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Grace,
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mercy and peace be to you from
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God our Father and from our Lord
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and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
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The Bible passage for this
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message is the Gospel reading,
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but will also incorporate verses
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five through 20 where Jesus
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sends the disciples out on a
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missionary journey and the
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instructions and warnings
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he gives them.
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I will incorporate that into
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the sermon as well.
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Picture the scene.
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Jesus calls his disciples
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to him.
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He looks at them,
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they're looking at him,
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and he says,
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you're ready.
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I'm sending you out.
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You are to tell the lost
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sheep of Israel,
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nowhere else in this trip,
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just the lost sheep of Israel.
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Go to these towns and tell them
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that the kingdom of
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heaven is near.
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Tell them I have come,
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that my reign has begun,
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that I will be the Messiah.
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Tell them the kingdom
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has arrived
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with me
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and I'm going to give
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you authority.
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You will cleanse lepers,
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heal the sick, cast out demons,
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raise the dead.
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And you don't need to take gold
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or silver or copper or
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extra tunic. No,
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just stop at a house and they'll
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take care of you.
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And if they don't, well,
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shake the dust off your feet
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and go to another one.
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Can you see the disciples?
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They're standing up nice and
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straight, send me, send me.
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I'm all ready to go.
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But then Jesus says some more.
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A student is not above
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his teacher,
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a servant above his master.
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They've hated and rejected me
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and they will do the
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same for you.
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You're going to be hauled
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into court.
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You'll stand before kings and
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rulers. You will be persecuted.
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You'll be run out of town,
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you will be attacked,
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you will be hated.
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Families will come apart
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because of you,
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maybe even your own family.
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Well, now,
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the disciples are not
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quite so sure.
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Their hands aren't raised quite
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as hand up anymore
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and you can see the fear
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in their eyes.
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Jesus sends us as well.
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Not like that first missionary
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journey, but
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those instructions for the
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disciples, then. But for us,
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he still sends us.
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He says that we are salt,
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that we are light,
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a city on a hill.
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And at the end of Matthew,
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go make disciples of all
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nations, baptizing them,
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teaching them.
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He sends us out too.
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He's given us an incredible
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message.
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Our story,
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the Kingdom of heaven
00:03:26.018 --> 00:03:27.078
has come to us.
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Jesus has arrived in our lives.
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He rules now for us. From the
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cross we have been forgiven.
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He has risen from the dead.
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He has given us hope and
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salvation and life and
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peace and joy.
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His story has become
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our stories.
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And he wants us to go and share
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that kingdom of heaven news
00:03:52.130 --> 00:03:53.120
with others.
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Well,
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we may not quite have that here.
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Send me. Send me.
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Because we're already thinking
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about what might happen.
00:04:06.550 --> 00:04:07.554
Some of the fear is
00:04:07.591 --> 00:04:08.900
in our lives too.
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You're at a family gathering,
00:04:13.326 --> 00:04:14.462
gathered around the table,
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and you have that one relative
00:04:15.890 --> 00:04:16.662
that always seems
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to make trouble.
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He's not a believer,
00:04:22.650 --> 00:04:23.558
doesn't want much to
00:04:23.563 --> 00:04:24.630
do with Jesus,
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and he interrupts the
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conversation around the
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table to say, hey,
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I read from this gospel One
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John, that Jesus said,
00:04:34.912 --> 00:04:35.498
I'm the way,
00:04:35.504 --> 00:04:36.409
the truth and the life.
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No one comes to the Father
00:04:37.686 --> 00:04:38.940
except through me.
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That sounds pretty exclusive.
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Does that mean I'm
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going to hell?
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Look at Aunt May over there.
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She doesn't have much to
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do with the church.
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She doesn't follow Jesus.
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Is she going to hell too?
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Then there's the awkward
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silence.
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Everybody's looking at you.
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Are you ready?
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Are you afraid?
00:05:10.880 --> 00:05:12.364
Or maybe you're just out
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with the neighbors.
00:05:13.608 --> 00:05:15.580
A backyard barbecue,
00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.635
and the discussion turns
00:05:20.668 --> 00:05:22.400
to politics.
00:05:23.700 --> 00:05:26.032
And the senator has said
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some outrageous things.
