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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - When God Moves (Part 2)

November 6, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - When God Moves (Part 2)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#HandofGod #PresenceofGod #Church #BodyofChrist #Culture #Change #Israel #JewishHistory #JewishTradition #PromisesofGod #Family #Faith #Dedication/Devotion #Fellowship #Community

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - When God Moves (Part 2) | November 6, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: you know, when i was a child i thought christmas
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  • Came every 4 years.
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  • Now i feel like it comes about every 4 weeks.
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  • Well, christmas is just around the corner.
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  • It's a season of tremendous opportunity for those of us who
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  • Are people of faith to remember what god has done for us and
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  • What we're inviting him into in the midst of this
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  • Holiday season.
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  • Well, we've created a tool, a resource, for you to lead with
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  • Your faith at christmas.
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  • It's a 25-day devotional along with some ideas about from
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  • Recipes to activities for your friends or your family.
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  • It's just a fun way so that you can shape your faith into
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  • The holiday.
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  • I think all of us have a desire to see christmas we have jesus
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  • In the midst of it a bit more.
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  • There's so many secular voices that speak and sometimes i think
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  • We feel powerless to do something other than put up
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  • A tree or hang some lights.
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  • Well, "lead with your faith at christmas" is a tool we created
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  • So you can share your faith with your family, with your friends,
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  • With coworkers.
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  • I think it'll make this christmas season truly a way to
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  • Honor the lord in your life.
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  • In fact, i'm quite confident it'll be a blessing to you.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen: it's quite fashionable, it's kind of chic in religious
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  • Christian circles right now, to say that the modern nation of
  • 00:01:16.725 --> 00:01:19.228
  • Israel has no connection with biblical israel, that they're
  • 00:01:19.228 --> 00:01:23.999
  • Completely different, completely separate.
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  • That the jewish people in the earth today, we have no way of
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  • Identifying them with the jewish people that we would know from
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  • The hebrew bible.
  • 00:01:32.341 --> 00:01:34.910
  • That what we have today is the church.
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  • And i mean, that's being espoused by some very powerful
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  • People, very--i don't believe it to be biblically accurate.
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  • It's not a new--or you should know it's not a new idea by any
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  • Stretch of the imagination.
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  • In fact, it's such an old one that it's answered in the book
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  • Of romans in romans chapters 9, 10, and 11.
  • 00:01:54.263 --> 00:01:58.167
  • It started way back in the first century and it's been repeated
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  • Throughout history.
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  • In fact, it's been used as the mantra oftentimes for the jewish
  • 00:02:03.805 --> 00:02:06.675
  • People who were being murdered and slaughtered at the hands of
  • 00:02:06.675 --> 00:02:09.178
  • People who call themselves christians.
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  • So i gave you two passages.
  • 00:02:12.247 --> 00:02:13.682
  • One is a quote from jesus, the other is from the apostle paul.
  • 00:02:13.682 --> 00:02:16.285
  • And romans 11 is paul, and he's talking to a group of gentiles,
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  • Non-jews, in the church in rome, who are reluctant to acknowledge
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  • The significance of the jews.
  • 00:02:24.493 --> 00:02:25.994
  • The church in rome began as a jewish initiative.
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  • The leaders in the church were jewish, the authoritative voices
  • 00:02:29.231 --> 00:02:31.900
  • In the church in rome were jewish.
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  • It started in the synagogues of rome.
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  • An emperor came along who expelled the jews.
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  • And when the jews were gone, the non-jews stepped into those
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  • Roles within the church, and a few years later, there was a
  • 00:02:43.111 --> 00:02:45.981
  • Change in leadership and the jews were invited back.
  • 00:02:45.981 --> 00:02:49.184
  • Big surprise, the people who stepped into those roles don't
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  • Welcome them.
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  • And so paul is addressing it in romans 11, and verse 17.
  • 00:02:54.690 --> 00:02:58.193
  • He's using an analogy of the olive tree, and he says that the
  • 00:02:58.193 --> 00:03:01.396
  • Jewish people were the olive tree, the people with the
  • 00:03:01.396 --> 00:03:04.166
  • Covenant of god, and he said, "if some of the branches have
  • 00:03:04.166 --> 00:03:06.535
  • Been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been
  • 00:03:06.535 --> 00:03:11.907
  • Grafted in among the others," so he's suggesting that the
  • 00:03:11.907 --> 00:03:14.176
  • Gentiles have been grafted in to the olive tree that was the
  • 00:03:14.176 --> 00:03:18.513
  • Covenant people of god, the jewish people.
  • 00:03:18.513 --> 00:03:21.550
  • "if you've been grafted in among the others and you now share in
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  • The nourishing sap from the olive root, don't boast over
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  • Those branches."
  • 00:03:28.724 --> 00:03:31.226
  • He said don't gloat that some were broken off, because the
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  • Nourishment you get comes from the root of the tree.
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  • You're not something new, you're not a unique planting, you're
  • 00:03:39.368 --> 00:03:43.305
  • Not a new story.
  • 00:03:43.305 --> 00:03:45.574
  • You have no story, you have no nourishment, you have no
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  • Covenants apart from the covenant that god made with
  • 00:03:49.444 --> 00:03:52.914
  • Abraham, isaac, and jacob.
  • 00:03:52.914 --> 00:03:55.284
  • "if you do, consider this: you don't support the root, but the
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  • Root supports you."
  • 00:03:59.054 --> 00:04:00.389
  • That's pretty plain language.
  • 00:04:00.389 --> 00:04:01.723
  • If you go back and read it in its larger context, you get the
  • 00:04:01.723 --> 00:04:03.959
  • Full description of the imagery.
  • 00:04:03.959 --> 00:04:06.762
  • But apart from the jewish people, we don't have a story.
  • 00:04:06.762 --> 00:04:14.069
  • In john chapter 4, jesus is speaking, and he said,
  • 00:04:14.069 --> 00:04:16.805
  • "salvation is of the jews."
  • 00:04:16.805 --> 00:04:21.109
  • So the gospel we have is something we received through
  • 00:04:21.109 --> 00:04:25.514
  • The jewish people.
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  • The church in the book of acts, when we first begin to call it
  • 00:04:28.016 --> 00:04:30.552
  • The church, is overwhelmingly jewish.
  • 00:04:30.552 --> 00:04:34.790
  • The first apostles, the first baptism service was conducted by
  • 00:04:34.790 --> 00:04:39.227
  • Jewish people, for jewish people.
