Your Story - 1 Timothy 1:12-17 - Gospel Church

RI versus you know you guys know we mark this date on our calendar every single year this week and because this is the weekend when all of our college students come back to the summer. Can we at all of our locations. Give it up for them to welcome them back and we're excited you guys are back particular Highpoint Anna Clifton Alyssa. We believe that college students are so vital to the local church and we understand that God has a plan and a purpose and destiny planned out for every single one of you guys and we want to be a church that helps you get there rights mercy. He'll never forget this.

We meet over 30% historically we have met over 30% of our sin outlines our missionaries. That's a big goal for us to send people out. We met over 30% of people to go out from this place we meet them on the college campus so I want you guys make sure that your praying for our college students prayer for residents as they are coming back this weekend and and listen.

We know with our college students. We want you guys understand that you know God is put you on campus for four years, not just to make a future income but to make a right now, impacts, and we will partner with you and that we want to help you get there, so there's a big weekend for that date other thing I want to quickly before we dive into the text for today, others a couple of these cards on your scene amassed every body in every location to physically get one out and put in your hands on talking about this for just a minute guys this fall we have coming up all through the month of September we have vision nights and every one of our campuses okay there only to be the same experience. So if you can do one that goes to your campus and you can jump in with another campus, but I just want talk about this for a minute because this is a huge deal in the life of our churches archers comes up on 10 years and we start casting vision for the next 10 years. This is a big event that I want every body that calls Mercy Hill home life you're thinking about calling her seal home with your college student, a high school student men met you in one of our adult ministries. If you even think about mercy shall be in home, you need to be at one of these vision I commentary about his vision. I this is not your grandmom's vision night okay this is I don't know what comes to your mind when you think of vision night to say whatever you just thought of an entity that is getting incredibly interactive creative experience that we are pouring tons of energy and been planning for months for you to come through is gonna walk up physically walk us through the last 10 years of ministry of what God is doing to prepare our hearts to take that next step into what he is going to ask of us the next time were to worship were to pray the house down on the preached. As hard as I know how to word and have agreed incredible time together and that the capstone of all of it is going to be that you guys are the next chapter in this story and we gotta put our yes on the table mate is God, the deepest desire of our heart and if he is, what is that mean for the next chapter at Mercy Hill solicited your community group leader of the week of that for you and your camp is not good that we writes let's take our group and let's move on to that. This is a really really big deal and let me say one more thing about our rights. Some of you guys might have been around Mercy Hill for so long now that you're like man amen.

I don't need to go to vision night like I get it meant him behind the vision of the church mental settle for what God might be asking of you.

You don't assume that we've already come to the limit of this is what it means for me to be in charge of this what it means for me to serve in this is what God wants to turn our stuff totally upside down and asked something totally new from you in this new season man. He wants to interact with you in a big way. These are to be a big event right so hope you'll grab these make sure that you're out one of those that corresponds to your campus. If you can't make that one man jump in on another. When I first Timothy chapter 1 okay.

Were we to be against the day were to be guy, jumping into the back half of first Timothy chapter 1 today. Over the next couple months.

If this is your first time you were to be doing. We did this last week we started a brand-new series of your new. It's a great time to be new. Start a new series started last week.

Part two today of this new series is just kind of furthering this theme of this idea that a healthy church evidences I heavenly father writes that is the idea.

If God is moving in the world that should be really evident in the church is to be evident in our lives. Because guess what, what is the church when the church is thus the church is the people I don't know if you're brand-new to this whole thing and new to all this Christianity know that Melissa got understand something the church is not a building or in a multisite modeling, Mercy Hill, the church is not entered couple buildings are few buildings okay.

The church is not a program.

