December 28, 2025 - "What's the Big Deal?"

Therefore I a prisoner for serving the lord beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling for you have been called by God. Always be humble, and gentle. Be patient with each other making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves United in the spirit binding yourself together with peace. But there is one body and one Spirit. Just as you have been called to one glorious, hope for the future. There was one. Lord, one faith and one baptism. one God and Father of all who is overall in all and living through all, With the Lord's Authority. I say this live no longer at the Gentiles do for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of Darkness. They wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of Shame. They lived for lustful pleasure, and eagerly Praxis every kind of impurity. But that isn't what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him. Throw up your old, sinful nature and your former way of life which is corrupted, by lust and deception. Instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature created to be like God. Truly righteous and holy. Telling lies, let us know our neighbors. The truth for we are all part of the same body. And don't send by letting anger control. You don't let the sun go down, while you were still angry for anger, gives a foothold to the devil. if you are a thief quit stealing instead, use your hands for good, hard work, and then give generously to others in need Don't use foul or abusive language, let everything you say be good and helpful so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's holy spirit. By the way, you live, remember he has identified you as his own guarantee that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness rage and anger harsh words and slander. As well as all types of evil Behavior. Thank you, Lord, for your word.

Thank you, Carol. Blessings and greetings to everyone who could join us for this morning service. It's so good to have you here today. We are, we were all blessed with a wonderful, Christmas Eve service, and a good time of Fellowship, followed as well. I want to thank God for Patrick's Pastor Patrick's message. As he talked about Christ, coming to Earth for the first time in a manger and that is coming a second time to gather those who serve him. And also judge the world who despises him. Patrick also encouraged those who are not in the family of God, to seriously, consider making a decision to follow Christ. I pray that today service will speak life and Truth into our hearts as well. For those who do not know who I am, I'm Gary Durham chairman of the board at Heights Baptist Church. I've been attending here. For about 15 years. I farm with farm and ranch with my daughter and her fiance Mitch in the alqua Terraria. I invited Christ into my life. When I was 19 years old, after observing my mother reading her Bible and praying, while I was growing up, I didn't attend church regularly until I took my grandma to church here in the city. some of you may ask, Why am I giving this message today while Patrick and Mary and are spending time away with family. After a busy, couple of weeks here in our church, I was given the opportunity to do the service today and I believe God encouraged me to take up the challenge. So I'm here with you this morning. I want to acknowledge my family, that is here today, my oldest daughter Bethany and her fiance Mitch, as well as my father Harvey, thank you for your support and and your love. And also for those who prayed for me for this time here today, thank you for your love and support. It is appreciated more than you know, I would also like to mention. That I see a positive attitude in our congregation to Spirit of, camaraderie.

Anticipation and unity moving within us. I'm also noticing people stepping up and taking on new roles to help fill in the gaps. When people are away or not feeling. Well, thank you to everyone who make our loads lighter and stepping out of your comfort zones to make a difference in God's kingdom. Brinson. Shirley leading our worship today. And for the special number Jackie did for the offertory. Thank you both for blessing us as you use your talents for God's glory.

And also to the board here at Heights Baptist Church. I want to thank each of you for your loyal and faithful service to our congregation. I'm blessed to be working with you over the last few years, and the respecting Unity that we've experienced will be remembered by me as I look back with the new year. Just around the corner, I'm excited to see how God will use us together as a board. and the new affiliation with the CNBC to make a difference in other people's lives in this community, and in the world, May we be sensitive to God's spirit leading and directing us as we move forward together. So as we come to the close of another year and are about to enter 2026, some of us will look at it as a new opportunity, others with trepidation and still others with with indifference saying what is the big deal? Today, I want to take a few moments to look at how God expects us to live our lives and make choices that are better in tune with his expectations. We will look at what the Bible says in Ephesians 4:17 234 in Ephesians 4. 1 2 6. But first, I would like to take us back to the children of Israel as they were getting ready to cross the Jordan River into the Promised or into the land promised to their fathers. This took place forty years after the Exodus from Egypt, where they were held captive for 400 years. The crossing occurred in the spring of the year, when the Jordan was flooded due to the snow, mouth from Mount Hermon. Moses had commissioned Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan And Moses came as Moses come to the end of his journey as leader Deuteronomy. 31 3 says, when Moses had finished giving these instructions to all the people of Israel. He said, I am now 120 years old. And I'm no longer able to lead you. The Lord has told me you will not cross the Jordan River, but the Lord God himself will cross ahead of you. He will destroy the nation's living there and you will take possession of their land. Joshua will will lead you across the river, just as the Lord promised Also in Deuteronomy 31 14, then the Lord said to Moses, the time has come for you to die. Call Joshua present yourselves at the Tabernacle, so that I'm a commissioned him there. So Moses and Joshua Joshua went and presented themselves at the Tabernacle. I'm wondering how Joshua must have felt, knowing what God told Moses about how the children of Israel we're going to disobey. Deuteronomy 31. 16 goes on to say, the Lord said to Moses, you are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone. These people will begin to worship boring gods. Gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my Covenant Covenant with them. But Joshua had a mission to accomplish the moment. The priests took a step in the Jordan River, Joshua was leadership Journey, began in earnest. As we are sure out the old year and bring in the new. We lead ourselves, our families, our community, and our world, into the next calendar year as God, expected the children of Israel to respond in a certain way. He has expectations on the way we respond to him, as he leads us going forward. So I believe that how we live our lives going into the new year is a very big deal. Let us read Ephesians 4:17 to 19 with the Lord's Authority. I say this live no longer as a Gentiles 24, they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of Darkness, they wander far from the life, God gave us or God gave because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of Shame. They live for lustful, pleasure and eagerly practiced, every kind of impurity. Here we see how not to conduct Our Lives. The Gentiles hardened, their hearts and lives selfishly to please themselves, and not God. The children of Israel also responded to God in a similar way. In contrast verse 2224. Paul outlines here. How we are to live our lives once we've surrendered them to Christ.

