Send Off Sunday! - February 28, 2016

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

 Walk up with Happy. He introduces.

Do you ever find yourself standing somewhere and wonder how in the world you got there? Standing up here to preach… starting a new Vineyard in BN… is one of the last places I ever thought I’d be… you may not realize how miraculous it is that I’m here… not only from a spiritual standpoint, but physically alive even.

Jesus has been faithful in spite of the fact that I wasn’t always following Him in the best ways possible. It astounds me to think where I am today.

  ·      Before Jesus, I was consumed with selfishness and hatred and anger.

  ·      There are so many times as a young man that I did something externally that put me “near death” – like cliff-diving, bridge jumping, riding with 9 people in an open top jeep… worse

  ·      Then, I met Jesus in the summer of 1994… and some things changes, but God’s miraculous hand on my life didn’t.

  ·      And internally I really became consumed by religion and external “righteousness” due to the company that I was keeping.

  ·      Externally - Near death in college internship (share story)

  ·      As I got into ministry, externally I became consumed with “work” and ministry and nearly killed myself a few more times as my health declined… sometimes working two and three jobs.

Life is full of ups and downs… life is full of highs and lows… life is full of mountains and valleys… good choices and bad decisions.

But – perspective on life can change everything… It all depends on what shapes the lens through which you view the world.

I’m sure my family has prayed for me a ton… BUT, I am not here because my parents didn’t give up on me… I am not here because my grandma prayed for me… I’m not here because my wife has propelled me to greater things:

I’m here for one reason: Jesus never gave up on me… and He hasn’t given up on you either.

Dilemma –

Most of us believe with our heads that Jesus is faithful, but we don’t trust Him with all our hearts. We think faithfulness still depends on us.

Perspective

Perspective on life can change everything… what effects your lens? We’ve been given incredible access into the heart of the Father. If you’ve been doing your daily Bible reading, you’re probably in the early OT where it required the Israelites to always be faithful and not mess up = blessings.

BUT, everything changed with the cross of Jesus.

*We’ve now been given complete access into the throne room (Hebrews)

*We now have received Jesus’ righteousness due to His sacrifice (2 Corinthians)

*We now have the very presence of God’s Spirit with us at all times (Romans 8).

*This is the heart of our church’s mission… this truth of the gospel is way too good to keep in just one town!

But, you and I can intellectually grasp these concepts with our head AND still not trust the Father to be faithful. That kind of trust can only be found in “Knowing Jesus” intimately… not knowing about Him, but having a relationship with Him… not meeting Him one time and saying “Yes,” but meeting with Him weekly, daily, hourly, and letting His heart transform yours. Letting the realization that God has “never given up on me” become reality in your hearts.

Bible

Perspective changes with connection to the Father’s heart…

John 15 - 1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ³ You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. ⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! ⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

⁹ “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. ¹⁰ When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

Rooted in Jesus teaches us things we can’t be taught anywhere else.

  -       Knowing HIM… abiding in HIM…belonging… “MeKnown” (greek)

  -       We can’t be taught about His faithfulness if we are “rooted” elsewhere

  -       Worries, complaints, depressions… even in relationships with others

  -       Who we give license to speak into our lives actually matters.

  -       Environment is the KEY to understanding Jesus – community, worship, silence, listening to His voice above all others, relationships à Nod to Putty’s message on “Attention” here

  -       RESTING IN HIM

One of my favorite places to do this is: Being know by Jesus in worship

  -       Times of worship (Story: Sanctuary at Ohio church)

  -       Listening to worship music now (Elevation Church)

  -       Times of strengthening

  -       Times of knowing Jesus

  -       Scripture reading – story of the Bible – He is the main character

  -       Bible with worship

  -       I CAN FEEL IT WHEN I’M NOT IN THIS PLACE.

How faithful is He really?

Our perspective tends to flow toward our problems first and our blessings second. His perspective doesn’t see our brokenness. What time in His presence helps us with is this… it’s helps us to Know him to be faithful in spite of our brokenness

  -       Where we may see: Destructions, disappointments, sins, disillusionment

  -       He is still Faithful through it à To bring us through any trial

  -       Why? BECAUSE Jesus sees destiny, calling and purposes not our sin

  -       Share the gospel here.

  -        John 15:3 à You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.

  -       Jesus sees us as potential children… not enemies.

  -       Can you imagine if we saw ourselves “purified” not tainted by mistakes?

Jesus is faithful to make up for our weaknesses

  -       Personal example: Mercy gift – lack of J à personality inventory

  -       Ohio State joke

  -       Corrie knows it’s not

  -       John 15:5b “Those who remain in me, & I in them, will produce much fruit.”

  -       Called a pastor

  -       Only by the grace of God à “He’s never given up on me/us”

Jesus is faithful to bring out your true self

  -       Before Jesus – I was pretty shy à More internal thoughts – poetry

  -       Verses living out and growing out of a leadership passion

  -       Not liking speech class

  -       Holy Spirit radically brought stuff out of God’s plan for me

  -       Prophetic voice of leadership

 -       Faithful to bring out my call – even though I had suppressed it – sometimes very intentionally

  -       John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you

  Jesus is faithful to give grace to every area of our lives because He sees our destiny, calling and purposes not our disappointments and our sin.

And because of His perspective, He is willing to go with us into the stretching places… He is willing to step out with us… He is willing to go somewhere new with us… He is faithful... He’s not giving up on us!

Now what?

As my family (picture) took the leap to help start the BN vineyard, we had to trust Jesus in new and profound ways. Cor says our whole journey has been this way.

  -       Church planting in Ohio, having 5 kids, our move to CU… and now?

  -       Trusting Him with what’s already built – team, groups, etc.

  -       To build new relationships, ministries, small groups… community influence

  -       To build the new church/campus – believing for 100s our first weekend!!

  -       CAMPUSES: all of you have felt that leap yourselves

  -       HUGE TRUST factor…it’s built out of being “known”…living room of grace.

  -       Story: Standing on the mountain of clarity… seeing the next mountain in the distance… knowing that’s what you’re called to… asking God for the bridge… “The bridge is man made. I did not make the bridge… I made the valley… and if I call you out, I will go with you.”

For some of you, today what you need to do is renew your mind to Jesus’ faithfulness in your life… Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  …spending time in His presence and taking stock in His goodness towards every area of your life.

For you, the action step is THANKFULNESS (for God’s faithfulness)

  -       Trying times

  -       Good times

  -       Social media – stress – shout from rooftops the good stuff

  -       Regular practice

  -       HALF SHEET HANDOUT – dinner of faithfulness

  -       John 15:11à I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

Our thankfulness will produce in us TRUST

  -       You’ve heard your destiny

  -       You’re call has been spoken over you (privately & publically).

  -       You know the next mountain.

  -       You just need to trust that Jesus will go with you when the journey begins.

Perspective changes everything… and that perspective is born in times of being known intimately… and knowing intimately…

Take a listen as we see first-hand what happens when we take a leap of faith.

INTRO Video.

Hap and core team come up

Hap prays for team.

Thanks to all who made this such a special weekend!