May 15, 2025 • 42 mins
Every mother knows what it means to sacrifice—staying up all night with a feverish baby, preparing endless snacks, taxiing kids to activities, washing clothes that were just washed yesterday, all while managing to smile through it all. But in this heartfelt Mother's Day message, Pastor Chip reminds us of a truth that's easy to miss in the busyness of parenting and life: we were made for more.
Drawing from Matthew 28:19-20, this sermon reveals how easily we can become so consumed with meeting needs that we overlook the ultimate calling Jesus has given every believer—to make disciples. With refreshing clarity, Pastor Chip breaks down discipleship into four simple components anyone can practice: sharing the Bible, explaining the gospel, being personal about our own faith journey, and helping others become disciple-makers themselves.
The message features a powerful story about identity that will resonate with anyone who has faced uncertainty about who they are. When a man discovered through a DNA test that the person he had called "dad" his entire life wasn't his biological father, his response demonstrated the unshakeable foundation that comes from finding your identity in Christ: "My heavenly Father never changes."
Whether you're a parent struggling to balance daily demands with spiritual priorities, someone questioning your purpose, or a believer wanting practical ways to fulfill the Great Commission, this message offers both challenge and encouragement. You'll discover that the fulfillment you're seeking doesn't come from living for yourself but from investing in others spiritually—because you were truly made for more.
Ready to find your purpose beyond meeting needs? Listen now, and discover how making disciples could be simpler—and more fulfilling—than you ever imagined.
Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram or visit our Website.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Put your hands together for all of our moms
this morning, every mother here,every grandmother, every
great-grandmother, happyMother's Day.
All of our moms present, all ofour moms represented and all of
our moms remembered.
We just want to celebrate youtoday and we are so thankful for
all that you do.
Thank you for putting up withall of us and putting up with
(00:21):
all that we do.
Welcome to First Baptist Church, Powder Springs.
This morning.
We are so thankful that you arehere and putting up with all
that we do.
Welcome to First Baptist Church, powder Springs.
This morning.
We are so thankful that you arehere.
I wanna give a special happyMother's Day to my wife, the mom
of our three children Brooklyn,who's six.
Cruz, who is two.
Eliana, who turns one next week.
Believe it or not kind of crazyBabe.
I love ya Every time I thinkabout you.
(00:41):
Proverbs 31, 29,.
Many women have doneexcellently, but you surpassed
them all.
I love you.
Happy Mother's Day to you.
Happy Mother's Day to my mom,who's watching from Pensacola,
florida, this morning, and happyMother's Day to my
mother-in-law, who is watchingfrom heaven with Jesus today.
So we're just so thankful forall of the moms and I pray that
(01:06):
Mother's Day is not a surpriseto any of you men today, right,
I hope this isn't your firstreminder.
I heard a story this week thatsaid a man forgot it was
Mother's Day and so it wasMother's Day morning.
He was scurrying the house,scoured throughout the house,
trying to find a Mother's Daycard, couldn't find one, but he
found a Mother's Day card.
Couldn't find one, but he founda Valentine's Day card, and he
took a crayon and he marked outValentine's.
(01:27):
It said happy, and he wrote inMother's Day and then he handed
it to her.
And now every second Sunday inMay, you guessed it, you know
what he's doing he's sleeping onthe couch.
That's what he's doing, right?
And so, man, I hope this is nota reminder to you.
(01:49):
Mother's Day it actually sort ofbegan in 1908.
A lady by the name of AnnaJarvis she had just lost her
mother.
Two years prior she had amemorial service for her mom in
her church filled that churchwith 500 carnations.
The president at the time,woodrow Wilson, heard about it
through letter writing and hemade Mother's Day, from it a
national holiday On 1914,.
We've been celebrating Mother'sDay as a country for 111 years.
(02:12):
Well, this morning we don'thave 500 carnations, which was
her mother's favorite flower,but we have 500 roses for all of
our moms, all of our grandmoms,all of our great grandmoms and
every single female here today.
And here's why Because the worldwon't celebrate all womanhood.
We know that world religionstoday, many world religions, do
(02:35):
not respect women.
Even back in Jesus's day, womenwere not respected or seen
equally as a man.
But Jesus did.
Jesus respected women, jesushonored women and Jesus was
countercultural in the way thathe broke through all social
barriers and Jesus showed us howto respect, honor, celebrate
(02:56):
all womanhood.
So let's put our hands togetherfor all women today.
We are so thankful for all thatyou do, as, as we mentioned
earlier, we know that today canbe hard for many as well, maybe
for those who have longed to bea mother, and Michelle and I, we
went through infertility forsome nine years and we feel your
(03:17):
pain.
It was some of the hardest daysof our life.
We feel pain for those thathave lost their mother.
I lost my mother-in-law.
She lost her mom one monthbefore our life.
We feel pain for those thathave lost their mother.
I lost my mother-in-law.
She lost her mom one monthbefore our wedding, and just how
difficult that was to gothrough joyous times and yet we
so wanted my mama, snow, hermother, to be there with us.
(03:39):
Or for some of y'all maybe thathave, maybe you've lost a child
or something difficult in yourlife, we know that this day can
be very bittersweet, so I justwanna pray over us before we
jump into God's word.
Let's pray, heavenly Father, welove you and God, we do just
wanna say thank you for mothers.
God, thank you that you give uslife from our mom.
(04:00):
God, thank you that the way inwhich that you've designed the
world, that we receive nurturingfrom our mother.
But, god, we know that todaythere are people that may have a
distant relationship with theirmom, may have lost their mom,
maybe they long to be a mom.
And, god, here's what webelieve and here's what we know
that your word says in Genesis16, 13,.
(04:22):
That you are the God who seesour hurts Psalm 56, 8,.
God, that you collect every oneof our tears Psalm 147, verse 3
, you bind up the brokenhearted.
God, thank you that you comfortus and give us strength, even
in our pain, that you're near tous.
And God, you never forsake yourchildren.
(04:44):
In Jesus' name, and all God'schildren said amen.
Well, happy Mother's Day againto all of you who are here.
One of my favorite verses in allthe Bible about Mother's Day,
about moms, is 2 Timothy 1.5.
It says I'm reminded.
The apostle Paul tells Timothy,who is training to be a young
pastor, I'm reminded of yoursincere faith, a faith that
(05:06):
dwelt first in your grandmotherLois, your mother Eunice, and
now, I'm sure, dwells in you aswell.
In other words, we're alwaysreminded that God is always
using our faith in the life, inthe faith of someone else.
Thank you, moms that you woulddo absolutely anything for your
(05:27):
kids.
Just to read this.
You would stay up all night fora crying or a feverish baby.
You pray like a warrior at 3 am, you make 14 different snacks
just before noon, you clean upmesses you didn't make.
You taxi your kids to everypractice and every game and
somehow you still find time towash clothes that you could have
sworn you just washed thatyesterday.
(05:48):
And you do it all, even whenyou're sick, with a smile, all
while you hold a crying baby onyour hip.
Meanwhile, us dads, we catch aman cold and suddenly it is a
national code red emergency.
We're all wrapped up in ablanket on the couch, been
watching shows and whispering toour wife.
Just tell the kids I love them.
Moms, we salute you.
(06:09):
We salute you.
You are our superheroes.
There's nothing you would notdo for your kids.
I heard of a mom this week thatshe got a call from her little
girl.
Little girl was just old enoughto stay home when she was sick.
Mom was at work.
Little girl called her.
She said mom, I'm sick bad.
I need you to come home.
I need you right now.
(06:31):
Stop by the drugstore and getme some medicine.
The mom left work, jumped in hercar, went to the drugstore,
left her car running, ran inside, got the medicine, came back
out to her car, started pouringdown rain.
She locked her keys in the car.
The car was locked, shecouldn't get in.
She prayed oh God help me, mylittle girl is sick.
This old, rusty truck drove upand parked right there and she
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said sir, can you help me?
This rough looking dude jumpedout of his truck and she said my
keys are locked in my car.
He said no problem, he had acoat hanger right there on his
seat.
Popped it through the window,popped the lock, got her in and
she said thank you so much,wrapped her arms around him and
said you're such a nice man.
He said no, I'm not.
I just escaped prison forstealing cars.
(07:16):
And she said thank you, god,you sent a professional.
You did it again.
You did it again.
So we just want to say thank youto all the moms that you would
do absolutely anything, but Ijust want to remind you today
that, while you're soresponsible for everything in
(07:37):
your kids' lives, it's so easyfor a mom and for a dad to take
care of everything because ofall the needs, but yet you miss
the most important thing.
