WEBVTT
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Good morning.
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Good to see you all here today.
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School starts tomorrow.
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All right.
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Yeah.
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I'm Eric Shambron, one of the pastors here at Shepherd's Gate.
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I'm looking forward to talking with you.
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If you are here for the first time, I'd love to meet you afterwards.
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We also have a welcome table.
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If you're here for the first time, we have a gift for you too, so that's great.
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Visit the welcome table.
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I want to welcome those who are watching online this morning as well.
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I'm really excited to jump into the series.
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We're in a four-week series, our discipleship series here at Shepherd's Gate.
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We've been waiting to unveil this for a while.
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Find your people, your place, and your purpose.
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Really simple, and we've been diving into what those mean each week.
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The first week, Pastor Tim spoke and kind of gave us an overview of the whole process, what it means to be a disciple, why being a disciple is important, what the Bible talks about discipleship.
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So that was our first week.
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Last week we did a little tag team preaching, Tim and I, and we really introduced you to the idea of finding your people who bring you to Jesus.
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Remember the story last week from the paralytic, the healing of the paralytic and his friends bringing them down through the roof, leading him to Jesus, and Jesus saw the faith of his friends and the power of faith you have in the lives of others and others in you, and how important it is to have that community of people who bring you to Jesus.
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That's so important.
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And so we we introduced our new format of small groups as well.
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We'll talk more about that later.
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Today, it's find your place.
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Find your place to grow in your faith.
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Find your place to grow in your faith.
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We want Shepherd's Gate to be the place where you grow in your faith.
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The question is, what does that mean?
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Well, we're going to talk about that today.
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I got two main points to my outline today.
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To grow as a disciple of Jesus, as a follower of Jesus, there's two things you need.
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You need to be in the right position, and you need to be connected to the power.
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I want you to say position and power.
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Position and power.
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Okay, that's our outline for today.
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Okay, so let's get into position, what I mean by this.
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How many of you, if you're a little weird like me, have ordered plants through the mail, like bare root plants through the mail.
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Anybody?
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There's a few of you.
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I know you're out there.
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You can order them in the winter, any time of the year.
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This is what they look like when they come to you.
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It's a little shocking because you're like, wait a minute, what is this?
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This is the dead stick.
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What is this?
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It's a it's it looks like a stick and it's got a little root ball, and you soak it in water and you put it in the soil and the pot, right?
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And it's good to go.
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So I did that this past uh around Christmas time.
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I had a couple plants.
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We I got a um fig, I think it was a dormant, it was a it was a dwarf fig tree and a dwarf cherry tree, right?
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I think that's what they were.
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Um we didn't know because you can't tell by looking at the stick.
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Um so we get these around Christmas time, okay, and a couple things happened.
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First, we have a basset hound, and so the basset hound was like, hey, look, Daddy brought a stick in the house for me.
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So we had to keep Duchess off of the chewing off the tops of the sticks.
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Um and then I also was like, wow, they look a little bit dry, so I, you know, watered it.
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And I watered it some more.
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And I watered it some more.
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And more water.
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And then eventually we had developed two large civilizations of gnats in both pots.
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And thousands of gnats came all over the house.
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And you ever try to get rid of gnats once they start multiplying?
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It's very difficult.
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So it was awful.
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It was it was awful.
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We were we bought all these things you plug in the wall that captures the gnats.
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We tried some stuff you put in a bowl and just trying to figure it out, you know.
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Well, eventually I was like, okay, forget this.
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Why don't I just take the plants and just throw them out?
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So I just took them outside, put the pots, put them out by the bushes, and figured out just deal with it later.
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I'll I'll throw them out later.
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It was toward the end of winter, and I was like, let's just get them out of the house.
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So we get them out there, they're they're dead.
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And uh so this past week I go by to look at them.
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Lo and behold, they're growing.
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Without any of my involvement at all.
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It's all about the position.
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That's what God was teaching me this week.
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Your position is so important.
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Your physical position and your spiritual position is so important to grow as a disciple of Jesus.
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Let me explain this to you.
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I want to go to a passage you probably have heard of.
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How many have heard of the parable of the sower?
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Very famous parable by Jesus.
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Very famous parable by Jesus.
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You find it in the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, and the Gospel of Luke.
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And it's all about this story Jesus tells about a man sowing.
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Okay, not needle and thread sowing, but sowing seed.
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Okay, picture this guy, you know, with a bag of seed, and he's out there sowing seed on his field.
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Okay?
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And the seeds fall in four different positions.
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Okay, these are four different positions where the seeds fall.
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On the hardened path where he's walking, on a rocky ground with a bunch of rocks, among thorns and weeds, and on some good soil.
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So this Jesus explains the seed in this story represents the word of God, and the soil represents you, our hearts.
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So I got a little picture for you, thanks to AI.
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Made a little picture here.
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Jesus there is the sower.
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He's sowing the word of God onto our hearts.
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See him there?
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There's four different hearts there.
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There's the hardened heart, there's the shallow heart, there's the distracted heart, and there's the receiving heart.
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So your spiritual, your spiritual position is also important.
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See your physical position is important because guess what?
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You actually have to get out of bed and come to church.
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Although apparently now you can just lay in bed with a laptop and you can just watch church now.
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I don't think it's as good as coming to church, right?
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Encourage the people who are watching.
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Tell them, come to church.
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Come to church.
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Okay, good.
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If you can.
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Some people can't.
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That's fine.
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So your position is important.
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You have to actually take the Bible off the shelf and you have to literally open it up.
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And then you have to literally look at it and read it for it to do anything, right?
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You have to put your remote control down, get in your car, and drive to a small group to actually experience community.
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So physical position is important, and your spiritual position is also important too.
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You gotta have an open heart to what God wants to teach you, to what God wants to reveal to you.
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A humble open heart, a receiving heart.
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So there's a little uh little bit about the parable of the sower.
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Position.
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To grow as a disciple, you have to be in the right position.
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Physical, spiritual.
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You also have to connect to the power.
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Now we're gonna do a little bit of an inventory this morning, okay?
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You ready?
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You probably didn't know you were gonna do math this morning.
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I'm gonna have you do some math.
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You ready?
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How many anybody fail math in school?
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There's a couple of you here, yeah, a couple of you.
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Okay.
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You'll be fine.
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It's just addition, okay?
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I'm gonna go through all the different smart devices we have in our house.
