Worshipping Jesus, Living His Mission.

Steve Gentry

[0:03] Welcome to Village Church. [0:05] My name is Steve. [0:05] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:08] This is your first time here. [0:09] I am thankful and grateful to see you this morning and I welcome you to our new facility. [0:15] This is the first time that we have gathered here corporately on a Sunday morning as a

[0:20] church and I just want to welcome you to the new home where we will corporately gather [0:25] every single week. [0:27] This is where we will come. [0:28] This is where we will celebrate all that God has done for us, his church, through Jesus Christ. [0:36] And I also want you to understand that this will be where you will be sent out of as [0:40] the church to gather together as groups during the week to also live the mission of Jesus

[0:47] every single week. [0:49] But I want you to know that what we will do here as a church is of great significance [0:56] in our lives. [0:58] God will use it to grow us as his disciples. [1:02] He will use it to change our lives inwardly as well as outwardly as we gather to hear [1:10] the good news of Jesus Christ, as we gather to sing praises to the God who has redeemed

[1:15] us as his people, as we gather then to be sent out to live a mission as a church that [1:22] is scattered throughout this area throughout the week that we are doing that in celebration [1:28] of what God has done. [1:31] So my hope this morning is to be able to cast a vision that starts very large this morning. [1:39] Just saying who is the church of Jesus Christ and what does it mean to be part of the church [1:45] of Jesus Christ?

[1:47] And then as we scatter and as we live that we come under the identity not of just individuals [1:55] living a separated disjointed mission day in day out, week in week out, but rather that [2:03] we would see ourselves as God sees us as his people that he has gathered together to be [2:13] his church. [2:15] I want you to understand this morning that the will of God for your life, no matter [2:22] what’s going on, no matter what your background is, no matter what your dreams are, no matter

[2:27] what your goals are, God does have a will for your life, for each of you. [2:34] And his will is not shrouded in mystery. [2:38] But instead it has been revealed that you are to follow Jesus in a life filled with [2:46] the mission of growing his church. [2:49] And this is only made practically relevant and applicable to your life through the local [2:56] church of which Village Church is one.

[2:59] Therefore God desires for you to develop a personal vision for worshiping Jesus by living [3:07] his mission in the life of Village Church. [3:11] And if you’re here this morning, understand that I’m going to assume that that’s you [3:16] because you’ve gathered with us, even if this is your first week. [3:20] I’m not the Holy Spirit, but I’m assuming he just wants you here because you’re here [3:25] and he wants you to keep coming and he wants you to keep growing and he wants you to follow

[3:29] Jesus into a spectacular mission that maybe you have never once in your life thought that [3:36] God could do anything through you. [3:38] Maybe you’ve never thought that you were worthy of being used by God. [3:42] Maybe you thought that you didn’t have any talents and abilities that God could use. [3:46] But I want you to understand that no matter who you are, and no matter what you think [3:51] about yourself, God does have a plan for your life.

[3:57] And God has seen you as one that while you were in sin against him, he wanted to pour [4:02] his love on you. [4:04] And he’s proven that through what Jesus has done for you. [4:08] But more than that, once you come into faith in Jesus Christ, Jesus promised us that the [4:13] Holy Spirit of God would indwell each and every one of us to live for a specific purpose. [4:21] And so this morning I want us to look in the book of Ephesians and to see that the purpose

[4:25] that God has for us is that we worship Jesus and we live his mission. [4:32] His mission has a goal in our lives. [4:34] So look in Ephesians chapter 3 starting in verse 7.

[4:40] The apostle Paul writes, he says, of this gospel I was made a minister according to [4:45] the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [4:50] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given. [4:58] To preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to bring to light for [5:05] everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. [5:15] So that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers

[5:22] and authorities in the heavenly places. [5:24] This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [5:32] in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. [5:41] Pray with me. [5:42] Our Father, Lord there is so much about you that we possibly think is shrouded in mystery [5:54] that we can’t understand.