  • 00:04:39.227 --> 00:04:40.962
  • The first thousands of people that were identified as
  • 00:04:40.962 --> 00:04:43.498
  • Followers of jesus that believed he was the messiah were
  • 00:04:43.498 --> 00:04:46.468
  • Overwhelmingly jewish.
  • 00:04:46.468 --> 00:04:51.206
  • I mean, you really have to have a profound reluctance to embrace
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  • The story of scripture, to say something that would discount
  • 00:04:55.210 --> 00:04:58.880
  • The jewish people and sweep them away from the story of god.
  • 00:04:58.880 --> 00:05:04.486
  • We are indebted to the jewish people.
  • 00:05:04.486 --> 00:05:06.154
  • It doesn't mean everything they do is right.
  • 00:05:06.154 --> 00:05:07.522
  • Doesn't mean everything that the nation of israel does
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  • Is appropriate.
  • 00:05:09.191 --> 00:05:10.992
  • Doesn't mean that their politicians are always godly,
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  • Any more than it means that ours are always godly.
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  • How many have agreed with every political decision that our
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  • Nation has made in the last decade?
  • 00:05:19.334 --> 00:05:21.870
  • Yeah, me either.
  • 00:05:21.870 --> 00:05:23.672
  • Doesn't mean that everything that happens in the land of
  • 00:05:23.672 --> 00:05:25.173
  • Israel is godly.
  • 00:05:25.173 --> 00:05:27.442
  • There's some horrifically ungodly laws.
  • 00:05:27.442 --> 00:05:29.344
  • In fact, the prophet said that god would regather the jewish
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  • People to the land he promised to them, and then he would begin
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  • To clean them up.
  • 00:05:36.752 --> 00:05:39.187
  • He freely acknowledged, i'm gonna gather them while their
  • 00:05:39.187 --> 00:05:41.823
  • Hearts are far from me.
  • 00:05:41.823 --> 00:05:43.825
  • Isn't that what he does with us in the church?
  • 00:05:43.825 --> 00:05:46.795
  • The spirit of god begins to call us in all of our brokenness, in
  • 00:05:46.795 --> 00:05:50.866
  • All of our ungodliness.
  • 00:05:50.866 --> 00:05:52.200
  • Even at the point of conversion we make a profession of faith,
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  • I don't believe any of us would like to assert that we were
  • 00:05:55.270 --> 00:05:58.874
  • Fully committed to holiness and godliness and righteousness
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  • And purity.
  • 00:06:01.977 --> 00:06:03.345
  • That entry into a relationship with god is the entry point
  • 00:06:03.345 --> 00:06:06.548
  • Through which we begin to be refined and cleaned up.
  • 00:06:06.548 --> 00:06:09.151
  • Does that sound right?
  • 00:06:09.151 --> 00:06:12.754
  • There's much to be done yet in the hearts and the lives of the
  • 00:06:12.754 --> 00:06:15.424
  • Jewish people, just as there's much to be done amongst those of
  • 00:06:15.424 --> 00:06:18.460
  • Us who call ourselves christians.
  • 00:06:18.460 --> 00:06:22.364
  • But none of that in any way diminishes the reality that
  • 00:06:22.364 --> 00:06:25.801
  • We're indebted to the jewish people.
  • 00:06:25.801 --> 00:06:27.335
  • Without them, we have no scripture, we would have no law,
  • 00:06:27.335 --> 00:06:30.872
  • We would know nothing of the character of god, we would have
  • 00:06:30.872 --> 00:06:33.241
  • No covenants, we would have no prophets, we would have
  • 00:06:33.241 --> 00:06:36.044
  • No messiah.
  • 00:06:36.044 --> 00:06:43.084
  • The third point we've made about shaping culture is a bit more
  • 00:06:43.084 --> 00:06:47.322
  • Close to home.
  • 00:06:47.322 --> 00:06:48.657
  • We've been talking about the power of hospitality.
  • 00:06:48.657 --> 00:06:51.560
  • In fact, i've suggested to you that we're gonna shape culture
  • 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:54.029
  • One household at a time.
  • 00:06:54.029 --> 00:06:56.097
  • The problem we face so often is we think, "well, i'm not
  • 00:06:56.097 --> 00:06:58.433
  • That significant.
  • 00:06:58.433 --> 00:06:59.801
  • I don't have a lot of influence.
  • 00:06:59.801 --> 00:07:01.136
  • I'm not a big influencer.
  • 00:07:01.136 --> 00:07:02.504
  • I don't have a huge following in the social media.
  • 00:07:02.504 --> 00:07:04.239
  • I don't have great resources.
  • 00:07:04.239 --> 00:07:05.574
  • There's not that many people that care about my opinion."
  • 00:07:05.574 --> 00:07:07.476
  • We roll out all of the reasons why my voice is small.
  • 00:07:07.476 --> 00:07:10.912
  • You sound like, a lot like gideon when he was being
  • 00:07:10.912 --> 00:07:14.082
  • Recruited: "if you're for us so much, why are we under so
  • 00:07:14.082 --> 00:07:18.687
  • Much pressure?
  • 00:07:18.687 --> 00:07:20.956
  • And why are you calling me a mighty man of valor?
  • 00:07:20.956 --> 00:07:23.492
  • I come from the weakest tribe and i'm from the weakest clan,
  • 00:07:23.492 --> 00:07:26.294
  • And in my clan, i come from the weakest family and in my family,
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  • I'm the runt of the litter."
  • 00:07:28.997 --> 00:07:32.434
  • Do you ever try to tell god he doesn't know what
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  • He's talking about?
  • 00:07:34.002 --> 00:07:35.337
  • That's what gideon did.
  • 00:07:35.337 --> 00:07:36.938
  • "no, no, you have tapped the wrong person."
  • 00:07:36.938 --> 00:07:38.773
  • It's what moses said when god recruited him at the burning
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  • Bush: "no, i'm not going back to pharaoh.
  • 00:07:40.909 --> 00:07:42.611
  • I tried that deliverance thing.
  • 00:07:42.611 --> 00:07:45.747
  • I lost everything.
  • 00:07:45.747 --> 00:07:47.082
  • I lost my place in the palace.
  • 00:07:47.082 --> 00:07:48.450
  • I'm a fugitive.
  • 00:07:48.450 --> 00:07:49.784
  • I lost everything.
  • 00:07:49.784 --> 00:07:51.686
  • I'm not going back."
  • 00:07:51.686 --> 00:07:54.089
  • And god still recruits from the most unlikely places, but i
  • 00:07:54.089 --> 00:07:57.926
  • Believe the transformation that we pray for will take place one
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  • Household at a time.
