Rev. Jon Rich

Play the song your most. Holy name. Amen. Well this morning as I said our speaker is John rich and some of you might know John, you know, I thought maybe you ran cross-country with Kent Steiner John, but John was saying no, he was the chubby kid. So he wasn't the one who ran with John he was a friend of Ken's but he knows them and I guess poor Kathy had to go to South Adams with Scott for a little while until her family Saw The Light moved her Desi, so

But you know John's a good old Adams County boy and he knows he said this morning to the group Theory says some of them who knew him. Try never thought he'd be a preacher much less a district superintendent at some point in time and John is actually coming to the end of his career. Kind of with the Christian Missionary Alliance his time as a district superintendent's wrapping up but he will still be involved but I think it's very fitting that one of the places. He's speaking is in Adams County. Although it might be a little different cuz he's speaking in a United Methodist Church, but we're glad to have John here and John's going to talk a little bit about who the Christian Missionary Alliance is and maybe a little bit about what affiliation means so John.

Well, it is good to be here with you today. I hope it is a little ironic. I was talking to our family members and said that since this whole covid-19 came out Kathy and I've been home like pretty much everybody else. I haven't met a lot of churches we could go visit that's hard normal lifestyle work at a different Church virtually every weekend scattered across Indiana and Illinois and I have been doing that for 12 to 15 years in the district superintendent for 12. So, I've only got this Sunday and next Sunday is a DS and then after that the new guy will step into the role and they respond to his name is Bob Petty great guy great friend part of our team and his wife Mary Kay will serve the churches of the alliance and Indiana, Illinois. Well, but but I said our family it's kind of unique and fitting that buy last Sunday of districts are in that where I'm speaking at a church is in a United Methodist Church has the same time. It also is very fitting because my role and my responsibilities over the years have been to walk along. Add a lot of people to start new churches and as well to welcome a variety of churches that already exists into our alliance family. And so in many ways, this is the best way for me to conclude. My Ministry is a district superintendent in the public sense to be with you here today and to share some time with you and that's really what I want to do today. And Dave said I wanted to punch his real briefly about the affiliation week. We have many churches in the Alliance Family who are what we call accredited and those are as like we say fully Alliance them in a Lock Stock & Barrel kind of thing, but we also have a lot of churches that are at what we call Affiliated that simply means that they're part of the family, but they still remain independent and a lot of the things that they do certainly in the governance of the church the way they can function it and run the church and from aboard perspective and all that sort of thing, but we consider every Affiliated Church Foley a part of our family and I'll address the family issue in just a little while this week. We look into the word and in just a few moments, but Kathy and I are work with multiple Affiliated churches in Indiana. Don't know I probably about 8 or 10 of the 70 or so that we work with some more than 10% of the churches are we interact with our affiliate? I was telling the group I'm out with her in the the earlier hour that when we have a gathering of people. Nobody knows who's Affiliated who's accredited we don't have like that's the Affiliated section. This is a accredited section over here that that everybody just intermingled and interacts together and it's just a great way for us to have a relationship with people who believe what we believe is a family not only from a doctor or theological perspective, but also from the perspective of what Christ is invited us into and lifestyle and Mission and engagement 10 Reaching lost people with the message of the gospel. And so it's a great way for us to broaden our impact. We're about proclaiming the gospel to every man woman and child. And doing that in a way that every person can understand have an opportunity to either choose to follow her to the reject the gift the Christ offers and so in many ways so I know you're in that process of thinking that through there's documents and procedures to go through and I can certainly be a part of that a little bit then and even though I'm stepping aside as the district superintendent in a kind of a unique way maybe part of it because of covid-19.

The participative some things that a denominational level and so I guess I'll do some of that but stay a little bit engagement Kathy and I are are leaving the suburbs of Chicago where we live for 25 years. And now we're moving to some make reach out in the farmland and and we actually live on a gravel road now. So people say we just like going back to Adams County cuz I grew up on a gravel road that works out really. Well that's weird enjoying our new lifestyle or beginning to enjoy this. We're just settled in officially Just A Week Ago Friday was our final move again back and forth between our home in the Carol Stream area the western suburbs of Chicago in and the new place. We have up north towards the Wisconsin border. That's a little bit about us a little bit about the alliance and affiliation happy to answer questions. There's a lot of details as you'll get a chance to work through but the bottom line is I want you to know that should God lead you to connect with the Alliance Family isn't Affiliated Church. We would welcome you in with open arms to save become a part of our family providing. Of course that you subscribe to the beliefs that we ascribe to scripturally and understand what we believe God has asked us to engage in from a mission perspective and I believe you already are there. So that's not really a problem from my perspective or even an obstacle to overcome. I vote we would welcome you in as members of the family has strive to walk alongside uses. You might become all that. God wants you to become as you engage and what he's placed before you from a mission and engagement sample here in Adams County and Beyond it's a part of who we are and part of what we would trust that you would become as well in the days to come. So as I was thinking about coming and spending some time with you and talk a little bit about affiliation a little bit about the alliance and put together some slots for a messaging. I get up really early. I'm still kind of wire that way so earlier this week. It was about 4:30 a couple of days ago in the morning. I was sitting in the light by my desk and a little office we have in the home or not living in and and I said the strong impression that God said to me John you're not to be a Salesman for the alliance on Sunday. I hear you're still my representative you're there to represent me. You're there. Open up the word. But it's okay to tie that together with who the alliance is it so I'm going to try to thread that needle this morning. If not being a Salesman not being a marketing guy. But to share with you from the word a little bit of what I understand scripture says about who we are to become what we are to do with our lives and tide at a little bit info who we are in the alliance family. But as is my practice I invite you to join me in prayer before we open the word father we come to you this morning with a sense of of uniqueness someone listen open this to the be who you want us to be to do what you want us to do. But but beyond that father we come to you with open hands and Open Hearts. And father I ask that you would speak to each of us by the power of your spirit in our innermost being so the father we might walk away from are each one of us changed a little bit not so much by the words. I use although I'm asking you to place words within me that come from you but that we would be changed by the urging The Whispers The impulse of your spirit interacting with each of us. But I pray that your spirit and and your word would be alive and an interactive with us this morning. And that as we walk away, it will say it's been good to be with God's people. It's been good to be in the house of worship has been good to be in the word for a while this morning because we have benefited and we have changed and we become more like Jesus. But we bow before you with a sense of unworthiness that yet with a sense of power and authority because we have been granted the privilege of coming in Christ Jesus name.