The church is not an institution. The church is a movement of people who God is changing their lives by his spirits and they are on mission together and that's what a church is and the idea is that if God is interactive in the world. The proof is going to be in the putting that if you interact with the church you not understand something about God but don't misunderstand, here's what many of us do we do we save for the church to be this or the church should do that you should be that unison as they like for the church to do this know you should do that. Why because the church buildings. Now this is usually can't talk about it like it's just some, you know your organization diminish organizational elements understand that the guys had its heart. The church is the people the churches eyes. The church is God's spirit residing in people who have covenanted together under the leadership of elders who are growing into a spiritual house that are on mission together.

This is what a church is and so what I want to say is like man were to talk about what should the church be that starts with what are you do you have a store do you have a gospel story minutes spirit growing you.

If got interacting with you what you learned lately what what sensitivities is God bringing up by his Spirit in your life. That's what it's about today want to talk to about our gospel story because that's where Paul goes in this text. Here's the big idea. Our gospel story points to the overwhelming grace of God. If the proof is in the pudding. You interact with the church. You know something about God break that down one more level. All that means is when people interact with the individuals of the church or they interact with the families of the church. May they see something in their story delights them up and points them to heavenly father and that's what Paul begins to get into were to walk right through this text pretty much the whole sermon is to be walking through line by line. Here's let's go for starting in verse 12.

Here's what it says I think Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man.

I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and in unbelief the grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus guys last week we started talking about first Timothy chapter 1 where Paul says you need to guard the gospel well today. He said you need to celebrate the gospel today you say and hate I'm having a spirit of Paul is basically sound have a spiritual moment here, man can't think about what God is doing in my life and we need to guard the doctrine but the gospel is not just a set of truths or principles, is a life.

It is something that God is done with you personally told you guys before men, I grew up on old music okay@11 we did. Even some hymns today. Some you guys up on old music memo that break out the guitars at home. We do not saying my chains are gone. Amazing grace we sing amazing Grace amazing Grace.

Okay, the old school and maybe some of your from that and you remember this song your member the song blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine error salvation, purchase of God, born of the spirit, washed in his blood them and elicit all that is is a set of principles. All that is a set of truth claims, washed in his blood borne by his spirit, but it's never just that what's next phrase in the song. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Now that's what Paul is getting at when we get talk about the elements of the gospel an easy thing to do that here, but it's never disconnected from our story and our song. That's what Paul is doing many of we guard the gospel. We talked about that but now is talk about celebrating it by remembering what God has done in his old life and he starts in verse 12, by saying this. I think Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength that he consider me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. God appointed Paul to the apostolic ministry. He appointed him to ministry and that is something that is beyond what Paul can imagine his wildest dream should have been based on who he was born to get into that just a minute for the first thing that it says here is that Paul thanks God thanks Jesus Christ for strengthening him. Don't you understand, God doesn't just save he strengthens God saves us, and he strengthens us. Some of us today might need a strengthening because there is a trustworthy ministry that you need to step into keep putting off that conversation, you know you need to have with a parent or evil, or with a child man there is somebody in your workplace that you know you need to invite or begin to share your story with maybe there is a relationship? Our young people. Maybe there is a relationship that is anything but godly at what you keep thinking to yourself.

I just can't break up with them. Just you can actually you can know why because there is a God, he not only saved by his spirit. He strengthens this is what Isaiah 41 since that my kids have this little song that comes up in a place in my mind I hear this fear not for I am with you.

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God is there not only to save you, but he is there to strengthen you. Paul can't get over this whole thing. I'll make sure you understand the theme of today is just straight up gratitude.

I made the mark of a mature Christian life is tremendous gratitude, thinking about what God has done not only in saving me putting me in ministry giving me a purpose strengthening me the days of my life putting a spirit in me son never have to feel alone. This is what Paul and he can't get over this, click what he says in verse 13. Even though I was once a blasphemer in a prussic in a persecutor of violent man. I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

That's a little confusing. Real talk about it.

The grace of the Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Very simply, here you'll Paul is remembering who he wise and he is thanking God because he remembers man I was a blasphemer what it was that mean blasphemer means I was one who spoke things aloud about God were not true. That's what makes the blessings are simple. Okay he says when I was a persecutor of the church.

