I am Pact (Impact part 3)

Good morning.

Please pray with me.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity for us to gather as a family and worship you.

We sing praises to you.

We encourage one another.

Thank you so much for blessing us and being with us today.

We pray through Christ, amen.

As we get started this morning, we'll sing a few songs together and worship God.

Precious cornerstone, sure foundation, you are faithful to the end.

We are waiting on you, jesus.

We believe you're all to us.

Precious cornerstone, sure foundation.

You, you're all to us.

Let the glory of your name be the passion of the church.

Let the righteousness of God be a holy flame that burns.

Let the saving love of Christ be the measure of our lives.

We believe you're all to us.

Only Son of God, sent from heaven Hope and mercy at the cross, you are everything.

You are everything.

You're the promise.

Jesus, you are all to us.

Let the glory of your name Be the passion of the church.

Let the righteousness of God be a holy flame that burns.

Let the saving love of Christ be the measure of our lives.

We believe you're all to us.

Let the glory of your name be the passion of the church.

Let the righteousness of God be a holy flame that burns.

Let the saving love of Christ be the measure of our lives.

We believe you're all to us.

You're all to us, you're all to us.

Yes, you are, you are.

You're all to us.

You're all to us, you're all to us, you are.

When this passing World is over, we will see you Face to face and forever to face and forever.

We will worship Jesus.

You are all to us, jesus.

You are all to us.

We praise thee, o God, for the son of thy love, for Jesus, who died and is now gone above.

Hallelujah thine the glory, hallelujah amen.

Hallelujah thine the glory, revive us again.

All glory and praise to the.

Lamb that was slain, who has borne all our sins and has cleansed every stain.

Alleluia thine the glory, hallelujah amen.

Hallelujah thine the glory.

Revive us again.

Revive us again.

Fill each heart with thy love.

May each soul be rekindled with fire from above.

Hallelujah thine the glory, hallelujah amen.

Hallelujah thine the glory, revive us again.

He formed my heart Before even time began.

My life was in His hand.

He knows my name.

He knows my every thought.

He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call.

I have a father.

He calls me his own.

He'll never leave me, no matter where I go.

He knows my every thought.

He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call.

He knows my name.

He knows my every thought.

He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call.

He hears me when I call.

Good morning.

Our scripture reading today comes from Matthew 28.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you and, be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Let's begin with the word of prayer.

God, we thank you for this day.

God, we thank you for an opportunity to come together as a family to praise and to worship you and to honor you in all the things that we do.

God, we're thankful for Jesus and his example and, god, we're thankful for the many examples throughout scripture that we get to read and be reminded of your love and the way that you work and operate.

And, god, I pray that we can take those things and be encouraged by them, and that it will lead us to the courage to go out into the world and make an impact for your kingdom in the world today.

God, thank you for each and everything you do for us, and it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

This morning, we're going to introduce the idea of an Easter egg.

How many of you know what an Easter egg is?

Okay, very good, right?

You're thinking of when the bunny comes and drops an Easter egg, right, and the kids go out and run and look for them and get the candy.

That is not the Easter egg that we're talking about this morning, and we might have just lost it.

It's back.

It's not the Easter egg we're talking about this morning.

An Easter egg in the movie business is a hidden detail or a reference in a movie that fans can look for.

Disney and Pixar is very good at hiding Easter eggs in all of their movies for you to discover, but it even happened before that the movie Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981.

Any of you big fans of that movie?

Okay, here we go.

There is an Easter egg in the Indiana Jones movie.

Back in 1981, they placed this, you see it, it's a Star Wars reference right there in Indiana Jones.

R2-d2 made an appearance in the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

In 1982, another classic movie came out and they called it ET.

How many of you remember ET, et falling home.

There's an Easter egg in ET.

Who's that guy?

Yoda.

That's not a Star Wars movie In passing.

You see Yoda and then Star Wars in return hello.

You see ET.

That's Yoda.

That's Yoda.

Star Wars returned the favor just a few years after that when they placed those fellows who do they look like ET?

You ever notice that?

Now, you know, have a great Sunday afternoon.

I know what you're all going to do.

You're going to go home and watch these movies.

Okay, 1982.

What's a good year for movies, apparently.

The movie Tron came out.

Anybody watch the original Tron?

Watched the original Tron.

Okay, this one's fun.

I like this one.

See the yellow guy there on the screen.

Pac-man, right there for you.

Okay.

And then Pixar.

They like to have fun with it, and a lot of the animation and design artists for Pixar attended the California Institute of Arts and their classroom was classroom A113.