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It's in all the news.
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And one of the neighbors
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says to you, hey,
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I know
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you have taken a stand
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against abortion.
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I've heard you talk about it.
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I've seen a sign in your yard.
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But this senator we have,
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he is so mean spirited.
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He attacks others.
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He runs them down.
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The language that he used so far
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from being anything
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like a Christian.
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Yet he has taken your position
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against the. Abortion.
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Does that mean you vote for him?
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A scoundrel like that,
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just because of his stance
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on abortion?
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And there you are.
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The neighbors are quiet.
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They're looking at you.
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Are you ready?
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Are you scared?
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Or perhaps perhaps
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you're at work,
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it and your coworkers boss have
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decided to do something
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that's not honest.
00:06:37.020 --> 00:06:39.924
And they are telling you you
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need to go along with this plan.
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It will compromise
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your integrity.
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But if you don't go along,
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it'll cost you your job
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and your health insurance
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and your support for
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your family.
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Are you ready to speak?
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Are you scared?
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Perhaps you see,
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on
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social media post
00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:20.000
during June as Pride Month,
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somebody has put up a little
00:07:21.933 --> 00:07:23.336
meme and it's got
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a rainbow on it.
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And it says, God's promise,
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not pride.
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Well,
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you'd like to share it,
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but you're not going to.
00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:39.996
And yet, you know,
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if you put something up on
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Facebook about your stance or
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your belief or what
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scripture says,
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the trolls will come
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out and attack you.
00:07:50.502 --> 00:07:52.688
You may get put in that social
00:07:52.774 --> 00:07:55.170
media prison time out
00:07:56.420 --> 00:07:58.240
and get unfriended.
00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:00.870
Are you ready?
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Are you scared to do something
00:08:02.986 --> 00:08:03.750
like that?
00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:06.096
Or perhaps you're
00:08:06.128 --> 00:08:07.540
a high schooler.
00:08:12.250 --> 00:08:13.914
Your friends know you
00:08:13.952 --> 00:08:14.693
attend church,
00:08:14.741 --> 00:08:16.874
and the youth group might even
00:08:16.912 --> 00:08:18.860
be considering some church work.
00:08:22.190 --> 00:08:23.882
But at school, you know,
00:08:23.936 --> 00:08:26.090
if you speak up about
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your faith,
00:08:27.870 --> 00:08:29.530
you will be excluded,
00:08:31.150 --> 00:08:32.220
left out,
00:08:32.750 --> 00:08:35.210
bullied, ridiculed,
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torn apart on social media.
00:08:38.030 --> 00:08:40.580
Are you ready?
00:08:41.190 --> 00:08:42.530
Are you scared?
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Go back to Jesus and
00:08:48.738 --> 00:08:49.900
the disciples.
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He sees the fear in their eyes.
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He knows what they're thinking.
00:08:59.280 --> 00:08:59.930
He says, I'm
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not sending you out all alone.
00:09:03.010 --> 00:09:04.446
I'm sending you out
00:09:04.548 --> 00:09:06.030
with my promises.
00:09:08.370 --> 00:09:10.926
My promise is simply this that
00:09:10.948 --> 00:09:12.442
when you're hauled into court,
00:09:12.506 --> 00:09:13.566
the Spirit will be there
00:09:13.588 --> 00:09:15.280
to give you words.
00:09:16.370 --> 00:09:18.238
Because you've been with me,
00:09:18.404 --> 00:09:20.000
you've heard me teach.
00:09:20.450 --> 00:09:22.622
You know much of the Old
00:09:22.676 --> 00:09:24.042
Testament scriptures.
00:09:24.186 --> 00:09:25.878
That word within you
00:09:25.964 --> 00:09:27.122
brings the Spirit,
00:09:27.186 --> 00:09:28.646
and he will work with you to
00:09:28.668 --> 00:09:29.814
give you the words you need
00:09:29.852 --> 00:09:31.400
to say. At those times,
00:09:33.290 --> 00:09:35.640
I promise my Spirit for you.
00:09:40.380 --> 00:09:43.320
And even though you are risking
00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:45.436
your emotional and mental and
00:09:45.458 --> 00:09:47.390
even physical health doing this
00:09:48.880 --> 00:09:50.728
hatred and persecution
00:09:50.824 --> 00:09:51.980
and ridicule,
00:09:54.980 --> 00:09:56.320
don't be afraid.
