tired I think the Lord speaking this morning, especially after Greg just shared what he shared. Luke 18. We'll start there. The very last line that we're going to read today so let's go into Luke 19 is for the Son of Man has come to seek and save the last. I love that. I love it so much I love it that's God's character as Greg was saying that's his desire. How are the loss seeked and saved now. Who does God use. Who are we where is the body right. And if there are people there are. There are men there are women there are children who are who are gone, who just fell away from home. How do they come into the house and the family who does God use. He uses us. He uses us to it really ties into really gather well I think with what's on my heart to share this morning, because it's so exciting I think that if I asked anyone here who wants to see lost people come home. Who wants to see lost people saved, I'm sure that almost everybody in the room probably raise their hand like yeah let's go, let's do it. I would love to see that happen. Then if I were to say, Hey guys, let's go evangelize after church. How are we excited about that. Yeah. Hey, how about that. Then if I said, How many would go evangelize after church and be excited about it, it might be even less right, sometimes I'm like oh man I guess I'll do it I mean I want to go and reach the last people. I use the term evangelize because I think that the way that we look at that term by the way, it means someone who gives good news or award for those who gives good news. I think when we hear that sometimes it makes us cringe because of the way we've seen it done, the way we've seen like there's just good news I think all of us, almost everyone in this room is like, yes, we want to share this good news, yes we want to see loss people come into the kingdom. And yet, we've seen forms of it where it freezes us up and it makes us scared and maybe it's because not even really a good way, it's actually most of the time. I've tried some of these ways it's not been very effective. So this morning, I've just been thinking about that this weekend is something really cool happened i'll probably share it later this week, and it kind of confirmed they got us wanted us to share some things I want to look at the way Jesus reached last people like how did he interact with them. I think we've gotten to the point, you know, to where I think I've shared this before but if we've been a Christian for two years, then we have to like be retaught how to engage lost people because we've been in such a Christian bubble for such a long time, we're like, I don't know if you've ever felt like that like if you're just being honest. Like, I don't even know how to talk to loss people like, if I say this, they're gonna say this and then I feel like I'm trying to arm twist them or convince them to do things. I haven't, I don't have the permission just to love them and see what happens, you know, I feel like there's a wall you ever do that you just feel like there's a wall, and whether there is or not like you're just like, I'm just nervous about it. Because if it comes up and I'm a Christian, then now here we go, you know, just all this like weird stuff and I think it, it really is difficult. I actually was reading a study this morning, and it said that in the last six months 10% of Christians in America have shared something with their faith with someone who doesn't have the same. So like it's I think it's a challenge for us all. But again, I can't remember what percentage but a very high percentage said we should. So there's some kind of disconnect going on. So, let's look at Jesus, maybe let's like tear down some of these ideas or things we have to do in ways we have to do it. That might make us might be for some people, some types of personalities, but maybe not on some of this stuff that's being done. Alright, Luke 1835 As he approached Jericho so Jesus is heading to Jericho, that's like east of Jerusalem on West Bank. Now, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. So the first thing I want to point out is this and I think this is hugely important. There's something that's in these two stories that we're going to tell that it doesn't make mention of but I think it's vitally important for us to understand what's going on. First, it doesn't make mention of who's Jesus's with, who would you all say is probably with Jesus at this point, especially with the context. Yeah, the disciples, that's what he did, right. It's interesting that when Jesus started his ministry, one of the first things he did was build community. Right, he built community and he was training and he was teaching these disciples, and they would go around, remember a couple weeks ago when I talked about what is the disciple and rabbi would all that kind of stuff, like what they would do is they would go around from town to town,
he would teach, and guess what Jesus and the disciples would have no place to stay because rabbis completely relied on the hospitality of other people. So that's what they're doing, and now they're heading through they're gonna end up be passing through Jericho. But one thing that's really powerful and important
right off the bat is that if we want to see the loss come into the kingdom we have to be around the last.