You miss the most importantthing that God calls every, that
Jesus has called every singleparent to do, and we see it in
Matthew, chapter 28,.
(07:57):
And what we've been doingthrough this series, we've been
standing and reading togetherthe Great Commission.
Can we all stand together thismorning as we read Jesus' most
important words on the planetthat he has given to us, and
then I'll ask you to have a seat.
After that, let's read Matthew28, 19 to 20 together.
Here we go.
Go, therefore, and makedisciples of all nations,
(08:20):
baptizing them in the name ofthe Father, of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, teaching themto observe all that I have
commanded you.
And behold, I am with youalways, to the end of the age.
Put your hands together if youbelieve that this morning you
can have a seat.
And what a reminder that Jesusis saying that we get caught up
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with so many things to do thatwe can't miss out on the most
important thing in our life.
And he is talking about makingdisciples.
And that's the ultimate call ofmotherhood, that's the ultimate
call of fatherhood, but alsoit's the ultimate call of
Christianhood, of being aChristian, as we are continuing
(09:03):
in the series Made for More.
Everybody say more.
It's a reminder whatever it isthat we are living for, that is
not ultimately for the glory ofJesus, there is actually more in
your life that you were madefor.
What was the more that you weremade for?
Well, here's what Jesus wantsyou to know.
(09:24):
Jesus wants you to know that,when you live your life for you,
that you will never feel thefulfillment, the satisfaction or
the joy that you're seeking sooften, what we are seeking the
most, that we will never getbecause we won't find it in
where we're looking for it.
(09:44):
But Jesus said if you youreally wanna be happy, if you
want true joy, if you wanna besatisfied, if you wanna be
fulfilled, he's saying thendon't live it for you.
Jesus is saying live for him.
And Jesus says this is the waythat you live for me.
You live for me by living forothers.
You live for me.
You serve me by serving others.
(10:05):
We just read it in Matthew 28.
He said go and make disciples.
We learned last week.
If you missed it, you can goback and check it out online.
Go means wherever you go, itmeans as you're going or whoever
you're around.
He says to make disciples.
Now I'll be honest with you.
I hear a lot of sermons bypastors on making disciples, but
(10:29):
I never hear a lot ofclarification or strategy or
simplification or how tocommunicate it in a way that any
Christian can do it.
Because Jesus didn't just sayfor churches to make disciples.
He didn't just say for churchesto make disciples.
He didn't just say for pastorsto make disciples.
Jesus was calling disciples tomake disciples, for Christians
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to make disciples.
In other words, that you willfind the meaning and the purpose
and the fulfillment and thesatisfaction of your life when
you are making disciples withyour life.
But I think often we don't doit because we think what it
requires is well now.
So I'm dedicating my life toone person for the rest of my
(11:16):
life, just to pour my life intoNot necessarily.
Jesus poured his life into 12men for just three years.
So it may be at times that it'sdifferent people.
It may be that it's a couple ofpeople that you're pouring into
.
It may be, as the word go means, wherever you are and whoever
you're around.
Jesus just said, whateveryou're doing, wherever you are,
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as you're going, whoever you'rearound, that we're called to be
making disciples, and I believethat if Jesus calls every
Christian to do it, then itshould be so easy that even a
Christian can do it.
Can I get an amen?
Even a Christian can do this.
So I want to just make it verypractical this morning and for
(12:00):
you to understand, for me tounderstand the simplicity and
how easy it is, how simple it isthat we are called to make
disciples.
Four keys in making disciplesfrom Luke 24, verses 44 through
48.
And this is for you, and sonumber one is Bible.
Everybody say Bible, bible.
So I want you to be thinkingabout your life.
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I want you to be thinking aboutyour life.
I want you to be thinking aboutwho's in your life.
Maybe you know someone, you'rethinking of someone right now
and maybe they've never giventheir life to Jesus and you're
just thinking how can I impactthem, how can I influence them,
how can I help them to givetheir life to Jesus, that they
can experience this life thatthey were created to live?
Or maybe you're thinking aboutsomeone this morning that maybe
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they've given their life toJesus but maybe right now
they're not living their lifefor Jesus.
Maybe you're thinking aboutsomeone this morning that maybe
they've given their life toJesus but they've never been
taught by anyone in giving theirlife to Jesus.
Or maybe you're thinking aboutsomeone that's just going
through a really difficultseason, a very hard time, and
they're not sure how to livetheir life for Jesus during this
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season of their life.
And that's what Jesus iscalling us to do as believers,
as his children, as Christians.
And where do we start?
Number one is Bible.
Look at what Jesus said in Luke24.
In verse 44, jesus said to themhe said these are my words,
that I spoke to you while I wasstill with you, that everything
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written about me, everybody sayme that me, there is Jesus.
Everything written about Jesusin the law of Moses and the
prophets and the Psalms must befulfilled.
What is Jesus saying?
He gets his disciples and hesays listen, I'm about to ascend
back to heaven.
Here's what you got tounderstand.
Everything I've ever said,everything that's ever been
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written down about me,everything in the Bible.
He said it is all about me,from the law of Moses.
That's talking about the firstfive books of the Bible Genesis,
through Deuteronomy.
He says all the way through theprophets, that's all the way
through Malachi, the last bookof the Old Testament.
He says even in the Psalms,that's the poetic books, and we
know obviously, the whole NewTestament is all about Jesus.
(14:13):
Jesus is saying look at how thewhole Bible is ultimately about
me, which means the Bible is notabout Abraham, the Bible is not
about Moses.
The Bible is not about David.
The Bible is not about Moses.
The Bible is not about David.
The Bible is not about Solomon.
The Bible is not about theapostles.
The Bible is not about Paul.
The Bible is not about John.
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The Bible is not about you andthe Bible is not about me.
The Bible is all about Jesus.
Put your hands together,because he is the center of all
scripture.
Now here's what's so importantabout that in your life, that
means, if we want Jesus to speakinto our life and Jesus to work
into our life, then we get inthe word of God, wherever we are
in the word of God andultimately, somehow, every
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character, every story, everytruth, everything in God's word
points us to Jesus.
In other words, it takes awhole Bible to make a whole
believer.
Can I get an amen?
It takes a whole Bible to makea whole believer.
2 Corinthians, chapter 3, verse18, says we all, with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of theLord.
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Where is it that you behold theglory of Jesus?
You behold the glory of Jesusin the Word of God.
That's where you see hisclearest glory.
When we behold the glory of theLord, then what happens?
You are being transformed inScripture, in the Word of God,
into the same image of Jesus.
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You're being transformed intohis image from one degree of
glory to another, which meanswherever you are spiritually,
jesus works with you there.
Sometimes Satan will lie to youand he will tell you that you've
been disobedient and you'vebeen distant from God and you've
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been away from God.
So why would God ever work inyour life when you are right now
, god could never do anything inyou.
And the word of God tells Satanthat he's a liar.
Can I get an amen?
The word of God says no, fromone degree of glory to another,
no matter who you are or whereyou are.
God wants to meet you there andGod wants to work in your life
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there.
Listen, it is the Word of God,that is the voice of God, which
does the work of God in thepeople of God.
If you want God to speak intoyour life, you get in God's Word
and you allow God to do a workin you as a child of God.
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So it looks like when we'remaking disciples.
It's kind of like the way inwhich Michelle and I we like to
disciple our kids, becauseultimately, all Christians are
God's children.
And so what do we do?
Like Brooklyn and Cruz andEliana, we just want to get them
in as much scripture aspossible, because the word of
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God is the voice of God thatdoes the work of God and the
people of God as possible,because the word of God is the
voice of God that does the workof God and the people of God.
So that's why we get them in,like at an early age, in Bible
cartoons.
Now we're all up on Superbookand Mino Kids and Life Kids and
all these different Biblecartoons, because we just want
them to know the stories ofscripture.
This is why, every night, wewant to read them their little
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children's Bible, every singlenight.
Last night I read Brooklynabout Daniel the lion's and she
said, dad, I'm not gonna look atthe pictures but I'll be scared
.
But you can read to me, okay,but you can read to me.
And we read Jonah and the whalelast night.
I told you last week that Cruzbrought me his little children's
Bible and he said daddy, god,daddy, god.
And so I opened it up and helistened for two nights in a row
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and we read the entire OldTestament and that children's
Bible was 200 pages.
He actually finished his Biblethis week About 300 to 400 pages
of children's Bibles.
Think, man, he did it.
And I'm thinking I've got asuper Christian on my hands.
I've got the next Billy Graham,right.
This is amazing.
And the next night, after hejust finished the Bible, I said
all right, cruz, let's read theBible.
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And he said no, no, daddy, noBible, no Bible.
And I'm like what happenedright.