  • 00:08:00.996 --> 00:08:03.131
  • It starts in our home, the hardest place in the world to be
  • 00:08:03.131 --> 00:08:05.200
  • A christ follower is at home.
  • 00:08:05.200 --> 00:08:07.836
  • Because the same people that saw you kick the dog across the
  • 00:08:07.836 --> 00:08:10.238
  • Backyard will hear you say, "let's pray."
  • 00:08:10.238 --> 00:08:15.410
  • And they're gonna roll their eyes and they're gonna chuckle
  • 00:08:15.410 --> 00:08:20.282
  • And they'll think, 'i'll pray for the dog."
  • 00:08:20.282 --> 00:08:25.620
  • I have suggested and we're beginning to take some baby
  • 00:08:25.620 --> 00:08:29.391
  • Steps towards it, i hope it'll grow, that one time a week we
  • 00:08:29.391 --> 00:08:32.360
  • Gather as families for a meal around the table.
  • 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:36.464
  • And i don't mean your extended family, everybody with your last
  • 00:08:36.464 --> 00:08:39.134
  • Name in the three county area.
  • 00:08:39.134 --> 00:08:40.468
  • I just mean the people that live under your roof.
  • 00:08:40.468 --> 00:08:43.538
  • Once a week, a meal at the table with no devices.
  • 00:08:43.538 --> 00:08:48.710
  • What would you do?
  • 00:08:48.710 --> 00:08:50.946
  • Well, think of it as a weekly wellness check.
  • 00:08:50.946 --> 00:08:54.215
  • How are you?
  • 00:08:54.215 --> 00:08:57.018
  • How's it been since we were together last?
  • 00:08:57.018 --> 00:09:00.021
  • What you celebrate this week?
  • 00:09:00.021 --> 00:09:02.724
  • What did you weep about?
  • 00:09:02.724 --> 00:09:04.826
  • What are you afraid of in the week ahead?
  • 00:09:04.826 --> 00:09:07.395
  • What's the greatest challenge you've got?
  • 00:09:07.395 --> 00:09:10.365
  • There may even be an opportunity by the end of the meal that you
  • 00:09:10.365 --> 00:09:13.034
  • Close with a prayer for the things where you say thank you
  • 00:09:13.034 --> 00:09:16.605
  • For what's happened this week and you pray about the things
  • 00:09:16.605 --> 00:09:19.341
  • That you've identified that are in front of you.
  • 00:09:19.341 --> 00:09:22.944
  • I understand it takes effort.
  • 00:09:22.944 --> 00:09:24.279
  • You'll have to rearrange your schedules.
  • 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:26.915
  • You may have to override some coach.
  • 00:09:26.915 --> 00:09:31.419
  • And i understand depending on the ages of the people in your
  • 00:09:31.419 --> 00:09:33.955
  • Home, it may begin with eye rolls or if they're younger, it
  • 00:09:33.955 --> 00:09:36.391
  • May mean there's food being flung, thrown on the floor.
  • 00:09:36.391 --> 00:09:40.261
  • About week 2 or 3, i hope you've gotten a bit of a handle
  • 00:09:40.261 --> 00:09:42.697
  • On that.
  • 00:09:42.697 --> 00:09:48.036
  • Once a week at a table together as a family without devices.
  • 00:09:48.036 --> 00:09:55.310
  • I understand it will require effort.
  • 00:09:55.310 --> 00:09:58.380
  • But i believe it's worth it.
  • 00:09:58.380 --> 00:10:00.849
  • I don't know a more profound way to begin to invite god into
  • 00:10:00.849 --> 00:10:04.085
  • Our homes.
  • 00:10:04.085 --> 00:10:07.389
  • If your children are grown, you've got a bit of an empty
  • 00:10:07.389 --> 00:10:10.258
  • Nest, it's a wonderful opportunity to
  • 00:10:10.258 --> 00:10:12.027
  • Practice hospitality.
  • 00:10:12.027 --> 00:10:14.763
  • You invite somebody else.
  • 00:10:14.763 --> 00:10:18.299
  • You invite somebody in a similar age group that needs encouraged,
  • 00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:20.869
  • Maybe you invite somebody from a small group, maybe you invite a
  • 00:10:20.869 --> 00:10:23.038
  • Family that has smaller children and you serve them a meal.
  • 00:10:23.038 --> 00:10:26.508
  • And you pray for them.
  • 00:10:26.508 --> 00:10:29.277
  • One household at a time, once a week.
  • 00:10:29.277 --> 00:10:34.182
  • Radical stuff.
  • 00:10:34.182 --> 00:10:36.217
  • You say, "i don't know what that would do."
  • 00:10:36.217 --> 00:10:38.353
  • It would invite god in the midst of our homes.
  • 00:10:38.353 --> 00:10:40.388
  • Wouldn't that be a good thing?
  • 00:10:40.388 --> 00:10:42.624
  • It's transformational stuff.
  • 00:10:42.624 --> 00:10:45.160
  • In romans chapter 12 it says: "share with god's people who
  • 00:10:45.160 --> 00:10:48.463
  • Are in need.
  • 00:10:48.463 --> 00:10:49.831
  • Practice hospitality."
  • 00:10:49.831 --> 00:10:51.633
  • Why do you have to practice hospitality?
  • 00:10:51.633 --> 00:10:53.134
  • Because it's not intuitive.
  • 00:10:53.134 --> 00:10:54.903
  • You get better at it.
  • 00:10:54.903 --> 00:10:57.005
  • The most significant professions among us refer to what they do
  • 00:10:57.005 --> 00:11:00.575
  • As the practice of their profession.
  • 00:11:00.575 --> 00:11:04.312
  • The doctors amongst us will readily tell you
  • 00:11:04.312 --> 00:11:06.381
  • They're practicing.
  • 00:11:06.381 --> 00:11:07.716
  • That makes me uncomfortable.
  • 00:11:07.716 --> 00:11:10.018
  • The attorneys are practicing.
  • 00:11:10.018 --> 00:11:13.054
  • If it's your future they're practicing on, it'll make you
  • 00:11:13.054 --> 00:11:15.256
  • Uncomfortable too.
  • 00:11:15.256 --> 00:11:17.392
  • Imagine that major surgery and the doctor leans over, "i just
  • 00:11:17.392 --> 00:11:19.728
  • Want you to know i'm still practicing."
  • 00:11:19.728 --> 00:11:23.231
  • Why is it amongst the christians we act like we teach the
  • 00:11:23.231 --> 00:11:25.734
  • Master classes?
  • 00:11:25.734 --> 00:11:27.736
  • There's really nothing much left for us to learn.
  • 00:11:27.736 --> 00:11:30.739
  • No, folks, we're practicing our faith.
  • 00:11:30.739 --> 00:11:34.275
  • There's so much we don't know.
  • 00:11:34.275 --> 00:11:37.212
  • Now we'll sign up for the continuing ed and we're going to
  • 00:11:37.212 --> 00:11:39.380
  • Keep giving expression to it because the only way to get
  • 00:11:39.380 --> 00:11:41.349
  • Better is if you practice.
  • 00:11:41.349 --> 00:11:44.285
  • This is the quick group.
  • 00:11:44.285 --> 00:11:45.653
  • I knew i had the right ones.
  • 00:11:45.653 --> 00:11:47.856
  • Look at acts chapter 2. the church is just beginning.
  • 00:11:47.856 --> 00:11:50.492
  • The jesus people absent jesus.
  • 00:11:50.492 --> 00:11:52.293
  • Acts chapter 1, jesus went back to heaven.
  • 00:11:52.293 --> 00:11:54.496
  • Acts chapter 2, they're trying to figure this out in his
  • 00:11:54.496 --> 00:11:56.931
  • Absence, and it says: "they devoted themselves to the
  • 00:11:56.931 --> 00:11:59.667
  • Apostles' teaching and to the fellowship," not to fellowship,
  • 00:11:59.667 --> 00:12:04.172
  • To the fellowship, to the community of faith.
  • 00:12:04.172 --> 00:12:08.209
  • See, one of the big transition points here is making
  • 00:12:08.209 --> 00:12:10.812
  • A commitment to a community of faith.
  • 00:12:10.812 --> 00:12:13.148
  • You need like-minded people.
  • 00:12:13.148 --> 00:12:15.750
  • There was a season in my life i didn't like christians.
  • 00:12:15.750 --> 00:12:17.919
  • I didn't enjoy being with them.
  • 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:21.823
  • I pray that's never been true of you.
  • 00:12:21.823 --> 00:12:23.458
  • You know, it was a real revelation to me, because i
  • 00:12:23.458 --> 00:12:25.627
  • Thought the reason i didn't like christians is all the things i
  • 00:12:25.627 --> 00:12:28.029
  • Didn't like about christians.
  • 00:12:28.029 --> 00:12:30.799
  • And i came to the realization that the reason i didn't like
  • 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:33.334
  • Christians is there was so little of jesus in me.
  • 00:12:33.334 --> 00:12:37.238
  • I was more comfortable with the ungodly people because there was
  • 00:12:37.238 --> 00:12:39.440
  • A whole lot of ungodly in me.
  • 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:43.044
  • I didn't value people that talked about godly things.
  • 00:12:43.044 --> 00:12:46.981
  • I didn't value the people that had godly conversations.
  • 00:12:46.981 --> 00:12:51.986
  • I found it more relaxing and more refreshing and more
  • 00:12:51.986 --> 00:12:54.289
  • Exciting to be around people that had ungodly conversations
  • 00:12:54.289 --> 00:12:56.724
  • And were seeking ungodly things and that's where i wanted to
  • 00:12:56.724 --> 00:12:58.893
  • Hang out.
  • 00:12:58.893 --> 00:13:00.361
  • And i had to change.
  • 00:13:00.361 --> 00:13:01.729
  • I said, "god, i am so sorry."
  • 00:13:01.729 --> 00:13:04.666
  • You know, i realized in another--if you want to become
  • 00:13:04.666 --> 00:13:07.101
  • A great fisherman, you don't need 60 books on fishing.
  • 00:13:07.101 --> 00:13:09.237
  • You need some people that are really good at fishing that you
  • 00:13:09.237 --> 00:13:11.239
  • Can hang out with.
  • 00:13:11.239 --> 00:13:13.308
  • If you want to become a world-class hunter, you can
  • 00:13:13.308 --> 00:13:15.643
  • Watch all the youtube videos you want, but what you really need
  • 00:13:15.643 --> 00:13:17.745
  • Is four or five people that like to hunt that will let you hang
  • 00:13:17.745 --> 00:13:19.948
  • Out with them.
  • 00:13:19.948 --> 00:13:22.283
  • And if you want to become a more godly person, you know what
  • 00:13:22.283 --> 00:13:24.285
  • You need?
  • 00:13:24.285 --> 00:13:25.620
  • Spend some time with people who know god just a half a step more
  • 00:13:25.620 --> 00:13:28.523
  • Than you do.
  • 00:13:28.523 --> 00:13:29.891
  • Stop with this notion that you need billy graham or oral
  • 00:13:29.891 --> 00:13:31.960
  • Roberts or whoever your hero is.
  • 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.163
  • You won't even understand the language.
  • 00:13:35.163 --> 00:13:37.398
  • You need somebody that's a half a step ahead of you.
  • 00:13:37.398 --> 00:13:40.935
  • And half the time, you won't even be sure they're half
  • 00:13:40.935 --> 00:13:42.570
  • A step ahead.
  • 00:13:42.570 --> 00:13:44.873
  • But you're journeying together.
  • 00:13:44.873 --> 00:13:50.378
  • You ever hear a professional talk in their
  • 00:13:50.378 --> 00:13:52.847
  • Professional vocabulary?
  • 00:13:52.847 --> 00:13:54.883
  • You ever have a doctor explain to you what's wrong and he gave
  • 00:13:54.883 --> 00:13:57.685
  • You the technical terms?
  • 00:13:57.685 --> 00:13:59.821
  • You don't know whether you should say "thank god" or
  • 00:13:59.821 --> 00:14:01.689
  • "oh me," right?
  • 00:14:01.689 --> 00:14:05.793
  • Somebody ever talked to you that, you know, an attorney ever
  • 00:14:05.793 --> 00:14:07.662
  • Talked to you in legalese?
  • 00:14:07.662 --> 00:14:09.030
  • You're thinking, "could you put that in good old
  • 00:14:09.030 --> 00:14:10.665
  • Southern bubba?"
  • 00:14:10.665 --> 00:14:14.702
  • Well, what you need is somebody to help you grow up in the lord
  • 00:14:14.702 --> 00:14:17.572
  • That can speak to you at a place where you can still understand
  • 00:14:17.572 --> 00:14:19.908
  • What they're saying.
  • 00:14:19.908 --> 00:14:23.278
  • I always--i mean, people say, "well, you know, i need somebody
  • 00:14:23.278 --> 00:14:25.146
  • To mentor me of great depth and wisdom."