It's something that is that is a challenge, and even has been for me and I still have a challenge, because in America, we have these isolated bubbles that we go into, and we even like we become Christians and we take our kids to Christian School and Christian that and that and all that's not bad or anything but we become in this bubble and then we go, Well, how many lost people are we around and we're like, I don't know I'm not really around loss people very much and maybe why we get uncomfortable sometimes with how do we talk to them and speak to them. But Jesus's lifestyle, no it was different when Jesus didn't live in America Jesus lived in a culture where there's markets and people are hanging around and they're talking and they're doing all these things all the time we just don't. So there's a different layer, there's, there's a challenge but in order for us to do that we've got to create lives of that lives where we're not just going out for 30 minutes after church to evangelize but a life's where we're around people who do not know the Lord, and that's what Jesus was doing. So as he approaches, there's a blind man, a blind man and he's on the road begging, I'm sure we've been in similar situations where we've seen people begging right hearing a crowd passing by he inquired what was happening. And Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. They told him, so he's like what's going on like there's a crowd, there's something that stirring obviously Jesus's lifestyle and what he was doing, like people were intrigued. They were intrigued by what's going on. Right. Um, do our lifestyles intrigue people, not that we purposely try to act weird and strange. Some people might say that I do that, but I mean, maybe I do sometimes, but do the way that we live life and follow Jesus, is it intriguing, are you going, what's, what's the deal with that. We had that happen a couple of times this week where, you know, a group of us guys get together, we're not doing anything special but people asked what's the deal with you guys like there's something different about you. And that's no glory to us, That's that's just the work of the Lord. But there was something different and he wanted to know who's passing by. Jesus of Nazareth and that intrigues him big time because he's heard amazing things about Jesus of Nazareth. Apparently he's at least heard he heals people, because he starts crying out. So Jesus was known as being different Jesus known as being someone that brings healing to people.
So he cried out Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me than those in front of him, told him to keep quiet,
you ever just get excited about something for the Lord and then yet the Christians, I want to just settle you down a little bit. It's okay. You had a great youth event but she'll come back down.
I love it when that happens.
Keep it keep, keep the status quo. Don't do anything crazy, right, we do that I've failed in that he calmed down.
But he kept crying out all the more Son of David, have mercy on me. This guy has a need. And there's a need from God that he has so like that's that's something that's vitally important all of us, there are people all around us that have everyone, I'm convinced everyone has God needs in their life, whether they recognize it or not, like seriously, the people that were at our at our workplaces wherever there are people they have needs, whether it's. They just have been struggling in their marriage, and they may not show it. It may be that they feel absolutely alone. And as much as you know we have no idea, but they're just completely lonely, they don't have family, they don't have friends, you know, they may be struggling with alcoholism or flirting with it a little, you know, and they're just like, man, there's something wrong but there's there's something there. I'm convinced that we all have that. But when we find someone who has that and wants to do something about it. That's vitally important. And that's what's going on with this guy, he had there's something that he wants change there's a need in his life he's blind, he's tired of begging on the side of the road he wants to do something about it, and, and he wants to do something about it. In Jesus engages them. So there's a lot of people that have a lot of needs. But when we find those that actually want to change that should like put up. I don't know something in our lives that make us go wow what's going on over here. So Jesus is out in the community, this is what he does, he and his disciples, they're going and they're teaching they're passing through. So he's made himself available. He's also have a reputation, an intriguing reputation, and he has a reputation of being someone who brings restoration. This guy screaming, have mercy on me, Son of David. And then verse 40 says Jesus stopped, and commanded that he be brought to him. So another piece to this as y'all, is that, as we're people that are out and about and as people that are engaging people, we also have to be willing to stop when we find those needs in people's lives like I have failed so much in this, in an effort to want to see a disciple making movement take place. I like, I'll be with somebody and I think that they're on their feet a little notice go on to the next person, and guys like dude, like he's been really helping me a lot lately like stop. Spend time, like, serious time with people, don't just move on to the next because I just want to I want to see it. I'm so excited. You know