No, in all the different locations that we've been over the last five years, our heartbeat has remained the same that our vision here at the church is that we exist to help every man, woman and child experience Jesus. And so a vision is really a living picture of a preferred future. And that what we want to do and who we want to be as a church. And that our mission or how we accomplish that vision on a daily, weekly and yearly basis is that we will accomplish our vision through planting the gospel growing in community and multiplying through service. And so we do that here on Sunday mornings where our hope our goal is to plant the gospel into your life. And so everything we do from when you're greeted, from off the street to when you sit down to, we stand and we sing together to when we preach and study the word. All of that is that we can plant the seed of the gospel in our lives. And then throughout the week, we have different ministries that take place where you can grow in community that we connect relationally to grow spiritually and then ultimately, we then turn around, we say that our faith is not just about ourselves and for ourselves, but it's, it's, it's to bless the world. And so we try to multiply through service. And many of you are serving already both here within the church setting and also locally in the community and then globally through our missions program. And so plants grow multiply, that's what we want you to do on an individual basis. I'm gonna talk more about that at the end of service, but it's also what we do collectively as a church. So let me pray for us and let's jump into the message today. Dear God. Just thank you God. Thank you for five adventurous years. God. We truly believe that the best is yet to come. We celebrate those who are with us from the beginning, those we've met along the way. God, most importantly, we pray for those who are not yet here and those who have not yet heard the good news of the gospel. And so we pray that we can be a light in this community and that we can bring the good news all around the world and we lift up the continued ministries and the next, not just five years but the next 50 years and beyond. For mission Grove church, we love you and your sons and we pray amen. My mom was an elementary teacher for many years and one year in her kindergarten class, she had a little girl with autism who she didn't speak and she had an aid with her in the class. And for the most of the day she spent with her head down uh just due to the very levels of social anxiety that went along with what she was experiencing on a daily basis. And so it was a challenge for her, this little girl in day to day school life. But one of the fun things my mom did as a kindergarten teacher, shout out to all the teachers out there is that she wanted the kids to not only read the stories but to experience the story. So I think three little pigs, goldilocks and such. And so they would read the story, but then they would act it out as a mini play in the classrooms. And so that was a lot of fun. Well, when they were acting out a, a play one day, this little girl who again never says anything perked up, she wanted a part. And so my mom gave her a part to play and she would give her her line and then out of nowhere she spoke and she spoke with clarity. She spoke with inflection in her voice and a giant smile on her face. And someone who was silent during most of the day when they would do these plays, a light would turn on and she would just shine. And what was so cool was to see this little girl find her voice. And what I take from this story is that everyone can find their voice when they're given a part to play. And I'm not sure what brought you here today to church, but I want you to know that you have a voice and that you have a part to play in God's story that collectively as a church, we are a gathering of people following the message of Jesus to make a difference to the world. And that how God wired you, how God made you all the ups, all the downs, all the successes and all the failures has placed you in this moment in this time where God needs you to be. So if you taking notes, I, I want you to write this down that no matter the battle, our confidence and our courage come from Christ, no matter the battle, our confidence and our courage come from Christ. If I had to simplify this message into two words, it would be, don't quit. I'm not sure what brought you in today. But what I do know is that you're facing something that you're carrying something. Maybe it is a finan financial burden, maybe it is stress from a job or lack thereof. Maybe it is a Brokenness from a relationship, maybe it's recovery from betrayal. Maybe it's tension and ongoing in a relationship with a spouse, with a friend, with a child, with a parent that life at its core is difficult and yet we walk into a church setting and we're all, we're great. I wanna give you permission to bring down the walls for just a moment and to settle on the truth that you can head into this week with confidence and courage because of Jesus. See, we have confidence because our confidence is not in ourselves, but in God, it's outside of ourselves. It, it's, it's based on the God who made you and saved you. It's based on who God is and what God has done. And so that is confidence you can take with you because God never changes God is undefeated