00:09:59.220 --> 00:10:00.736
Be afraid of the one who
00:10:00.758 --> 00:10:02.400
can destroy your soul.
00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:04.224
And the one who can do that
00:10:04.262 --> 00:10:05.920
is my Father in heaven.
00:10:06.680 --> 00:10:08.790
And he will not do that
00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:11.750
when you acknowledge Him.
00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:16.470
He holds your soul in His hand,
00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:18.680
and He will not let
00:10:18.750 --> 00:10:19.930
anything happen.
00:10:22.540 --> 00:10:23.656
And when you take that
00:10:23.678 --> 00:10:24.644
last breath,
00:10:24.772 --> 00:10:27.864
that soul will be with me in
00:10:27.902 --> 00:10:30.010
peace until I come back.
00:10:35.400 --> 00:10:37.824
And you see those birds?
00:10:37.952 --> 00:10:38.836
Just a couple of them,
00:10:38.858 --> 00:10:39.684
not even worth a half
00:10:39.722 --> 00:10:40.710
hour of work.
00:10:42.040 --> 00:10:43.830
Father knows when they fall.
00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:46.324
And you're worth so much
00:10:46.362 --> 00:10:48.090
more than birds are.
00:10:49.260 --> 00:10:51.492
And He knows you so intimately,
00:10:51.636 --> 00:10:53.236
so closely, so personally,
00:10:53.268 --> 00:10:55.224
that He knows exactly how many
00:10:55.262 --> 00:10:57.450
hairs you have on your head.
00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:00.460
You go out with my promises,
00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:02.990
the Spirit will be with you.
00:11:03.760 --> 00:11:05.864
The Father holds your soul,
00:11:05.912 --> 00:11:08.188
your body in His very hands.
00:11:08.274 --> 00:11:10.430
And He knows you so close.
00:11:11.940 --> 00:11:13.440
Do not be afraid.
00:11:15.940 --> 00:11:17.104
And He speaks the same
00:11:17.142 --> 00:11:19.090
promise to us today.
00:11:20.500 --> 00:11:22.050
Jesus simply says,
00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:24.290
you've read My word.
00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:27.520
You come to My sacrament.
00:11:29.780 --> 00:11:31.650
You've learned about Me.
00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:35.680
You've learned so that My story
00:11:35.750 --> 00:11:37.096
has become your story.
00:11:37.238 --> 00:11:38.824
My death has become
00:11:39.021 --> 00:11:40.132
your forgiveness.
00:11:40.196 --> 00:11:41.640
My resurrection has become
00:11:41.710 --> 00:11:43.210
your life and hope.
00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:48.170
And My Spirit will use that word
00:11:49.260 --> 00:11:51.450
to give you words
00:11:52.940 --> 00:11:54.410
when you need to speak.
00:11:57.260 --> 00:11:58.616
And even though you
00:11:58.638 --> 00:11:59.460
may be attacked.
00:12:02.130 --> 00:12:02.880
Remember,
00:12:04.450 --> 00:12:06.318
my Father holds your very
00:12:06.404 --> 00:12:08.640
soul in His hands
00:12:09.730 --> 00:12:12.320
and He will not destroy it,
00:12:13.010 --> 00:12:14.814
but He will save it.
00:12:14.932 --> 00:12:16.014
And when you take your
00:12:16.052 --> 00:12:17.070
last breath,
00:12:18.850 --> 00:12:21.840
you will be at peace with me
00:12:22.610 --> 00:12:24.302
until I come back and
00:12:24.356 --> 00:12:25.640
reveal everything.
00:12:27.690 --> 00:12:29.110
Don't be afraid.
00:12:31.210 --> 00:12:33.346
And you see the birds that fly
00:12:33.378 --> 00:12:34.614
around there. God knows them.
00:12:34.652 --> 00:12:36.118
And you are worth so much more
00:12:36.204 --> 00:12:38.460
than those birds, jesus says.
00:12:39.470 --> 00:12:42.330
And He knows how many hairs
00:12:43.150 --> 00:12:44.780
you have on your head.