what I mean. But Jesus, and we'll see here that this guy is going to end up being with Jesus, who knows, at least, a while. But he was willing to stop he was willing to say you know what I'm going to stop in the middle, and think about it, think of all the people that are following him. Think of all the people that are listening to his teaching. He had all he had stuff to do. You know what I mean like he's on his way he's passing through, like how many times have we been dropping in our cars so it was back in and we're just like, Dude, I gotta get here. You know what I mean. Like we just kind of pass on because we got stuff to do. Jesus love people enough to stop. And that's another conviction in my heart for me is, do I love enough, do I love people enough to stop to stop, stop making excuses why I have to get here I have to get there, sometimes we need to, but oftentimes it's just kind of an excuse, but Jesus stopped because this, this man needed healing. And he loved him enough to do this. Another thing that's really intriguing is what happens next. I love this it says in verse 41 What do you want me to do to you. Like a lot of us were like Does Jesus, you know like hey he's blind. He's crying out for mercy. You know what I love about Jesus, he doesn't assume he doesn't assume things and a lot of evangelistic tactics that we have are totally based on assumption of you have someone coming in can try to convert you to something, and you're in there and you're just like, bro, you don't even know me, like, Hey, how are you doing, you're a sinner and you need Jesus and here's this or, or whatever, and you're just sitting back going, how do you even I had a couple of Church of Christ guys coming to me, I'm sorry. When I was the minister here. And they tried to convince me when they found out I was a minister here that I needed some change, change, that wasn't saved. So I'll just tell you I won't tell you where they were from, I don't remember it was in Smyrna, it wasn't a smaller church it was just some guys this morning at my house so I just want to be careful I you know that I was like dude, like, Hey, I found that happened more than once, actually. It's kind of crazy,
but it's built on assumptions. And I think that's one of the reasons we don't like it because it's not relational doesn't Jesus do everything relationally. If I just walk up to you and I try to, like, I mean like this is a serious deal for me to try to convince you to totally change your life and to follow this person Shawn does a really good example analogy he says, Listen, if someone came up to you maybe I'm sure this ever happened. Forgive me for the rerun and oh Lord, am I getting older, am I one of those preachers that says forgive me for the rerun. I have some that said, I used to hate that. Like do you say that 10 times in the last like year bro. That's real like legit, but he's like He gives us analogy, he's like hey if I came up to you and I'm like hey I have this man or this woman and they're amazing and they do this and they do this and they are perfect for you. I'm telling you they're just wonderful Jared, she's so wonderful when you sign the wedding contract right now. I don't think anyone's gonna be like, sure, I mean what, maybe some people are that desperate that they would be that. Well, I mean, I haven't had luck so far. Let's
go.
Jared, what would you do in that situation you probably Jared knows that I can mess with him he would say no. Jared is very picky and I've really appreciate that I'm giving him a hug. This is one man I really respect because that man is looking for a woman that he knows a God, if you know all that, if the Lord wants him to get married. And he's not, he's not compromising. I'm telling you, more men and women need to do that. Why, why would they not, why would you not do it because you haven't been introduced to the person, you just been introduced to ideas about the person. That's how we evangelize, we go to people we knock on their door we sit them at the mall we tell people about all these ideas but we have never introduced them to the person of Jesus. And that's why it feels weird guess what if you feel awkward and weird. I'm glad it feels awkward or weird because it is. I just want to free you, like, I just feel like the Lord wants to free us from this mentality of, oh man I'm just so bad and I want to share my faith but I'm just not good at it I don't know what to do and I want to talk to this person. I'm a word but I don't really know what to say. So far all Jesus has done is asked a question, and been available, and preach the gospel to the guy. He's like, What do you want. He says, Lord, I want to see Jesus says what receive your site, Jesus is there there's a need in Jesus we have to let Jesus meet the people's needs, and that doesn't always mean that it means I personally meet their need, you get that right, we are the body of Christ. Sometimes whenever I meet the need there needs to be an opportunity for this person to see the body, meeting the need, not just me meeting the need, because then I become their sugar daddy, but whenever they see us meeting the need, they go Holy smokes, there's not just one person that loves me, there's a community that loves me. Who are these people I don't even know who they are. What do you laugh and say something wrong. Now even even Allison Lewis are getting tickled over here. Holy smokes, okay I want make sure my buttons. Okay, my button popped open and John had to share oh there it goes.