It over the years as I grew up in the First Mennonite church and burn so Scott and I grew up in that same church there and burn I wrote in his Nova by the way, whenever we were like teenagers so but why I remember hearing lots of features and and teachers and and they open up the Bible and they tell these wonderful stories and I remember there was a time. I don't know exactly how old I was but it was a time when I came to the realization that these stories these these things that are in the Bible are not just stories, but they really happened real people breathing alive people just like all of us. We're just simply carrying the account of what took place in their life. And it's over the years. I've often tried to imagine what it was like to be in those settings and then this morning I want you to imagine with me what it must have been like roughly six weeks after Easter. The Believers are gathered together. Standing on some sort of the hill. At least that's what scripture seems to tell Austin and Jesus. Is there among them and they're a little frayed emotionally cuz it's been a rough few weeks. I'm actually a rough few years as they saw Jesus calm and do some miraculous things and and and just do things and say things that no one had ever done or said before and then how he'd come into the city on what we think of is Palm Sunday and honored like a king on riding on a donkey butt with Palm leaves and coats late on the road and and then arrested within just a few days and a terrible trial on it a day a bag and beyond that Hill is he was crucified and placed in the Tomb and in the hopes were dashed because we don't know what happened to the guy that we were beginning to believe in and trust and then suddenly we hear that he's alive and he's out of the Tomb and he's talking to people and now we're 40 days or so later and and now we're here. Is Hill in Jesus is speaking to us and suddenly he disappears. He's lifted up into the class. What is this about Dragon Challenge from every angle and what's going on? And then suddenly there's these voices from these men and white clothing of some sort. And you know what it says. URC power and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem as your dad's America or Jesus exist and Samaria to the ends of the Earth. Handsome men in white clothes say as Jesus disappears. He'll be coming back the same way they disappear. And you're left there on the hill trying to figure out what what did Jesus say? What did he mean and one of those men mean and where does this all go? What I'd like to do is share with you this morning a little bit of how we've come to apply that within our alliance family, but I want you to be able to walk away from here saying that you don't need to be a part of the Alliance Family to do this. You just simply need to be a follower of Jesus. It doesn't matter with your party Alliance family or not. If you are and God leaves that be wonderful as I've already said, but if not, I hope that what I want to share with you from the word will give you some insight into what Jesus is asking you to become and how he's asking you to live your lives in the days ahead. So whenever we do talk about the alliance people ask as well as free off often the people who are you is a Christian Missionary Alliance official name is the Christian and Missionary Alliance, but we just call ourselves the alliance. Who are you after some time and study we we began to interact together in our present. Let us through some process has a bunch of DS couples in the length of other people in churches in and we came up with a phrase. We say now that we are a christ-centered Acts 1:8 family. I want to highlight what that mean when we say christ-centered we want people to know that whenever somebody says well, who are you I'm christ-centered the Jesus first. At the first word that they hear about who we are as a family is is the name of Jesus in one form or another in this form is this is the form of Christ. We're christ-centered. He is our Center he is the one that we go to he is the one that we rely upon he is the one that is both the author and as well, the Perfecter of our faith is scripture teaches Is a wonderful passage out of Colossians 1 chapter 4 chapter 1 verses 15 to 17 where Paul is right into the church in colossae. And he said he'd meaning Jesus is the image of the invisible god of the firstborn over all creation for everything was created by Him in heaven and on Earth the visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions are rulers or authorities all things have been treated through him and for him, he is before all things and by him all things hold together by him through him for him. He is before all things all things hold together through him in him. We find our origin in him. We find our foundation in him. We find our stability in him. We find our completeness. That's who we are as followers of Jesus. He is the center of our being here is the center of our universe if I may say that. Because he is all things to all people.