Some you guys might remember this in acts chapter 8, Paul was at best a thinking to maybe at worst presiding over the first martyr in the church and Stephen was stoned when Paul talks to King Agrippa and asked 26 he says, man. I was one who drag people out of their homes. I persecuted them to the point of making them blasphemer presumably that probably means some type of torture to get them to say something about God that actually isn't true.

I assented to their death. He said I gave my voice when they were being persecuted, even unto death that's who Paul was and that's who God snatched inside out. It's just amazing. And Paul's looking back was alive.

He's looking at who he was.

He just can't get over it guys. I think sometimes if we been raised in a church maybe were just like oh yeah, Paul persecutors and they got saved and started you know, churches, and was a minister's like well I think about this for just a minute.

One ways and I thought about this before settlement you guys remember shocking images about five or six years ago came out of 30 Coptic Christians from Ethiopia that were that were martyred and killed on the beaches of Libya Guzman with this by Isis.

These guys were standing there in black hoods and enemy the whole deal is very graphic in all of that.

Maybe you guys remember that many Christians mourned.

We seek justice we want. He will be brought to account all of that but one cry went up from the church of Jesus Christ in America and that was which one of these Isis members will be the modern-day Paul that puts the perspective doesn't that's what we need.

We need one of the that were praying that one of them would say a God would snatch them inside out and make them. Who wants persecuted the gospel become one who now spreads the gospel man is an immense amount of grace and mercy to Paul has received and he just about never gets over. Now this is interesting, a little bit only get into this. Okay, he actually says that there are two reasons why God was merciful to him and on the face of it, it's a little but I'll look what he said in verse 13, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and in unbelief and I want to tell you what I know this doesn't mean what I think it does mean okay what I know that it doesn't mean is that Paul was not guilty before God over sin. Just because there were things that he didn't understand that's not what it means. It doesn't mean that our guilt is absolved because we are ignorant or because we are in unbelief. How do I know that because if you were guilty you wouldn't need mercy is that you understand like we need mercy because we are sinners and what Paul is not saying is I was not guilty before God. But there is something else that he's getting into here. He's not saying, hate. I was given mercy just because I didn't know no heat, just because he didn't know he was still a sinner that needed the mercy and grace of God. Why do I say that I will make sure that we understand this point because there is a movement that says don't send people to the nations. Don't talk about the gospel because if people don't know their ignorant God could never notice that guy could never hold them account for their sin. If they didn't even know about Jesus. So why would we even said how to make sure that we understand something very clearly mercy till nobody goes to hell because they didn't hear the gospel they go to hell because they send and rebelled against what they knew creator of their creator, that's what Romans one says that that's why the task is so urgent for us because we look out at a world and we realize it is filled with sinners, but some of them don't know and yet they are still guilty before God because they have rebelled in the very little that they did understand, and a very little that they did know the task is incredibly urgent.

This wise is the heartbeat of mercy guilty around here to learn this meant for us. It's about sending capacity, not just seating capacity is why we love and I mention this to 30% horse that was being college students ecliptic and a high point that we love wild eyed college aged people who the world has not gotten its hooks in it. They are not convinced that the trinkets of the world are better than the nations yet, so I would love them so much I want to see them go out and had a chance to preach the probably hundred 50 of them this past week at our Wednesday night at a college launch. It was incredible. Many college students were there and what was so awesome about a man was there in the worship and watching them worship and I was just praying and as I was sitting there, God could this be the generation that finishes the task that takes the gospel to the last people group on earth doesn't know doesn't have it in their heart language. See we can buy into this. What I did know therefore know yet he didn't know he was ignorant he was in unbelief. He still needed mercy. He needed mercy and grace.