00:12:47.790 --> 00:12:50.830
Hairs on our heads.
00:12:53.330 --> 00:12:54.794
My older sister Joy,
00:12:54.842 --> 00:12:57.534
about 20 years ago received a
00:12:57.572 --> 00:13:00.266
deadly diagnosis called cancer.
00:13:00.378 --> 00:13:01.994
It was located in her liver,
00:13:02.042 --> 00:13:02.946
not quite sure where
00:13:02.968 --> 00:13:03.746
it came from.
00:13:03.848 --> 00:13:05.214
And she went through the usual
00:13:05.262 --> 00:13:07.982
treatments chemotherapy,
00:13:08.046 --> 00:13:10.740
radiation but they did not work.
00:13:11.510 --> 00:13:13.890
And 18 years ago she died.
00:13:15.270 --> 00:13:15.586
Now,
00:13:15.608 --> 00:13:17.214
my sister Joy was not Lutheran
00:13:17.262 --> 00:13:18.520
Evangelical free.
00:13:19.210 --> 00:13:20.950
But she loved her. Lord,
00:13:21.530 --> 00:13:22.374
you could see it.
00:13:22.412 --> 00:13:23.990
The kids did not leave the house
00:13:24.060 --> 00:13:25.158
without a prayer or a
00:13:25.164 --> 00:13:26.134
little Bible study
00:13:26.252 --> 00:13:27.640
when they went to school.
00:13:29.390 --> 00:13:31.290
She worked up at her church.
00:13:31.630 --> 00:13:33.482
Things happened because she
00:13:33.536 --> 00:13:35.034
volunteered and did
00:13:35.072 --> 00:13:36.140
so much there.
00:13:36.670 --> 00:13:37.082
She,
00:13:37.136 --> 00:13:38.694
along with one of the pastors,
00:13:38.822 --> 00:13:40.170
led her husband,
00:13:41.410 --> 00:13:42.922
probably an alcoholic,
00:13:42.986 --> 00:13:44.480
to faith in Christ.
00:13:47.170 --> 00:13:48.170
Around town,
00:13:48.250 --> 00:13:50.430
people simply knew Joy
00:13:51.730 --> 00:13:54.030
as one who believed,
00:13:54.190 --> 00:13:57.010
acknowledged and loved Jesus.
00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:02.604
But she had a little
00:14:02.642 --> 00:14:04.270
idol in her life.
00:14:05.680 --> 00:14:08.319
It was her hair.
00:14:10.180 --> 00:14:11.852
She took good care of her hair.
00:14:11.915 --> 00:14:14.160
Little pride about her hair.
00:14:16.020 --> 00:14:17.552
Her hair was part of her
00:14:17.606 --> 00:14:19.650
identity, of who she was.
00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:23.396
But you know what the
00:14:23.418 --> 00:14:25.590
chemotherapy and radiation did?
00:14:27.160 --> 00:14:31.156
It took all her hair and she
00:14:31.178 --> 00:14:32.760
could only wear a scarf.
00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:35.828
When I went to visit
00:14:35.844 --> 00:14:36.760
her near the end,
00:14:36.830 --> 00:14:38.104
she said satan has been
00:14:38.142 --> 00:14:39.530
working hard at me.
00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:43.290
But when the time came,
00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:47.127
she still spoke of the
00:14:47.214 --> 00:14:48.680
Kingdom of heaven.
00:14:49.420 --> 00:14:52.644
At her funeral at her funeral
00:14:52.692 --> 00:14:53.512
was a little stand.
00:14:53.566 --> 00:14:55.400
And on the stand was
00:14:55.470 --> 00:14:56.650
a piece of paper.
00:14:58.180 --> 00:14:58.910
And that paper.
00:15:00.170 --> 00:15:03.054
Was her final testimony or
00:15:03.092 --> 00:15:04.798
witness to whoever came
00:15:04.964 --> 00:15:06.270
to her funeral.
00:15:08.610 --> 00:15:11.200
She would speak one more time.
00:15:15.250 --> 00:15:17.246
She knew it might offend it
00:15:17.428 --> 00:15:19.006
because she begins with I hope
00:15:19.028 --> 00:15:20.222
I don't offend anyone,
00:15:20.356 --> 00:15:21.882
but I want to share my feelings
00:15:21.946 --> 00:15:23.120
with each of you.