And so if you watch a lot of Pixar movies, you'll see that A113 appears in many different Pixar movies.

See the license plate A113.

This one's really, really hard to see.

If we had bigger TVs you'd see it.

Here.

It is On the camera, the detail, what's it say?

Right there, it's real small A113, right there in the white letter.

It's really hard to see on that screen Mater's license plate A113.

This is up.

It's hard to see as well.

That room number is any guesses?

A113.

Solly, when he goes to college.

Guess what?

The room number is A113.

This is inside out.

Look at the graffiti there on the wall A113.

Coco this is on the album.

A113.

Upward, when the dispatcher gets a call, it says we have an A113.

Coco this is on the album A-113.

Upward, when the dispatcher gets a call, it says we have an A-113.

Bugs Life.

On the cereal box it says the A's not in the picture, but guess what?

It's right in front of it A-113.

They continue to continue and continue to add A113 into the movies and so that leads us to where we're going to be this morning.

All throughout this series, as we've been talking about the word impact, we've been looking at Matthew 28.

And Steeler did an excellent job reading that for us this morning.

But I want to dive deep into Matthew 28 for just a few minutes this morning.

It says Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey the commands I have given you and, be sure of this, I'm with you, always, until the end of the age.

This verse calls us right.

It calls us to go where To go?

Right, it calls us to go where To go?

Right, it calls us to go.

But it also it doesn't just say go, it says to make.

When you make something, it takes time and it takes effort.

Whenever you make something, it doesn't matter if you're making chocolate chip cookies or if you're making a school project for the science fair.

It's going to take time and it's going to take effort.

And so what Jesus is calling his disciples to do, he's saying to go.

But you're not just to go, but you're going to have to do some work.

You're called to make.

You're going to have to spend some time and energy making disciples.

We put time and effort into a lot of things our hobbies, our jobs, our families, our friends.

If it's important to us, we give it our time and our energy.

You could go through and you could make a pie chart of your life and figure out where you give your time and your energy.

It's the things that you care about.

And Jesus says one of the things that we should care about is making disciples.

But he reminds us and he tells us that it's not going to be easy.

It's going to take time and effort.

But he doesn't just leave us with that.

He says here you go, you're going to go and you're going to make and you're going to teach.

You're going to teach them what?

All of the commands that I have given you.

So Jesus says, okay, here's your task and I can give you this task, because just before this he says I have all authority.

So he tells us who he is I'm Jesus and I have all authority.

Here's your task, and I've already given you the material.

I've handed you the material of what you're supposed to do with this task.

You're going to go, teach them the commands that I've already given you the material.

I've handed you the material of what you're supposed to do with this task.

You're going to go teach them the commands that I've already given you.

And because that might not be enough, he ends it with and oh, by the way, you're going to have the task, you're going to have the materials and, by the way, I'm going to be your partner, I'm going to be with you, I'll be with you always.

He leaves them with that.

He says I got you Because sometimes we just need to know that we're not alone, right?

We just need to know that we're not alone.

So in the gospel we get that command right there.

We get, go and make disciples, teaching them.

And oh, by the way, I'll be with you always.

That's in Matthew 28.

That's what we'd consider the gospels.

Okay, we flip to.

This is the main idea I'm with you always.

We flip to Isaiah 41.

Isaiah 41 is in the Old Testament.

God is using the prophet Isaiah and he writes to them in Isaiah 41.

Isaiah 41 is in the Old Testament.

God is using the prophet Isaiah and he writes to them in Isaiah 41.10.

He says don't be afraid, for I am, let's try again.

I think we're sleepy.

Don't be afraid, for I am.

Don't be discouraged, for I will strengthen you, for I am in your power.

Don't be discouraged For I am in your power.

I will strengthen you and help you, and I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

And so he's writing to this group of people, the prophet's writing to him, and he says Don't be afraid.

Then we go to the New Testament, for I am with you.

That's the main point.

There we get to Acts, chapter 13.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

And this is verse 4, but we're going to get to that in just a second.

In Acts, chapter 13, saul gets his first call as a missionary.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

Now, he's been preaching, he's been teaching the gospel to those that he's around, but in Acts chapter 13 is the first time that we see God say Paul, here's your mission.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

And in Acts, chapter 13, verse 4, it says so Barnabas, barnabas.

Acts 13:4

So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by who?

Now, what's the Holy Spirit?

What's the Holy Spirit?

It's God, right.

It's a gift, right?

