sonship and everything we know about is all about obedience, obeying the father. The results are not for us to calculate. The results are not for us to worry about. That's, he takes care of that. We expect a lot in terms of what he wants to do.

So every time we speak, we expect him to move.

I want to read Romans chapter 116, but from the message, if you have it on your iPhones or Samsung or whatever you use. Romans chapter 116. Romans chapter 116. But read it this time from the message because it, you'll see something, you'll read the verse in different light.

It says, it's news I am most proud to proclaim. This extraordinary message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with the Jews and then right on to everyone else.

This is the same verse in other translations. It says,

I'm not ashamed of the gospel. But read it this way. Rather than reading it as I'm not ashamed of the gospel, read it this way.

It is news that I'm most proud to proclaim. This extraordinary message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with the Jews and right on to everyone else. So from a place of I'm not ashamed.

I am proud and I live to speak and proclaim this message.

This is what I live for. This is what we live for. I want to look at three or four different things that are characteristics of a fool and then we'll close.

I promise today we'll finish before one.

So what are the characteristics of a fool?

A fool finds strength in his weakness.

A fool finds strength in his weakness.

So my strength comes into its own says God in your weakness. My strength says God comes into its own in your weakness.

My strength comes into its own says God in your weakness. My strength says God comes into its own in your weakness.

So with respect to what God is asking us to do, we go, Abba, we need you. Direct me. Change me. I don't have what it takes, but I have everything it takes at the same time. I don't have it in me by myself. But because you're with me, I have everything I need.

You've given me power. You've given me authority. You've given me the words. You've given me your spirit. I don't need anything else.

But at the same time, Abba, I can't do this alone because I am so weak. I don't. I can't. I've tried. It just doesn't work. I need you. I need you to fully come into me. I need you to lead me. I want to be zero percent Derek, 100 percent God.

Because then it's you and you only. I am weak. I need you.

And when we operate like this, where we go, I don't have what it takes, but I have everything that takes.

I don't have it in my flesh. I don't have it in me. But with God, I have it. Everything I need. Then I'm able to move in the direction God is saying because I'm not reliant on my power, my limited words, my limited strength anymore. Because in my weakness, his strength becomes its own.

So the weaker I get in that my flesh being reduced in the plans that God has for me, the stronger I become.

Second thing, Matthew chapter 7, 13 to 14. Matthew chapter 7, 13 to 14.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention Matthew 7 · chapter mention

If fool chooses the narrow when the world goes for the wide or broad path. If fool chooses the narrow when the world goes for the wide or broad path.

You choose that is not popular and that which could cause you to be mocked upon and you operate in an opposite spirit.

If fool challenges what the world conforms to. If fool despises what the world esteems. And if fool esteems what the world despises.

Guys, if you think about this, you'll soon realize, I don't, sometimes when I watch TV, in these like talk shows or whatever, you always hear people clapping. Yeah. It's like someone will say something and there'll be claps.

What's fascinating is most of the thing I believe in when someone says there's no clap.

When someone says there's no clap. It's true for you too. It's true for you too. Because if we are to chase the applause of man, we will never speak what God wants us to speak.

If we are to chase the applause of man, we will never speak what we are to speak.

We speak exactly what, because it's so much from a relationship. This is my father. I am so in love with him. He is with me every day. Here's the message he has given me.

I know who you are in Christ. I am here to deliver this message. I don't care about anything else. This is all about him and me. And now you're included in this because he loves you and he has a plan for you.

That's the message. I don't need you to clap. I don't need you to approve. This is what I speak.

This is possible. This is how they lived. This is how the people in the book of Acts lived. And God added to their numbers daily.

But somehow over the course of time, things have come up. And now without us even knowing, there is a system all around us that prevents us from speaking.

And the man or the woman who believes in Christ and has the Spirit of God living inside them are to wake up every day and look at the systems of the world.

And they are to say, I will oppose you because my God lives in me and his Spirit is opposing the ways of the world.

100%. This is how it works. And if we are not intentional about it, if you don't think about it, we soon lose what we have been given.

The opposite of fool. Do you know what that is? It's cool. You don't want to be cool. The opposite of fool is cool.