And it came to him and this is this is what we see no art so it I don't think it means your absolved okay. What I do think it means actually is that while while Paul listen, this is while Paul absolutely rejected Jesus Christ even reject the spirit of God when he came calling, and that there's a difference there are so because a nonsurgical life. Maybe you've heard of some of something called the unpardonable sin you've heard about before. Okay actually the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit is what the unpardonable sin is what is that mean we really see this what Jesus says in Matthew 12 therefore I tell you every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven. People but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven, and whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come.

Now the class member the question were asking is what is it mean that Paul says I was given mercy because I was in ignorance and unbelief. Here is why Paul was a persecutor of Jesus. That's what this says in Matthew 12 that he spoke against Jesus all the time but when the spirit of God, not Tim off of his horse and asked nothing on the road to Damascus when the spirit of God begin actually draw his heart.

He didn't resist. He didn't reject.

See that's the difference. Then there are people who the spirit of God calls you and says you are a sinner you need the grace of God, you need to come and fall down and submit and asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord, you need to do that. And people say no. I slammed the door. I'm not interested in. I'm knocking to do that. I fight against what the Spirit is calling me to do and when that happens I believe we have blaspheming the spirit we we have cut ourselves off from the very means by which we could be saved.

And of course that is unforgivable or unpardonable.

You say like this, the one who repeatedly rejects the testimony of the spirit about the gospel has committed the unpardonable sin, the spirit keeps drawing you keep slamming the door. What Paul is saying is meant I persecuted Jesus. But when the spirit actually began to draw my heart and I fell down in full submission and when he did mercy and grace flooded his life. What you say I was shown mercy. Verse 13 verse 14 the grace of our Lord was poured out upon me abundantly, along with the faith and the love that are in Christ Jesus. This is beautiful. All right, verse 13 he says I was shown mercy, you would ask if you want to literally translate that you need to say he was mercy okay or set one up your consent like this. He was be mercy okay. He was passable, I was shown mercy God poured out his mercy upon you, and resist, he poured out of my life.

But not only mercy but his grace came into my life as well.

He not only canceled my sin.

Deputy made me his son and he put what he said in verse 14. The very faith and love of Jesus was poured into me that I could begin to manifest it to others. It was mercy and it was grace that this is the gospel he's looking back and how can it be the God be merciful and gracious to meet you guys quick quick definition here.

You mercy is not getting what you deserve and grace is getting something that you didn't deserve and both of these things are true. The gospel, and also the store before we a lot of new people is the best way I know to think about it right our member when the eye when my daughter was probably about six years old. One day I was out working around our barn and also not hear my dog bark bark bark and I hear him yelp yelp yelled okay and I go by to run behind the barn and he's got blood all over his face and all this I looked down the massive snapping turtle like this. Okay. And the snapping turtle is right there, man. He's just bit my dog and the dogs no bleeding ministers. This while St. my daughter six years old. She hears all the stuff going on probably six regular younger grace he hears all this going on, and Chicago. She comes running down the barn and and and she walks up she sees a dog. We know that she looks up at me and she says that what what you doing to because she saw me and I was walking over to the turtle and had a big stick in one hand and machete and the other okay and and she says will daddy what you doing. I said listen no demon turtles coming up in my yard by my dog goes off okay. There's consequences repercussions, but I'm in a put this thing down. Make him real mad he bites a stick. I chop itself were done okay wrong thing to say to a six-year-old little girl I so I learn and she's Kyle. He's got a family he didn't mean it. As she was known as mercy was that he was an ignorant nonbelief. Okay, didn't know it at all.

This thing she's getting very rattled all the end of the story is this dude goes from getting what he deserves to now we've got them in this big bucket trashcan thing he's got literacies.