We've talked about that before.

The Holy Spirit is something that we're given.

We're told in Scripture that it lives within us.

Right, the Holy Spirit is with us.

So if we could summarize all of that.

We could say that the Holy Spirit means that God is with us, right?

Would you agree with me there that God is with us?

That's what the Holy Spirit is.

It's the Spirit that God gives us and it says that it's working in us.

And if you read in throughout Scripture, you find out that the Holy Spirit is working when you're not even working.

The Holy Spirit's working and he's connecting you to God when you don't feel like you're connected and he's intervening for you when you don't expect it.

And it's all of these different things of how the Holy Spirit is working in us.

But who called Barnabas and Saul to their first mission?

The Holy Spirit did.

It was the Holy Spirit.

So here's how this works.

He was sent by the Holy Spirit.

So we put this together.

When we look at the Old Testament, we find out that the Father sent and said I am with you.

Yeah, we're picking up on this.

The Father said and sent them and said there we go, thank you.

And then we read in the Gospel, in Matthew 28, in the Great Commission, the Son sent them and said and then we see that the Holy Spirit sent them and essentially is saying the Father, son, that the Holy Spirit sent them and essentially is saying the Father, son and Holy Spirit, the Father, son and Holy Spirit has called you to go out into the world and make disciples.

You see it in the Old Testament, you see it in the Gospel and you see it in the New Testament and New Church.

So isn't it something we should be doing?

Shows kind of the importance, right, all three, the big three.

The big three said it.

The big three said go, for I am with you.

So we're going to go back and kind of look at just a couple of these this morning.

What do I mean by that?

God's presence is a privilege.

What's a privilege?

Something that could be taken away?

Okay, what else?

What's a privilege?

It's an honor, something that you have that you didn't earn.

So is God's presence a privilege?

Yeah, Very good, it's a privilege.

You keep reading.

Let me see here.

No, okay, it's not up there.

1 Corinthians 3 says this.

It says for we are God's fellow workers, we are his fellow workers, which means this this is the way I interpret it we are God's fellow workers, that means we work with God, and that's basically what he's calling us in the Great Commission and all of those commands.

When he says go, he says work with me, just work with me.

And so I put this down and this is on your man.

I am out of order here.

Okay, here you go.

This is on your outline, right?

This is a blank.

Okay, think about this idea.

We work for a great king, but, more importantly, we work with a great king, and so it's not just that we work for God, but it's also that we get to come alongside God and work with him.

And so, if God is in our presence, that means we have a couple things.

What's it mean to you that God is in your presence?

I want you to think about that this morning.

What does that provide for you?

I want you to think about that this morning.

What does that provide for you If you hear and you're told and you feel, and maybe even experience it, that God is in your presence?

What's that mean for you?

Keep on keeping on Very good, I like that God's presence.

What's it mean for me?

Well, it means protection.

We're never out of his sight or out of his protection.

He's always with us, even when we don't feel like he's there.

He's there Because you know why he's there, because he said he was going to be there and he's a God that lives up to his word.

It means that there's power, his presence, there's power.

If I believe that God is with me, that means that God's power has a presence as well, that we can work in his great name, and God can do great things, and so the unthinkable can happen if it's part of God's plan, and so hopefully that gives us some courage to continue to go out into the world.

Hopefully that excites us as well, that God's power will be with us.

And thirdly, peace.

His presence reminds us that he's with us, and it should offer us peace.

Now we're to this stage of parenting.

Okay, we have three kids.

Two of them sleep in their own bed, one's in a crib, so she can't escape.

But we're to that point in their life where I think they plan it.

I think they have family meetings that they don't invite us to.

But I think once a a week they decide like, okay, you're going to get out of bed on Monday and I'll get out of bed on Wednesday, and then on Friday, jordy will scream at 2 am Like that's just.

I think they work together, because here's what happens the middle of the night, usually sleeping.

Our house isn't huge.

You can kind of hear every step in the house and so middle of the night, 2 am, you hear that's Jameson.

He's got heavy feet, he's got the heaviest feet, and so I can hear him.

Their room is on the opposite side of our house, or our room, our house and so you can just hear Jameson coming and then you can hear the door just slowly creak open and then you hear Dad.

Usually actually, they know, they know I don't have sympathy at night.

So they're Mom, I'm just like go back to your bed.

So usually Jameson will come in.

Mom, I had a bad dream.

So I have like a rule they get like five minutes.

You can stay in the bed for five minutes and just back to the room, Okay.