But isn't that all of us Like?
Sometimes we think that wealready know that or we think
we've already done that.
Listen, we are never done withGod's word because God's word is
never done with us.
We're never done with God'sword because God's word is never
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done with us, even if you'veheard it a million times, god's
going to speak to you like it'sthe first time, because it's the
word of God that does the workof God through the voice of God
within the people of God.
That's why we do things likeKVX, our vacation Bible school
the first week of June.
That's why we encourage you getyour kids here, get your nieces
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and nephews here, get yourgrandchildren here.
When you're out groceryshopping or you're at the ball
field or you're out in thecommunity, get an invite or
share the social media and let'sget as many kids here.
I can't speak for any otherchurch, but here they're gonna
get the word of God, herethey're gonna get the gospel of
Jesus Christ, and we are calledto make disciples of the next
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generation so they quit livingfor sin and they start living
for him and they start fixingtheir eyes on Jesus.
Can I get an amen?
So here's what we do.
Here's what we do in terms ofBible.
What do you do?
First of all, I'm called to bein the word of God personally.
You're called to be in the wordof God personally so that we
can disciple other people in theword, whether it's hey, let me
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text you a verse, or let me praythis over you, or let me
encourage you with how God spoketo me in his word, or let me
study this with you, or come tochurch with me and hear this
sermon, or come to group with meand hear this study.
Whatever it is that we are justexposing people to the word of
God and then also not onlydiscipling them in the word, but
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witnessing to them in the word.
What do you do with someone thatdoesn't believe the Bible is
God's word and therefore they'renot a Christian?
Do you realize that, even ifthey don't believe the Bible is
God's word, you still speak theBible to them Because you want
the word of God to be speakingto them in their hearts, not
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your own words.
Amen, man.
You want the voice of God to bespeaking to them.
The Bible says the word of Godis powerful and it is active,
even if they don't believe it,god can still use it, because
God is louder than the lies ofSatan.
So we witness through the word.
Number one is Bible.
Number two is gospel.
Everybody say gospel.
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Look what he says in Luke 24,verse 45, jesus opened their
minds to understand thescriptures Time out.
Wouldn't that be nice If Jesusopened up your minds to
understand all the Bible.
You know, I mean, I still don'tunderstand all the Bible.
I'm a pastor, I've got adoctorate.
There's still so much that Idon't understand, because the
word of God is inexhaustible,right.
And so he says he opened theirminds to understand the
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scriptures.
Some people think I'll neverunderstand the scriptures fully
because I don't know Hebrew ofthe Old Testament or Greek of
the New Testament, or I don'tknow systematic theology.
I don't read all those bigbooks.
And some people think I'venever been to the Holy Land, so
I've never gotten a Bible degree.
So what am I gonna know?
That's not what Jesus says.
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Jesus says when he opens uppeople's minds to the scriptures
.
He says here is what thescriptures all come down to.
Thus it is written that theChrist should suffer, that Jesus
should suffer his death and onthe third day he should rise
from the dead.
You know, god wrote the word,the scriptures, so that
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everything is pointing to thegospel of Jesus.
Everything is coming back toone thing, everything is coming
back to the gospel.
The gospel is this the gospel isthe person of Jesus, that Jesus
is fully God and fully man.
The gospel is the work of Jesus, that Jesus lived a perfect
life, that he suffered for oursin, that he died for our sin,
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that he was buried for threedays, that he rose from the dead
and that he's coming back again.
And the gospel is your responseto that truth.
And your response to that truth.
What you're responsible for isto believe, to have faith in him
, to repent of your sin and tocall on him as the Lord of your
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life.
That's how the gospel saves you, by placing faith in the truth
of the gospel.
But that's not all the gospelis designed to do in you.
I love this.
God did not just design thegospel to save you, he also
designed the gospel to sanctifyyou.
The same gospel that saves youis the same gospel that makes
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you more like Jesus once you'resaved.
So you continue to believe.
But not only do you continue tobelieve, you continue to deepen
yourself in the gospel, so thatit becomes your identity, so
that it becomes your story, sothat it becomes who you really
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are.
I had a friend several years ago.
His name was DJ.
Some of you have heard thestory.
Dj came up to me one day.
He was about 35 years old andDJ said Pastor Chip, you'll
never believe what happened.
He said my wife, my kids, gotme one of those DNA kits for
Father's Day about five or sixyears ago.
And he said I did the bloodtest, I sent it in, I got it
back.
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Long story short, dj found outthat who he always thought was
his dad was not his dad.
Who he always thought was hisdad was not his dad.
He said Pastor Chip, the manwho was there when I was born,
the man who I have lived with.
I was named after him.
I've called him dad all of mylife.
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Everything I've ever known isthat this man was my dad.
Dna kit came back and he is notmy dad.
Another man is my dad.
Dna kit came back and he is notmy dad.
Another man is my dad.
And I said DJ, bro, like we gotcounseling for people like you,
man Like you.
Okay, is everything all right.
And DJ looked at me and a smilecame across his face and he said
(24:24):
, pastor Chip.
He said this is why the Psalmssay that we can never be shaken.
He said because I believe inthe gospel of Jesus Christ,
which means that my father, myheavenly father, never changes,
because I believe in Jesus as myLord and savior, he has
forgiven me of my sin, so thisdoesn't change anything, my
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identity in my life whatsoever.
He said, if anything, it justgives me new family members to
witness to, because I get totell this man and others about
Jesus.
Put your hands together rightnow for the way that God works.
That's the power of the gospelin you.
The power of the gospel ofJesus Christ in you is that the
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gospel is the most important,the most powerful part of you,
that nothing can shake you,nothing can destroy you, nothing
can ruin you, because what ismost true about you is the
gospel of Jesus.
Can I get an amen?
So the gospel.
What do we do?
Number one I want to encourageyou that you continue to believe
the gospel, you continue to bedeepened in the gospel.
(25:36):
I want to encourage you buybooks that deepens your
understanding and comprehensionand knowledge of the gospel and
I, even as a Christian, I justpray the gospel every day.
I don't pray the gospel for mysalvation every day.
I pray the gospel from mysalvation every day.
I thank God for it and I askGod for the power to live in it
(25:58):
and we disciple with the gospelso that when people are
struggling in life, we can tellthem God still loves you because
Jesus died for you.
When people are hopeless, we cantell them no, jesus rose from
the dead, which means that Godis working out all things in
your life according to his goodand his glory.
When people in life are, ormaybe they're depressed or
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they're anxious, we can say no.
When the Holy Spirit has comeinto your life, he has given you
power, even in your anxiety,even in your depression, even in
your worry.
Those things are not youridentity, those things are not
your label.
The gospel of Jesus Christ isyour label and that's how we
witness to people, whether ornot they believe that it's true.
(26:43):
Because it is true, god usesthe truth to bring sinners to
salvation in Jesus Christ.
If you're with me, say yeah.
Number one is Bible.
Number two is gospel.
Number three is personal.
Everybody say personal.
Verse 47,.
Jesus said this.
He said and that repentance forthe forgiveness of sins should
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be proclaimed in my name.
In other words, jesus is sayingand when you share the word of
God with them and when you sharethe gospel of Jesus with them,
here's what Jesus is saying.
He's saying tell them what I'vedone in you.
He's saying tell them of thethings that you've repented of.
Tell them about the things thatyou've struggled in your life.
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Tell them about the things thatI've repented of.
Tell them about the things thatyou've struggled in your life.
Tell them about the things thatI've forgiven you of.
Tell them about the things thatI've given you power over, that
you have overcome through thegospel, things that only Jesus
could give you the power toovercome it.
He's saying I want you to behonest with them, be personal
with them.
Tell them about the forgivenessthat I have offered you and
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tell them about the forgivenessthat you are able to give others
who have hurt you, because Godhas forgiven you of every way
that you have hurt him.
He's saying make it personal, asthe gospel is not just
something to believe, as thegospel is the truth to live.
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He's saying that we are calledto make it personal in our lives
and in their lives.
I would encourage you to liveit personally.
Experience the power ofrepentance, the power of
forgiveness, the power of thegospel that God has in your life
.
And when you experience, thenyou'll be able to help others
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experience it too.
You'll be able to disciple thempersonally.
Well, let me tell you aboutwhat God's done in me.
Let me tell you about what amess I am.
Let me tell you about all thewreckage in my life that God had
to clean up.
And when we witness, we'retelling people what God has
personally done in us, so thatthey see that we're not, that
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they're not trying to becomelike us.
They're trying to become likeJesus, just like we are becoming
like Jesus.
Number four is missional.
Everyone say missional.