We're gonna take away, take a offering around for John's new shirts, after the service is over. Oh, I'm already I'm what's what's happening right now. But he, they meet the need. And what I love is Jesus tells him, Your faith has saved you instantly he could see, boom. And then what happened though, and he began to follow him. So Jesus doesn't just say hey, here you go. I'm glad that you have met your need and I'm done. He allows this guy to follow, we see that regularly. Now there are certain situations a lot around among Gentiles that he tells him to go and to tell their story and do different things, but Jesus, and there's specific reasons for that but it seems like the standard is that there that he is Jesus Invitational. He followed him glorifying God all the people, when they saw it gave praise to God. So one more quick story here is verse 19 or chapter 19 saris. This is the story of Zacchaeus, so he enters Jericho so they pass through Jericho he enters it. There was a man named Jesus, who was the chief tax collector and he was rich and we all know how to every preacher tell us how bad that is. I mean be like the look like the IRS and come to you in like you've done all your taxes for the year you owe $3,000 And the gentleman or lady or lady comes to you and goes, you owe $5,000 you're like what I owe $3,000, but they have the stamp of the government to extort you and decide to take $5,000 Right. And now you're like, I just, I've been working so hard to figure out how to pay for this. Now there's no way I'm going to be able to pay for this, right, maybe even have a family member who one of Zaccheus has messed over to where they're on the brink of just not even be able to eat. But the key is is what Rich. So for me, we're sitting around struggling, trying to, trying to make ends meet, and the key is is like, you know, in today's terms getting boats and has a nice home and all this stuff, who thinks they would like this guy. Have a look I say I got the love of Jesus I mean that'd be happy to have that love of Jesus to love this fella, because I mean seriously, he's hurting people, that he can become versus what they did, trying to see who Jesus was, but was not able to, but was not able because of the crowd since he was a short man, so running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus since he was about to pass that way, speaking of making assumptions, how many people do we assume are not spiritually hungry, that might be. How many of us would assume this guy is not spiritually hungry. He's a jerk. He, what if there's such emptiness inside Zacchaeus, there has to be. He extorts people, he has all this stuff, I mean there's times whenever I look at somebody and it's either the way they look the way they dress, they're a position of authority, I'm, you get afraid of people if they're in a thought like, wow, that person's a CEO, you know, or that person does X, Y or Z and we just make the assumption, we write them off, dude Zacchaeus, this wealthy guy that's extorting people that people hate. He is hungry for God. In Jesus isn't going to write them off. We're maybe everyone else in the crowd there very well may have. I wonder what his disciples thought of whenever Jesus did this. So he goes and he climbs up a tree because he's hungry. What is going on, he's spiritually interested. When Jesus came to the place he looked up and said to him, the key is hurry down. Hurry and come down, because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house. Let's go back to what I said at the beginning, rabbis went around from town to town that's why Jesus says foxes have holes birds they have Ness, the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head, they relied on the hospitality people to bring in and there's rabbinical sayings about how important it is that we bring in our rabbis and treat them well and all these things like that. That's just the style, but this is, this is almost scandalous what Jesus does right here, because you would assume that a rabbi and his disciples, in fact, a well known at this point, Rabbi with his disciples, if they enter into a town they enter in Jericho who they would probably want to stay with someone who's, you know, known for their hospitality a very serious God fear or something like that. But Jesus doesn't choose it as I kind of tried to put this in American context as much as possible, but we all know like, you've heard of traveling preachers and teachers and evangelists and stuff, right, like men and women who pop around from church to church and like, sometimes the church just needs a boost, and sometimes it's better whenever the preacher is not doing it, you know, that happens sometimes. And so they invite these women in or these men in or whatever, and they're speaking.