God cares how he's already but he tried to bite my hand off trying to get a millionaire now were on the four wheeler driving him down to the creek to put him in the water so he can reunite with his paternal family okay and I think about that story and also before I think about a story. For this reason because mercy is not getting what you deserve, and in my opinion he deserved what I was and give him okay I mercy is not getting grace is all of a sudden something else being poured out on top of that, and that's what Paul is getting into here he saying that my lie was be mercy and then end with this is not the distribution of the say this with some translations say I was over eight. His grace overflowed to me now was washed and overflowing grace after I had been be mercy man polishes. Looking back, you have a spiritual moment, look at what God has done in my life. This is what the gospel is God gives us his mercy men in our sin we deserve across we deserve death we deserve hell. But Jesus Christ came and took those things on our behalf. The sinless son of God hundred percent man hundred percent God steps in our shoes goes to the cross is crucified in our place and with his death.

He has died the death that we deserve the wrath of God is poured out upon him. That's mercy, but it doesn't end there.

It's not just all the sudden were at a net zero sin cancel okay. It's like three days later he comes bursting forth from the grave. This is why you put your faith in the adjoining a new humanity. Why don't you rejoin the family of God. UBS not just a no sinner but a son and a daughter and you come in the family spirit of God comes in you and all of the blessings that come with being in the family are going to overflow into your life. It's mercy and grace.

Verse 15 here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display the immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King internal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen Ghazi verse 15 here is a trustworthy saying, deserving of full acceptance Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of who I am the worst. Many commentators believe that's actually a creed from the very earliest Christians are brothers and sisters 2000 years ago by the mid-first century were already saying things like that to each other in creedal form so that they would remember Jesus had nine words in English you ever want to know what Jesus came to do this is what he came to do. He came to save sinners, but Paul said I am the worst that how can anybody know that I think about this for a minute right now I'm leaving. I am the worst because I hate any competition, but I went okay on the worst right and anything going on and I read an article this week about the 25 most terrible people in all of history.

I'm talking about Ivan the Terrible glad the impeller they'll have these terrible names okay and it's like, okay, you tell me is Paul at the front of that list. Is that what he's trying to get. I think we try to get out is way deeper than that. I think we trying to get at is that every single believer should have this attitude is the worst sinner you know me, that's it.

That's maturity in the Christian life and it's not a depressing day to submit a lot of self-esteem, advocates they hate this part of the gospel.

They just don't understand it. Understanding the wickedness and depravity of the human heart. Actually knowing who we are, it does a lot for us when we realize that it's met with grace and God's grace is changing us and is making us in the sunlight. Now, not who I once was.

I'm not who I once was in God's sight, but I'm also just not who I once was in practice because he's moving me by his spirit and in sanctification. This is I think what Paul is trying to get us to see this idea like man was the worst sinner you know the mature Christians like Manus me you can click test your name tells about his faith is legit. He is asking are you a Christian if their responses something like this.

My Christian life is just me something like that. Of course I'm a Christian.

I watched okay but what it what if their responses more like this here. You Christian and is like man.

Can you believe it's can you believe the life can you believe the guy would save me after things of them a life. Things left all things of him to my heart, it will have toward other lustful thought me.

Can you believe it.

God sees all.

I just am overwhelmed meant that's the spirit right… The heart of it, and I think that's what Paul is trying to get out here willingly check you on this okay because I had to sit in this this week.

Just look when you're reading this, are you like well I never really persecuted the church and pointed out that you know is actually your heart is saying they met in Arkansas; I looked around him. I did not as bad as always.

Other people you know I mean I seem on social media. Other scandalous photos there put on social media then recycle okay I'm a good person right is that is not your I mean is that where your heart goes or is your heart, go to like no that God sees every secret thought ever had that he understands the web. Idolize other people's opinions. He understands the sexual sin that is wrapped up not just my life and maybe my mind that he understands the things that I've walked in, the things I said that they thought about people that I say I love like he understands a lot about or that were my goes right now I am the worst.

I am the chief but God is met me with his grace. I hope that he's waking us up for what he is done for us because man when we only start to understand what he's done by seeing our actual mania if we don't if we go cheap on the depravity.