We've talked about Bible, we'vetalked about gospel, we've
talked about personal.
And number four is missional.
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Verse 47 says this.
He says again and thatrepentance for the forgiveness
of sin should be proclaimed inhis name.
Hear me.
And he says to all nations,beginning from Jerusalem you are
witnesses of these things.
See, what God calls everyChristian to do is not to live
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for ourselves, is not to tellpeople about ourselves, is not
to point people to ourselves.
But everything that God hascalled every believer to do is
to witness and to point and totell everyone about Jesus.
He's saying that you arewitnesses of these things.
To who?
He says to all nations.
He says to absolutely everyone.
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Why?
Because every single person onthe planet is created equally in
the image of God, no matterwhere they're from, no matter
what they look like, no matterwhere they live, no matter what
they've been through, no matterwhat they've gone through, that
we all are in need of Jesus.
Can I get an amen?
That's why I told you last weekthat even just our church and
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think about our community, thinkabout our just greater Atlanta
area, think about Georgia, thinkabout the United States and the
world, think about our greaterAtlanta area, think about
Georgia, think about the UnitedStates and the world Just in our
church, first Baptist Church,powder Springs, we have
Zimbabweans, we have Nigerians,we have Liberians, we have
Trinidadians, we have Jamaicans,we have Mexicans, we have
African Americans, we haveJapanese Americans, we have
European Americans and some ofyou have let me know that I
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missed you last week, so Iapologize.
We and some of you have let meknow that I missed you last week
, so I apologize.
We also have Filipinos, we haveGhanians, we have Puerto Ricans
and who knows where you're from.
In other words, god loves this,god loves this when his
children, in diversity, gettogether and find their unity in
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Jesus.
This is where God is glorifiedthroughout all generations,
throughout all nationalities,throughout all people groups and
throughout all ethnicities.
And he said I am calling you tobe witnesses to all nations,
which simply means to all people, because everyone, everyone
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should have the opportunity tobecome a child of God, and
that's why we are continuing toraise up the next generation as
disciple makers.
We aren't just called to makedisciples, but we're called to
make disciple makers.
In other words, when we arediscipling someone, when we're
sharing someone with the word ofGod or the gospel of Jesus or
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about our personal story inJesus Christ, we are not listen
to me we're not just working inthem to make them a disciple.
We are telling that story andwe're working in them to make
them a disciple maker so thatthey will follow Jesus and they
will make more followers ofJesus, that they will tell their
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story to other people.
Another way to say it is wehaven't fully made a disciple
maker until the disciple ismaking disciple makers.
In other words, we'recontinuing to tell people now
you take the story of Jesus, nowyou take your story and you go
and you make disciples too,because that is what we're
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called to do on mission trips.
That's why we're going toPuerto Rico there in October,
and this is not just a trip forthe church, this is a trip for
you, because we want to be achurch that not only do we
spread the gospel to the nationsthat are here, but we want to
go to the nations and take thegospel to them when they may
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never hear the gospel any otherway.
That's why we're going toUganda in September, so that we
can go and take the gospel to aplace that may never hear the
gospel.
And that is why we learnedearlier about Lois and Eunice
Lois, timothy's grandmother,eunice, timothy's mom.
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Listen to me Isn't it amazing?
It's amazing that what God didin Lois' life as she poured into
Eunice, and what God did inEunice's life, she poured into
Timothy, and what God is doingin Timothy, he was pouring out
into his church, and what Godpoured out into his church
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poured out into other believersand other believers and other
believers.
So, therefore, the gospel hascome to you and to me, to us.
Today it is our turn.
It's our opportunity to takethe gospel and continue to give
it to others, so the gospelcontinues to spread throughout
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our homes, throughout ourfamilies, throughout our
community and throughout ourworld is what Jesus is calling
us to do.
So what do we do?
I would encourage you and Ichallenge myself that we're
called to live missionally.
We're just called to live insuch of a way every day that
somebody could get saved, thatwe're called to disciple people
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missionally.
We're not just called to helpthem to follow Jesus, but to
help them to follow Jesus insuch of a way that they can help
others follow Jesus too.
And whenever someone isn'tsaved, we get the beautiful
opportunity of inviting them tobelieve in Jesus, just like we
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have had the opportunity tobelieve in Jesus Just want you
to know that so many people havewitnessed to me in my life in
Jesus.
I just want you to know that somany people have witnessed to
me in my life.
I'm thankful for every man whohas witnessed to me throughout
my life, but today I just wantto honor the women who have
witnessed to me through my life.
I'm so thankful for my mom,susan Dean.
I'm thankful for my grandma,who's with Jesus on my mom's
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side, who would tell me allabout Jesus.
I'm thankful for my mama Dean.
My grandmother on my dad's sidetell me all about Jesus.
I'm thankful for my mama Dean,on my grandmother on my dad's
side, that told me about Jesus.
I'm thankful for mymother-in-law, who's a witness
of Jesus Christ.
I'm thankful for my wife, who'sa witness of Jesus in my life,
every single day.
I'm so thankful for you, ladieshere.
I wanna say thank you for everylady that pours into our kids.
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Thank you for every Thank youfor every lady that pours into
the next generation, here in ourkids' ministry, in our student
ministry.
Thank you for every lady thatleads a group.
Thank you for every lady thatis a part of our women's
ministry or on our serving team,or on our hospitality team, or
maybe you're just out in thecommunity and you're just
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inviting people to come and tobe a part of what Jesus is doing
in such of a powerful way hereat First Baptist Powder Springs.
I just wanna say to all of ourladies, all the women in the
room, every single female, thatGod sees you, that God is near
and that God is, he values you,that your worth is found in him.
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Let no woman, let no man labelyou or give you an identity that
is not true about you.
You are a daughter of the king,you are a woman of Jesus Christ
and the Bible says that, jesus,if you believed in him, he is
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in your life, the Holy Spirithas filled you, and that him, he
, is in your life, the HolySpirit has filled you, and that
God has a purpose for your lifeto use your life in a way that
is greater than to bring anyrecognition or any fame unto you
, but of bringing all of theglory to Jesus.
He alone is your identity.
(36:56):
Can I ask us all to bow ourheads and close our eyes, with
every head bowed and every eyeclosed, I just want to encourage
you right now, just to ask God.
Ask God right here, right now.
God, put a face in my mind.
God, give me a name, faith inmy mind.
God, give me a name.
Who is it that you want me todisciple, to encourage, to pour
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into?
Just to talk to them about theBible, the gospel, make it
personal, help them to becomemissional, god, who is it that
you are God.
You're calling me to do this.
Who is it that you're callingme to do it with?
And maybe you're here thismorning and you're thinking I
could never do that.
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Maybe you're thinking becauseI've never given my life to
Jesus, how can I help someone dosomething that I haven't done
myself?
I want you to know that I'vebeen there.
Everyone in this room has beenthere.
If that's where you are, thenhere's what you need to know
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Jesus loves you.
God created you for so muchmore than what you're
experiencing today.
Jesus died for you so that youcould experience so much more
than what you're going throughtoday.
He rose from the dead to giveyou life and this morning, if
you ask him, he'll come intoyour life.
He'll save you.
With every head bowed and everyeye closed that I can't pray
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this for you, I can't save you,but you can pray this to God.
He'll answer you and he'spromised to save.
If you mean it with all of yourheart, you can tell him right
now, in your own words, fromyour own heart, you can say God,
I believe in you and God, Ineed you.
And you can tell him and youcan say God, I believe that
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Jesus died on the cross for mysins and I ask you to forgive me
of all my sin, and he will.
Based upon Jesus, he will.
And the Bible says you prayright now.
And, god, I believe that Jesusrose from the dead.
He's alive and he's real and Iwant to give my life to him.
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I call on Jesus as the Lord ofmy life and I want to give my
life to him.
I call on Jesus as the Lord ofmy life and the Bible says in
Romans 10, 9, that if youconfess with your mouth that
Jesus is Lord and believe withyour heart that God raised him
from the dead here's the promise, here's the truth.
It's for you you will be saved.
So you pray that, invite Jesusto be your Lord because of his
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death and resurrection, andyou'll be saved.
And, oh God, we believe that.
God, thank you for yoursalvation.
Lord, we love you and we praythese things in Jesus' name.
And all God's people said wouldyou put your hands together
right now for anybody that gavetheir life to Jesus?
We want to say welcome to thefamily.
The Bible says that heavenrejoices every time one sinner.
One sinner repents and givestheir life to Jesus.
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I just want to ask us all tostand up right now and I just
want to encourage you as we'reabout to worship Jesus together.
There's a next step card infront of you and with that next
step card, during this song orright after the service, you can
fill it out, you can bring itup to me.