in every battle that He's faced. And so you can be confident in who God is. But then secondly, you can have courage. See, confidence is based on God, but courage actually lives within. And that courage comes from the fact that God is with you. So confidence is from the fact that God is for you. Courage comes from a place where God is with you that Joshua and Joshua 19 when he was ready to lead the people of Israel into battle. God said, do not be afraid, be strong and courageous. Why for I am with you. And so whatever hill you have to take this week, whatever storm you're bunkered underneath. I want you to take confidence and courage into Monday because God is for you and God is with you. We're gonna pick up our story today from Hebrews chapter 10. We've been walking through this book written by an unknown author to an unknown audience that we know they were facing some persecution and some challenges. At the same time, they were wrestling with an old way of practicing religion when now they have a relationship with God through Jesus and they're trying to balance the tension between the two. And so I invite you to go back and either watch or listen on our youtube channel or on the podcast. And we understand that in every instance, we see that Jesus is greater and we can truly have confidence and courage throughout our weeks because God is for you and God is with you. And so we pick up our story today from Hebrews chapter 10 starting in verse 19, which reads, therefore brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh. And since we have a great priest over the house of God comma, now he's referencing a lot of things that we've talked about in previous weeks. So again, go back and watch those, listen to those. So things like a high priest. What is that? The temple? What is that a sacrificial system? Why do we need that? So go back and listen to those things. But if you don't understand those concepts. That's OK. Let me translate for you. Therefore, because of Jesus, therefore, because Jesus came down to earth, experienced what we experience. He was betrayed, he was doubted, he was tempted. Yet he lived a perfect life and then died on a cross as payment for your sins and for mine. So instead of religious systems created to make you be good enough to maybe earn the love of God, God instead showed his love and, and really showed it because he is good enough. So he took your penalty, he took my penalty on the cross. And then when he rose again, on the third day, defeated death itself, which then made purpose and forgiveness and joy and all these things possible. And so the writer is saying, therefore, in light of everything we've talked about, therefore, because we have Jesus and direct access to God, there is no longer a separated process through which you had to get to God. That's why he's saying the curtain was torn. You have direct access to the holy ness of who God is. He is. Therefore because of Jesus. And he go into this next section. Now, I would describe this next section as a spiritual salad. Uh And I, I used to knock this place. Uh What's it called? Salad? And go, right? I used to make fun of it cause like come on fast food salad, like you're not, no one's getting fast food to eat healthy. Let's be real. Right. Like we call it fast food because if we eat it fast enough, we won't feel guilty about our choices. And so who's gonna drive through for a salad? And then I tried it and it's delicious. I'm not gonna lie. I'm not paid promote or anything, but it's really good. Do yourself a favor on your work tomorrow. Swing through, grab a little breakfast burrito. Get yourself a nice coffee and get a salad and you're good for the day, right? And so why do I call this a spiritual salad? Well, one, it's healthy for us, but two, and this is where the dad joke comes in. It's filled with three spiritual pieces of lettuce. Ok. Here's what I mean. Number one, it's gonna tell us to let us draw near to God's presence. It's bad. I get it, but you'll remember it. So he says, let us draw near to God's presence. That's what it's gonna say. And so he says, therefore, in light of Jesus, therefore, because Jesus died on the cross and rose again and says, I want to know you. It's not a religion, it's a relationship. Therefore, because of who he is and what he did let us draw near to God's presence. I spent years growing up, you know, the church camp and kids camps and those things and they always added motions to help you remember spiritual points. Well, if I was doing that, in this case, I would say, first of all, to draw near, they'd be taking your hands over your heart to draw near to God's presence. But don't take my word for it. Let's read this verse here together. Verse 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Then let us draw near to the God who saves you. Think about a child drawing near, maybe sitting on the lap of a parent, maybe it's an intimate moment within a marriage. Maybe it's a close conversation with a friend that when you get close, when you draw near to the heart of God, it changes things right to be close to God. And then it says in here, this idea that we've been cleaned from an evil conscience and bodies washed with pure water. What he's referring to here in this case is Jesus calls himself or gives offers what's called living water. And that's found in John chapter four then mentioned again in John