  • 00:14:25.146 --> 00:14:29.250
  • I'm thinking, "well, the first thing i know is that it's
  • 00:14:29.250 --> 00:14:31.152
  • Probably not true or you wouldn't put the question
  • 00:14:31.152 --> 00:14:32.854
  • That way."
  • 00:14:32.854 --> 00:14:36.324
  • "i just need somebody who can help me get the training wheels
  • 00:14:36.324 --> 00:14:38.059
  • Off, because i'm 40 and it's awkward."
  • 00:14:38.059 --> 00:14:47.001
  • Acts chapter 2, that's where i started.
  • 00:14:47.001 --> 00:14:48.603
  • "they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the
  • 00:14:48.603 --> 00:14:51.105
  • Fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
  • 00:14:51.105 --> 00:14:55.343
  • How do they describe the transformation that's coming?
  • 00:14:55.343 --> 00:14:58.579
  • Thousands upon thousands of people in jerusalem and the
  • 00:14:58.579 --> 00:15:01.049
  • Region around them are coming to faith.
  • 00:15:01.049 --> 00:15:03.051
  • Their lives are being transformed.
  • 00:15:03.051 --> 00:15:04.385
  • The supernatural is being expressed, and the pathway to
  • 00:15:04.385 --> 00:15:07.255
  • That is described, [coughing]
  • 00:15:07.255 --> 00:15:10.625
  • Excuse me, in terms of devotion to learning, devotion to the
  • 00:15:10.625 --> 00:15:14.996
  • Community, and a willingness to break bread together and pray.
  • 00:15:14.996 --> 00:15:20.468
  • I'm telling you, one household at a time.
  • 00:15:20.468 --> 00:15:23.504
  • One table gathering at a time.
  • 00:15:23.504 --> 00:15:28.543
  • Allen: have you ever said that christmas is too secular and
  • 00:15:32.747 --> 00:15:35.116
  • You're tired of it?
  • 00:15:35.116 --> 00:15:36.484
  • Well, we've got a solution, or at least something that
  • 00:15:36.484 --> 00:15:38.186
  • Can help.
  • 00:15:38.186 --> 00:15:39.554
  • We've written a book.
  • 00:15:39.554 --> 00:15:40.888
  • It's called, "how to lead with your faith at christmas."
  • 00:15:40.888 --> 00:15:42.423
  • It's 25 days of devotionals that you can read.
  • 00:15:42.423 --> 00:15:44.659
  • You can share them with family, your friends, coworkers.
  • 00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:47.195
  • Then there's some ideas, even recipes, activities.
  • 00:15:47.195 --> 00:15:50.064
  • It's fun--it's like a--it's a starter kit for bringing your
  • 00:15:50.064 --> 00:15:52.834
  • Faith to bear this christmas season.
  • 00:15:52.834 --> 00:15:55.336
  • Don't stand on the sidelines and complain.
  • 00:15:55.336 --> 00:15:57.572
  • Let's lead with our faith this christmas season.
  • 00:15:57.572 --> 00:15:59.707
  • Let's honor the lord and see the blessings that he brings to all
  • 00:15:59.707 --> 00:16:02.910
  • Of our lives.
  • 00:16:02.910 --> 00:16:04.245
  • Female announcer: christmas comes quickly and it's easy to
  • 00:16:04.245 --> 00:16:06.214
  • Let the season slip by without focusing on what matters most.
  • 00:16:06.214 --> 00:16:10.151
  • Pastor allen's new book, "lead with faith at christmas," is a
  • 00:16:10.151 --> 00:16:13.521
  • 25-day advent devotional that will help you bring jesus more
  • 00:16:13.521 --> 00:16:17.191
  • Fully into the season.
  • 00:16:17.191 --> 00:16:18.893
  • Inside, you'll find scriptures, devotionals, prayers, recipes,
  • 00:16:18.893 --> 00:16:23.664
  • And practical things you can do to make the holidays
  • 00:16:23.664 --> 00:16:26.434
  • More meaningful.
  • 00:16:26.434 --> 00:16:27.769
  • It also makes a fantastic gift.
  • 00:16:27.769 --> 00:16:30.338
  • It's time to stop repeating the same stale traditions and get
  • 00:16:30.338 --> 00:16:33.641
  • Ready to put your faith into action in new ways
  • 00:16:33.641 --> 00:16:36.310
  • This christmas.
  • 00:16:36.310 --> 00:16:37.745
  • Request your copy when you donate $30 or more today at
  • 00:16:37.745 --> 00:16:41.115
  • Allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:16:41.115 --> 00:16:45.953
  • Allen: how many of you have heard that the new testament
  • 00:16:48.623 --> 00:16:50.091
  • Church was a house church?
  • 00:16:50.091 --> 00:16:52.760
  • If you want to be the new testament church,
  • 00:16:52.760 --> 00:16:54.295
  • It's a collection of house churches.
  • 00:16:54.295 --> 00:16:56.030
  • I don't agree with that.
  • 00:16:56.030 --> 00:16:57.365
  • By this point, by the time we get to acts chapter 3 or 4,
  • 00:16:57.365 --> 00:16:59.434
  • There's thousands and thousands of people that have become
  • 00:16:59.434 --> 00:17:01.602
  • Christ followers, and it says they're gathering daily on the
  • 00:17:01.602 --> 00:17:04.405
  • Temple mount.
  • 00:17:04.405 --> 00:17:06.707
  • They gathered in homes.
  • 00:17:06.707 --> 00:17:09.010
  • Hospitality was a part of their expression of faith, but they
  • 00:17:09.010 --> 00:17:11.979
  • Were gathering in larger groups as well.
  • 00:17:11.979 --> 00:17:13.948
  • Don't be offended by large gatherings of christians.
  • 00:17:13.948 --> 00:17:18.052
  • But as the jesus message spread around the mediterranean, around
  • 00:17:18.052 --> 00:17:21.656
  • The roman world, in city after city after city, guess where the
  • 00:17:21.656 --> 00:17:25.793
  • People who believed in jesus had to meet?
  • 00:17:25.793 --> 00:17:29.130
  • In the basilica, in the largest meeting place in the city.
  • 00:17:29.130 --> 00:17:34.869
  • In fact, they did it with such frequency that the term came to
  • 00:17:34.869 --> 00:17:38.206
  • Describe the gathering hall of the church.
  • 00:17:38.206 --> 00:17:43.377
  • The meaning got adjusted.
  • 00:17:43.377 --> 00:17:46.314
  • So yes, they met in homes.