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I want you to add up.
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You're gonna keep adding.
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You're gonna have a uh a tally of total amounts, okay?
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You ready?
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So let's start.
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Ready?
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You can use your fingers if you want.
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Um first start with how many smart TV.
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Every TV is a smart TV now, but how many TVs do you have in your house?
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Okay.
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Now, let's add to that um desktop computers.
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Well, no, we have one.
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One?
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Yeah.
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Okay, three.
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Now, let's go to laptop computers.
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Now you have to add in school or work laptops if they're ever at home.
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Okay?
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Probably, yeah.
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Oh, we got the I'm looking at my wife.
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Okay, it's eight.
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Sorry.
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Okay, now let's add um iPads.
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I'm out of fingers.
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Uh iPads, okay?
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Keep keep it in your head, okay?
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Add iPads.
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I want you to also add smart readers if you have a Kindles or those kind of things.
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I want you to add smart watches.
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I want you to add smart rings, smart glasses, smart vacuums, a little robot vacuum.
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Um if you have uh one of those Chinese robots that do your dishes, add one of those in.
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Um Alexa, any of those little like like AI listeners?
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Okay, add those in.
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Um what else am I missing?
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Did we do smartphones?
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Smartphones.
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How did I miss that one?
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Add your smartphones in.
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Did we do iPads yet?
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Okay, what do you got?
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What do you got numbers wise?
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19.
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How many are over 20?
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Yeah, okay.
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You start thinking about that.
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It's crazy how many we have, right?
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Isn't it isn't it amazing?
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I think Skynet is here.
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I think it's here.
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I don't know.
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Listen, what's the most important part of all these devices?
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The internet.
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I'm gonna I'm gonna say the power cord.
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How many of you have a device from like 10 to 15 years ago and you no longer have the power cord?
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Anybody ever thrown out or donated or gotten rid of something that you lost the power cord?
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They don't make the power cord the same anymore, right?
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They change the power cord to make you keep buying devices, right?
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The power cord, without the power to your phone, what good is it?
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Any of these devices.
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If you don't have, if you don't have power and you can't charge it up, you can't use it.
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It's not gonna fulfill its purpose.
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The power cord.
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You gotta connect to the power.
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It's the same as Christians.
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We've got to connect to the power.
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What is the power in our Christian life as a disciple?
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It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news, the good word about Jesus, which is all throughout the Bible.
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One of my favorite verses I memorize as a teenager.
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How many high schoolers do we have here today?
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You're in high school?
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Is it your hand?
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High school?
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Are you memorizing Bible verses yet?
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Start to memorize some Bible verses.
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Here's one for you.
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Romans 1:16.
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of those who believe.
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Where's the power of God for your salvation, for your discipleship?
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It's in the gospel.
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What is the gospel?
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It's the good news, the good word about Jesus, which is found throughout the whole scriptures.
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The word of God.
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That is our power cord.
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The word of God.
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We gotta open it up, we gotta read it, we gotta meditate it, we gotta study it.
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That's the power cord.
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Now I want to uh share with you that Jesus spoke about this.
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It's a famous passage in the Bible.
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It's usually titled The Vine and Branches.
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Okay, it's found in John chapter 15.
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This is Jesus telling this uh analogy about a vine and branches, or think of like a branch, a tree trunk and branches.
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Think of like a you can think of an apple tree or a or a grapevine.
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Jesus says this.
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He says, Abide in me and I in you.
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And then he says, as the as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, or the branch abides in the trunk, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
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You're the branch, Jesus is the vine.
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You have to abide in Jesus and Jesus in you.
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Be connected to the vine.
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The actual um, let me read one more, uh, some more verses here.
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It says, he says, Um, I am the vine, you are the branches.
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Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.
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For apart from me, what can you do?
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Nothing.
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Nothing.
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You got no power, Cord?
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There's nothing you can do.
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If anyone does not abide in me, he's thrown away like a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned.
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What's the word that Jesus uses five times that we've read so far?
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Abide.
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Abide.
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Now some translations use the word remain.
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The Greek word is meno.
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Everybody say meno.
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Meno means to remain steadfastly connected.
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That's what it means.
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To remain steadfastly connected.
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Jesus says, remain connected to me.
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And make sure I'm connected to you.
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I'm in you.
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I have a graphic here, so another help AI has good for something.
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This will um give you the verse here.
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A comparative workflow from both sides here.
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So abiding in Jesus this side?
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Abiding in Jesus and Jesus in you, what's the result?
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Bear fruit, right?
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You live up to your potential.
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Your purpose is being lived out.
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And what happens if you're not abiding in Jesus?
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Kindle light.
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Yeah, it's kindle light, that's right.
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But here's the question How do we abide in Jesus?
00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:04.879
What does it mean for me to abide in Jesus and for Jesus to abide in me?
00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:08.159
What is how does that work and what does that mean?
00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.919
Actually, if you keep reading this chapter, Jesus actually explains himself.
00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:17.759
A lot of times, when Jesus tells these stories and parables, if you keep reading, he'll actually tell you what he's trying to say.
00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.159
And he does here in John 15.
00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:21.440
Look at what he says here.
00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:24.879
He says, if you abide in me, how does he explain this?
00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:29.200
He says, My words abiding in you.
00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:31.759
That's how you abide in Jesus.
00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:34.159
It's his words abiding in you.
00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:37.360
He says, Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.200
It even affects your prayer life.
00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.480
By this my father is glorified.
00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:49.039
It affects who you glorify, whether yourself or whether God.
00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:53.279
That you bear much fruit and prove to be what?
00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:54.399
My disciples.
00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.440
This is a discipleship passage here.
00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.919
As the Father has loved me, so I've loved you.
00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:01.200
Abide in my love.
00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:01.919
He goes on.
00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.600
He says, if you keep my commandments, well, where are those found?
00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:07.279
In the Word of God.
00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:09.200
These are also his words.
00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:14.159
He says, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.
00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.320
Just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:24.159
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.
00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.039
Jesus is explaining what abiding is.
00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.639
Abiding is his words abiding in you.
00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:40.320
Even his commandments, his words of peace, his words of hope, all the promises of God, the promises of baptism that we heard today.
00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:50.879
See, the Bible is the power cord to your Christian life, to following Jesus, to being his disciple.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:53.679
It affects your behaviors.
00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:58.720
Keeping the Bible in you, keeping his words in you, affects your behaviors.