And a bishop wants to be cool, but sorry, bro. Be a cool fool. You can't be cool. We love fool more than cool.

And actually the cool word act also means not hot anymore. That's what these systems of the world wants to do.

So a fool challenges. If we can wake up every day like this about your spirit in me, operates in an opposite way to the way the world performs, the way the world contacts.

Number three, a fool happily chooses obedience and obscurity when the world chooses fame.

A fool happily, happily out of relationship chooses obscurity and obedience rather than fame.

The world wants fame. The world wants to be known. But a fool chooses Abba. This is just between you and I.

You put me as part of the body. I know what your plan is. I just want to be obedient. And I am happy with obscurity.

No one knowing. No one knowing anything. Whereas you send me, I will go.

A fool chooses obscurity and obedience or fame. A fool chooses obscurity and obedience or fame or recognition because fame may feel like it's just too far out there or recognition or approval.

And there is no selfish ambition involved. A fool disregards the applause of man for the voice of heaven.

If we can be a people like this, where what we cherish and put so close to our heart is the voice of heaven.

Well done son. Well done daughter. Over everything else. Each day, every day.

Next one. A fool is willing to walk on water when the master says step out.

I believe that God is asking us on my drive here. What I sense and what I believe is this. God is saying move. God is saying move.

God is saying I want you to move. I will move among you and I will cause you to move from where you are to this new place that I'm calling you to.

It's here. It's available. It's for you to walk in right now. You don't have to wake up tomorrow to walk into it. It's right now. As soon as you go out, wherever you're going, in your house tonight, you can move into this space that I have created for you where your shoes, where your feet are shoed with the gospel of good news.

That you have to go onto roads, cities, nations, carrying my power, carrying my word, carrying my love for other people. And it's right now.

And when I ask you to step on, step out from the boat onto water, you do it. And one of the things that God will do with us, he'll stretch you.

He'll stretch us only for us to say, aha, this is a better way of living. He'll stretch us as we are obedient to him. Only for us to say, wow, Abba, I never knew I could live like this.

I never knew I could walk like this. I never knew this could happen. But because with a simple obedience when you say, when he says come step out, when I say, I don't know, but because you said I'll step out.

When he says, I want you to go to this person and say this with simple obedience when I say, okay, Abba, I don't know that person, but I will go and say exactly what you said.

You're walking on water. And a fool will do that. Because he's in a relationship with a father the world cannot see yet. But as soon as they see it, as soon as they see him, they will know.

And the last one. A fool proclaims what the world considers as foolish and is brave hearted in the face of resistance. Brave hearted.

It is in us. The spirit of God makes us brave. Brave hearted in the face of resistance.

This is why you can see Paul and Silas Acts chapter 1625. They had a pretty long day.

They were at a trial, got beaten up, are in a jail now. Past midnight.

A good day to have an excuse and say Abba, I'll continue tomorrow. Today was a long day.

It was pretty bad, pretty long. Got beaten up, had to stand all the time. Tomorrow, I'll get back to it.

No. They said, we're going to sing. Clamorously foolish. There's a song like that. Clamorously foolish.

In the face of adversity, in the face of resistance, brave hearted.

Because this God, this Jesus who met me on the way to Damascus, he, I saw him and he's not going to leave me.

I know him fully well. I am still to go to different places. So I ain't sleeping tonight. I am worshipping tonight.

Because I know that there is more for me. There is more. There is a more. There is incredible adventures waiting for me.

And it's a yes from me to my father. And so in the face of resistance, I am brave hearted.

David in 2 Samuel 6, 16, when people despised him, including his wife, he did not stop leaping and dancing before the Lord.

Shadrach, Meshech, Abednego, Daniel chapter 3, 16 to 18.

Daniel 3 · chapter mention

They said, we are not careful to answer you in this matter, King. Brave hearted.

In the face of opposition, in the face of resistance. Stephen, Acts chapter 7.

Acts 7 · chapter mention

The question that the high priest asked Stephen is, are these things true? He made a mistake by asking a question.

Because there is a passage full of what God did with the Israelites, what God did with Christ and who Christ is as a response.