We also in the pretty cheap on the grace you understand what it might have. But if we are like normal looking right in the face and understand who I am and and see the God saw all that from the foundation of the world that he chose me anyway and he sent his son for me anyway right what it says, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King internal, immortal, invisible, and he only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. The imposter coffee Northeast talk about this this week if visible is a bit of an odd text when you say why did God show mercy, but he gives two reasons. The first reason Artie talked about the mercy was able to float a pause live, because he didn't blaspheme the Holy Spirit. When God called him, he answered, and you don't know Ghazi McCoy tomorrow call you today but if he calls you answer this the second thing though is. Here's what he says that he might display his immense patience.

God save Depaul in dramatic fashion so that you and I for 2000 years would be able to save say this if God can St. Paul a persecutor of the church and make him a spreader of the gospel. If he could take a guy like that and have him write have the New Testament. I think he's got enough grace for me that he could do something to my life. When a person in my life that I think is so far away. They could never only keep praying for them, because God can do it and that's what I think were supposed to see here if it leads us to praise to God to do it for Paul. He's done for us and we begin to praise your God's patience leads to our praise right you think about it like this is mercy leads our worship is his grace that leads to our gratitude, we begin to think about what God has done in light of who we are. Our heart begins to swell and maturity in the Christian life is going, layer by layer.

It's understanding exactly how much depravity the grace of God has covered when he is put the robes of Christ on us in the robes of righteousness. We begin to see how big of a sinner.

We are but it's always reflected in how big of a God we serve right because mom and the Chronicles of Narnia at listen every time.

Okay when when Lucy gets back in the Narnia after she's been gone for a while. What is she safe. She said listen, she says, Aslan, you look bigger. He says no child, you're just older that was at me as you mature, I get bigger and bigger and bigger and that's with the best idea for us as we mature in the Christian life is not like all my sin becomes really small. God's grace becomes really small.

I understand who I am and I start having more moments like this, like Apollo's habit in first Timothy one. I can't believe God would save me. I can't believe he would use me, but he does because he is that big and we overwhelmed and we overflow we overflow with praise to him failures or application of this we can arrive give glory to God over your gospel story.

No, there's not want to leave the rest of our time. Okay we have two things in your seats. I know we would we do some of that sometimes. But now I want to grab this now. Okay this this is a little a little card to fill this out right now together. I will use it to frame up the back that the last few minutes of the sermon and certainly give it give it to you guys as something of an application for this week, take my gospel story. Did you see then you can figure out when were looking at first Timothy did the really but three elements to a gospel story.

It's who I was before I met Christ. What Jesus did and who I am now. I doubt that's it. That's, Paul gets into minerals a blessing as a persecutor overflow with mercy and grace.

And now we strengthening to be part of the ministry minutes in interest in a beautiful thing. That's what every Christian has a story that is like that is what I want to do is, push on this story a little bit and call you guys meant fill it out. Remember your story sometime this week and working to share who will share with our kids will surely was somebody in the community be pushed in that way had the story is very simple.

It starts like this.

This is who I was before I became a Christian who were you before Christ. Maybe it's something crazy maybe is struggling with alcohol. Maybe as biker gangs. I don't know but maybe is not met, and I think some Christians because of this elemental house and crazy story like that don't you understand the sensational part is not how you acted when you were dead that God made you alive. Okay, so I don't know what it was like maybe there's a lot of her. Maybe it was broken relate maybe on a carousel, a broken relationship should looking for God's love and endless, carousel of relationship after relationship.

Maybe you were just a kid menu to menu him another story house.

A very young and I pray that for many kids here. We used to say we want kids that drove a nice boring testimony will send more okay but but the idea behind that was the idea behind that was okay then I'll have to go out to be a biker gang member to express the grace of God for every one of us. We want more kids to realize that they need a Savior very early in life, so the guy they can walk with him all the days of their life and I don't what was your life like before Christ. Secondly, the second block because he right here in the middle man. What Jesus did for me. What did he do who share the gospel with you.