And here's the question is whatis Jesus calling you to do next
in your life?
Have you given your life to him?
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Do you need to be baptized?
You need to be a part of one ofour groups, or need to be
serving in a ministry, or maybeyou wanna join the church?
These are all your next stepsas you follow Jesus, and we
wanna give him all the gloryright now, because he, as the
ultimate missionary, has comeinto your life and he has made
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you a disciple, a follower ofhim.
So we're gonna worship himright now and give him all the
glory.
Let's go.
Put your hands together for all of our moms
this morning, every mother here,every grandmother, every
great-grandmother, happyMother's Day.
All of our moms present, all ofour moms represented and all of
our moms remembered.
We just want to celebrate youtoday and we are so thankful for
all that you do.
Thank you for putting up withall of us and putting up with
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all that we do.
Welcome to First Baptist Church, Powder Springs.
This morning.
We are so thankful that you arehere and putting up with all
that we do.
Welcome to First Baptist Church, powder Springs.
This morning.
We are so thankful that you arehere.
I wanna give a special happyMother's Day to my wife, the mom
of our three children Brooklyn,who's six.
Cruz, who is two.
Eliana, who turns one next week.
Believe it or not kind of crazyBabe.
I love ya Every time I thinkabout you.
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Proverbs 31, 29,.
Many women have doneexcellently, but you surpassed
them all.
I love you.
Happy Mother's Day to you.
Happy Mother's Day to my mom,who's watching from Pensacola,
florida, this morning, and happyMother's Day to my
mother-in-law, who is watchingfrom heaven with Jesus today.
So we're just so thankful forall of the moms and I pray that
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Mother's Day is not a surpriseto any of you men today, right,
I hope this isn't your firstreminder.
I heard a story this week thatsaid a man forgot it was
Mother's Day and so it wasMother's Day morning.
He was scurrying the house,scoured throughout the house,
trying to find a Mother's Daycard, couldn't find one, but he
found a Mother's Day card.
Couldn't find one, but he founda Valentine's Day card, and he
took a crayon and he marked outValentine's.
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It said happy, and he wrote inMother's Day and then he handed
it to her.
And now every second Sunday inMay, you guessed it, you know
what he's doing he's sleeping onthe couch.
That's what he's doing, right?
And so, man, I hope this is nota reminder to you.
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Mother's Day it actually sort ofbegan in 1908.
A lady by the name of AnnaJarvis she had just lost her
mother.
Two years prior she had amemorial service for her mom in
her church filled that churchwith 500 carnations.
The president at the time,woodrow Wilson, heard about it
through letter writing and hemade Mother's Day, from it a
national holiday On 1914,.
We've been celebrating Mother'sDay as a country for 111 years.
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Well, this morning we don'thave 500 carnations, which was
her mother's favorite flower,but we have 500 roses for all of
our moms, all of our grandmoms,all of our great grandmoms and
every single female here today.
And here's why Because the worldwon't celebrate all womanhood.
We know that world religionstoday, many world religions, do
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not respect women.
Even back in Jesus's day, womenwere not respected or seen
equally as a man.
But Jesus did.
Jesus respected women, jesushonored women and Jesus was
countercultural in the way thathe broke through all social
barriers and Jesus showed us howto respect, honor, celebrate
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all womanhood.
So let's put our hands togetherfor all women today.
We are so thankful for all thatyou do, as, as we mentioned
earlier, we know that today canbe hard for many as well, maybe
for those who have longed to bea mother, and Michelle and I, we
went through infertility forsome nine years and we feel your
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pain.
It was some of the hardest daysof our life.
We feel pain for those thathave lost their mother.
I lost my mother-in-law.
She lost her mom one monthbefore our life.
We feel pain for those thathave lost their mother.
I lost my mother-in-law.
She lost her mom one monthbefore our wedding, and just how
difficult that was to gothrough joyous times and yet we
so wanted my mama, snow, hermother, to be there with us.
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Or for some of y'all maybe thathave, maybe you've lost a child
or something difficult in yourlife, we know that this day can
be very bittersweet, so I justwanna pray over us before we
jump into God's word.
Let's pray, heavenly Father, welove you and God, we do just
wanna say thank you for mothers.
God, thank you that you give uslife from our mom.
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God, thank you that the way inwhich that you've designed the
world, that we receive nurturingfrom our mother.
But, god, we know that todaythere are people that may have a
distant relationship with theirmom, may have lost their mom,
maybe they long to be a mom.
And, god, here's what webelieve and here's what we know
that your word says in Genesis16, 13,.
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That you are the God who seesour hurts Psalm 56, 8,.
God, that you collect every oneof our tears Psalm 147, verse 3
, you bind up the brokenhearted.
God, thank you that you comfortus and give us strength, even
in our pain, that you're near tous.
And God, you never forsake yourchildren.
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In Jesus' name, and all God'schildren said amen.
Well, happy Mother's Day againto all of you who are here.
One of my favorite verses in allthe Bible about Mother's Day,
about moms, is 2 Timothy 1.5.
It says I'm reminded.
The apostle Paul tells Timothy,who is training to be a young
pastor, I'm reminded of yoursincere faith, a faith that
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dwelt first in your grandmotherLois, your mother Eunice, and
now, I'm sure, dwells in you aswell.
In other words, we're alwaysreminded that God is always
using our faith in the life, inthe faith of someone else.
Thank you, moms that you woulddo absolutely anything for your
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kids.
Just to read this.
You would stay up all night fora crying or a feverish baby.
You pray like a warrior at 3 am, you make 14 different snacks
just before noon, you clean upmesses you didn't make.
You taxi your kids to everypractice and every game and
somehow you still find time towash clothes that you could have
sworn you just washed thatyesterday.
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And you do it all, even whenyou're sick, with a smile, all
while you hold a crying baby onyour hip.
Meanwhile, us dads, we catch aman cold and suddenly it is a
national code red emergency.
We're all wrapped up in ablanket on the couch, been
watching shows and whispering toour wife.
Just tell the kids I love them.
Moms, we salute you.
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We salute you.
You are our superheroes.
There's nothing you would notdo for your kids.
I heard of a mom this week thatshe got a call from her little
girl.
Little girl was just old enoughto stay home when she was sick.
Mom was at work.
Little girl called her.
She said mom, I'm sick bad.
I need you to come home.
I need you right now.
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Stop by the drugstore and getme some medicine.
The mom left work, jumped in hercar, went to the drugstore,
left her car running, ran inside, got the medicine, came back
out to her car, started pouringdown rain.
She locked her keys in the car.
The car was locked, shecouldn't get in.
She prayed oh God help me, mylittle girl is sick.
This old, rusty truck drove upand parked right there and she
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said sir, can you help me?
This rough looking dude jumpedout of his truck and she said my
keys are locked in my car.
He said no problem, he had acoat hanger right there on his
seat.
Popped it through the window,popped the lock, got her in and
she said thank you so much,wrapped her arms around him and
said you're such a nice man.
He said no, I'm not.
I just escaped prison forstealing cars.
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And she said thank you, god,you sent a professional.
You did it again.
You did it again.
So we just want to say thank youto all the moms that you would
do absolutely anything, but Ijust want to remind you today
that, while you're soresponsible for everything in
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your kids' lives, it's so easyfor a mom and for a dad to take
care of everything because ofall the needs, but yet you miss
the most important thing.
You miss the most importantthing that God calls every, that
Jesus has called every singleparent to do, and we see it in
Matthew, chapter 28,.
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And what we've been doingthrough this series, we've been
standing and reading togetherthe Great Commission.
Can we all stand together thismorning as we read Jesus' most
important words on the planetthat he has given to us, and
then I'll ask you to have a seat.
After that, let's read Matthew28, 19 to 20 together.
Here we go.
Go, therefore, and makedisciples of all nations,
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baptizing them in the name ofthe Father, of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, teaching themto observe all that I have
commanded you.
And behold, I am with youalways, to the end of the age.
Put your hands together if youbelieve that this morning you
can have a seat.
And what a reminder that Jesusis saying that we get caught up
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with so many things to do thatwe can't miss out on the most
important thing in our life.
And he is talking about makingdisciples.
And that's the ultimate call ofmotherhood, that's the ultimate
call of fatherhood, but alsoit's the ultimate call of
Christianhood, of being aChristian, as we are continuing
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in the series Made for More.
Everybody say more.
It's a reminder whatever it isthat we are living for, that is
not ultimately for the glory ofJesus, there is actually more in
your life that you were madefor.
What was the more that you weremade for?
Well, here's what Jesus wantsyou to know.