  • 00:17:46.314 --> 00:17:48.182
  • Hospitality was the cellular level, but there were still the
  • 00:17:48.182 --> 00:17:52.687
  • Larger gatherings of people that took the largest buildings in
  • 00:17:52.687 --> 00:17:55.423
  • The community.
  • 00:17:55.423 --> 00:17:56.757
  • It wasn't that long ago in american history where the most
  • 00:17:56.757 --> 00:17:58.993
  • Beautiful buildings in our cities were the churches.
  • 00:17:58.993 --> 00:18:03.364
  • You visit downtown murfreesboro, the most beautiful buildings,
  • 00:18:03.364 --> 00:18:06.134
  • The largest buildings in downtown, weren't the merchants
  • 00:18:06.134 --> 00:18:09.103
  • Or the restaurants.
  • 00:18:09.103 --> 00:18:10.538
  • At that time, they weren't the banks, they were the churches.
  • 00:18:10.538 --> 00:18:13.407
  • They're still there.
  • 00:18:13.407 --> 00:18:14.775
  • They're the historic churches that populate downtown in
  • 00:18:14.775 --> 00:18:16.744
  • Our community.
  • 00:18:16.744 --> 00:18:18.146
  • It was true in national.
  • 00:18:18.146 --> 00:18:19.514
  • It was true in city after city after city across our nation.
  • 00:18:19.514 --> 00:18:23.985
  • And that held for generation upon generation.
  • 00:18:23.985 --> 00:18:26.587
  • That's gone now.
  • 00:18:26.587 --> 00:18:27.922
  • Now we repurpose box stores.
  • 00:18:27.922 --> 00:18:33.094
  • Now we get a little bit, "i don't know, that building's
  • 00:18:33.094 --> 00:18:34.695
  • Too nice.
  • 00:18:34.695 --> 00:18:36.030
  • I don't know if we could build that for the lord.
  • 00:18:36.030 --> 00:18:37.732
  • I don't, i mean, i don't--i don't know.
  • 00:18:37.732 --> 00:18:39.066
  • I don't know."
  • 00:18:39.066 --> 00:18:40.434
  • Now the nicest structures in our big cities are typically some
  • 00:18:40.434 --> 00:18:43.237
  • Sort of athletic gathering place.
  • 00:18:43.237 --> 00:18:46.941
  • And i'm not opposed to that.
  • 00:18:46.941 --> 00:18:49.010
  • It does reflect what we've attached value to.
  • 00:18:49.010 --> 00:18:52.513
  • Church, we can't allow our self-awareness to be dictated by
  • 00:18:52.513 --> 00:18:57.552
  • A secular culture.
  • 00:18:57.552 --> 00:18:58.886
  • They would prefer us to go away.
  • 00:18:58.886 --> 00:19:02.690
  • We're called to influence culture more than we're called
  • 00:19:02.690 --> 00:19:05.226
  • To be influenced by it, and the power of hospitality is
  • 00:19:05.226 --> 00:19:09.564
  • A significant expression of how that'll happen.
  • 00:19:09.564 --> 00:19:13.134
  • Number four, we're gonna need intentional faith and on purpose
  • 00:19:13.134 --> 00:19:15.536
  • Faith versus accidental faith.
  • 00:19:15.536 --> 00:19:19.340
  • It's highly improbable that significant change will come to
  • 00:19:19.340 --> 00:19:22.610
  • Your life unless you intend for it to.
  • 00:19:22.610 --> 00:19:25.546
  • I mean, you can be the victim of random accidents, but you don't
  • 00:19:25.546 --> 00:19:27.882
  • Want to live your life that way.
  • 00:19:27.882 --> 00:19:29.250
  • You're not gonna flourish that way.
  • 00:19:29.250 --> 00:19:30.685
  • You won't get an education that way.
  • 00:19:30.685 --> 00:19:32.253
  • You won't have a strong marriage that way.
  • 00:19:32.253 --> 00:19:34.322
  • You won't parent children of outstanding character that way,
  • 00:19:34.322 --> 00:19:38.526
  • If you're going to achieve those things, you will do it on
  • 00:19:38.526 --> 00:19:40.661
  • Purpose, intentionally.
  • 00:19:40.661 --> 00:19:42.930
  • You won't be healthy by accident.
  • 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:46.334
  • Sugar is more addictive than broccoli.
  • 00:19:46.334 --> 00:19:52.440
  • Come on, highly processed food is--you gain a whole lot more
  • 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:55.776
  • Momentum with an asparagus.
  • 00:19:55.776 --> 00:19:59.614
  • You have to do it intentionally and in the same way, we have to
  • 00:19:59.614 --> 00:20:02.316
  • Be intentional with the expression and the formulation
  • 00:20:02.316 --> 00:20:04.652
  • Of our faith.
  • 00:20:04.652 --> 00:20:06.354
  • The lobby just outside the sanctuary is filled with a dozen
  • 00:20:06.354 --> 00:20:08.923
  • Or more statements that are intentional expressions of
  • 00:20:08.923 --> 00:20:11.726
  • Our faith.
  • 00:20:11.726 --> 00:20:13.094
  • We will shape culture. we will read our bible.
  • 00:20:13.094 --> 00:20:14.795
  • You won't read your bible by accident.
  • 00:20:14.795 --> 00:20:17.565
  • "well, i couldn't find anything else to read, so i picked up
  • 00:20:17.565 --> 00:20:19.667
  • A 17th-century tome."
  • 00:20:19.667 --> 00:20:23.904
  • How art thou?
  • 00:20:23.904 --> 00:20:26.741
  • Well, you won't read your bible by accident consistently, you'll
  • 00:20:26.741 --> 00:20:29.277
  • Do it on purpose.
  • 00:20:29.277 --> 00:20:30.678
  • We will believe our prayers make a difference.
  • 00:20:30.678 --> 00:20:32.413
  • You won't be a person that knows how to pray at--randomly.
  • 00:20:32.413 --> 00:20:35.516
  • If the only time you pray is when there's great pressure,
  • 00:20:35.516 --> 00:20:37.518
  • Great emotional angst, great stress, great need, you haven't
  • 00:20:37.518 --> 00:20:40.655
  • Really cultivated a prayer life.
  • 00:20:40.655 --> 00:20:42.290
  • You've got a 911 connection.
  • 00:20:42.290 --> 00:20:44.125
  • In case of emergency, break glass.
  • 00:20:44.125 --> 00:20:47.695
  • I'm talking about something different.