[5:56] And while we know we are limited, Lord help us to understand that through our faith all [6:04] the mysteries of your secret plans in this world and all of the mysteries of the secret [6:08] plans that you have for our lives and the lives of others have been fully revealed [6:14] in your son Jesus. [6:18] And may we as your people this morning, may we catch a vision of what you could do specifically [6:26] through us as a local church of Jesus Christ.

[6:33] And may you have all the glory in the name of Jesus I pray. [6:37] Amen. [6:38] I want you to understand this morning that number one, the gospel makes worshippers of [6:44] Jesus Christ who make worshippers of Jesus Christ. [6:50] When Paul begins in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 7, he makes the statement of this gospel and [6:55] what he’s doing there is he’s reminding you of all that he has said thus far about what

[7:01] he’s doing, about what’s being revealed. [7:03] And in Ephesians chapters 1 and 2, he unfolds this amazing praise to God for all that he [7:10] has done, specifically that nothing that had happened in this world at that point [7:15] and nothing that has happened even to this point was ever a mystery to God. [7:20] Nothing ever took him by surprise because the book of Ephesians tells us that before [7:24] God ever created the world, before he spoke anything into existence, he had a plan for

[7:30] all time, for all ages, and it was to redeem for himself a people through the work of [7:37] God the Son Jesus Christ. [7:39] And that even our sin did not take him by surprise, but he always had a plan. [7:45] He always had a purpose through which he would bring himself glory, through even that which [7:49] we do in rebellion against him. [7:51] And when Jesus came to this earth, he came for the purpose of living a perfect life that

[7:57] you cannot live, and dying a substitutionary death that you deserve. [8:03] And when he went to the cross of Calvary, he took your sin, all that you’ve done in [8:08] disobedience to God. [8:10] And if you’re anything like me, there’s much that’s been done in disobedience to God. [8:15] And he took all of the pain, all of the penalty that you and I deserve for our sin onto himself, [8:22] and the one who did not deserve to die, died for you.

[8:29] So that you could have a reconciled relationship with God. [8:34] So that your life could be changed. [8:36] So that you could stand before God with no guilt. [8:40] But instead, when you stand before God, you can praise him with all that you are. [8:45] And you can do it unashamed, transparent. [8:49] Because even though you know that God knows all that’s happening within you, all that

[8:55] you’ve thought, all that you’ve done, all of the motives that you’ve had that were [9:00] improper, all of the things that you’ve done to hurt other people, you can stand before [9:05] God unashamed, not because you’re unashamed of your sin, but because you know the price [9:09] for that sin has already been paid. [9:13] And Jesus suffered and died for all of those sins. [9:18] And so Paul is saying, of this gospel, the one that will give me eternity with God forever

[9:27] in heaven evermore. [9:30] He says, of this gospel, I have been made a minister to take it to others.

[9:42] Paul is saying that what this gospel’s done to me is it has welled up this red hot worship [9:49] where my gratitude can go nowhere but to God. [9:54] He says, I want to live that way. [9:56] I want to face him. [9:57] I don’t want to turn away. [9:58] I want to go towards him.

[9:59] I don’t want to go away from him. [10:02] And I want to worship. [10:04] But note what he says in the text is the outcome of that worship. [10:12] He says, it’s been given to me by the working of his power, though I am the very least [10:18] of all saints. [10:19] You read the New Testament, you don’t get that vibe from Paul.

[10:23] You don’t get the vibe that this guy is second rate. [10:26] You don’t get the vibe that this guy, when he walked into a room, everybody didn’t look [10:30] his way. [10:32] You get the vibe that this was a man of influence in the church, and we know he was a man of [10:37] influence before he came to faith in Jesus Christ, because he was a religious ruler, [10:41] unparalleled in success.

[10:45] And so Paul here, he’s not writing that no one respects him. [10:51] He’s not writing in comparison of himself to others. [10:54] What he’s writing in is he’s saying that this causes me to understand who I am in comparison [11:01] to who God is. [11:02] I don’t deserve the best. [11:04] I deserve the worst.

[11:05] I am the very least when I put myself in comparison to who Jesus is.

[11:13] You see, many of our issues with worship, and many of our issues with helping others [11:18] to worship, is not that the gospel has a problem, it’s that we have a problem. [11:23] Is that we do not see ourselves the same way the apostle Paul saw himself. [11:28] We see ourselves as deserving honor. [11:31] We see ourselves as deserving respect. [11:34] We see ourselves as deserving glory from others.

[11:40] I think Paul sets us straight, because I look at the apostle Paul, I look at all that [11:44] he did for the church, I look at all that he sacrificed for the gospel, and I can’t [11:48] help but think this is a guy that’s way better than me.

[11:54] But even to this day in heaven, if you went to Paul and you said, Paul, how do you view [12:00] yourself and he would tell you I am the least of all the saints. [12:05] Because when you come face to face with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ in your [12:09] life, there’s no other response that’s warranted. [12:13] There’s no other way that you can view yourself. [12:17] Because Jesus is deserving of worship, and if you view yourself in any other way than

[12:22] that, then friend, you can’t worship Jesus because you’re in awe of yourself.

[12:28] How much time do you spend thinking about how much you deserve?

[12:34] How much time do you spend in thinking I deserve better than I’ve got?

[12:40] That didn’t exist in Paul’s vocabulary.

[12:45] Because he knew that he had gotten and gained things that he did not deserve because Jesus [12:49] is the only one that deserves anything.

[12:54] And that’s the only way that you can worship. [12:57] But that’s also the only way that you can help others worship.

[13:03] See, the apostle Paul continues there in chapter 3.

[13:10] He says that I have been given this mission as the least of all saints. [13:14] Grace has been given to me to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

[13:25] I love the terminology that Paul uses all throughout the book of Ephesians because it [13:29] seems like he’s on this little trip of worship where every once in a while he has to step [13:32] aside and use vocabulary that we don’t normally use to explain things that maybe he doesn’t [13:37] even fully know how to explain. [13:39] Because when he’s asked how much of the riches that you have in the gospel, I think he’s [13:42] looking for a word and the Holy Spirit just puts in his mind, oh, you’ll never get to

[13:47] the depth of the riches of the glory of God. [13:49] They are unsearchable.

[13:53] When you gaze into the glory of the gospel, you’ll never hit the bottom of the glory. [14:02] You’ll never reach the top of the glory. [14:05] You will just continue to live in the midst of a glorious gospel that is unsearchable. [14:11] The riches are so mighty. [14:13] The treasures are so glorious that the gospel is an unending beautification of your life [14:19] while you gaze at the beauty of Christ.

[14:21] I’m often asked, when can we move on from the gospel to something else to grow more? [14:27] There is nothing else.

[14:32] That’s why Paul specifically uses the term, it’s unsearchable what I’m preaching to the [14:37] Gentiles.

[14:43] But then note what he says. [14:45] He gives the reason that it’s unsearchable. [14:49] In verse 9, he says, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery [14:56] hidden for ages in God who created all things.

[15:02] He anticipates that someone may say, well, if your plan is to preach to the Gentiles, [15:07] what is my plan? [15:09] What do I do? [15:10] What’s the gospel going to do for me? [15:12] And to which Paul will respond again. [15:13] There is nothing else because he’s building the case that he’s been building all throughout

[15:17] the book of Ephesians. [15:19] In Ephesians chapter 1, here’s how the apostle Paul puts it, starting in verse 7. [15:24] Speaking of Jesus, he says that in Jesus, we have redemption through his blood. [15:29] The forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, similar language [15:33] to what he’s using here. [15:35] This is which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery

[15:42] of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the [15:48] fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven, and things on earth. [15:54] So Paul is saying, is there something that you need to know about God?

[16:00] Is there something that you are curious about where the will of God is concerned? [16:04] Is there something going on in your life where you’re crying out, why God?