00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:01.600
It affects your prayer, your prayer life.
00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:02.320
Right?
00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.679
God even said it.
00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:05.919
I'll give you whatever you ask.
00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:10.399
If you're abiding in my words, my words are abiding in you, then we're on the same page here.
00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:11.759
That's what God's saying.
00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.240
So whatever you ask is going to be my will.
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:22.559
It affects who you glorify, whether you glorify yourself, praise yourself, or you praise him.
00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:30.000
And it affects your experience of God's love and God's joy in your life.
00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.120
This is really important.
00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:36.960
You want to experience more of God's love and God's joy, his words need to be in you.
00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.440
His words need to be in you.
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.679
This is what we mean by find your place.
00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:52.879
We want Shepherd's Gate to be your place where this happens.
00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:53.759
Okay?
00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:56.320
That's our job.
00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.919
That's the job of the church, right?
00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:04.400
We want to make sure you have the opportunity for his words to be in you and for you to be in him.
00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.039
That's what we mean by find your place.
00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:11.519
So, how do you find your place to grow in your faith here at Shepherd's Gate?
00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.720
That's the big question today.
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:13.519
How do you find that?
00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:17.039
So I'm going to give you, I'm going to go over four different areas here at Shepherd's Gate.
00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:19.599
One of them is brand new, so we'll get to that.
00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.160
Let me just go over some things that you probably already know.
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.599
Obviously, you're here today, right?
00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:25.119
You are in worship.
00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:27.839
You get to hear the word of God today.
00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.799
You came today.
00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:30.000
You got out of bed.
00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.359
You turned off Netflix and you came here.
00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.640
And you're hearing the word of God.
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:42.319
So our worship services, we actually, a lot of our songs we sing are from the scriptures too.
00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:47.839
So you're singing the word of God, you're hearing the word of God on Sunday morning.
00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.240
I want to mention this.
00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:59.200
We have a lot of programs and ministries and programs here at Shepherd's Gate that you're probably involved in.
00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:04.400
But I just want to kind of go over them a little bit, and I want you to know that you saw some tables out there.
00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:15.039
I had asked those who are involved in these ministries and programs to be out there to answer any questions you have if you want to get involved and know more about what's happening in their areas.
00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:17.359
So things like our kids' department.
00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.039
Obviously, you can talk to Reggie every day.
00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:25.200
She's always out here every day, every service, and they're working with our kids, teaching them the Bible right now.
00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:31.200
We also have our student ministry that does some work on Sunday morning and a lot of it on Wednesday night.
00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:33.359
They're going to have a table out there.
00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:36.319
And that's fifth grade to 12th grade, just in case you didn't know.
00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.039
Our student ministry is fifth grade to 12th grade.
00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:41.759
We also have our care ministry.
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:44.960
They usually have all their support groups here on Tuesday night.
00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.640
If you've never been to care, how many have been to a care before, care ministry?
00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.319
It's an amazing opportunity.
00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:59.680
Some are more support groups, some are more classes where you learn some things and some uh some tools you can use in your life and in relationships.
00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.880
It's a great opportunity.
00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:01.839
It's free dinner.
00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:02.799
That's every Tuesday night.
00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:06.160
Venus is amazing, and we encourage you to get involved there as well.
00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:08.240
We also have a lot of adult ministries that happen here.
00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:14.640
I mean, there's lots of things that go on here besides just activities and physical and social activities.
00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:24.079
We actually have some ministries here too that try to put together Bible studies and retreats and nights out and social time to get to know each other and fellowship together.
00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:26.079
We've got um young adults.
00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:33.039
We've recently started a young adult group, so if you're anywhere between that 18 to 29 age group, they meet on Monday nights here.
00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.119
We have a men's group, we have a men's Bible study that meets on Monday nights here.
00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.519
And we, as you saw, we're having a retreat coming up.
00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.000
Uh, I want to encourage the men here to sign up for that.
00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.720
We're actually joining three other churches, Emmanuel, St.
00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:45.920
Peter, and Trinity.
00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:47.759
And it's gonna be it's only an hour away.
00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:50.319
I'm actually, I can't go the whole weekend, so I'm gonna go up Saturday.
00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:55.279
You can actually register for just Saturday, or you can register for the whole Friday to Sunday.
00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.200
But I want to encourage you to sign up for that.
00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.319
And uh I'm looking forward to that and hope to see you there for that.
00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:03.119
Our women's ministry, you saw the mixer they're having coming up.
00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:07.279
They're gonna be out there answering any questions you have about all the, they have a bunch of activities coming up.
00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:13.839
We have a married couple's date night out happening here with a Christian comedian that's coming up this fall.
00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:17.519
We have a lot of seniors' activities and programs going on here too.
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:21.440
Go out there after the service and you can talk with all of them out there about what's happening.
00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:25.119
It's amazing what we have going on here at Shepherd's Gate.
00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:28.880
Um, as we mentioned last week, we unveiled this to you, small groups.
00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.480
Our small groups do three things.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:34.160
This is what we're trying to uh gather around.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:39.599
Three things fellowship, intercession, which means like praying for each other.
00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:49.599
So fellowship, encouraging each other, getting to know each other, intercession, praying for each other, and third, the truth of the gospel, the truth of the Bible, fit.
00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:53.680
That's what the small groups are about.
00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:57.039
And we've decided to make it a little easier for you to join a small group.
00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.000
It's not a lifelong commitment, it's just a seasonal.
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.440
So we're gonna do a fall session, a winter session, and a spring session.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.279
We're actually putting groups together right now.
00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:06.880
We had a lot of people sign up last week.
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.640
We're putting in groups together right now.
00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:10.720
You can still sign up and be part of a group.
00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.920
It's just 10 weeks.
00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.240
You meet two or three times a month for 10 weeks.
00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:17.839
You may find your people and you just keep meeting.
00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:20.720
If you don't find your people, then you have an out.
00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.960
You have an exact out, you can get out of there and try it again next time.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.960
So it's a great opportunity for our small groups that are rolling out September 20th.
00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:29.680
Please sign up.
00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:31.200
You can do that on our apps.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:32.880
Now, are you ready?
00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:37.680
I've been asked about this particular thing for a long time, but I need a drum roll.
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.759
Can we do the pant leg drum roll?
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:43.119
That sound that sounds great, doesn't it?
00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.440
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you SG University.