Was it apparently was a friend was a somebody college to college students was somebody in a in a D group or family group for Mercy Hill maybe was even this very week. We had a bunch you guys indicate that you want to walk forward in baptism, maybe except the price is very weak. You know what what was it like when the mercy and grace flowed into your life to God you some kind of tragedy to wake you up and open your heart, what was that like surly and finally, what is God doing in your life right now. If you're a believer you have been spiritually gifted your passions and talents, those things being put to play in the real world and outside the walls the church inside the walls in charge and how are you walking around is asserted on the front line on the sideline. Jesus did not increase spectators okay.great servants, and what is that look like in your life. How are things that you handle now and different than what you handled them.

Then, without the spirit inside of you for letting all of that that goes into that third block of what looks like for you to do this now as I wanted to give you what you gotta take this far you can take multiple there's empty seats or other maybe some a lot rabbits want, usually or family or whatever but the idea is man take this and share his more challenges to do. I guess whatever is always over this last weekend was the highest attendance of kids combined with students that we've ever had in the history of mercy and love.

The song we sang the first song we sale faith and every generation right. We want to declare what I know is we got a lot of parents we a lot of territory known.

Do your kids know your testimony you never heard you talk just a five-minute maintenance as well as what happened college what minnows want and whatever one does with allies like now do they know your story okay, let's share your story with them was make sure it's filled with immense amount of gratitude.

Customer gratitude is the dominant theme in a true testimony right they were thankful within the second thing on the charger believed believers in the room to do is hate. Who else can you share this with who's at the gym, who's a coworker who somebody else needs to hear your gospel story. And if you don't have a body comes to mind man let's pray this week. God give me an opportunity that is a prayer that God will answer them, telling you he will put someone in your path. Pray for that now little bit of time here. Here's how I close okay so only really real for a minute especially overcame here at all.

Everybody telling everyone listen in a church like Mercy Hill. The truth is there are probably dozens if not hundreds if I had to guess, I'd say it's in the hundreds of people that when you go to fill this out. You're not exactly can I have a story to write here what Jesus did, because the story something like this on Charlie good person and I went to church. I was young, but man, this idea of like we talked about like in the spirit confronting you and drawing you and submitting to him and put your faith in him and mercy and grace. Cascading your life and the shame and guilt are passed since falling away. The truth is, maybe you're sitting here today and are like manna I don't have that part of my story will you know we need to do. We need to pray to receive Christ today, and not be what you write down this week. You just go ahead and mail that down today and not be the part of this story were Jesus met you and then you know what you go public on October 6 the ninth were really baptizing again at Mercy Hill and I'm praying there will be dozens if not hundreds of people that come forward and say man that was the weekend that I nailed it down and hearing Paul's story who I was what happened who I am after.

I realize there's a gaping hole here and I don't know when Jesus changed my life.

I don't know what that was.

I don't know that we resorting to giving opportunity responds here today. Alright, so today if you like you would in Arkansas as well make you closer your books about vascular value has a close your eyes for just a minute, give everybody all archers. All of our campuses this week an opportunity to respond minute, you will respond to the gospel and have a story to write down when someone asks you what your testimony will.

Here's what Jesus did, push you to pray this prayer with me today. Believers in the room be pram believers or cams be praying that we refrain over this some thought about them and I just feel like there's dozens of people right now they need to pray with me by it. If you want accept Christ and accept that grace and mercy then you pray this prayer line with the gospel from the book of Romans, you just repeat this in your heart after me. Father, I know that I'm a sinner. I know that I'm separated from you, but I believe that Jesus Christ lived the life that I didn't live and died the death that I deserved. I believe you've given me mercy canceled my sin, but also you have been gracious to me and given me the opportunity to come into your family, a son or daughter, and I receive you, receive you as the Lord of my life. Father I pray right now as we close God and those who pray this prayer with us this weekend. All of our campuses got pray they would take the next low they were. Write down their story that was sick to go public in October but I pray that we will release thousands from these services this weekend of missionaries all over the Triad to go out to be faithful to share the good news of what you have done for them in Christ name we pray. Amen