[16:12] Paul says the mystery of all things has been revealed in the gospel.

[16:19] So the answer to everything is keep looking at the gospel. [16:24] Keep thinking about the gospel. [16:27] Keep gazing at the gospel. [16:29] And then finally, keep preaching the gospel. [16:35] Because a life of worshiping Jesus will take you from redeemed from your sin to redeeming [16:41] others from their sin.

[16:44] A life of worship will be proclaimed to others.

[16:51] Paul isn’t just staring.

[16:54] He isn’t just contemplating. [16:57] This is what we do in our lives sometimes.

[17:01] We say, man, I know I’ve got this mission to live. [17:03] I know I’ve got good news to give to others, that there is redemption in Jesus, but I [17:08] don’t think I’m ready. [17:11] I need to read a few more books. [17:13] I need to look at a few more blogs. [17:15] I need to listen to a couple of more podcasts.

[17:18] I’m going to need to get that new Hillsong album when it comes out. [17:21] That’s going to help me a little bit more. [17:23] I’m just not ready for those conversations.

[17:30] To which Paul would say, if the gospel was about you, then maybe that would be true. [17:38] But the gospel isn’t about you. [17:40] The gospel is about worshiping Jesus Christ. [17:44] Paul doesn’t just contemplate more and more. [17:47] Paul keeps going and Paul keeps preaching. [17:49] And that’s what Paul is saying is his worship here.

[17:52] God is worshiped by the triumph of his gospel moving forward in this world. [18:00] God wants more worshipers. [18:02] It’s what we were created for. [18:04] What the book of Romans says that we are redeemed towards. [18:09] And what Jesus says his mission is. [18:13] There’s a text that maybe most of you are familiar with, maybe some of you are not,

[18:17] but I want to remind you of it in Matthew 28. [18:20] Right before Jesus leaves this world, he looks to his disciples and he says, [18:24] all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. [18:29] That’s the unsearchable riches right there. [18:32] Why do you preach? [18:33] Because Jesus has authority.

[18:36] Why did you obey your parents? [18:39] Because they had authority.

[18:46] The unsearchable riches of Christ are that we are a people who believed we had authority over ourselves. [18:54] And then God comes in person to say, no, you don’t. [18:59] And instead of killing every single one of us, he went to the cross and died for our sins. [19:04] And then he rises again and he says, that’s my authority.

[19:09] There’s no greater riches than that.

[19:12] But then he says, what do you do because he’s got your authority? [19:16] He says, go. [19:18] Because I have authority, go and make disciples. [19:24] The imperative is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, [19:31] and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. [19:38] And behold, I’m with you always to the end of the age.

[19:40] You say, how would Jesus, how can I trust that you’ll be with me? [19:42] And Jesus would say, because I have all authority. [19:44] And I said I would.

[19:47] He would say, believe me. [19:49] Well, how do we know that you have all authority? [19:51] He rose from the dead.

[19:55] I’ll tell you something right now. [19:56] If you die and then get up three days later, I’m going to listen to what you have to say.

[20:03] I’m going to buy you a meal. [20:06] This is the kind of guy I want to hang out with. [20:09] And so the authority of Jesus is all wrapped up in this reality that this is someone that death cannot hold down. [20:17] He has resurrection power. [20:19] And so when he comes and he says, I’ve got all authority, most of the disciples were like, yep.

[20:28] And then he says, go and tell people.

[20:32] Because I want them. [20:36] I don’t want them to die apart from me. [20:38] I want them to have me. [20:39] I want them to experience this glory. [20:42] Jesus wants our worship. [20:44] And he also wants the worship of everyone else.

[20:47] When you worship, I mean, when you really worship God, you begin to consider how little life actually has to do with you and how much it has to do with God and others.

[20:58] When you worship, you want others to worship. [21:02] Because you want them to experience the greatness of the grace of Jesus. [21:08] And when worshipers are formed, they’re gathered.

[21:14] You see, friends, when Jesus is followed, churches are formed.