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.599
I'll pay you later.
00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.680
People have asked me so many times why don't we have Bible study on Sunday morning?
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.039
For adults.
00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:06.960
I'm like, well, you know, it used to happen, but you know, COVID and we always blame COVID for everything.
00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:12.240
So I've been working on it, and we decided, you know what, we're not just gonna buy, we're gonna have a university.
00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:15.359
We're gonna have, we're gonna have courses of different levels.
00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.960
What if somebody doesn't know how to read their Bible?
00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:21.039
What if they never open up the Bible to read it?
00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.960
What if they don't know anything about a Bible?
00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:25.039
Well, there should be a class for them.
00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:29.759
What about somebody who says, man, I just I want to really study the book of Revelation?
00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:47.119
Okay, well, maybe we have a class for you, or maybe you want to study Lutheran doctrine, or maybe you just I just want to know how to share my faith, or maybe you just want to talk, study the all the Bible verses that are talking about discipleship, or maybe you just want to learn how to pray better.
00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:51.920
So there's all kinds of different levels here: foundation courses, intermediate courses, and advanced courses.
00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:54.960
We're gonna start rolling these out on Sunday morning to start with.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:58.240
It'll be 10:30 to 12, so you can come to the 9 a.m.
00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.519
service and then go to a class.
00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:03.279
You just gotta get up early.
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:04.079
That's all.
00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:05.759
Uh so that's a great, a great way.
00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:08.559
So we're this is gonna start uh in September.
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.240
You'll start seeing these classes.
00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:16.160
You can actually sign up for some of them right now, all about the Bible and basic beliefs of the Christian faith of the two and explore.
00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:22.880
Basically, the first four are already done and are gonna be rolling out this fall, and then we'll be adding the others uh throughout the year.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.200
We're developing those courses right now.
00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:30.079
So I just want you to know that Shepherd's Gate is gonna be your place to grow in your faith.
00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:38.960
And part of that is studying, meditating, reading, getting God's word, the words of Jesus in you.
00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:41.680
That's what you need.
00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.240
That's what we need to grow in the faith.
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:48.400
Jesus said it, that's how he abides in us, and we in him.
00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.799
Your position is important.
00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:52.960
You gotta physically be here for that.
00:23:53.200 --> 00:24:00.480
So, but also come with open heart, your spiritual position and connect to the power which is the word of God.
00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:07.200
I want to close with a couple verses of the word of God that zero in right on this point, okay?
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.640
So I want to close with this.
00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:12.160
Romans chapter 10, verse 17.
00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:18.480
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through what?
00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.480
Of Christ.
00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:24.880
You might say, Pastor Eric, I I want to I want to grow my faith.
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.160
I don't know how much faith I have.
00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:32.160
Maybe you struggle with faith and doubt, and you're you're still in that journey of figuring that out.
00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:39.279
And you know, the best way you can grow in your faith is through hearing the word of God.
00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:41.359
So being here is important.
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:44.079
Coming to the other things is important.
00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:51.519
Um, you can even open it up on your own and read it yourself too, or listen to it on tape, or listen to a podcast.
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:55.519
You've got to get the word of God in your head.
00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.039
Right?
00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:59.039
We all know it, but we gotta do it.
00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:01.359
And position and power, it's important.
00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:04.640
Because faith comes by hearing the word of God.
00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.960
That's how you get faith in you.
00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.200
There's no other way around it.
00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:13.440
You can't get, there's there's only one power cord, and this is the power cord.
00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:17.440
Uh I want to close with this, Acts chapter 20.
00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:20.240
Paul says, Now I commend you.
00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:26.240
I commend you to the to God and to his word of grace.
00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:28.640
What is his word of grace?
00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:32.640
It's the word of the unconditional love of God for you.
00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:36.400
It's the word of his forgiveness of your sins.
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:40.960
It's the word about what he accomplished on the cross for you.
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:45.200
It's the word that you don't have to, you can't earn it.
00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:50.480
You can try, but you can't earn it yourself because it's a free gift of God.
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:54.640
That's the message of the entire Bible in a nutshell.
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.319
The nutshell.
00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.400
The word of his grace.
00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:04.160
Paul says, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace because that's the only way you're going to grow.
00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:19.680
Because this is able to build you up, to grow you, and to give you an inheritance, an eternal promise, an inheritance as his child among all the saints.
00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.119
Amen.
00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:24.319
This is what it's all about, right here, folks.
00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.759
It's it's very clear.
00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:30.799
We just gotta connect to the power and we gotta put ourselves in the right position.
00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:34.000
Everything else is laid out for you at Shepherd's Gate.
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:36.720
It can be your place to grow in your faith.
00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:39.279
The next step is yours.
00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:41.359
Let's pray together.
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.160
Lord, we know this.
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:53.119
I mean, it's not really new information, but there's a there's a little bit of a journey between knowing and actually doing and being.
00:26:53.519 --> 00:27:00.480
And so we're asking you, God, through your Holy Spirit, inspire us, guide us, direct us.
00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:04.480
We want to grow as your disciple.
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.759
We want to be faithful to you.
00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:12.880
We want to know you and love you more because we know that that's where our joy, our hope, our peace come from.
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:15.039
And we need your help to do it.
00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:18.480
We need your word, we need your people around us.
00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:24.720
We surrender it all to you, God.
00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:31.599
Guide us and direct us and lead us in your word of grace.
00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:34.160
We pray in your name, Jesus.
00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.200
Amen.
00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:04.959
Good morning.
00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:08.160
Good to see you all here today.
00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.119
School starts tomorrow.
00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:12.560
All right.
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:13.439
Yeah.
00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:18.879
I'm Eric Shambron, one of the pastors here at Shepherd's Gate.
00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:20.719
I'm looking forward to talking with you.
00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.079
If you are here for the first time, I'd love to meet you afterwards.
00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.679
We also have a welcome table.
00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:28.640
If you're here for the first time, we have a gift for you too, so that's great.
00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:30.239
Visit the welcome table.
00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:33.840
I want to welcome those who are watching online this morning as well.
00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:36.719
I'm really excited to jump into the series.
00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:40.960
We're in a four-week series, our discipleship series here at Shepherd's Gate.
00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:44.000
We've been waiting to unveil this for a while.
00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:46.880
Find your people, your place, and your purpose.
00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:51.840
Really simple, and we've been diving into what those mean each week.