The question that the high priest asked Stephen is, are these things true? They brought you here and they want you killed.

Are these things true? His response is the gospel. Proclamation.

Brave hearted because Christ lives in us. Because he is who he said he is.

And so maybe have lives that articulates the gospel.

And the ways of Jesus at work, in business, in schools, in communities that we are part of.

Maybe have lives that articulate. Lives, not words. Words great, that's what we have talked about.

But lives as well. Where people will look at our lives and our very lives articulate the gospel.

The goodness of God, the kindness of God, the healing nature of God, the deliverance of God.

Maybe have lives that articulate it. And then when we speak,

a life that engages the world and challenges its way of thinking without being accommodated by it.

We engage the world. We don't, we're not in the corner. You're right there.

We engage the world. And when we do this, the kingdom becomes delightfully visible.

When we do this, the kingdom becomes delightfully visible to the world around us.

To prostitutes, to Pharisees, to tax collectors, to friends, family.

The kingdom becomes visibly delightful.

So, we'll close. I want us to, in our minds, respond to what God has been saying.

So Abba, we have heard everything that you have said.

We carry with us a message that is old, but at the same time new.

That the world hasn't heard. There are lives that are untouched, roads that have not seen this message.

So Jesus, you've been calling us. And Abba, we give our minds, our hearts, our lives, our bodies in obedience to your word.

We look at our lives and we do not see people who cannot. We see a spirit of God who is in us and therefore makes us fully prepared for the task at hand.

Every one of us in this room, fully prepared for the task at hand.

Jesus, we've been hearing that we are to follow what you said. That your kingdom is here. Proclaim it.

So, whenever we meet people, Abba, and there is a need and people are asking for help, we will see the invisible where your kingdom is ready to break in.

And Abba, when we proclaim, these are not going to be just words being spoken.

These are going to be seeing the invisible, believing in you and then speaking.

Jesus, we don't want sophistication. We don't want to add to your gospel. We don't want to dilute it.

We want to preach it as it is. Jesus, clothe our feet with your shoes. The shoes of the gospel.

Jesus, just like Paul heard a Macedonian call.

As a church, we right now say, we want to hear you leading us to different places in our cities.

We're supposed to go to the grocery store, but then God said, take a left.

There is this employee in the office who I have not talked before, but God said, write a card.

And then God began to speak to me and I wrote down everything that he said.

And I did not stop from doing it because I was afraid.

Because God said this, I send it. I gave it.

Because God said this, I send it. I gave it.

I was on the way to church. It was supposed to be at 10.30 and I saw something.

And because my life is given to the kingdom expanding and I am on the front line, I stopped.

And because God is asking me to move into a new place, not just for me, but for the church, we go two by two.

Where there are places where there is no one with us, it's just me. I know that the Spirit of God is always with me.

I rely on the fact that God said, anytime you're speaking to someone and you don't know how to respond, ask.

I'll put words on your mouth. I rely on that promise.

So Abba, we are ready. We want to do this with you.

You have brought us thus far for this cause.

And we will be a people who proclaim.

Abba, we are ready to make sure that we not just talk about the Gospel, but we live the Gospel every day Abba.

And we think of how this Gospel has changed us and is changing us.

That is the one thing that gives us the conviction to speak it.

The Gospel is not a thing that we take from the shelf and we articulate and we share with others.

This is the story that we live.

And because I live it, I have full conviction of it.

I see him every day and when they say, why do you know? How do you know?

How can be so sure? I say I know because I talked with him this morning.

And this is the lifestyle you're calling us to.

Because sonship is about my father's business.

And my father is in the business of rescuing others.

They may not know it, but I am here to tell them.

So we thank you Father.

As we go, we look at, I want us to look at our legs, our feet right now.

I want us to look at our feet.

Father, you are saying that you are putting new shoes, new shoes on our feet.

That make us prepared.

Someone said we are on a rock now and we are standing firm.

And now that as you are sending us, we go. We are ready.

We have new shoes Father.

We thank you for these new shoes.

Shoes of the Gospel of Proclamation.

And we carry this message.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I told you we will finish before one.