[21:22] Number two, this morning, understand that the gospel builds the church. [21:27] The gospel builds the church. [21:28] The gospel does one thing. [21:30] It’s very limited. [21:30] It builds the church.

[21:33] That’s what it does. [21:35] Whenever we try to dissect it and make it about a ton of things that it’s not, we lose the density of what the power of the gospel is that God wants to redeem for himself a people. [21:47] When you read through the Old Testament and through the New Testament, you must realize that something fascinating is going on, that God has a specific mission. [21:55] He continuously comes back to one thing. [21:57] He’s saying, I will redeem for myself a people.

[22:04] And the mystery of how he would do that is unveiled in Jesus Christ. [22:10] That he would redeem for himself a people to worship him forever and that Jesus unveils the plan of God to build for himself what is described as a church.

[22:23] Go back to verse nine.

[22:27] He wants to bring to light for everyone.

[22:31] What is the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things? [22:35] And so Paul is saying that Jesus, what is unveiled in chapter one, that Jesus reveals the mystery through the cross and the resurrection and through his command to go make disciples. [22:44] What this is going to do is is going to bring to light for everyone. [22:48] What is the mystery hidden by God for all ages, to all people, for all times from the one who created all that is. [22:59] And then note what he says in verse 10.

[23:02] He says, so that through what the church.

[23:08] The manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [23:17] There’s a few things I want you to see in verses nine and 10. [23:20] First, the centerpiece of the glory is always God who created all things. [23:26] That it never stops being about him. [23:28] It never starts being about you. [23:31] That it never goes into being about us.

[23:33] Even when we gather as the church. [23:35] It’s always about what he is doing. [23:39] Look at Ephesians chapter one again. [23:41] When he gets to the end, he explains more so the mystery that’s unveiled in verses 22 and 23. [23:47] When he says that God, the father, has put all things under his Jesus’s feet and given Jesus as head over all things to what? [23:56] The church, who’s his body.

[24:00] But then note what it says about the part that we play. [24:04] The fullness of him who fills all in all.

[24:11] He says the church is so integral to the mission of Jesus that you do not have one without the other. [24:18] That Jesus has chosen a plan in which he finds his fullness into what we do as we gather and live the mission as the church of Jesus Christ. [24:31] So it’s very true when you say you cannot have Jesus and not also have the church. [24:36] When you come to faith in Jesus, he puts you in his church and he wants you to build his church. [24:42] And you can’t do anything for the church universally if you’re not doing anything for it locally.

[24:50] You may be one of those that says I love the church universal.

[24:55] But I really don’t have anything to do with the church local. [24:57] Then you don’t love the church universal.

[25:01] My wife wouldn’t think I loved her very much if I just stopped coming home.

[25:09] Jesus doesn’t want your semantical, sentimental ideas about what loving him is. [25:15] Jesus wants you to love him the way that he said to love him. [25:18] And he wants you to live for him the way that he wants you to live for him. [25:21] And you are the one to submit to his plan. [25:24] He has no reason to submit to your plan.

[25:28] You didn’t get back up after you died. [25:32] He did.

[25:35] This is a really foolish argument to have. [25:38] Well why should I trust your plan, Jesus? [25:40] Because I rose from the dead. [25:43] Oh, okay. Well, I guess this argument’s over. [25:47] I’m telling you, when you argue with God, that’s always his trump card. [25:50] He just brings that one out of the gate. It’s a very short conversation.

[25:53] Why, God? Because I rose from the dead. [25:57] Oh, that again. [25:59] Well, this one went the same as the last one.

[26:04] But then he goes further. See, he gives us this huge concept in chapter one. [26:09] And then he fleshes it out a little bit more in chapter two about the church. [26:11] Look in verse 14 of Ephesians chapter two. [26:14] Here’s where he says it. He says, [26:15] For he himself, Jesus, is our peace, [26:18] who has made us both one, and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.

[26:24] See, what’s happening here is the Apostle Paul’s dealing with the fact that the Jews were convinced [26:29] that they were the ones that were God’s plan, and nobody else got to be a part of it but them. [26:33] And then the Apostle Paul’s explaining that Jesus came to break down the walls of hostility [26:38] between all peoples for all times and all things. [26:42] That there’s no longer one path for one person than another path for the other people [26:46] that we’re supposed to stay away from, but instead,

[26:49] Jesus wants to save people from everywhere. [26:51] Every background, every nationality, every ethnicity, every language, every race. [26:59] How’s he done this? [27:00] Will he abolish the law of commandments expressed in his ordinances, [27:03] that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace.

[27:11] And might reconcile us both to God, look at this, in one body. [27:17] Who’s that body in chapter one? It’s the church. [27:19] Through what? Through the gospel, through the cross. [27:23] Thereby killing the hostility. [27:26] Friend, there is no longer a Jew-Gentile divide.

[27:30] Friend, in the gospel, there’s no black-white divide. [27:33] Friend, in the gospel, there’s no poor-rich divide.

[27:39] Friend, the gospel has no borders. The gospel has no barriers. [27:43] Our identity is to be founded one thing, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. [27:47] And when that happens, we become one body, the church of Jesus Christ. [27:54] And that one body comes together for one mission. [27:59] The building of the church through the gospel of Jesus. [28:03] Friend, when we unite under the mission of Jesus, he is worshiped and glorified.

[28:08] And there is this, it’s such a wondrous unveiling, when he gets into chapter three, [28:12] he then goes out again, and he says that Jesus finds his fullness in his body, the church. [28:18] And then he breaks down the barriers so that we can go to anyone from any background [28:23] with anything going on in their lives, and say, Jesus desires to save you in full honesty.

[28:32] And then he backs up again in chapter three, verse ten, and he says that God is doing this great work [28:39] through his mission so that the church will be the manifold wisdom of God to who? [28:49] Not limited to the person sitting next to you. [28:53] He says that this mission is so profound that God’s manifold wisdom is being made known [29:00] to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [29:05] This is so astounding that the angels of heaven are gathered

[29:10] watching what’s going on in the church, and they’re screaming, glory to God.

[29:18] What an amazing plan.

[29:22] The demons of hell are looking, and they’re saying, we are defeated.

[29:28] The barriers are broken. [29:30] The walls are down. [29:34] People are being redeemed. God’s plan is prevailing. [29:38] That we are making known through the proclamation of the glory, [29:43] through the forming of the church, through discipling one another, [29:47] through gathering corporately to praise him and hear from his word.

[29:50] The angels of heaven gather and they say, look!

[29:56] Look at the glory.

[30:02] So when we minimize our part, [30:07] we say, what could God do through me?

[30:11] Friend, in the gospel of Jesus Christ, God can do so much through you that the angels are in all.

[30:21] We are making known to people. [30:26] We are making known to angels. [30:29] We are making known to demons. We are making known to Satan [30:34] that our God is not dead. He has won the victory. [30:40] And he’s building his people.

[30:47] Number three this morning, [30:49] understand, friend, that building the church [30:53] is how you participate in God’s eternal purpose.

[31:02] Building the church reveals [31:03] all that God desires to do. In verse 10, he says that through the church, [31:07] the manifold wisdom of God is made known. [31:12] He’s saying that everything that anyone needs to know about God [31:17] is being made known through the triumph of his gospel and the forming of his church.

[31:22] And then he goes on and he says, as a way of reminder, [31:28] oh, this was according to his eternal purpose. [31:32] In other words, this is no accident. [31:35] This is no happenstance. This is no audible. [31:41] God was not caught off guard and then said, I better come up with something new. [31:45] Israel blew it. They killed my son.

[31:49] Let’s try this church thing out.

[31:56] No. [31:58] Paul’s saying in verse 11, he’s saying when you see the [32:01] church triumphant, when you see grace going into [32:06] sinners lives, when you see a sinner relapse [32:11] and struggle in disobedience and then turn and say, God, forgive me once again. [32:16] Let the grace be known to me once again. Let repentance go further into my life once again.