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Jesus wants you to know that,when you live your life for you,
that you will never feel thefulfillment, the satisfaction or
the joy that you're seeking sooften, what we are seeking the
most, that we will never getbecause we won't find it in
where we're looking for it.
(09:44):
But Jesus said if you youreally wanna be happy, if you
want true joy, if you wanna besatisfied, if you wanna be
fulfilled, he's saying thendon't live it for you.
Jesus is saying live for him.
And Jesus says this is the waythat you live for me.
You live for me by living forothers.
You live for me.
You serve me by serving others.
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We just read it in Matthew 28.
He said go and make disciples.
We learned last week.
If you missed it, you can goback and check it out online.
Go means wherever you go, itmeans as you're going or whoever
you're around.
He says to make disciples.
Now I'll be honest with you.
I hear a lot of sermons bypastors on making disciples, but
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I never hear a lot ofclarification or strategy or
simplification or how tocommunicate it in a way that any
Christian can do it.
Because Jesus didn't just sayfor churches to make disciples.
He didn't just say for churchesto make disciples.
He didn't just say for pastorsto make disciples.
Jesus was calling disciples tomake disciples, for Christians
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to make disciples.
In other words, that you willfind the meaning and the purpose
and the fulfillment and thesatisfaction of your life when
you are making disciples withyour life.
But I think often we don't doit because we think what it
requires is well now.
So I'm dedicating my life toone person for the rest of my
(11:16):
life, just to pour my life intoNot necessarily.
Jesus poured his life into 12men for just three years.
So it may be at times that it'sdifferent people.
It may be that it's a couple ofpeople that you're pouring into
.
It may be, as the word go means, wherever you are and whoever
you're around.
Jesus just said, whateveryou're doing, wherever you are,
(11:38):
as you're going, whoever you'rearound, that we're called to be
making disciples, and I believethat if Jesus calls every
Christian to do it, then itshould be so easy that even a
Christian can do it.
Can I get an amen?
Even a Christian can do this.
So I want to just make it verypractical this morning and for
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you to understand, for me tounderstand the simplicity and
how easy it is, how simple it isthat we are called to make
disciples.
Four keys in making disciplesfrom Luke 24, verses 44 through
48.
And this is for you, and sonumber one is Bible.
Everybody say Bible, bible.
So I want you to be thinkingabout your life.
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I want you to be thinking aboutyour life.
I want you to be thinking aboutwho's in your life.
Maybe you know someone, you'rethinking of someone right now
and maybe they've never giventheir life to Jesus and you're
just thinking how can I impactthem, how can I influence them,
how can I help them to givetheir life to Jesus, that they
can experience this life thatthey were created to live?
Or maybe you're thinking aboutsomeone this morning that maybe
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they've given their life toJesus but maybe right now
they're not living their lifefor Jesus.
Maybe you're thinking aboutsomeone this morning that maybe
they've given their life toJesus but they've never been
taught by anyone in giving theirlife to Jesus.
Or maybe you're thinking aboutsomeone that's just going
through a really difficultseason, a very hard time, and
they're not sure how to livetheir life for Jesus during this
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season of their life.
And that's what Jesus iscalling us to do as believers,
as his children, as Christians.
And where do we start?
Number one is Bible.
Look at what Jesus said in Luke24.
In verse 44, jesus said to themhe said these are my words,
that I spoke to you while I wasstill with you, that everything
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written about me, everybody sayme that me, there is Jesus.
Everything written about Jesusin the law of Moses and the
prophets and the Psalms must befulfilled.
What is Jesus saying?
He gets his disciples and hesays listen, I'm about to ascend
back to heaven.
Here's what you got tounderstand.
Everything I've ever said,everything that's ever been
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written down about me,everything in the Bible.
He said it is all about me,from the law of Moses.
That's talking about the firstfive books of the Bible Genesis,
through Deuteronomy.
He says all the way through theprophets, that's all the way
through Malachi, the last bookof the Old Testament.
He says even in the Psalms,that's the poetic books, and we
know obviously, the whole NewTestament is all about Jesus.
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Jesus is saying look at how thewhole Bible is ultimately about
me, which means the Bible is notabout Abraham, the Bible is not
about Moses.
The Bible is not about David.
The Bible is not about Moses.
The Bible is not about David.
The Bible is not about Solomon.
The Bible is not about theapostles.
The Bible is not about Paul.
The Bible is not about John.
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The Bible is not about you andthe Bible is not about me.
The Bible is all about Jesus.
Put your hands together,because he is the center of all
scripture.
Now here's what's so importantabout that in your life, that
means, if we want Jesus to speakinto our life and Jesus to work
into our life, then we get inthe word of God, wherever we are
in the word of God andultimately, somehow, every
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character, every story, everytruth, everything in God's word
points us to Jesus.
In other words, it takes awhole Bible to make a whole
believer.
Can I get an amen?
It takes a whole Bible to makea whole believer.
2 Corinthians, chapter 3, verse18, says we all, with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of theLord.
(15:17):
Where is it that you behold theglory of Jesus?
You behold the glory of Jesusin the Word of God.
That's where you see hisclearest glory.
When we behold the glory of theLord, then what happens?
You are being transformed inScripture, in the Word of God,
into the same image of Jesus.
(15:38):
You're being transformed intohis image from one degree of
glory to another, which meanswherever you are spiritually,
jesus works with you there.
Sometimes Satan will lie to youand he will tell you that you've
been disobedient and you'vebeen distant from God and you've
(16:00):
been away from God.
So why would God ever work inyour life when you are right now
, god could never do anything inyou.
And the word of God tells Satanthat he's a liar.
Can I get an amen?
The word of God says no, fromone degree of glory to another,
no matter who you are or whereyou are.
God wants to meet you there andGod wants to work in your life
(16:22):
there.
Listen, it is the Word of God,that is the voice of God, which
does the work of God in thepeople of God.
If you want God to speak intoyour life, you get in God's Word
and you allow God to do a workin you as a child of God.
(16:42):
So it looks like when we'remaking disciples.
It's kind of like the way inwhich Michelle and I we like to
disciple our kids, becauseultimately, all Christians are
God's children.
And so what do we do?
Like Brooklyn and Cruz andEliana, we just want to get them
in as much scripture aspossible, because the word of
(17:05):
God is the voice of God thatdoes the work of God and the
people of God as possible,because the word of God is the
voice of God that does the workof God and the people of God.
So that's why we get them in,like at an early age, in Bible
cartoons.
Now we're all up on Superbookand Mino Kids and Life Kids and
all these different Biblecartoons, because we just want
them to know the stories ofscripture.
This is why, every night, wewant to read them their little
(17:27):
children's Bible, every singlenight.
Last night I read Brooklynabout Daniel the lion's and she
said, dad, I'm not gonna look atthe pictures but I'll be scared
.
But you can read to me, okay,but you can read to me.
And we read Jonah and the whalelast night.
I told you last week that Cruzbrought me his little children's
Bible and he said daddy, god,daddy, god.
And so I opened it up and helistened for two nights in a row
(17:49):
and we read the entire OldTestament and that children's
Bible was 200 pages.
He actually finished his Biblethis week About 300 to 400 pages
of children's Bibles.
Think, man, he did it.
And I'm thinking I've got asuper Christian on my hands.
I've got the next Billy Graham,right.
This is amazing.
And the next night, after hejust finished the Bible, I said
all right, cruz, let's read theBible.
(18:10):
And he said no, no, daddy, noBible, no Bible.
And I'm like what happenedright.
But isn't that all of us Like?
Sometimes we think that wealready know that or we think
we've already done that.
Listen, we are never done withGod's word because God's word is
never done with us.
We're never done with God'sword because God's word is never
(18:34):
done with us, even if you'veheard it a million times, god's
going to speak to you like it'sthe first time, because it's the
word of God that does the workof God through the voice of God
within the people of God.
That's why we do things likeKVX, our vacation Bible school
the first week of June.
That's why we encourage you getyour kids here, get your nieces
(18:54):
and nephews here, get yourgrandchildren here.
When you're out groceryshopping or you're at the ball
field or you're out in thecommunity, get an invite or
share the social media and let'sget as many kids here.
I can't speak for any otherchurch, but here they're gonna
get the word of God, herethey're gonna get the gospel of
Jesus Christ, and we are calledto make disciples of the next
(19:17):
generation so they quit livingfor sin and they start living
for him and they start fixingtheir eyes on Jesus.
Can I get an amen?
So here's what we do.
Here's what we do in terms ofBible.
What do you do?
First of all, I'm called to bein the word of God personally.