But Morgan caves sometimes.

Why do they run to our room?

They feel safe there, right, they feel protection.

Okay, so that's on Monday night.

So then on Wednesday night you hear Drew's fast, his feet move and he's not as slow with the door.

He just Dad, what buddy, there's a monster in my room.

No, Dad, what buddy, there's a monster in my room.

No, there's not.

Buddy, Will you go back with me?

He usually just wants.

He's weird Sometimes.

He just wants carried back to bed.

So it's like he leaves the room and comes in and says will you take me back to my bed?

Sure, buddy, so I'll roll out of bed and I'll pick Drew up and I'll carry Drew back to his bed.

And he's on the top bunk so there's no like good way of putting him up there.

So it's just kind of like a toss.

See you, buddy, he usually doesn't say anything.

There's not a lot of words, you just have to stand there by the bed for just a few seconds and all of a sudden, you just have to stand there by the bed for just a few seconds and all of a sudden he's back asleep.

Why is he able to go back to sleep?

Because he knows he's in the presence of his dad and he's okay.

That if there was something in his room, it's okay because dad's there.

Now, Jordi's not the same way, because she's in the crib and we have the monitor.

So usually it's just mama, mama, mama, mama.

But my point is this your kids, your grandchildren run to you because they know if they're in the presence of you they're okay.

And so it's this idea that God tells us that when you're in my presence there's protection, there's power and there's peace, and we've experienced that through all of these earthly things that we should be able to experience it in a spiritual way.

Does that make sense?

Hopefully, there, just a little bit.

He says I will be with you to protect you, to direct you and hopefully to comfort you as well.

So we go back to Isaiah 41.

We go back to Isaiah 41.

And it says don't be afraid, For I am yeah, there you go.

You got it.

That, don't be afraid.

Is it a command or a promise?

Raise your hand.

If you think it's a command, Okay, Raise your hand.

If you think it's a command, Okay, Raise your hand.

If you think it's a promise, Okay, Raise your hand.

If you think it's both, yeah, there you go, Okay.

Command to fear?

Not?

You read verses 2 and 4 of Isaiah 41.

It says who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time?

It is I, the Lord, the first and the last.

I alone am he, I am the God who rules.

Verse 8 and 9 says for I have chosen you and I will not throw you away.

So I'm the God, this is God.

I'm the God who chooses love and fear.

So therefore, do not be afraid.

Does that make sense?

Because you know who it is and who's speaking in that moment and all of the things that he's already done.

It is almost like a command, Because I'm God and because I'm good and because I've provided for you before, do not be afraid.

Does that make sense?

This is a command in that sense, but it also is a promise.

It also is a promise and there should be an E at the end of that, Because the Lord says don't be afraid, because why I'm with you.

So here's your command Don't be afraid.

But you can do it because of the promise that I'm going to be.

This side of the room is getting it Over here, I don't know if the sound's not on.

Don't be afraid, because I am.

I thought we were going to get done early today.

We get filled with fear, with worry, with anxiety.

Those are all things that come into our life.

Fear and anxiety, anxiety has a way of almost feeling like it controls you.

I don't know how many of you experienced anxiety before, but I think there's a promise here that he gives us as well.

He says I am with you.

Romans 8.31 says this if we can go to it, if God is for us, who can ever be against us?

We're much more prone to fear and discouragement when we are alone.

Much more prone to fear and discouragement when you're alone.

It's when you're alone that all those fears creep in.

Right?

Think about when you were a kid, and maybe you were home alone, right?

That's when all the weird sounds.

You started noticing all the weird sounds.

There are all the weird sounds that have been there your whole life.

When mom and dad's there, you don't notice them.

But the moment they walk out the room then the door starts creaking and you're like what in the world?

It's in those moments.

So God says in Isaiah he says remember me, I'm the God of all power and glory.

I am the one, I am your God and I am with you.

And then we read there in Romans 8, he says if God is for us, who then can be against us?

So God's strength and glory make him able to help us.

But it's his love that makes him say I will.

Then let's get to Acts, chapter 13.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

Yeah, we'll get to that in just a second.

Acts, chapter 13,.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

Verse 2 says one day, as these men were worshiping the Lord, fasting, the Holy Spirit said appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.

So, after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and then sent them on their way.

So Barnabas and Saul went, were sent out by the Holy Spirit.

So they're praying and fasting for an opportunity for God to work in their life.

They're praying and fasting for an opportunity for God to work in their life.

When they're praying and fasting for God to work in their life.

Guess what God does?