[32:21] And the grace of Jesus Christ that forgives all sin past, all sin present, and all sin future [32:26] allows that person to continue to struggle, to continue in repentance. [32:31] What God is saying is, see, I told you I had it under control.

[32:38] And our response must be, oh, you are a smart God.

[32:50] I don’t know what’s going on up there.

[32:57] What you need to [32:58] grasp from what Paul is saying in the book of Ephesians here about the church of [33:02] Jesus Christ is that this is, the [33:06] church is the greatest thing in the history of the universe to be a part of. [33:14] Because it is what God has been working creation [33:18] towards since before he even created it.

[33:24] That this is what he wanted. This is what he’s been doing. [33:28] And this is what he will continue to do until Jesus Christ returns.

[33:35] So that we can see the face of the [33:38] one who died for us and the one who rose again and the one who will reign forever. [33:43] If you’re looking for your place in this world, understand [33:48] that the mystery of why you exist has been revealed.

[33:53] Some of you have been searching your entire life.

[33:58] Some of you have felt that maybe your life was an accident. [34:03] Maybe your life is meaningless. Maybe there really isn’t purpose [34:07] for you. Maybe you will never find what you were made for. [34:13] Friend, the eternal purpose of God right there is also the purpose [34:18] that you were created for.

[34:21] Everyone is seeking something that gives life meaning. Friend, it will only be found in Jesus.

[34:29] It can only be known in Jesus. [34:33] Everything else will ultimately fall apart. Everything else, as Jesus said, will rust. [34:38] Everything else will be corrupted.

[34:43] There’s no greater meaning because there is no other meaning that is eternal.

[34:49] See, it’s not just that the purpose of God for you is better [34:53] than a bunch of other purposes. So if you don’t want the best, you can settle for a second best purpose. [34:59] You can settle for a third best purpose. Or maybe you’ll just eat by [35:03] looking for purpose after purpose. No, it’s not that. It’s that this is the only purpose.

[35:10] Everything else will absolutely be found [35:13] to be meaningless because this is where your story is found. [35:17] This is where your purpose must come. This is where glory is. [35:21] It draws us in. And then the text continues and it says that we have boldness. [35:27] We have access. We have confidence. [35:30] Through what? It says that we have it through our faith in Jesus.

[35:43] It says that we have it through our faith in Jesus. [35:47] You just want the strength to make it through one more day.

[35:52] You just want the boldness to face your spouse.

[35:57] You want the boldness to face your kids. You want the boldness to face your loved ones, [36:02] your friends, your co-workers, your boss.

[36:06] You’re just looking for confidence. You’re looking for access because you want to feel apart. [36:13] You want to feel like something’s happening. [36:17] It’s not all just frivolous. It’s not all just delusional. [36:23] It’s not all just a waste of your time.

[36:29] For in faith in Jesus Christ will give you those things.

[36:33] But they will only last so much as you’re worshiping Jesus.

[36:40] See, because what we’re tempted to do is we’re tempted to say that [36:43] oh, he’s going to give me boldness. He’s going to give me access. He’s going to give me confidence. [36:47] And then I’m going to be able to do all these other things that I’ve always wanted to do so well. [36:50] I’m going to be able to be rich. I’m going to be able to be healthy. I’m going to be able to be pretty. [36:54] I’m going to be able to be handsome. You know, whatever you want, skinny, fat, strong, weak. [36:58] I don’t know which direction you want to go in, but we all want to go in one of those directions, do we not?

[37:05] And you want to look to Jesus and say, well, Jesus, make all my wildest dreams come true. [37:09] And Jesus says, I will not. Why not? Because you didn’t rise from the dead.