You're called to be in the wordof God personally so that we
can disciple other people in theword, whether it's hey, let me
(19:38):
text you a verse, or let me praythis over you, or let me
encourage you with how God spoketo me in his word, or let me
study this with you, or come tochurch with me and hear this
sermon, or come to group with meand hear this study.
Whatever it is that we are justexposing people to the word of
God and then also not onlydiscipling them in the word, but
(19:58):
witnessing to them in the word.
What do you do with someone thatdoesn't believe the Bible is
God's word and therefore they'renot a Christian?
Do you realize that, even ifthey don't believe the Bible is
God's word, you still speak theBible to them Because you want
the word of God to be speakingto them in their hearts, not
(20:19):
your own words.
Amen, man.
You want the voice of God to bespeaking to them.
The Bible says the word of Godis powerful and it is active,
even if they don't believe it,god can still use it, because
God is louder than the lies ofSatan.
So we witness through the word.
Number one is Bible.
Number two is gospel.
Everybody say gospel.
(20:41):
Look what he says in Luke 24,verse 45, jesus opened their
minds to understand thescriptures Time out.
Wouldn't that be nice If Jesusopened up your minds to
understand all the Bible.
You know, I mean, I still don'tunderstand all the Bible.
I'm a pastor, I've got adoctorate.
There's still so much that Idon't understand, because the
word of God is inexhaustible,right.
And so he says he opened theirminds to understand the
(21:04):
scriptures.
Some people think I'll neverunderstand the scriptures fully
because I don't know Hebrew ofthe Old Testament or Greek of
the New Testament, or I don'tknow systematic theology.
I don't read all those bigbooks.
And some people think I'venever been to the Holy Land, so
I've never gotten a Bible degree.
So what am I gonna know?
That's not what Jesus says.
(21:25):
Jesus says when he opens uppeople's minds to the scriptures
.
He says here is what thescriptures all come down to.
Thus it is written that theChrist should suffer, that Jesus
should suffer his death and onthe third day he should rise
from the dead.
You know, god wrote the word,the scriptures, so that
(21:45):
everything is pointing to thegospel of Jesus.
Everything is coming back toone thing, everything is coming
back to the gospel.
The gospel is this the gospel isthe person of Jesus, that Jesus
is fully God and fully man.
The gospel is the work of Jesus, that Jesus lived a perfect
life, that he suffered for oursin, that he died for our sin,
(22:08):
that he was buried for threedays, that he rose from the dead
and that he's coming back again.
And the gospel is your responseto that truth.
And your response to that truth.
What you're responsible for isto believe, to have faith in him
, to repent of your sin and tocall on him as the Lord of your
(22:30):
life.
That's how the gospel saves you, by placing faith in the truth
of the gospel.
But that's not all the gospelis designed to do in you.
I love this.
God did not just design thegospel to save you, he also
designed the gospel to sanctifyyou.
The same gospel that saves youis the same gospel that makes
(22:56):
you more like Jesus once you'resaved.
So you continue to believe.
But not only do you continue tobelieve, you continue to deepen
yourself in the gospel, so thatit becomes your identity, so
that it becomes your story, sothat it becomes who you really
(23:19):
are.
I had a friend several years ago.
His name was DJ.
Some of you have heard thestory.
Dj came up to me one day.
He was about 35 years old andDJ said Pastor Chip, you'll
never believe what happened.
He said my wife, my kids, gotme one of those DNA kits for
Father's Day about five or sixyears ago.
And he said I did the bloodtest, I sent it in, I got it
back.
(23:39):
Long story short, dj found outthat who he always thought was
his dad was not his dad.
Who he always thought was hisdad was not his dad.
He said Pastor Chip, the manwho was there when I was born,
the man who I have lived with.
I was named after him.
I've called him dad all of mylife.
(24:00):
Everything I've ever known isthat this man was my dad.
Dna kit came back and he is notmy dad.
Another man is my dad.
Dna kit came back and he is notmy dad.
Another man is my dad.
And I said DJ, bro, like we gotcounseling for people like you,
man Like you.
Okay, is everything all right.
And DJ looked at me and a smilecame across his face and he said
(24:24):
, pastor Chip.
He said this is why the Psalmssay that we can never be shaken.
He said because I believe inthe gospel of Jesus Christ,
which means that my father, myheavenly father, never changes,
because I believe in Jesus as myLord and savior, he has
forgiven me of my sin, so thisdoesn't change anything, my
(24:47):
identity in my life whatsoever.
He said, if anything, it justgives me new family members to
witness to, because I get totell this man and others about
Jesus.
Put your hands together rightnow for the way that God works.
That's the power of the gospelin you.
The power of the gospel ofJesus Christ in you is that the
(25:12):
gospel is the most important,the most powerful part of you,
that nothing can shake you,nothing can destroy you, nothing
can ruin you, because what ismost true about you is the
gospel of Jesus.
Can I get an amen?
So the gospel.
What do we do?
Number one I want to encourageyou that you continue to believe
the gospel, you continue to bedeepened in the gospel.
(25:36):
I want to encourage you buybooks that deepens your
understanding and comprehensionand knowledge of the gospel and
I, even as a Christian, I justpray the gospel every day.
I don't pray the gospel for mysalvation every day.
I pray the gospel from mysalvation every day.
I thank God for it and I askGod for the power to live in it
(25:58):
and we disciple with the gospelso that when people are
struggling in life, we can tellthem God still loves you because
Jesus died for you.
When people are hopeless, we cantell them no, jesus rose from
the dead, which means that Godis working out all things in
your life according to his goodand his glory.
When people in life are, ormaybe they're depressed or
(26:21):
they're anxious, we can say no.
When the Holy Spirit has comeinto your life, he has given you
power, even in your anxiety,even in your depression, even in
your worry.
Those things are not youridentity, those things are not
your label.
The gospel of Jesus Christ isyour label and that's how we
witness to people, whether ornot they believe that it's true.
(26:43):
Because it is true, god usesthe truth to bring sinners to
salvation in Jesus Christ.
If you're with me, say yeah.
Number one is Bible.
Number two is gospel.
Number three is personal.
Everybody say personal.
Verse 47,.
Jesus said this.
He said and that repentance forthe forgiveness of sins should
(27:05):
be proclaimed in my name.
In other words, jesus is sayingand when you share the word of
God with them and when you sharethe gospel of Jesus with them,
here's what Jesus is saying.
He's saying tell them what I'vedone in you.
He's saying tell them of thethings that you've repented of.
Tell them about the things thatyou've struggled in your life.
(27:27):
Tell them about the things thatI've repented of.
Tell them about the things thatyou've struggled in your life.
Tell them about the things thatI've forgiven you of.
Tell them about the things thatI've given you power over, that
you have overcome through thegospel, things that only Jesus
could give you the power toovercome it.
He's saying I want you to behonest with them, be personal
with them.
Tell them about the forgivenessthat I have offered you and
(27:48):
tell them about the forgivenessthat you are able to give others
who have hurt you, because Godhas forgiven you of every way
that you have hurt him.
He's saying make it personal, asthe gospel is not just
something to believe, as thegospel is the truth to live.
(28:09):
He's saying that we are calledto make it personal in our lives
and in their lives.
I would encourage you to liveit personally.
Experience the power ofrepentance, the power of
forgiveness, the power of thegospel that God has in your life
.
And when you experience, thenyou'll be able to help others
(28:32):
experience it too.
You'll be able to disciple thempersonally.
Well, let me tell you aboutwhat God's done in me.
Let me tell you about what amess I am.
Let me tell you about all thewreckage in my life that God had
to clean up.
And when we witness, we'retelling people what God has
personally done in us, so thatthey see that we're not, that
(28:57):
they're not trying to becomelike us.
They're trying to become likeJesus, just like we are becoming
like Jesus.
Number four is missional.
Everyone say missional.
We've talked about Bible, we'vetalked about gospel, we've
talked about personal.
And number four is missional.
(29:17):
Verse 47 says this.
He says again and thatrepentance for the forgiveness
of sin should be proclaimed inhis name.
Hear me.
And he says to all nations,beginning from Jerusalem you are
witnesses of these things.
See, what God calls everyChristian to do is not to live
(29:38):
for ourselves, is not to tellpeople about ourselves, is not
to point people to ourselves.
But everything that God hascalled every believer to do is
to witness and to point and totell everyone about Jesus.
He's saying that you arewitnesses of these things.
To who?
He says to all nations.
He says to absolutely everyone.
(29:58):
Why?
Because every single person onthe planet is created equally in
the image of God, no matterwhere they're from, no matter
what they look like, no matterwhere they live, no matter what
they've been through, no matterwhat they've gone through, that
we all are in need of Jesus.
Can I get an amen?