  • 00:20:47.695 --> 00:20:50.464
  • I'm talking about a relationship where you learn to listen for
  • 00:20:50.464 --> 00:20:53.200
  • God, you learn to invite god into all the circumstances of
  • 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:57.638
  • Your life.
  • 00:20:57.638 --> 00:20:59.006
  • So i don't know how to do that.
  • 00:20:59.006 --> 00:21:00.341
  • I know, but we can learn, on purpose.
  • 00:21:00.341 --> 00:21:02.843
  • We will make jesus lord of our lives.
  • 00:21:02.843 --> 00:21:04.612
  • We're gonna give him first place.
  • 00:21:04.612 --> 00:21:05.980
  • It's a priority statement.
  • 00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:07.315
  • I'm gonna put him first.
  • 00:21:07.315 --> 00:21:08.683
  • I'm gonna put him before everything else.
  • 00:21:08.683 --> 00:21:10.117
  • That's not easy, folks.
  • 00:21:10.117 --> 00:21:11.852
  • That's not easy for me.
  • 00:21:11.852 --> 00:21:13.721
  • We will be salt and light in the earth.
  • 00:21:13.721 --> 00:21:15.323
  • We will be distinctive because of our faith.
  • 00:21:15.323 --> 00:21:17.325
  • We're not gonna be undercover christians, we're not
  • 00:21:17.325 --> 00:21:19.093
  • Covert christians.
  • 00:21:19.093 --> 00:21:21.395
  • "i don't want anybody uncomfortable because
  • 00:21:21.395 --> 00:21:22.997
  • I'm a christian."
  • 00:21:22.997 --> 00:21:24.332
  • I do. i do.
  • 00:21:24.332 --> 00:21:27.335
  • How many of you know, if you've got a wound and you put salt
  • 00:21:27.335 --> 00:21:30.304
  • In it, it's uncomfortable?
  • 00:21:30.304 --> 00:21:33.507
  • And we've tried to describe our faith.
  • 00:21:33.507 --> 00:21:35.242
  • "well, i don't want anybody to be uncom--" what do you mean?
  • 00:21:35.242 --> 00:21:38.579
  • If you've been in the dark and you step into the light, what do
  • 00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:40.514
  • You do?
  • 00:21:40.514 --> 00:21:41.849
  • Squint.
  • 00:21:41.849 --> 00:21:43.184
  • "well i got to adjust to that.
  • 00:21:43.184 --> 00:21:44.552
  • I'm not used to that.
  • 00:21:44.552 --> 00:21:46.420
  • That's uncomfortable."
  • 00:21:46.420 --> 00:21:48.956
  • You're bringing a perspective that people who haven't been in
  • 00:21:48.956 --> 00:21:51.092
  • The light aren't familiar with.
  • 00:21:51.092 --> 00:21:52.626
  • It'll be uncomfortable.
  • 00:21:52.626 --> 00:21:54.428
  • Tell me, how do you, how do you see that?
  • 00:21:54.428 --> 00:22:00.701
  • We haven't been willing to be those people.
  • 00:22:00.701 --> 00:22:08.142
  • I will be salt and light.
  • 00:22:08.142 --> 00:22:09.744
  • I will seek first the kingdom of god.
  • 00:22:09.744 --> 00:22:12.813
  • I will pray for israel.
  • 00:22:12.813 --> 00:22:14.181
  • I'll let it be known i'm an israel friend.
  • 00:22:14.181 --> 00:22:18.452
  • "well, everybody won't--" no kidding.
  • 00:22:18.452 --> 00:22:21.722
  • If you're a ut fan, everybody don't like you.
  • 00:22:21.722 --> 00:22:25.226
  • You could care less.
  • 00:22:25.226 --> 00:22:27.695
  • You're going to the college playoff.
  • 00:22:27.695 --> 00:22:29.029
  • They're gonna beat alabama this week.
  • 00:22:29.029 --> 00:22:35.536
  • That was not the alabama people that were clapping, i promise.
  • 00:22:35.536 --> 00:22:38.038
  • They're over here going, "he's picking on us again.
  • 00:22:38.038 --> 00:22:39.707
  • He did it again.
  • 00:22:39.707 --> 00:22:41.075
  • He can't get through one service without picking on alabama."
  • 00:22:41.075 --> 00:22:44.044
  • You picked a coach named satan.
  • 00:22:44.044 --> 00:22:45.413
  • I didn't. that's not my problem.
  • 00:22:45.413 --> 00:22:48.115
  • You did that. i don't know.
  • 00:22:48.115 --> 00:22:50.484
  • We will set our lives apart for the lord.
  • 00:22:50.484 --> 00:22:52.186
  • We will do the difficult things.
  • 00:22:52.186 --> 00:22:53.521
  • It's not easy following the lord.
  • 00:22:53.521 --> 00:22:56.190
  • It's free, but it's not easy.
  • 00:22:56.190 --> 00:22:59.493
  • Who wants easy?
  • 00:22:59.493 --> 00:23:01.662
  • We've done all the easy.
  • 00:23:01.662 --> 00:23:03.264
  • Getting fat's easy.
  • 00:23:03.264 --> 00:23:05.933
  • Being lazy is easy.
  • 00:23:05.933 --> 00:23:08.936
  • Abdicating our responsibility's easy.
  • 00:23:08.936 --> 00:23:11.205
  • Saying it's not my problem is easy.
  • 00:23:11.205 --> 00:23:14.475
  • What the politicians--it's easy.
  • 00:23:14.475 --> 00:23:18.012
  • We're gonna have to be willing to do difficult.
  • 00:23:18.012 --> 00:23:22.316
  • I didn't get to the part i wanted to.
  • 00:23:22.316 --> 00:23:25.052
  • Bad time management.
  • 00:23:25.052 --> 00:23:26.387
  • It's not easy to manage time when you're doing
  • 00:23:26.387 --> 00:23:27.755
  • A presentation.
  • 00:23:27.755 --> 00:23:30.124
  • I didn't do well.
  • 00:23:30.124 --> 00:23:32.293
  • I'll come back to it.
  • 00:23:32.293 --> 00:23:33.627
  • I brought you a--i did bring you a proclamation though.
  • 00:23:33.627 --> 00:23:37.598
  • It is maybe not the oldest blessing in scripture, but it--
  • 00:23:37.598 --> 00:23:40.634
  • I would submit it's probably the most frequently used.
  • 00:23:40.634 --> 00:23:44.371
  • It's the aaronic blessing, the blessing that moses gave to
  • 00:23:44.371 --> 00:23:47.241
  • Aaron to give to pronounce over the covenant people of god.
