The Heartbeat of God

Exodus 6:6–7 (NIV)

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.

Intro

Have you ever lost a kid in a crowded location?

I know, not something you care to admit to. But it happens, right?

Back in the day there was a big Christmas celebration in Balboa Park San Diego called Christmas at the Prado. Now, becabuse people get triggered about everything they changed the name to December Nights. But before, it used to be called Christmas at the Prado.

And, there are thousands of people who attend this two-night event to ring in the Christmas season. On one occasion my family went to this event. I was about 13-14 at the time, and my youngest brother who was about 5 at the time got lost.

Now as I said, there are people EVERYWHERE it is CROWDED and this is not a fun place to get lost at.

When we realized that our brother was lost my Dad sent my and my older brother in different locations, and he went in another location, and we were on a mission to find my younger brother.

We’ll, we’re still looking for him… No I am kidding… Thankfully, we found him and it was an emotional reunion.

Transition

The reason I share that story is because today we are going to be talking about what it means to lose someone.

The Text

Now let me take you back to our text.. In this passage of scripture God is saying through Moses there are four things that I will do for you, my people. He says:

I will bring you out

I will free you

I will redeem you

I will take you as my own people

These for “I Wills” were promises that God made to Israel. How many of you know that when God makes a promise, he has every intent to keep it? He is not a man that he should lie, he is faithful to do what he said that he will do.

And isn’t this exactly what God did for Israel? He brought them out of Egypt, and eventually into a land of their own?

Now, here is the thing. These promises were not just recorded for Israel in the Old Testament. As a matter of fact, you begin to see these same four promises throughout the rest of the Bible, and in the New Testament. So when we see these promises all throughout the Bible we know that it’s more than just promises, but they are the very heartbeat of God.

He wants the Lost to be Saved

He wants the Saved to be Pastored

He wants the Pastored to be Trained

And he wants the Trained to be Mobilized

And becuase it is the heart beat of God, we have made that our vision here at Lighthouse. Our vision at Lighthouse is this, So that people far from God can fulfill their potential in Christ.

Now in order to accomplish that vision, we have a mission. The mission is how we put strategy around our vision.

The fist part of our mission is this: We want people far from God to Know God. Or as we simply say here at Lighthouse, Know God.

The Shepherd

This is revealed to us through the well-known story of the shepherd:

Like 15:3-8 NIV

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

I believe that when the Shepherd leaves the 99 in order to find the 1 he is giving us the glimpse of His heart. He loves that we gather. He loves that we are in community. He loves that you now have a home. But, he doesn’t stop just because you got saved. He doesn’t stop with you.

No, what happens after you’ve been saved and have come into the family of Christ, is that we would begin searching for our lost family and bring them back to the shepherd.

When we lost my brother Jordan, we didn’t count our losses and move on. No, we mobilized and we went after our lost brother.

That’s what a family does.

And that’s what God’s family does.

The reason we launched Lighthouse Church is we want to do everything that we can do to populate heaven!

So what does it mean for someone to Know God?

The Plan…

Repentance – Make the Move (the story of the shepherd)

(2 Corinthians 6:17-18) Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. “ And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

To Know God is to leave your former life behind and make a decision to follow Jesus. I know that Repentance has fallen on hard times in the church, but the goodness of God still leads people to repentance.

I’ll say that once again, the goodness of God still leads people to repentance.

Surrender – Let It Go

(Mark 8:34-35 Msg) Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself.”

When we come to God we have to surrender. Some of you right now are getting uncomfortable because all these years of being a Christian you still haven’t learned to surrender. This is an important step, and a necessary step if you are going to fulfill God’s purpose in your life.

Relationship – Commit Your Life

(Romans 6:19) Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.

The beauty here is that God draws us into relationship with him. The God of the universe, creator of Heaven and Earth. He brings us to this place of relationship and communion.

Isn’t that a beautiful place to be Lighthouse? To know that you are loved, not because of what you do, but because of whose you are. You don’t have to strive. You don’t have to earn it. You know that you are loved.

And out of the posture of that relationship with God, we get to go wih him on this incredible journey of introducing other people to Him!

Conclusion

Reaching the lost is out primary purpose.

Resist the pull to make church all about you.

Create an experience that lost people love to attend.

Can I tell you the second part of my brother’s story?

When we decided to launch Lighthouse Church, my brother was on deployment. I don’t remember exactly where he was, but he wasn’t in the country. I shared with him via text message that we were going to announce the launching of Lighthouse Church.

Months later I received a prophetic word that my brother would be a part of this movement called Lighthouse Church. I honestly felt like the prophet got it wrong. My brother, at this time, not only was he on deployment, but there was some indifference towards the church.

I’ll never forget some weeks later, when my brother returned from him deployment, that we sat down for lunch together with all of my family. My brother tells me, “Josh, we want to be a part of your church. I don’t know if you need me to stand at the door and shake hands, or if you want me to drive around a gold cart. But whatever you need, we’re coming with you.”

Church, that moment forever changed me and Joanna.

Why? Because God later told me before I can do something through you, I have to do something to you.

My hope today is that god would do the same for you. I want God to do something to you.

What do I want him to do? I want him to give you a deep burden for people far from God. If your heart doesn’t break for the things that break God’s heart, you will never get on mission with him.

So today, if you want to make that shift. If you want to have a heart for people far from God again just ask him to do this; “God break my heart for the things that break yours.”