That's why I told you last weekthat even just our church and
(30:23):
think about our community, thinkabout our just greater Atlanta
area, think about Georgia, thinkabout the United States and the
world, think about our greaterAtlanta area, think about
Georgia, think about the UnitedStates and the world Just in our
church, first Baptist Church,powder Springs, we have
Zimbabweans, we have Nigerians,we have Liberians, we have
Trinidadians, we have Jamaicans,we have Mexicans, we have
African Americans, we haveJapanese Americans, we have
European Americans and some ofyou have let me know that I
(30:45):
missed you last week, so Iapologize.
We and some of you have let meknow that I missed you last week
, so I apologize.
We also have Filipinos, we haveGhanians, we have Puerto Ricans
and who knows where you're from.
In other words, god loves this,god loves this when his
children, in diversity, gettogether and find their unity in
(31:06):
Jesus.
This is where God is glorifiedthroughout all generations,
throughout all nationalities,throughout all people groups and
throughout all ethnicities.
And he said I am calling you tobe witnesses to all nations,
which simply means to all people, because everyone, everyone
(31:28):
should have the opportunity tobecome a child of God, and
that's why we are continuing toraise up the next generation as
disciple makers.
We aren't just called to makedisciples, but we're called to
make disciple makers.
In other words, when we arediscipling someone, when we're
sharing someone with the word ofGod or the gospel of Jesus or
(31:51):
about our personal story inJesus Christ, we are not listen
to me we're not just working inthem to make them a disciple.
We are telling that story andwe're working in them to make
them a disciple maker so thatthey will follow Jesus and they
will make more followers ofJesus, that they will tell their
(32:11):
story to other people.
Another way to say it is wehaven't fully made a disciple
maker until the disciple ismaking disciple makers.
In other words, we'recontinuing to tell people now
you take the story of Jesus, nowyou take your story and you go
and you make disciples too,because that is what we're
(32:32):
called to do on mission trips.
That's why we're going toPuerto Rico there in October,
and this is not just a trip forthe church, this is a trip for
you, because we want to be achurch that not only do we
spread the gospel to the nationsthat are here, but we want to
go to the nations and take thegospel to them when they may
(32:53):
never hear the gospel any otherway.
That's why we're going toUganda in September, so that we
can go and take the gospel to aplace that may never hear the
gospel.
And that is why we learnedearlier about Lois and Eunice
Lois, timothy's grandmother,eunice, timothy's mom.
(33:15):
Listen to me Isn't it amazing?
It's amazing that what God didin Lois' life as she poured into
Eunice, and what God did inEunice's life, she poured into
Timothy, and what God is doingin Timothy, he was pouring out
into his church, and what Godpoured out into his church
(33:36):
poured out into other believersand other believers and other
believers.
So, therefore, the gospel hascome to you and to me, to us.
Today it is our turn.
It's our opportunity to takethe gospel and continue to give
it to others, so the gospelcontinues to spread throughout
(33:56):
our homes, throughout ourfamilies, throughout our
community and throughout ourworld is what Jesus is calling
us to do.
So what do we do?
I would encourage you and Ichallenge myself that we're
called to live missionally.
We're just called to live insuch of a way every day that
somebody could get saved, thatwe're called to disciple people
(34:20):
missionally.
We're not just called to helpthem to follow Jesus, but to
help them to follow Jesus insuch of a way that they can help
others follow Jesus too.
And whenever someone isn'tsaved, we get the beautiful
opportunity of inviting them tobelieve in Jesus, just like we
(34:41):
have had the opportunity tobelieve in Jesus Just want you
to know that so many people havewitnessed to me in my life in
Jesus.
I just want you to know that somany people have witnessed to
me in my life.
I'm thankful for every man whohas witnessed to me throughout
my life, but today I just wantto honor the women who have
witnessed to me through my life.
I'm so thankful for my mom,susan Dean.
I'm thankful for my grandma,who's with Jesus on my mom's
(35:04):
side, who would tell me allabout Jesus.
I'm thankful for my mama Dean.
My grandmother on my dad's sidetell me all about Jesus.
I'm thankful for my mama Dean,on my grandmother on my dad's
side, that told me about Jesus.
I'm thankful for mymother-in-law, who's a witness
of Jesus Christ.
I'm thankful for my wife, who'sa witness of Jesus in my life,
every single day.
I'm so thankful for you, ladieshere.
I wanna say thank you for everylady that pours into our kids.
(35:27):
Thank you for every Thank youfor every lady that pours into
the next generation, here in ourkids' ministry, in our student
ministry.
Thank you for every lady thatleads a group.
Thank you for every lady thatis a part of our women's
ministry or on our serving team,or on our hospitality team, or
maybe you're just out in thecommunity and you're just
(35:48):
inviting people to come and tobe a part of what Jesus is doing
in such of a powerful way hereat First Baptist Powder Springs.
I just wanna say to all of ourladies, all the women in the
room, every single female, thatGod sees you, that God is near
and that God is, he values you,that your worth is found in him.
(36:12):
Let no woman, let no man labelyou or give you an identity that
is not true about you.
You are a daughter of the king,you are a woman of Jesus Christ
and the Bible says that, jesus,if you believed in him, he is
(36:35):
in your life, the Holy Spirithas filled you, and that him, he
, is in your life, the HolySpirit has filled you, and that
God has a purpose for your lifeto use your life in a way that
is greater than to bring anyrecognition or any fame unto you
, but of bringing all of theglory to Jesus.
He alone is your identity.
(36:56):
Can I ask us all to bow ourheads and close our eyes, with
every head bowed and every eyeclosed, I just want to encourage
you right now, just to ask God.
Ask God right here, right now.
God, put a face in my mind.
God, give me a name, faith inmy mind.
God, give me a name.
Who is it that you want me todisciple, to encourage, to pour
(37:25):
into?
Just to talk to them about theBible, the gospel, make it
personal, help them to becomemissional, god, who is it that
you are God.
You're calling me to do this.
Who is it that you're callingme to do it with?
And maybe you're here thismorning and you're thinking I
could never do that.
(37:45):
Maybe you're thinking becauseI've never given my life to
Jesus, how can I help someone dosomething that I haven't done
myself?
I want you to know that I'vebeen there.
Everyone in this room has beenthere.
If that's where you are, thenhere's what you need to know
(38:08):
Jesus loves you.
God created you for so muchmore than what you're
experiencing today.
Jesus died for you so that youcould experience so much more
than what you're going throughtoday.
He rose from the dead to giveyou life and this morning, if
you ask him, he'll come intoyour life.
He'll save you.
With every head bowed and everyeye closed that I can't pray
(38:29):
this for you, I can't save you,but you can pray this to God.
He'll answer you and he'spromised to save.
If you mean it with all of yourheart, you can tell him right
now, in your own words, fromyour own heart, you can say God,
I believe in you and God, Ineed you.
And you can tell him and youcan say God, I believe that
(38:51):
Jesus died on the cross for mysins and I ask you to forgive me
of all my sin, and he will.
Based upon Jesus, he will.
And the Bible says you prayright now.
And, god, I believe that Jesusrose from the dead.
He's alive and he's real and Iwant to give my life to him.
(39:13):
I call on Jesus as the Lord ofmy life and I want to give my
life to him.
I call on Jesus as the Lord ofmy life and the Bible says in
Romans 10, 9, that if youconfess with your mouth that
Jesus is Lord and believe withyour heart that God raised him
from the dead here's the promise, here's the truth.
It's for you you will be saved.
So you pray that, invite Jesusto be your Lord because of his
(39:39):
death and resurrection, andyou'll be saved.
And, oh God, we believe that.
God, thank you for yoursalvation.
Lord, we love you and we praythese things in Jesus' name.
And all God's people said wouldyou put your hands together
right now for anybody that gavetheir life to Jesus?
We want to say welcome to thefamily.
The Bible says that heavenrejoices every time one sinner.
One sinner repents and givestheir life to Jesus.
(40:02):
I just want to ask us all tostand up right now and I just
want to encourage you as we'reabout to worship Jesus together.
There's a next step card infront of you and with that next
step card, during this song orright after the service, you can
fill it out, you can bring itup to me.
And here's the question is whatis Jesus calling you to do next
in your life?
Have you given your life to him?
(40:22):
Do you need to be baptized?
You need to be a part of one ofour groups, or need to be
serving in a ministry, or maybeyou wanna join the church?
These are all your next stepsas you follow Jesus, and we
wanna give him all the gloryright now, because he, as the
ultimate missionary, has comeinto your life and he has made
(40:44):
you a disciple, a follower ofhim.
So we're gonna worship himright now and give him all the
glory.
Let's go.
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