He works in their life.

He sends them out.

He says, Paul and Barnabas, now it's your turn to go.

And he tells us.

And Paul goes on to write in Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10, he says for we are God's masterpiece, he's created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he had planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10

So you were created for a purpose.

You were created for a job that God said just you can do.

That's a hard thing to think about, hard thing to understand and hard thing to really believe and trust that you were created just.

You were God's masterpiece, created for good things that he created long ago.

So this morning, know that there is a plan for your life.

Many of us may be walked in here this morning in different areas of life, questioning what we're doing, what our career is, where we're heading in life.

But I want you to know this morning that God has a plan for you.

He tells us that plan many different times, in the Old Testament, the New Testament, in the Gospel he says the plan is for you to go into the world and make disciples.

And you can do that because I'm going to be with you.

So this series has been called Impact.

You've seen this logo here, hopefully the last three weeks.

There's almost an Easter egg in this logo okay, we talked about Easter eggs there a few minutes ago.

So the I'm we've read many times over the last three weeks that I'm with you.

But it's also an I'm in a pact.

What's a pact?

It's a promise or an agreement, right, and you need two parties to come up with a pact, right, and that's what it is.

And so I'm in a pact with King Jesus you see the crown to make an impact in the world.

There's your Easter egg for the week Next week.

You get a sticker.

Literally, you're going to get a sticker next week.

And so there on your outline, as you finish your outline, there it's just the definition of a pact.

A pact is an agreement between two parties.

And then below that on your outline, is the agreement God says I'm in a pact with you to make an impact for the world, for the kingdom.

God's already signed it.

God's already signed his agreement that, yes, I will use you to make an impact on this world.

So the question this morning that you have to answer is are you willing to be a part of the agreement with God and be a part of his plan?

And so, yes, we're called to make an impact, but we've been given every tool that we need.

And then also, God says I'm going to be with you and everything and always, I'm with you.

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God said I'll be with you.

Okay, let's pray, God.

We thank you for this day.

God, we thank you for an opportunity to get together this morning, hopefully to be encouraged by your word, God, and be encouraged by your presence.

God, I pray that each and every person here this morning will know and understand your love and that they will experience your presence so that they can go out into the world and live a life full of peace and power and knowing that there is protection, and that they can go out into the world and make an impact for the kingdom.

God, I pray that each and every person here this morning is willing to step out on faith to work for you, and we're thankful for the many examples that we get to see throughout Scripture of people doing that and how you use just the ordinary person to do the unthinkable.

God, I pray that you would continue to do that today and in this world.

Thank you for Jesus, and it's in his name we pray, Amen.

Rock of ages, cleft for me.

Let me hide myself in thee.

Let the water and the blood from thy riven side which flowed, be of sin.

The double cure Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

Not the labor of my hands can fulfill the law's demands.

Could my zeal no respite know.

Could my tears forever flow.

All for sin could not atone, could not atone.

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring Simply to Thy cross.

I cling Naked.

Come to thee for dress, helpless, look to thee for grace.

Vile I to the fountain fly.

Wash me, savior, or I, the fountain fly.

Watch me save your I die.

How great the chasm that lay between us how high the mountain I could not climb.

In desperation I turned to heaven and spoke your name into the night.

Then through the darkness.

Your loving kindness tore through the shadows of my soul.

The work is finished.

The end is written.

Jesus Christ, my living hope could imagine so great a mercy.

What heart could fathom such boundless grace?

The God of ages stepped down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame.

The cross has spoken.

I am forgiven.

The King of kings calls me his own Beautiful Savior.

I'm yours forever.

Jesus Christ, my living hope.

Hallelujah, praise the one who set me free.

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.

You have broken every chain.

There's salvation in your name Jesus.

Christ, my living hope.

Hallelujah, praise the one who set me free.

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.

You have broken every chain.

There's salvation in your name, jesus.

Christ, my living hope.

Then came the morning that sealed the promise.

Your buried body began to breathe out of the silence.

The roaring lion declared the grave has no claim on me.

Then came the morning that sealed the promise.

Your buried body began to breathe Out of the silence.

The roaring lion declared the grave has no claim on me, Jesus yours is the victory.

Hallelujah praise the one who set me free.

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.

You have broken every chain.

There's salvation in your name, jesus Christ, my living hope.

Hallelujah praise the one who set me free.

Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.

You have broken every chain.

There's salvation in your name, jesus Christ, my living hope.

God, you are my living hope.

Amen, we are dismissed.

Have a good day.