00:00:52.320 --> 00:01:02.240
The first week, Pastor Tim spoke and kind of gave us an overview of the whole process, what it means to be a disciple, why being a disciple is important, what the Bible talks about discipleship.
00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:03.679
So that was our first week.
00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:11.760
Last week we did a little tag team preaching, Tim and I, and we really introduced you to the idea of finding your people who bring you to Jesus.
00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:31.680
Remember the story last week from the paralytic, the healing of the paralytic and his friends bringing them down through the roof, leading him to Jesus, and Jesus saw the faith of his friends and the power of faith you have in the lives of others and others in you, and how important it is to have that community of people who bring you to Jesus.
00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:32.640
That's so important.
00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:37.599
And so we we introduced our new format of small groups as well.
00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:39.519
We'll talk more about that later.
00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.640
Today, it's find your place.
00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.079
Find your place to grow in your faith.
00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:48.079
Find your place to grow in your faith.
00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.400
We want Shepherd's Gate to be the place where you grow in your faith.
00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:51.840
The question is, what does that mean?
00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:53.439
Well, we're going to talk about that today.
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I got two main points to my outline today.
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To grow as a disciple of Jesus, as a follower of Jesus, there's two things you need.
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You need to be in the right position, and you need to be connected to the power.
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I want you to say position and power.
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Position and power.
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Okay, that's our outline for today.
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Okay, so let's get into position, what I mean by this.
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How many of you, if you're a little weird like me, have ordered plants through the mail, like bare root plants through the mail.
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Anybody?
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There's a few of you.
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I know you're out there.
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You can order them in the winter, any time of the year.
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This is what they look like when they come to you.
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It's a little shocking because you're like, wait a minute, what is this?
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This is the dead stick.
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What is this?
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It's a it's it looks like a stick and it's got a little root ball, and you soak it in water and you put it in the soil and the pot, right?
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And it's good to go.
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So I did that this past uh around Christmas time.
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I had a couple plants.
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We I got a um fig, I think it was a dormant, it was a it was a dwarf fig tree and a dwarf cherry tree, right?
00:02:58.080 --> 00:02:59.120
I think that's what they were.
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Um we didn't know because you can't tell by looking at the stick.
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Um so we get these around Christmas time, okay, and a couple things happened.
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First, we have a basset hound, and so the basset hound was like, hey, look, Daddy brought a stick in the house for me.
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So we had to keep Duchess off of the chewing off the tops of the sticks.
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Um and then I also was like, wow, they look a little bit dry, so I, you know, watered it.
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And I watered it some more.
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And I watered it some more.
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And more water.
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And then eventually we had developed two large civilizations of gnats in both pots.
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And thousands of gnats came all over the house.
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And you ever try to get rid of gnats once they start multiplying?
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It's very difficult.
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So it was awful.
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It was it was awful.
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We were we bought all these things you plug in the wall that captures the gnats.
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We tried some stuff you put in a bowl and just trying to figure it out, you know.
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Well, eventually I was like, okay, forget this.
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Why don't I just take the plants and just throw them out?
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So I just took them outside, put the pots, put them out by the bushes, and figured out just deal with it later.
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I'll I'll throw them out later.
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It was toward the end of winter, and I was like, let's just get them out of the house.
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So we get them out there, they're they're dead.
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And uh so this past week I go by to look at them.
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Lo and behold, they're growing.
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Without any of my involvement at all.
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It's all about the position.
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That's what God was teaching me this week.
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Your position is so important.
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Your physical position and your spiritual position is so important to grow as a disciple of Jesus.
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Let me explain this to you.
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I want to go to a passage you probably have heard of.
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How many have heard of the parable of the sower?
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Very famous parable by Jesus.
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Very famous parable by Jesus.
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You find it in the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, and the Gospel of Luke.
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And it's all about this story Jesus tells about a man sowing.
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Okay, not needle and thread sowing, but sowing seed.
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Okay, picture this guy, you know, with a bag of seed, and he's out there sowing seed on his field.
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Okay?
00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:10.240
And the seeds fall in four different positions.
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Okay, these are four different positions where the seeds fall.
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On the hardened path where he's walking, on a rocky ground with a bunch of rocks, among thorns and weeds, and on some good soil.
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So this Jesus explains the seed in this story represents the word of God, and the soil represents you, our hearts.
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So I got a little picture for you, thanks to AI.
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Made a little picture here.
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Jesus there is the sower.
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He's sowing the word of God onto our hearts.
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See him there?
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There's four different hearts there.
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There's the hardened heart, there's the shallow heart, there's the distracted heart, and there's the receiving heart.
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So your spiritual, your spiritual position is also important.
00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.519
See your physical position is important because guess what?
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:08.160
You actually have to get out of bed and come to church.
00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:14.319
Although apparently now you can just lay in bed with a laptop and you can just watch church now.
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I don't think it's as good as coming to church, right?
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Encourage the people who are watching.
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Tell them, come to church.
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Come to church.
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Okay, good.
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If you can.
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Some people can't.
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That's fine.
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So your position is important.
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You have to actually take the Bible off the shelf and you have to literally open it up.
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And then you have to literally look at it and read it for it to do anything, right?
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You have to put your remote control down, get in your car, and drive to a small group to actually experience community.
00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:53.279
So physical position is important, and your spiritual position is also important too.
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You gotta have an open heart to what God wants to teach you, to what God wants to reveal to you.
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A humble open heart, a receiving heart.
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So there's a little uh little bit about the parable of the sower.
00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:07.040
Position.
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To grow as a disciple, you have to be in the right position.
00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.759
Physical, spiritual.
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You also have to connect to the power.
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Now we're gonna do a little bit of an inventory this morning, okay?
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You ready?
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You probably didn't know you were gonna do math this morning.
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I'm gonna have you do some math.
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You ready?
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How many anybody fail math in school?
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There's a couple of you here, yeah, a couple of you.
00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:32.639
Okay.
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You'll be fine.
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It's just addition, okay?
00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:39.040
I'm gonna go through all the different smart devices we have in our house.
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I want you to add up.
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You're gonna keep adding.
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You're gonna have a uh a tally of total amounts, okay?
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You ready?
00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:46.079
So let's start.
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Ready?
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You can use your fingers if you want.
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Um first start with how many smart TV.
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Every TV is a smart TV now, but how many TVs do you have in your house?