chapter seven. And what he's doing is he's referencing the Holy Spirit that comes to live inside the life of a believer. And that throughout life, you're gonna live and remain thirsty, that no matter how much you do or how much money you make, it's not gonna satisfy that there is always an ongoing thirst for more. But what Jesus does is that he offers eternal water. So not physical water, but spiritual one where he satisfies the thirst and the cravings of your soul. And so he offers the Holy Spirit that then indwells every believer and that, then we symbolize this, receiving the Holy Spirit through the physical act of baptism that we're gonna celebrate and practice today that when someone is baptized, it, it is a symbol just like a wedding ring is a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. And so here in living water, there's no magic powers in the waters themselves, but there is saving power in the living water that comes from Jesus. And so when you have that, you can draw close, so let us draw close. But then secondly, here in a piece of our spiritual salad is that let us hold fast to God's promises. So if the first motion is here, the second motion is simply this to grab hold of, to grab tight. So you draw close to the presence of God, but then you hold fast, you hold quickly and, and with strength, really the meaning and the power of the word of God. It says here in verse 23 it says, let us hold fast. The confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful. Do not stray from the word of God to hold to the promises of God because the promises of God are guaranteed to hold you that we live in a world that is adrift, right? We live in a world where they say you be, you do whatever you want, right? And they say phrases that sound cool. But you wonder what do they mean? Right. Love is love and this is that and that is this and do what you want and what they're really saying is just hold on to you. Oh, it feels good. Right? A little self hug. Ok. This is nice. It feels great unless you're drowning, right? If you're drowning and you're going under and you're clinging to yourself, who is going under? This is not going to save you, right? You have to cling on and hang on to something that is stronger than yourself that can provide salvation. That's what he's saying here that draw near to the presence of God, but then hold fast to the promises of God that the word of God will stand forever and that we can cling to that, grab hold of that because God's promises can hold you. You know, there is I learned all kinds of things in this building project. But there in engineering, there's weight, loads and weight capacity of how much something can hold to be architecturally and structurally sound. So the question is, what is the load capacity of the cross of Jesus Christ? Well, that is strong enough to handle all sins of all time, past present future for all eternity. So it is so strong, I promise you, it can hold you in your mistakes, in your doubts, in your questions. And so if God's promises are holding you, will you be willing to hold fast to Him? Number one, let us draw close. Number two, let us hold fast. And then number three, then let us stir up to stir up. This is stirring up God's purpose that you were created on purpose and with a purpose that God didn't save you to then abandon you that he made you exactly what he needed for. This exact moment in time we read here in verse 24 and 25. It says, let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as it is habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near, let us draw close, let us hold fast and then let us stir up. If you're familiar with the phrase stir the pot, you automatically think that stirring the pot is something negative, right? Everyone had that kid in the class that would stir everybody else up. And if you can't think of who that kid is, you are probably that child, right? Not saying I was that child, but maybe I did hear uh I did see a video uh recently of a kid who was able to mimic the sound of batteries that need to be replaced in smoke detectors. Have you seen that video. It's pretty new going around. And uh and so he was just doing that sound and like the leaders like what is going on. But again, you would only know that if you stir the pot in bad ways, um which is not me clearly. And um so when we think about stirring the pot, it's someone who mixes things up. What if just follow me for a second? What if we stirred the pot? But in a good way less as in trouble, more as in like that delicious gumbo or stew, right? You add the seasoning and spices and it just makes something flavorful. You know what if you stirred the pot and you brought a little love and goodness into the situations that you find yourself, right? You stirred the pot towards love and good deeds. I've had conversations before in the past that John, it's tough. There are no Christians in my workplace. I go no Christians. And they're like, yeah, it's like, do you work there like, oh, I would rephrase the question or rephrase the thought. So there are no Christians in my workplace yet, right? What if God pleased you there to shine the light to stir the pot with love and goodness. Have you ever interacted with someone in an everyday routine job? And they just are happy? Doesn't that make you happy? Right. We've all interacted with people who don't like their