Oftentimes whenever they do that in American context we usually put them up in a hotel right like we put up a hotel, and, you know, maybe we'll take them out to dinner, a little bit before, possibly, maybe not. We bring them in they preach, they go home so forth and so on. There's the ones that get a little more crazy that say no, and I have friends like I know people like this and say, I'm refusing to stay in a hotel because I value community, you're going to have to let me get a home for me to stay in and whenever I met someone like that like I refuse to do that I will only go if you let me have at home to stay in. And so that's pretty cool. But imagine
the the speaker is talking to a secretary of the church. He's like, we're gonna put you in at the Ritz, or no, I'm sorry I will say that the Comfort Inn and Suites. No I don't want to do that. Okay, well we have so you're one of those guys or gals okay we have some families that invite you in, not I want to do that. Actually, what do you want to do then where are you going to sleep.
Well,
can you find the person that everyone hates the most. That's probably the most sin that you can think of, and ask if I can stay at their house. I think that jaws would drop. That's what Jesus just did in front of everybody. Like think about what I said earlier, we get in these Christian safety bubbles. Jesus is like, send me to the drug addict and let me stay with you know them. Let me stay in their house and he's not talking about let me just talk to them and have a quick dinner, he's like I actually want to stay there. But everyone there was like dead gum blown away. Whenever he says the key is, hurry and come down because they knew he was gonna stay somewhere. He picks the one that everyone hates the most. And just Jesus, preach the gospel to him. Does he say, I'm the way and the truth of the life and repent and if this prayer after me and then Jesus I'll come into your heart. Jesus just says, Jesus gives him such love, such grace and mercy that it breaks him. He's not used to that, you get that like that's the more you were around last people, the more we recognize. Recognize how many people are not extended this type of grace and love. They are places where there they are, people are using them, people using it for the money they're using it for whatever, and people just don't I just heard it this week. People always want something from me, like I was talking to a guy this week said, guys, I, I started working out at the gym, and for two weeks I got to work out with this guy was so excited, and then he found out how much money I had, and start asking me for money. He's like, why I can't make any friends that just like me for who I am. I just, everyone wants something from me, and oftentimes when we evangelize like we do is the same thing. We don't just love them for who they are, they recognize we're just trying to check one off on the box, we don't mean to be like that, but it's like that's the way we treat people. They're tired of being treated like that people just want to be loved for who they are. There's places where these people are going to grow, but just care for people. He's so transformed by that he all of a sudden wants to change, in verse six, so we quickly came down and welcomed and welcomed him joyfully. All who saw it began to complain. He's gone to stay with a sinful man when we start being like Jesus. I mean, I've said this 100 times, you people that are religious will complain. There's no doubt about it. There's no damage. Did you see that preached that preacher went and spoke EGC stayed at their house, it's ridiculous. Verse eight says But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, Lord, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. Look, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I will pay back four times as much. Today salvation has come to this house, Jesus told him because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek in to say the last, is he doesn't pray a prayer is the kiss doesn't repent and the way we think repentance is, God please forgive me. But he repents in the way God sees it, because he actually changes this convicted me really bad this week for me personally, how many times I tell God God I repent, I'm really sorry I'm going to turn from our ways, but God so just be like, the key is to just do it. Stop telling me about it. Like, I'm tired of hearing you tell me how we want we do that with our kids, right, like it wasn't like God was mad. He's like okay, just do it. I don't need to know. I'll see it whenever it happens. He doesn't pray a prayer or anything like that but Jesus tell us today because of what he's done. The actions in the transformation that's going on in his heart. This man has salvation, well all these people are grumbling. So let me end today by telling you a really cool thing that God did this week, and, and I kind of hesitate to share some of these stories because please. I've heard people do this, and I please don't think that I'm telling you stories thinking like I'm some great person and you need to come up to where I am, I hate whenever people tell stories like that. I will tell you 1000 failures that you know that. Like seriously, but I just want to stir people, because it cuz I had it we had as a key moment I was sharing with Jonathan I shared a little bit with Greg and Matt and Selena and Megan on Thursday night, we had as a key moment happened this week. So, at the Hookah Bar hanging out, I get there super early. And I'm just sitting there and some guy comes out, and he's apparently super flustered I can tell. And I'm like, Hey man,