  • 00:23:47.241 --> 00:23:51.612
  • It's a prayer i pray for you regularly.
  • 00:23:51.612 --> 00:23:54.715
  • I think it's worth us saying together.
  • 00:23:54.715 --> 00:23:56.884
  • It's in your notes, why don't you stand with me?
  • 00:23:56.884 --> 00:24:05.259
  • A part of my education was in the graduate school of religion,
  • 00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:08.462
  • The divinity school at vanderbilt.
  • 00:24:08.462 --> 00:24:11.632
  • When i was there, it wasn't--it may be different today, but when
  • 00:24:11.632 --> 00:24:13.501
  • I was there, it wasn't the most godly place.
  • 00:24:13.501 --> 00:24:16.470
  • I know that seems odd, a school training ministers, but it
  • 00:24:16.470 --> 00:24:19.273
  • Just wasn't.
  • 00:24:19.273 --> 00:24:22.276
  • And i'll never forget one of the classes i had, the professor who
  • 00:24:22.276 --> 00:24:25.045
  • Was teaching, he wasn't living by biblical standards
  • 00:24:25.045 --> 00:24:27.348
  • Of morality.
  • 00:24:27.348 --> 00:24:29.283
  • I tell you that because i think it makes the statement more
  • 00:24:29.283 --> 00:24:31.385
  • Profound and not to denigrate the professor.
  • 00:24:31.385 --> 00:24:33.988
  • I learned a great, great deal from them.
  • 00:24:33.988 --> 00:24:36.257
  • I didn't learn how to be godly, but i learned a lot.
  • 00:24:36.257 --> 00:24:39.393
  • But they made the statement, they said in the hebrew bible in
  • 00:24:39.393 --> 00:24:41.662
  • The old testament, it's very clear that across all the
  • 00:24:41.662 --> 00:24:45.232
  • Authors, they have this sense that words have a tangible
  • 00:24:45.232 --> 00:24:49.403
  • Quality to them.
  • 00:24:49.403 --> 00:24:52.573
  • They said it's as if the people who put the scripture together
  • 00:24:52.573 --> 00:24:56.577
  • Believe that words could have a physical impact on you.
  • 00:24:56.577 --> 00:25:01.448
  • I remember sitting there going, "yeah, i believe that."
  • 00:25:01.448 --> 00:25:07.421
  • You know, you can learn something from people who don't
  • 00:25:07.421 --> 00:25:09.690
  • Believe it.
  • 00:25:09.690 --> 00:25:13.994
  • What you don't want to learn not to believe it.
  • 00:25:13.994 --> 00:25:17.598
  • But you can learn from--you really can.
  • 00:25:17.598 --> 00:25:19.833
  • You read a book for one good idea.
  • 00:25:19.833 --> 00:25:21.235
  • I read people, "you know, i was reading a book, there was one
  • 00:25:21.235 --> 00:25:23.203
  • I didn't agree with, so i threw it away."
  • 00:25:23.203 --> 00:25:24.572
  • What do you mean?
  • 00:25:24.572 --> 00:25:26.874
  • I don't agree with myself all the time.
  • 00:25:26.874 --> 00:25:32.846
  • When we talk about a blessing, what--i said all that to say
  • 00:25:32.846 --> 00:25:35.883
  • There's a tangible quality, it invites the best that god has
  • 00:25:35.883 --> 00:25:40.254
  • For you into your life.
  • 00:25:40.254 --> 00:25:43.691
  • Cultivate the habit of speaking the blessings of god over the
  • 00:25:43.691 --> 00:25:46.694
  • People that you care about like in your home.
  • 00:25:46.694 --> 00:25:52.766
  • Say it together.
  • 00:25:52.766 --> 00:25:54.268
  • "the lord bless you and keep you.
  • 00:25:54.268 --> 00:25:56.904
  • The lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
  • 00:25:56.904 --> 00:26:01.508
  • The lord turn his face towards you and give you peace."
  • 00:26:01.508 --> 00:26:05.846
  • Wow, i want that to fill my life.
  • 00:26:05.846 --> 00:26:08.816
  • I want it to fill yours, in jesus's name, bless you.
  • 00:26:08.816 --> 00:26:15.689
  • Allen: you know, i'm a pastor and i have the privilege of
  • 00:26:19.893 --> 00:26:21.829
  • Serving god's people.
  • 00:26:21.829 --> 00:26:23.263
  • I can tell you from experience, one of the most difficult things
  • 00:26:23.263 --> 00:26:25.599
  • To do is introduce change.
  • 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:27.468
  • Most of us don't like it, and i think that's particularly true
  • 00:26:27.468 --> 00:26:31.071
  • Around holiday seasons.
  • 00:26:31.071 --> 00:26:32.573
  • We have traditions, we have patterns, we have habits.
  • 00:26:32.573 --> 00:26:35.843
  • They're comforting to us, comfortable to us.
  • 00:26:35.843 --> 00:26:39.346
  • Well, i wanna suggest something.
  • 00:26:39.346 --> 00:26:40.714
  • We have created a tool for you this christmas.
  • 00:26:40.714 --> 00:26:42.916
  • It's called, "leading with your faith at christmas."
  • 00:26:42.916 --> 00:26:45.419
  • It's a little book with a 25-day devotional that you can
  • 00:26:45.419 --> 00:26:47.888
  • Do personally.
  • 00:26:47.888 --> 00:26:49.256
  • You can do with your family. you can do it with coworkers.
  • 00:26:49.256 --> 00:26:51.291
  • There's some recipes. there's activities.
  • 00:26:51.291 --> 00:26:54.662
  • It's really a guide for you to shape christmas with your faith,
  • 00:26:54.662 --> 00:26:57.931
  • But it means i'm asking you to do something different,
  • 00:26:57.931 --> 00:27:00.534
  • To introduce change.
  • 00:27:00.534 --> 00:27:02.069
  • And i know that's not easy, but it's time for us to stop raging
  • 00:27:02.069 --> 00:27:05.639
  • Against the darkness.
  • 00:27:05.639 --> 00:27:06.974
  • Folks, let's turn up the light.
  • 00:27:06.974 --> 00:27:08.342
  • I believe "leading with your faith at christmas" is a tool
  • 00:27:08.342 --> 00:27:11.078
  • That will help you be a better light for jesus in the midst of
  • 00:27:11.078 --> 00:27:14.481
  • This christmas season, and that's worthwhile.
  • 00:27:14.481 --> 00:27:17.451
  • Enjoy the book and merry christmas.
  • 00:27:17.451 --> 00:27:19.319
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:22.656 --> 00:27:30.030