00:15:23.490 --> 00:15:24.334
I'm not going to read
00:15:24.372 --> 00:15:25.640
all of this it,
00:15:26.650 --> 00:15:27.960
but here's some.
00:15:28.810 --> 00:15:31.394
The Bible says if you confess
00:15:31.442 --> 00:15:32.934
with your mouth that Jesus is
00:15:32.972 --> 00:15:34.934
Lord and believe in your heart
00:15:34.972 --> 00:15:35.766
that God raised him
00:15:35.788 --> 00:15:36.790
from the dead,
00:15:37.390 --> 00:15:40.250
you too will be saved.
00:15:42.510 --> 00:15:43.962
Because I've accepted Christ
00:15:44.016 --> 00:15:45.690
as my personal Savior,
00:15:46.190 --> 00:15:48.054
he's given me all the strength
00:15:48.102 --> 00:15:50.060
and the peace this past year.
00:15:51.570 --> 00:15:52.974
And I want you to know your
00:15:53.012 --> 00:15:54.590
prayers have been answered.
00:15:56.210 --> 00:15:57.722
My favorite Bible verse
00:15:57.786 --> 00:15:59.440
is Isaiah 26.
00:15:59.810 --> 00:16:01.102
Thou will keep him
00:16:01.156 --> 00:16:02.074
in perfect peace,
00:16:02.122 --> 00:16:04.526
whose mind is stayed on thee
00:16:04.718 --> 00:16:06.690
because he trusts in thee.
00:16:07.030 --> 00:16:08.850
Trust in the Lord forever,
00:16:09.190 --> 00:16:11.102
for the Lord is everlasting
00:16:11.165 --> 00:16:11.970
strength.
00:16:12.870 --> 00:16:14.626
It will give me great joy to
00:16:14.648 --> 00:16:15.974
know I can see many
00:16:16.012 --> 00:16:17.250
of you in heaven.
00:16:17.410 --> 00:16:18.914
As we walk the golden
00:16:18.962 --> 00:16:20.920
streets together.
00:16:25.060 --> 00:16:27.810
She heard Jesus call.
00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:32.340
And even though she was afraid
00:16:34.680 --> 00:16:36.390
and her hair was gone,
00:16:37.640 --> 00:16:39.092
the Spirit still gave
00:16:39.146 --> 00:16:40.470
her words to speak.
00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:43.592
And Jesus holds her
00:16:43.646 --> 00:16:45.530
soul in his hands.
00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:49.000
And God knows,
00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:51.464
even though we could
00:16:51.502 --> 00:16:52.650
not count them,
00:16:53.420 --> 00:16:55.912
he knows just how many hairs
00:16:55.976 --> 00:16:58.892
were on her head and how many
00:16:58.946 --> 00:17:00.636
will be there in the day
00:17:00.658 --> 00:17:01.819
of resurrection.
00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:06.092
Jesus promise is for
00:17:06.146 --> 00:17:07.390
you as well.
00:17:08.900 --> 00:17:10.690
He tells you, be a light,
00:17:11.300 --> 00:17:12.748
a city on a hill,
00:17:12.844 --> 00:17:13.980
salt of the earth.
00:17:14.060 --> 00:17:15.680
Go and make disciples.
00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:18.849
And then he promises you
00:17:20.020 --> 00:17:21.889
the Spirit will be there.
00:17:23.380 --> 00:17:24.735
Your soul is in the
00:17:24.758 --> 00:17:25.810
Father's hands,
00:17:27.380 --> 00:17:30.880
and he knows just how many hairs
00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:33.050
you have in your head.
00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:36.730
So go,
00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:39.720
and do not be afraid.
00:17:41.580 --> 00:17:42.600
Amen.
00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:45.016
Now may the peace of God that
00:17:45.038 --> 00:17:46.644
surpasses all our understanding
00:17:46.692 --> 00:17:47.924
keep our hearts and minds
00:17:47.972 --> 00:17:50.056
focused on the promises of God
00:17:50.238 --> 00:17:52.216
as we are sent to proclaim the
00:17:52.238 --> 00:17:55.080
kingdom of heaven. Amen.