what's up and he's like, hey man, I don't know what the I'm doing. And I was like What do you mean and he's just like, Oh Jay just told me to help, and I just I'm not sure what to do and I'm like dude, chill, calm me and Jay are really good friends. He just breathes a sigh of relief because he's worked up because his cousin is doing a bunch of work, and he's kind of told him, Hey, if someone comes in to help them. This guy didn't know what to do, you know, and he's just like,
oh my gosh,
what are you gonna do and he just he just kind of, uh, anyways, I just kind of valatie. So we're hanging out and we're talking in like he sits down at one point, we're talking about cryptocurrency and all this kind of stuff. And at some point in the night, we're all hanging there's probably six or seven of us hanging out Jared was there and he looks at Shawn, my buddy Sean step back and he says, what's with you guys, that's kind of what I was alluding to. He's like, What are you talking about what's with us guys he goes, You guys just look different than than the people I'm around. What do you mean, he's that when you look like a family, but I don't think your family. And he's like, yeah we are, we yeah we're, we're kind of family, and something along the lines I don't know exactly what happened, but Jesus was brought up, like Sean just you know mentioned his name or something like that it wasn't really a big deal or anything. He says, Dude, that's interest that is so interesting that you brought Jesus up. This is why has nothing to do with us. This is just God this is so cool. It's so interesting right Jesus up I'm Hindu and I've gone to Hindu temples, you know, every week of my life, but I just started dating this girl, she's a Christian. And we're like, that's interesting, he said. And what's really interesting is in 10th grade, he had to do a paper on literary work, some grand literary work and he chose the Bible. And he said, I read that, and I thought it was really cool. And I thought, after I read it I sat down, I said I think there is actually a god, you know, he's been going to Hindu temple I don't know about any of this stuff I believe there's a God. But what's really cool is he said and then two weeks after that. He's like I said, a kind of a nervous guy he doesn't like to use public restrooms, and he will not drink anything at school to where he didn't say we wouldn't have to go the bathroom ever at school. And he said he was in class, and he feels the urge to go. But he says I don't have to go, I just feel the urge to go to the bathroom, I don't know why. And he goes to the teachers, bathroom, he said, You know what I really get in trouble there I just can't go to like the students, and he but he doesn't have to go he's like I just have to open this door and he opens the door and there's a girl there trying to hang herself. And this actually happened, I don't want to say names because I don't want to but it's actually here locally, it was in the paper and all that kind of stuff. He talked her for like 30 or 40 minutes and she stopped and she didn't hang herself and he said I kind of made a mental note. Wow. Does that seem like there's confirmation that God actually exists, or he was like wow this is really cool, something else happened. You know I don't want to, you know, belabor the points, but we're sitting around here and Sean's like wow, what was it like whenever you read the Bible and they talked a little bit. He's like, would you, are you interested in that, like learning more, see just super casual right are you interested in learning more about that. Yes I am. Let me tell you something, you know how many people we've talked to before we get this guy right here. That's why I feel like this is probably number 100 out of 99. Right, like legit. Leave the 99 and go for the one that's right, that's totally legit, like how many times I've sat there and gone, Lord is anything happening. I'm just being real. I'm just out trying to just be around people and love people, that's all I'm trying to do and God is anyone seeing is is is making any kind of a difference in people's lives. I got another story that I want to tell that, maybe later on that was really cool about that but I mean it's so it's hard it's hard work, automate, yeah. And so this guy, we find this guy and he's like, Yeah, it sounds like well we, we can do one right now we this is, you know, what we do, we hang out we just talk about these things because really, really yeah I would love he said I would love to do that. And we're all a dude what's going on this is pretty awesome. When you find someone who's spiritually hungry. He's super and he's serious about it right. He's like, but, but tell me what do you what do you what do you guys do on Sunday mornings, it's cultural in America, he's Hindu he goes into temple but he knows Sunday mornings especial. And we're all like looking at each other, smiling because we're all doing different things, and he raised his hand and when I went fishing Sunday morning, because we're trying to tell like we are the church we are community like this is what we just do you know what I mean. And he's super intrigued by that can't quite figure that out. We do a discovery study, and we did one on creation and you know what the biggest thing that he got out from that passage, there's two big things, but I think the biggest was probably, God was did not please. That man was alone did not please God. That man was alone. He's so lonely, so lonely that stood out to him. There's some other things that he mentioned as well. About that, well here's the key moment. First of all, he's like can I be part of your family. Like, what's happening right now. Of course,