Verses 22 24. But that isn't what you've learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and former way of life, which is corrupted by lost in deception. Instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes put on your new nature, created to be like God truly righteous and holy So as one begins, their Walk With Jesus verses 22/24, show us how God expects us to respond as he leads. Firstly, throw off the old sinful nature and former way of life. Secondly, let the Holy Spirit, renew our thoughts and attitudes and thirdly, put on the new nature created to be like God, which is a righteous and holy lifestyle. These are the steps a person takes to begin a new life in Christ. When that happens, the angels in heaven Rejoice, that one soul is pulled out of Darkness into the light.

It goes on to say in verses 25 to 27. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors, the truth for we are all parts of the same body and don't let sin and don't send by letting anger control. You don't let the sun go down, while you are still angry for God, gives our for anger, gives a foothold to the devil. Paul makes the comment that we are all parts of the same body. He is not talking to unbelievers here. But those who are in the body of Christ, specifically the church at Ephesus. And to us today at Heights, Baptist Church. Paul also reminds us not to let anger gain control over us and not to remain angry as this gives A foothold to the devil verses 28 and 29. If you were a thief quit stealing, Instead use your hands for good, hard work and then give generously to others. You need. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say, be good and helpful so that your words will be an encouragement to those Who hear them? Here, Paul gives us very practical instructions on how God's word is to direct Our Lives. If you are a thief, change your ways, or your direction and work hard, then, give generously to those in need around you, we are to use our tongues to say things that edify give hope and build those up. We speak with. On a bit of a personal note, everyone who has been around, hockey teams knows that some players use language that can at best be described as foul. I played hockey from my early, teens to mid-20s and maybe a bit beyond that. I was just as dedicated to playing hockey back, then as I am, now, being part of the music team here at Heights being around that environment. I had two choices, use the same language or be different and honor God by not engaging in that behavior. I tried to choose the ladder for the most part. And noticeably stood out, I didn't get picked on it so much. But every now and then some well-spoken individual would have a comment or two about the fact that I resisted to speak like them and they definitely commented when I slipped up that is when I knew I had to pull off my socks and do better. In versus 3231, it reads and do not bring sorrow to God's holy spirit. By the way you live, remember he has identified you as his own guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness rage and anger harsh words and slander as well as all types of evil Behavior. Instead be kind to each other tenderhearted forgiving one another. Just as God through Christ has forgiven you Paul's instruction here is not to bring sorrow or grief to the Holy Spirit by living a pleasing or a life pleasing to God. It is not living in a way to see how close we can get to the world without Crossing that line of offending. The Holy Spirit Verse 31 shows us again how not to offend the holy spirit all bitterness rage and anger, harsh and unkind word slander as well as evil Behavior. Will put a wall between us and the Holy Spirit. When we are kind to each other tenderhearted, forgiving one another and demonstrating our love. God through Christ will forgive us. Then we are walking in a manner that is pleasing to God. I want to go back to the beginning of Chapter 4, verses 1 to 6. Therefore I Paul a prisoner for serving the lord beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling. For you have been called by God. Always be humble. And gentle, be patient with each other making allowance for each other's faults, because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves United in the spirit, finding yourself together with peace for there is one body, one Spirit. Just, if you've been called to one glory is hope for the future. There is one Lord, One Faith, one baptism, one God. And Father of all who is overall in all and through, all This is a powerful part of the scriptures demonstrating how important it is to lead a life that is worthy of God's calling. Once again, Paul mentions the need to be humble and gentle patient with each other. And make allowance for the faults. We all have Each of us is on a journey and day-by-day, we should be growing in the power and knowledge of Jesus Christ. And in relationship with God, the Father God, the son, who is Jesus Christ, and God, the Holy Spirit. We need to do everything in our control with strength from the Holy Spirit, to live our lives, that benefit the body of Christ. And those around us may we live a life that gives honor to our Lord and savior and our coming King. Our future with Christ is filled with hope and anticipation. Let us not get distracted by the pleasures of this world, to the detriment of our relationship with Jesus Christ. What a wonderful time to be in the family of God, as we enter the new year. May we be an encouragement to each other? And love one another, as we navigate the ups and downs of off of life, we don't know what a day may bring. Let us remain steadfast and immovable in our walk with Christ, no matter what we face.

There may be some of you in the congregation this morning. Who say, Gary, I'm not part of the family of God, and I don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Which means you have not accepted the free gift of Salvation, that Jesus has offered all of us by his staff. And he's coming back to life again. If that is you and you sense that God is speaking to you, to make a decision to follow his ways. We are going to have our prayer team over here to the right. Of the platform and you can go to them and they will pray with you. I'm thankful that you are our, our Guiding Light. And that you will help us when we cry out to you. I pray that we will not be enticed. By the false gods in this world. And that we will have each other's back as we move forward. Help us to demonstrate God's love. By being united in one spirit. and Lord, I just pray that

each day, we will take time to look into your word. And to give her a prince to who you are and what you've done for our church and for us individually as well. And Lord, we pray for those in our community who need to know you may they come to a saving knowledge of you and we ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen.