HERD NIGHT- Heartwork- Launch Week (2024)

One movie that I was not expecting it to be this good was the Greatest Showman. I still listen to the soundtrack. In fact, as I was preparing this message the song “Never Enough” came up. You probably know the song but the lyrics say:

Take my hand Will you share this with me? 'Cause darling, without you

All the shine of a thousand spotlights All the stars we steal from the night sky Will never be enough Never be enough Towers of gold are still too little These hands could hold the world but it'll Never be enough Never be enough

Nice. Well it peeked my interest because this lady is saying that without this one relationship- not matter what else she can accomplish it will not be enough. I had a moment because that is a reality that we should be singing to God.

Without God, it does not matter what accomplishment you can achieve, it will not be enough because we are lacking the primary relationship to which we were created.

If there is one thing that Bible is clear is that our purpose is found in Jesus and it all begins when we acknowledge our sin and surrender to God. So here is my main point:

Main Point: When we surrender to God, He changes our status and our tendency and give us a reward that motivates us to find purpose in Jesus while spending ourselves for others.

I believe that significant purpose is found outside of ourselves. In fact, we know this because we are always looking at others to see how they are doing and to see what worked for them so we can do it for us.

Where do you find purpose and meaning in life?

Our idea of success is often tied to money, fame, power but the Bible gives us a different picture of success and is often tied up to our heart and our posture towards God.

We especially live in a culture that has conditioned us to consistently look at people that have more than us and to strive to get More, more and more

All of those things are not bad on themselves. The problem isn’t the stuff, the problem is excess and the lust for MORE.

Here is a truth i said before: We are all going to live for something and we must decide what that “something” will be. Or even more who that “Someone” will be.

Today we will be in Ephesians 2:1-10 and I want to share 5 principles I see in this passage:

Principle # 1: Our status was DEATH.

You can put any type of person in a room and the one thing we all have in common is a sin nature.

Many people struggle with the idea of brokenness in the world. It is easy to look around and see we live in a broken world.

The Bible gives us a great explanation for the brokenness in the world. It is not meant to be this way. It is this way because of SIN.

All of us have a innate understanding that pain, suffering, evil and destruction are not meant to be part of this world.

Sin is any transgression of or failure to observe God’s commandments. If He says “do this,” and one does not, he sins. If He says “don’t do that,” but one does, he sins. Sin is essentially disobedience to God. Its effects are misery and death

Let me illustrate it this way

Impossible shot

Here is a reality. Sin always brings death and destruction. It breaks relationships, it hurts the body, the heart, soul and mind.

Principle # 2: Our tendency is SELF.

Ephesians 2:3 ESV

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Paul is saying that we ALL have a tendency to look inward- especially when you have not accepted Christ. When are dead spiritually, your tendency is SELF.

Yet, when we created for more. We have a inclination to believe that if we were to fulfill our desires, it would be enough- but I can promise you that is not it. Then what is it?

Principle # 3: Our reward is GOD

Ephesians 2:4–7 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

What picture do you have of eternal life?

God gives us life, purpose.

When you add God to the equation and realize that our eternity is secure then you can look to Genesis 1- and see how the best part of the garden was a pure and undefiled relationship with God.

Students, the Bible speaks of a new heaven and new earth were we will live in perfect harmony with God and each other.

Revelation 21:3–4 “3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””

That is our reward.

That is what we were made for.

Now Paul is saying that through Christ we have been made alive and our lives will be a testimony of his immeasurable riches and grace!

Which leads me to principle #3

Principle # 4: Our motive is GRACE.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We cannot boast on anything but Christ. Our Testimony in itself is powerful because it does not depend on us.

If you understand the severity of sin and you understand the depths of God’s grace, then you will have a motivation to live outside of yourself.

Salvation is a free gift, is not about what you do to be save but about why you do it. You do it because you are save.

Principle # 5: Our purpose is GOOD.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We are not good, but we are call to do good because of Jesus.

I think it is definitely a shame that youtuber and movie stars get so much glory when doing good things for charity but do you realize that Christian organizations are often the first responders and the stay even after emergencies?

Historically Christians have been the ones that respond to plagues, disasters, the needs of the poor and the oppressed. If you do not believe this, you may have not know that our purpose on this earth is to combat evil.

I even say this. If there is an area that you have a passion for, God may be calling you to be the Christian ambassador that steps in that gap to bring glory to the name of Christ.

We must take action and “walk in them.” Is not about what we say, is about what we do.

God has prepared a path of good works for Christians which he will bring about in and through them while they walk by faith. This does not mean that we do a good work for God. It means that God does a good work through us as we are faithful and obedient to him. God is at work. In faith we join him in that work to the praise of his glory- Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 113.

So while we may not be able to do everything, we can do something. Sometimes we see how much there is to do in the world that we get overwhelmed. So this month, we are purposefully doing something to help those in need. We have set a goal of $2000 to raise money to purchase Bibles. Why Bibles you may ask?

We have an opportunity to affect individuals with one of the most basic needs- food & clothing. Isaiah 58:10 which will be our theme verse for this month says:

Isaiah 58:10 ESV

10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

So for the next 30 days. We have a goal for you. Our goal is to raise $2200 or more, so that we can partner with RACAP Ministries & Agape Food Ministries. This is not just about raising money, is about changing the way you live, is about spending yourself, is about thinking about those around you with less.

Main Point: When we surrender to God, He changes our status and our tendency and give us a reward that motivates us to find purpose in Jesus while spending ourselves for others.

Would you try this with us? I believe that you will see the value in choosing to live differently for others.

So here is how we will do this in the next 30 days:

Watch/Read our daily devotional & spend time in the Word of God.

Participate in Empathy Challenges- Starting Tonight

Spend yourself & Give

EMPATHY Challenge!

The empathy challenge for this week is to take cold showers and sleep on the floor. We know that cold water here doesn’t provide clean water anywhere. It may not change circumstances, but it DOES CHANGE US. As you let go of some of your usual comforts (just once, or all week long!) ask God to open your heart up to the struggles that our brothers and sisters are facing today. Hunger, lack of quality education, and natural disasters can plague communities for generations, both here at home and internationally. Consider how making a few changes and living differently this month can impact lives.

Give

Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about how to contribute.

This is not about asking your dad or mom for money. Is about what can you do to contribute?

- Can you skip a coffee this week and give that money

- Can you sell some (clothes, games, shoes or misc items) you don’t need to bless others

- Can you mow someone’s lawn or pet sit and giving that money to the cause

- Can you be creative in a way to raise money for this? Think outside the box.

We will not set up fundraisers at the church, but you can think outside the box to raise this funds.

“How can I participate in your Kingdom, right here, right now as a young person? How can I use my talents, resources or opportunities to bring mercy and justice in the world?”