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Okay.
00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:00.000
Now, let's add to that um desktop computers.
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Well, no, we have one.
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One?
00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:03.839
Yeah.
00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:04.879
Okay, three.
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Now, let's go to laptop computers.
00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:11.600
Now you have to add in school or work laptops if they're ever at home.
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Okay?
00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:18.160
Probably, yeah.
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Oh, we got the I'm looking at my wife.
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Okay, it's eight.
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Sorry.
00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:25.600
Okay, now let's add um iPads.
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I'm out of fingers.
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Uh iPads, okay?
00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:29.600
Keep keep it in your head, okay?
00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:30.639
Add iPads.
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I want you to also add smart readers if you have a Kindles or those kind of things.
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I want you to add smart watches.
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I want you to add smart rings, smart glasses, smart vacuums, a little robot vacuum.
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Um if you have uh one of those Chinese robots that do your dishes, add one of those in.
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Um Alexa, any of those little like like AI listeners?
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Okay, add those in.
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Um what else am I missing?
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Did we do smartphones?
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Smartphones.
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How did I miss that one?
00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:10.799
Add your smartphones in.
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Did we do iPads yet?
00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:14.480
Okay, what do you got?
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What do you got numbers wise?
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19.
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How many are over 20?
00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:20.799
Yeah, okay.
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You start thinking about that.
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It's crazy how many we have, right?
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Isn't it isn't it amazing?
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I think Skynet is here.
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I think it's here.
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I don't know.
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Listen, what's the most important part of all these devices?
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The internet.
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I'm gonna I'm gonna say the power cord.
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How many of you have a device from like 10 to 15 years ago and you no longer have the power cord?
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Anybody ever thrown out or donated or gotten rid of something that you lost the power cord?
00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:53.919
They don't make the power cord the same anymore, right?
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They change the power cord to make you keep buying devices, right?
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The power cord, without the power to your phone, what good is it?
00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:03.600
Any of these devices.
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If you don't have, if you don't have power and you can't charge it up, you can't use it.
00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:07.919
It's not gonna fulfill its purpose.
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The power cord.
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You gotta connect to the power.
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It's the same as Christians.
00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:15.919
We've got to connect to the power.
00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:18.960
What is the power in our Christian life as a disciple?
00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:28.639
It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news, the good word about Jesus, which is all throughout the Bible.
00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:31.759
One of my favorite verses I memorize as a teenager.
00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.159
How many high schoolers do we have here today?
00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:35.600
You're in high school?
00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:36.799
Is it your hand?
00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:38.240
High school?
00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:40.480
Are you memorizing Bible verses yet?
00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:41.919
Start to memorize some Bible verses.
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:42.799
Here's one for you.
00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:44.799
Romans 1:16.
00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:55.039
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of those who believe.
00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:01.600
Where's the power of God for your salvation, for your discipleship?
00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.279
It's in the gospel.
00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:04.320
What is the gospel?
00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:09.120
It's the good news, the good word about Jesus, which is found throughout the whole scriptures.
00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:10.960
The word of God.
00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:12.799
That is our power cord.
00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:14.080
The word of God.
00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:17.600
We gotta open it up, we gotta read it, we gotta meditate it, we gotta study it.
00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:19.039
That's the power cord.
00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:22.720
Now I want to uh share with you that Jesus spoke about this.
00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:25.120
It's a famous passage in the Bible.
00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:28.480
It's usually titled The Vine and Branches.
00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.759
Okay, it's found in John chapter 15.
00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:40.799
This is Jesus telling this uh analogy about a vine and branches, or think of like a branch, a tree trunk and branches.
00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:45.519
Think of like a you can think of an apple tree or a or a grapevine.
00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:47.279
Jesus says this.
00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:51.840
He says, Abide in me and I in you.
00:11:52.879 --> 00:12:06.559
And then he says, as the as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, or the branch abides in the trunk, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:09.039
You're the branch, Jesus is the vine.
00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:14.799
You have to abide in Jesus and Jesus in you.
00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:16.159
Be connected to the vine.
00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:19.600
The actual um, let me read one more, uh, some more verses here.
00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:23.200
It says, he says, Um, I am the vine, you are the branches.
00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:29.759
Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.
00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:32.720
For apart from me, what can you do?
00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:34.240
Nothing.
00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:35.039
Nothing.
00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:36.639
You got no power, Cord?
00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:38.799
There's nothing you can do.
00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:49.440
If anyone does not abide in me, he's thrown away like a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned.
00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:55.759
What's the word that Jesus uses five times that we've read so far?
00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:57.120
Abide.
00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:58.080
Abide.
00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:01.200
Now some translations use the word remain.
00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:02.960
The Greek word is meno.
00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:04.080
Everybody say meno.
00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:08.720
Meno means to remain steadfastly connected.
00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:09.759
That's what it means.
00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:12.159
To remain steadfastly connected.
00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:16.720
Jesus says, remain connected to me.
00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:20.960
And make sure I'm connected to you.
00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:23.039
I'm in you.
00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:27.440
I have a graphic here, so another help AI has good for something.
00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:31.679
This will um give you the verse here.
00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:34.720
A comparative workflow from both sides here.
00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:38.639
So abiding in Jesus this side?
00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:43.279
Abiding in Jesus and Jesus in you, what's the result?
00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:45.600
Bear fruit, right?
00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:47.120
You live up to your potential.
00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.279
Your purpose is being lived out.
00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.679
And what happens if you're not abiding in Jesus?
00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:53.279
Kindle light.
00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:55.120
Yeah, it's kindle light, that's right.
00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:59.600
But here's the question How do we abide in Jesus?
00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:04.879
What does it mean for me to abide in Jesus and for Jesus to abide in me?
00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:08.159
What is how does that work and what does that mean?
00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.919
Actually, if you keep reading this chapter, Jesus actually explains himself.
00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:17.759
A lot of times, when Jesus tells these stories and parables, if you keep reading, he'll actually tell you what he's trying to say.
00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.159
And he does here in John 15.
00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:21.440
Look at what he says here.
00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:24.879
He says, if you abide in me, how does he explain this?
00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:29.200
He says, My words abiding in you.
00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:31.759
That's how you abide in Jesus.
00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:34.159
It's his words abiding in you.
00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:37.360
He says, Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.200
It even affects your prayer life.
00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.480
By this my father is glorified.