[37:17] You see, the whole point is the unsearchable riches of Jesus. [37:21] Not the unsearchable riches of you. Jesus wants to kill your dreams. [37:26] And give you better ones. Jesus wants to kill your dreams and give you the big dream of building his church, because it is a mission that is bigger than you. [37:39] You are not the center of it. Instead, God wants to draw you through the gospel of Jesus Christ into a bigger story that God is writing through a community in which we are made disciples, [37:53] in which we make other disciples. And God is worshiped as that church is built. [38:00] And barriers in our lives continue to come down so that we understand more of God through his word and give more of our lives over to him.

[38:12] In First Corinthians chapter four, verse one, Paul puts it this way.

[38:18] I think he’s jumping off of the idea of being the least of all the saints here. [38:25] When he says, this is how one should regard us as servants of Christ. [38:30] But note this, as stewards of the mysteries of God.

[38:40] There’s no bigger deal than that.

[38:45] Paul’s saying, those of us in the church of Jesus Christ, those of us who are following Jesus, those of us who are believers in him, [38:52] we have been made stewards of the message and the story that God has been planning and writing since before the foundations of the earth. [39:03] When we’re servants of Christ, when we’re following Jesus, God says, here’s the responsibility I want to give you. [39:09] And you might think to yourself, I don’t think I’m equipped for that type of deal. [39:13] And which Jesus would say, trust me, you are. How do I know? [39:17] Because in Matthew 20, he said, I will be with you always to the end of the age.

[39:22] Because it’s not about you.

[39:25] It’s not about how prepared you are. It’s not about how ill prepared you are. It’s not about how good you are. [39:30] It’s not about how bad you are. It’s about how great Jesus is.

[39:36] It’s not a mystery any longer, friends.

[39:41] You know the truth of Jesus. [39:44] And you must steward it as one who is responsible to take that message to others.

[39:53] You proclaim the gospel to build the church. [39:57] And you build the church by proclaiming the gospel. [40:01] God’s plan has always been to redeem for himself a people to show his glory. [40:09] Even the angels gather to worship because of what happens through the church.

[40:16] We’re just regular people who are redeemed by an amazing God. [40:24] The wonder is found in that such a great God would use a man such as I to steward his glory for others. [40:37] But that is exactly what God wants to do through you. [40:42] Friends, Village Church exists to worship God by helping as many people as possible [40:50] become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

[40:56] By seeking to do that, we seek to worship Jesus and live his mission.

[41:07] You were created to be part of that mission.

[41:17] Have you trusted Jesus?

[41:21] Have you trusted him to redeem you from your sin?

[41:27] Have you believed the truth of his gospel?

[41:32] Do you know him? [41:34] Because he wants to save you. [41:37] The fact that you are in this room right now tells me that he wants to save you.

[41:43] Christian, if you claim to know him, are you living his mission?

[41:51] Are you seeking to be used by God to build his church? [41:56] Because that is his vision. [41:59] It needs to become your vision. [42:02] God is doing something amazing here at Village Church.

[42:08] What part will you play?

[42:12] What part will you play in the story that God is writing through his people?

[42:19] As the band comes up, I want you to understand that every week here at Village Church, [42:26] if this is your first time here, we do something that might strike you as odd.

[42:32] We partake of what’s been called throughout the history of the church the Lord’s Supper. [42:38] It’s bread and it’s a cup of juice.

[42:43] Jesus, right before he went to the cross, he told us that when we eat the bread, [42:48] we’re reflecting on his body, which was broken on the cross for our sins. [42:53] When we drink the cup, we’re reflecting on his blood that was shed as he died to pay the price for our sins. [43:08] And when you eat and drink, you proclaim to all those gathered that you believe that Jesus died for your sins. [43:17] That you believe that he rose from the dead to save your life. [43:20] And you’re expressing that you want to follow him with your all.

[43:28] And so this morning, I invite all of you, if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, [43:35] to come either to the front or to the back. [43:39] Eat, drink, be filled with the truth of what the gospel has done. [43:46] And then when you walk out these doors, continue to celebrate all that God is doing in our midst.

[43:53] And do it so that others will know. [43:58] When you’re ready, come.