job, right? Maybe you've gone to the gas station or food place and I've gone before and like someone's at the register there's, they don't even look up. I'm like standing there and the person looks up and goes what like, oh, ok. We got an angry elf. All right. Um and going through, but when you encounter someone who has a different disposition, you notice, don't you? Like the other day? Our wifi were at a collision center not typically known for hospitality, right? Our car back story, we got a new car. Uh end of the summer was like right at like the week of the grand opening had the car a week got rear ended. And so it was great and then everyone's fine. It was good. But then there's a whole process of getting the car fixed. And so we're going to pick up our car just on Friday. And this guy was like the nicest dude. You know what I'm saying? Like we're doing like collision repair and he's like friendly, look at us in the eye like he really cares about his job. You know what I'm saying? Like he's going through every detail. Here's why we did this here was I was like, and I found myself really intrigued with collision repair and it's like, I, I didn't think I would but why? Because someone cares, cares about what they do and cares about the people that they help. What if you stirred the pot and brought a little love, a little kindness, a little goodness into the relationship, into the conversation. Maybe your culture has a history of gossip but instead you spread good and true rumors, right? Why, why do all the rumors have to be bad? Right. What if we started spreading good gossip? You know what I'm saying? Like sharing what someone did in a positive way, what someone did to change the life to serve, to bless, to help someone like I'm super competitive. If we're doing something, I wanna win, right? I want the shortest checkout line. I want the fastest lane on the road, right? If we order at the same time at a restaurant, I want my meal to come out first. Like you don't know you're in competition, but I do. All right. A few people laugh. So first service they just looked at me. I was like, maybe, all right. So I'm, I'm a, apparently the second service people are a little crazy like I am. Um not that crazy. I'm just kidding. Just kidding. Um So I view everything as a competition, right? Like I just wanna win, I wanna let's go. Right. And it doesn't matter what it is. What if as a church we did it as what Romans 1210 tells us to outdo one another in honor. What if instead of living in a culture that is out to get everything for themselves? We approach the day, not on what we can get from people. But what we can give, see that's what happens when we gather together as the body, as the bride of Christ. If you're watching online, I love that you're watching online and I want you to be a part. But I challenge you and encourage you to have a community somewhere of believers that you can connect to because something special that happens when two or more believers gather together in Ephesians. Paul says that he calls it the riches of inheritance in the saints. You have a part to play in God's story that you have a voice that God gave you to use, not to tear down the world, but to love to serve to live out of purpose. And God's greater story. So we've learned today to draw close as a friend, as a spouse, as a neighbor, then really to hold fast and then ultimately to stir up. What if we outdid each other in honor? What if Mission Grove becomes the place where people are loved regardless of their Brokenness? That's why we say here, we don't want to be a church known by who we're against but who we're for and that whatever you've walked through, whatever you're still in. We want you here and we want you to know that God is for you and God is with you and we are two. The writer continues on in the next couple of verses and he gives a warning in verses 26 to 31 for time's sake, we're not going to read it, but he says, don't fall away. He said, if you've read the Old Testament, when people go against God, it doesn't go well for them. And if God took that seriously enough and then sends his son Jesus to die for you and then rise again and then offer this to you. I don't think he's gonna take kindly if we just throw it back in the trash, right? Eternity. And salvation is not just something that we go, that maybe one day we pray a prayer and end up on a cloud playing a harp. But rather we can get eternal life and abundant life and meaning and can make a difference right now because then he says, hey, don't fall away. And then the next couple of verses, verses 32 to 34 he says, remember when you first got saved, remember when you overcame persecution, remember when you encourage those in prison, remember when you went through hard times and storms of life and you held on to your faith and we pick this up here in verse 35 it says, therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward for you have need of endurance. He's not saying you won't go through hard times or rather he's saying because you'll go through hard times because you will hang on to this. He says, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised for yet in a little while and the coming of one, the coming one will come and not and will not delay. But my righteousness shall live by faith. And if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in Him. But we are not those who shrink back and destroy and are destroyed. But are of those who have faith and persevere or preserve their souls. I love that. We are not those who shrink back church. We are in a drifting and dark time. If you turn on the news or open up your phone, you will see constant darkness. But what I hang on to is the fact that the darker the world gets, the brighter the gospel shines and that we have been placed here in this moment in this community right now because God has called us to something greater. Don't be the person that shrinks back. Let's not be the church that gives in to a culture war. At the same time, it's not an US versus them. You don't anger the people that you're trying to reach. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but versus the evil when there is a spiritual war going on and you need to know it that yes, God loves you, but sin is real and so is hell and that we need a savior. But when you receive him, it changes things so that we can go and not give up. This has been the story of our church. I think back to when I felt called to plant, I had a month of savings and a mortgage and three kids. Ok, God, really? I think back to when we launched and we had flooding on our grand opening day. I think back to when a global pandemic shuts down, I think back to all the different moves and, and places and locations. But every time we came up to a barrier, every time we came up to an obstacle, there was an opportunity and God was faithful and God was true. And so what I want to do is just encourage you today that no matter your battle place, your confidence and your courage in Jesus. Some of you are trying to overcome a broken relationship, betrayal or divorce. But if you hadn't gone what you gone through, you wouldn't have the child that you have and the blessing, the wisdom that's come with that don't give up. Some of you are changing careers late in life. Don't give up some of you change in locations. Some of you are changing or battling emotions. Some of you are walking through health scares and cancer battles don't give up, don't quit. Some of you are in a relationship that seems on the rocks. But I'm telling you, your marriage is worth fighting for that. Friendship is worth fighting for that. You're struggling with a child or with a parent or with a sibling or a friend that relationship is worth fighting for. Do not give up. Don't quit that. Our courage and our confidence comes from Christ. And what I say here, church is that it is go time and it is grow time. It's go time. The building that we came in, we celebrate. But church it's, it's the starting line. Let's go. Let's start stirring the pot through love and good works that changes this community that God brings revival into our lives. And it starts here, it starts now and it starts with us. So the question you need to answer today is what is God calling you to do? Who is God calling you to be? And then when it comes to growing, what is the next step you need to take? We're gonna do two things today. First, we're gonna have baptism in just a few moment. We're gonna celebrate with those who are going public with their faith. And so when they get baptized during the song, we were gonna stand, we're gonna clap, we're gonna cheer because God is for them. God is for you and we're gonna celebrate. But secondly, we wanna help you take that next step of faith. And so I wanna offer two resources to you today. Number one is that if you wanna grow in person, like OK, what does it actually mean to be a disciple? Monday night, we got an informational meeting here at the church tomorrow night, 630 with a program called Disciples Making Disciples learn what it means to live out a relationship with God. OK? And number two, if you wanna start right now, anywhere in any place, we got this great resource that we now own the website for as well. So plant grow multiply.com, so plant grow multiply.com there, you're gonna find a series of videos and resources. We got eight videos up there right now. Uh By the end of the year, we're hoping to have as many as 16 to 24 videos. Things like how to pray, how to read your bible. How can I share my story? What is God's story? What is the ho who is the Holy Spirit? Why does that matter? How, how can we build relationship, all these different things? It's very practical, tangible things in little 3 to 5 minute videos. We got leader guides, we got student guides, we got a devotional that goes three devotionals with every video. So there's 24 all of this is free. All of it's available online. You can scan the code, go to the website, but we wanna remove the fear and empower you to be a disciple and to make disciples and to take that next step of faith church. Let's go. We celebrate what God has done, but we're just getting started. Will you pray with me, dear Heavenly Father? We thank you God. I pray for the person that's in this room that's walking through a hard time. Gotta pray that you can help them find their voice. Because through all the addictions, through all the struggles, through all the doubts, whether they think it's too early or too late. God, everyone has a part to play in your story. May they find confidence and courage in you today? We love you God and we draw close to you and we hold fast to your promises. And may we stir each other up in your purpose? We love your God and your sins and we pray amen.