00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:49.039
It affects who you glorify, whether yourself or whether God.
00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:53.279
That you bear much fruit and prove to be what?
00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:54.399
My disciples.
00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.440
This is a discipleship passage here.
00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.919
As the Father has loved me, so I've loved you.
00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:01.200
Abide in my love.
00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:01.919
He goes on.
00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.600
He says, if you keep my commandments, well, where are those found?
00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:07.279
In the Word of God.
00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:09.200
These are also his words.
00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:14.159
He says, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.
00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.320
Just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:24.159
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.
00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.039
Jesus is explaining what abiding is.
00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.639
Abiding is his words abiding in you.
00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:40.320
Even his commandments, his words of peace, his words of hope, all the promises of God, the promises of baptism that we heard today.
00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:50.879
See, the Bible is the power cord to your Christian life, to following Jesus, to being his disciple.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:53.679
It affects your behaviors.
00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:58.720
Keeping the Bible in you, keeping his words in you, affects your behaviors.
00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:01.600
It affects your prayer, your prayer life.
00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:02.320
Right?
00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.679
God even said it.
00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:05.919
I'll give you whatever you ask.
00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:10.399
If you're abiding in my words, my words are abiding in you, then we're on the same page here.
00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:11.759
That's what God's saying.
00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.240
So whatever you ask is going to be my will.
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:22.559
It affects who you glorify, whether you glorify yourself, praise yourself, or you praise him.
00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:30.000
And it affects your experience of God's love and God's joy in your life.
00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.120
This is really important.
00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:36.960
You want to experience more of God's love and God's joy, his words need to be in you.
00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.440
His words need to be in you.
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.679
This is what we mean by find your place.
00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:52.879
We want Shepherd's Gate to be your place where this happens.
00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:53.759
Okay?
00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:56.320
That's our job.
00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.919
That's the job of the church, right?
00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:04.400
We want to make sure you have the opportunity for his words to be in you and for you to be in him.
00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.039
That's what we mean by find your place.
00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:11.519
So, how do you find your place to grow in your faith here at Shepherd's Gate?
00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.720
That's the big question today.
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:13.519
How do you find that?
00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:17.039
So I'm going to give you, I'm going to go over four different areas here at Shepherd's Gate.
00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:19.599
One of them is brand new, so we'll get to that.
00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.160
Let me just go over some things that you probably already know.
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.599
Obviously, you're here today, right?
00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:25.119
You are in worship.
00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:27.839
You get to hear the word of God today.
00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.799
You came today.
00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:30.000
You got out of bed.
00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.359
You turned off Netflix and you came here.
00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.640
And you're hearing the word of God.
00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:42.319
So our worship services, we actually, a lot of our songs we sing are from the scriptures too.
00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:47.839
So you're singing the word of God, you're hearing the word of God on Sunday morning.
00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.240
I want to mention this.
00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:59.200
We have a lot of programs and ministries and programs here at Shepherd's Gate that you're probably involved in.
00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:04.400
But I just want to kind of go over them a little bit, and I want you to know that you saw some tables out there.
00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:15.039
I had asked those who are involved in these ministries and programs to be out there to answer any questions you have if you want to get involved and know more about what's happening in their areas.
00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:17.359
So things like our kids' department.
00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.039
Obviously, you can talk to Reggie every day.
00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:25.200
She's always out here every day, every service, and they're working with our kids, teaching them the Bible right now.
00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:31.200
We also have our student ministry that does some work on Sunday morning and a lot of it on Wednesday night.
00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:33.359
They're going to have a table out there.
00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:36.319
And that's fifth grade to 12th grade, just in case you didn't know.
00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.039
Our student ministry is fifth grade to 12th grade.
00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:41.759
We also have our care ministry.
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:44.960
They usually have all their support groups here on Tuesday night.
00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.640
If you've never been to care, how many have been to a care before, care ministry?
00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.319
It's an amazing opportunity.
00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:59.680
Some are more support groups, some are more classes where you learn some things and some uh some tools you can use in your life and in relationships.
00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.880
It's a great opportunity.
00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:01.839
It's free dinner.
00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:02.799
That's every Tuesday night.
00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:06.160
Venus is amazing, and we encourage you to get involved there as well.
00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:08.240
We also have a lot of adult ministries that happen here.
00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:14.640
I mean, there's lots of things that go on here besides just activities and physical and social activities.
00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:24.079
We actually have some ministries here too that try to put together Bible studies and retreats and nights out and social time to get to know each other and fellowship together.
00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:26.079
We've got um young adults.
00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:33.039
We've recently started a young adult group, so if you're anywhere between that 18 to 29 age group, they meet on Monday nights here.
00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.119
We have a men's group, we have a men's Bible study that meets on Monday nights here.
00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.519
And we, as you saw, we're having a retreat coming up.
00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.000
Uh, I want to encourage the men here to sign up for that.
00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.720
We're actually joining three other churches, Emmanuel, St.
00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:45.920
Peter, and Trinity.
00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:47.759
And it's gonna be it's only an hour away.
00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:50.319
I'm actually, I can't go the whole weekend, so I'm gonna go up Saturday.
00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:55.279
You can actually register for just Saturday, or you can register for the whole Friday to Sunday.
00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.200
But I want to encourage you to sign up for that.
00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.319
And uh I'm looking forward to that and hope to see you there for that.
00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:03.119
Our women's ministry, you saw the mixer they're having coming up.
00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:07.279
They're gonna be out there answering any questions you have about all the, they have a bunch of activities coming up.
00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:13.839
We have a married couple's date night out happening here with a Christian comedian that's coming up this fall.
00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:17.519
We have a lot of seniors' activities and programs going on here too.
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:21.440
Go out there after the service and you can talk with all of them out there about what's happening.
00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:25.119
It's amazing what we have going on here at Shepherd's Gate.
00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:28.880
Um, as we mentioned last week, we unveiled this to you, small groups.
00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.480
Our small groups do three things.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:34.160
This is what we're trying to uh gather around.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:39.599
Three things fellowship, intercession, which means like praying for each other.
00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:49.599
So fellowship, encouraging each other, getting to know each other, intercession, praying for each other, and third, the truth of the gospel, the truth of the Bible, fit.
00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:53.680
That's what the small groups are about.
00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:57.039
And we've decided to make it a little easier for you to join a small group.
00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.000
It's not a lifelong commitment, it's just a seasonal.