he said, How much does it cost, legit. He's like I said, two or 300 a month and you can write it to me and he's like seriously like he's pulling I was like, bro, I'm kidding. He's like, I don't care. I'm serious, I'd be willing to pay it there's something special. And we're like, dude. Alright, whatever. But here's the key is like cool moment is that I saw him we saw him again on Friday night. Lord Jesus, I've been out that Hookah bar so many nights this week my wife's getting home late Thank you baby. She knows I appreciate that. She's. Yeah, thank you. Seriously. Um, but anyway so he was there again Friday night and then he says hey I just got to tell you guys something about what he did, I failed to mention that, after everybody leaves I go to pay for my drinks and everything, I come back and Shawn and Justin are printed. Sean gets this like feeling in his heart, he's hey I just want to let you know I got this feeling, I think it's from the Lord, that says you've been through a traumatic experience in Jesus wants to bring healing to that for you and he prays over him and all this kind of stuff. When he comes back, he says, you know when Sean said that, like, he was super true that was so true. And I want to be very vague about this, so I can't really give you the details but basically he was with one of his friends. There was a situation that happened he kind of helped. He didn't do it but he kind of helped provoke it. And his friend is up getting shot and is paralyzed for the rest of his life, he actually goes to this assisted living place and even though that he says that my friend does not want me to be there he goes every week, because he's so guilt stricken, So he just feel so horrible about it. Well, he often least came totally lied about what happened. So after hanging out with us, no one, you know preaches the Gospel we say NO SINNERS PRAYER we do none of that. Like, he goes to the police station. The next day, and he says, I just got to confess some things to you all. And literally, I need this and they don't they bring a written statement out, and he says I lied about this a lot about this a lot. This is actually what happened, this is what happened. And he recognizes I could be in big trouble for this, and this is why I've been hiding it. Praise God. The guy said, That case is shut. Thank you, we are making notes about all that, but you're good to go. And I was just like when he told me that story I'm just like, breaking down because I'm like, this is God. This is God at work in somebody's life like literally he's so excited. He doesn't even really know who Jesus is, he just sort of kind of been around some people who do, and just being around Jesus, a little bit, has this guy, like going and like putting himself in opportunity to have to go to jail because he just and then he comes back the next night and he says, I feel so free, like I feel so free. I've had this guilt for years over my head. And Jesus is doing that Jesus is doing it all, all the time. He is, that's much better right like this type of stuff is much better. No, don't forget that you have to go through a bunch of really tough stuff to get to these types of people love your Lord. But when we find when find the last when you go find that one like what it said Jesus the Son of Man came to seek and save the last, you recognize this worth it. It's worth it. Yeah. So let's Let's pray. Lord, I just, I just thank you, I mean, I just thank you for who you are and I thank you that you're the father that Greg talked about that welcome welcomes the son back home with open arms. Despite all the stuff that he did God we I need a father that does that for me in my life, Lord I did all kinds of stupid stuff and you know it. You know I still do stupid stuff, you still hold me, and I just thank you for that, Father, I just pray very simply that we would allow you to do what you want to do in our lives, God, that we would be a community of people who just like go and love people wildly and see your work taking place in their lives, father. When I pray that if there's things in our lives that need to change if if schedules need to change or priorities need to change, so that we can go into the dark places and see your light shine god I just pray that you would reveal that, and even spirit even convict us this week, give us that little that conviction that, hey, we need to make some changes, so that we can go and do what you've desired us to do in Jesus name. Amen. I just say really quickly as I'm walking into my seat that, as I began to do these things at night. It was a total change to my lifestyle. It wasn't a baby. It was really hard. And it's even hard sometimes now but it's, there's just changes sometimes that we have to make I just felt like that when I was praying and I just that that God, that God's called me from being at home at every night to doing these things and he's doing some really awesome stuff so anyways, Love y'all so much