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.440
So we're gonna do a fall session, a winter session, and a spring session.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.279
We're actually putting groups together right now.
00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:06.880
We had a lot of people sign up last week.
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.640
We're putting in groups together right now.
00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:10.720
You can still sign up and be part of a group.
00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.920
It's just 10 weeks.
00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.240
You meet two or three times a month for 10 weeks.
00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:17.839
You may find your people and you just keep meeting.
00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:20.720
If you don't find your people, then you have an out.
00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.960
You have an exact out, you can get out of there and try it again next time.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.960
So it's a great opportunity for our small groups that are rolling out September 20th.
00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:29.680
Please sign up.
00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:31.200
You can do that on our apps.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:32.880
Now, are you ready?
00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:37.680
I've been asked about this particular thing for a long time, but I need a drum roll.
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.759
Can we do the pant leg drum roll?
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:43.119
That sound that sounds great, doesn't it?
00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.440
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you SG University.
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.599
I'll pay you later.
00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.680
People have asked me so many times why don't we have Bible study on Sunday morning?
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.039
For adults.
00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:06.960
I'm like, well, you know, it used to happen, but you know, COVID and we always blame COVID for everything.
00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:12.240
So I've been working on it, and we decided, you know what, we're not just gonna buy, we're gonna have a university.
00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:15.359
We're gonna have, we're gonna have courses of different levels.
00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.960
What if somebody doesn't know how to read their Bible?
00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:21.039
What if they never open up the Bible to read it?
00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.960
What if they don't know anything about a Bible?
00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:25.039
Well, there should be a class for them.
00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:29.759
What about somebody who says, man, I just I want to really study the book of Revelation?
00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:47.119
Okay, well, maybe we have a class for you, or maybe you want to study Lutheran doctrine, or maybe you just I just want to know how to share my faith, or maybe you just want to talk, study the all the Bible verses that are talking about discipleship, or maybe you just want to learn how to pray better.
00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:51.920
So there's all kinds of different levels here: foundation courses, intermediate courses, and advanced courses.
00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:54.960
We're gonna start rolling these out on Sunday morning to start with.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:58.240
It'll be 10:30 to 12, so you can come to the 9 a.m.
00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.519
service and then go to a class.
00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:03.279
You just gotta get up early.
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:04.079
That's all.
00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:05.759
Uh so that's a great, a great way.
00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:08.559
So we're this is gonna start uh in September.
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.240
You'll start seeing these classes.
00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:16.160
You can actually sign up for some of them right now, all about the Bible and basic beliefs of the Christian faith of the two and explore.
00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:22.880
Basically, the first four are already done and are gonna be rolling out this fall, and then we'll be adding the others uh throughout the year.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.200
We're developing those courses right now.
00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:30.079
So I just want you to know that Shepherd's Gate is gonna be your place to grow in your faith.
00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:38.960
And part of that is studying, meditating, reading, getting God's word, the words of Jesus in you.
00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:41.680
That's what you need.
00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.240
That's what we need to grow in the faith.
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:48.400
Jesus said it, that's how he abides in us, and we in him.
00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.799
Your position is important.
00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:52.960
You gotta physically be here for that.
00:23:53.200 --> 00:24:00.480
So, but also come with open heart, your spiritual position and connect to the power which is the word of God.
00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:07.200
I want to close with a couple verses of the word of God that zero in right on this point, okay?
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.640
So I want to close with this.
00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:12.160
Romans chapter 10, verse 17.
00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:18.480
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through what?
00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.480
Of Christ.
00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:24.880
You might say, Pastor Eric, I I want to I want to grow my faith.
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.160
I don't know how much faith I have.
00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:32.160
Maybe you struggle with faith and doubt, and you're you're still in that journey of figuring that out.
00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:39.279
And you know, the best way you can grow in your faith is through hearing the word of God.
00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:41.359
So being here is important.
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:44.079
Coming to the other things is important.
00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:51.519
Um, you can even open it up on your own and read it yourself too, or listen to it on tape, or listen to a podcast.
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:55.519
You've got to get the word of God in your head.
00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.039
Right?
00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:59.039
We all know it, but we gotta do it.
00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:01.359
And position and power, it's important.
00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:04.640
Because faith comes by hearing the word of God.
00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.960
That's how you get faith in you.
00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.200
There's no other way around it.
00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:13.440
You can't get, there's there's only one power cord, and this is the power cord.
00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:17.440
Uh I want to close with this, Acts chapter 20.
00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:20.240
Paul says, Now I commend you.
00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:26.240
I commend you to the to God and to his word of grace.
00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:28.640
What is his word of grace?
00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:32.640
It's the word of the unconditional love of God for you.
00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:36.400
It's the word of his forgiveness of your sins.
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:40.960
It's the word about what he accomplished on the cross for you.
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:45.200
It's the word that you don't have to, you can't earn it.
00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:50.480
You can try, but you can't earn it yourself because it's a free gift of God.
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:54.640
That's the message of the entire Bible in a nutshell.
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.319
The nutshell.
00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.400
The word of his grace.
00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:04.160
Paul says, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace because that's the only way you're going to grow.
00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:19.680
Because this is able to build you up, to grow you, and to give you an inheritance, an eternal promise, an inheritance as his child among all the saints.
00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.119
Amen.
00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:24.319
This is what it's all about, right here, folks.
00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.759
It's it's very clear.
00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:30.799
We just gotta connect to the power and we gotta put ourselves in the right position.
00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:34.000
Everything else is laid out for you at Shepherd's Gate.
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:36.720
It can be your place to grow in your faith.
00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:39.279
The next step is yours.
00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:41.359
Let's pray together.
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.160
Lord, we know this.
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:53.119
I mean, it's not really new information, but there's a there's a little bit of a journey between knowing and actually doing and being.
00:26:53.519 --> 00:27:00.480
And so we're asking you, God, through your Holy Spirit, inspire us, guide us, direct us.
00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:04.480
We want to grow as your disciple.
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.759
We want to be faithful to you.
00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:12.880
We want to know you and love you more because we know that that's where our joy, our hope, our peace come from.
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:15.039
And we need your help to do it.
00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:18.480
We need your word, we need your people around us.
00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:24.720
We surrender it all to you, God.
00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:31.599
Guide us and direct us and lead us in your word of grace.
00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:34.160
We pray in your name, Jesus.
00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.200
Amen.