In the alliance we go a step further and describe him using our terminology and we declare him to be our savior our sanctifier our healer in our coming king or what does that mean? Look at him as he is the only savior of all mankind Acts chapter 4 verse 12 says only through Christ that we find Salvation. I'm paraphrasing a little bit obvious leave it but the writer of Acts. Dr. Luke is very clear. There's only one way to a long-lasting Eternal relationship with God the Father in heaven and it's through Jesus Christ. There aren't any other way and that were very exclusive or inclusive. Hopefully, I was all believers and wine to welcome everyone into Christ family, but there's an exclusive way to be a member of Christ family and that is through the person of Jesus Christ. He's also our sanctifier Paul writes to the Church of Corinth in 1st Corinthians verses for chapter 1 verse 30 that in Christ, we find wisdom we find righteousness and we find our sanctification aceite vacations simply means that we become more and more like Jesus on a day-to-day basis. So we often talked about the fact that again Paul write in Ephesians that we are sealed with a At the moment of conversion so we get all of the Holy Spirit he feels us and he he owns us and he invades us and us. But we all know that most of us aren't perfect people all the time and we make errors and we make mistakes and and are Sanctified living meaning christ-like living isn't always perfect. And so we're on a journey and so by the power of the Holy Spirit invading us than and dwelling within us. We strive to live a life for Jesus continually makes us more like himself. It is often times when I'm interacting with people and I'll say you're testing my sanctification. And what that usually means is I'm irritated, you know, and I'm ready to come back at you in the way that isn't exactly Godly and you know, we're all there we all do that. But Jesus is our sanctifier has high Priestly prayer recorded in the Gospel of John. He's his father sanctify them. Like I am saying he wants us to be like him. And so we declare Jesus to be our sanctifier. He's also our healer and James chapter 5 with weary that the prayers of the faithful when pray the Lord will bring healing and then we understand that Jesus is our healer, but we also believe that the one of the things that Jesus accomplished when he went to the Cross we talked about in the Christian circles that Jesus went to the Cross he died for our sins and he did scripture speaks to that very clearly. He was resurrected again and it gives us eternal life. But we also look at Isaiah chapter 53, and we see that he was stricken and broken and spitting for infliction. That's what we think of him is not only did he accomplish spiritual healing be accomplished physical healing Authority for physical healing for us on the cross. And so we pray without hesitation or hesitancy asking price to hear now. We know that sometimes Christ chooses not to heal and invite us into his presents for all of eternity mean a reality is all of us. Unless Christ returns will face death This Side of Heaven, but we also go to him without any hesitation and saying Jesus. Would you provide healing would you bring to us that healing touch and we go and ask that you would bring it in the power of the cross? United together as brothers and sisters praying to that end and then he is coming back Acts chapter 111 what I refer to before work or your next chapter 1 a Jesus says and you will receive power and you will be my witnesses to Jerusalem Judea Samaria and to the ends of the Earth right after that these men in Heavenly Garber white robes say, why are you distressed if he's coming back the same way?

Don't be distressed. Live in anticipation of his return for a day. He will come back with every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord and Savior and King for all of eternity. He is coming back. So Jesus Is Our Savior our sanctifier our healer and are coming King. We are Jesus Centric in that regard it and I would say again without hesitation or any shame that every person who declares Jesus to be their savior should live a life where there Jesus Jesus Centric that everything. They do should be in some way tied to the person of Jesus. I remember a gentleman who is a dentist, but a great Bible teacher teaching a men's bible study on Monday or Thursday mornings at an MCL Cafeteria in Carmel, Indiana, which I used to go to we didn't eat their food just had donuts and coffee, but then I remember him saying one day and it caught me by surprise. I was in my twenties at the time and he said there isn't anything secular for the Christian. I don't have it when I mean to be we talked about weathers Christian things are shirt stays in their secular things. He said no for the Christian. Everything is Christian. Everything is God Centric. There's in the secular side of a Believer. We should always be tied to the King of Kings the Lord of lords of the father as true as we should all be Christ's entry want to go back to action one day but you receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria to the ends of the Earth power of the spirit. Another thing that we stand for in the alliance that we don't do this on our own strength. Jesus himself said, you will receive power. I often say to people what tell me what Acts 1:8 says and they always almost always say we will be as Witnesses in Jerusalem Judea Samaria to the ends of the Earth by say incorrect. Incorrect go back to the beginning of Acts 1:8. What is it? You will receive my URC power and then she's as lost as that and you're to wait until the power comes. Jesus said they expect us to do it on our own strength. He wants us to do it through the power of the holy spirit that dwells us. And what we are to do is to be as Witnesses in Jerusalem our communities in Judea crossed the region that we live in Adams County Indiana, Samaria across cultural boundaries other language groups of people that live near to us and then to the ends of the Earth and it's interesting that we've used all the time. It's not a in Jerusalem and then in Judea and then in Samaria and then in The end of the Earth now he says and you will be my Witnesses in and you put them all together and so is this some way we are called to be as Witnesses at every in every environment in every instance at all time. That's one of the beauties of being part of the family of Believers in a broader sense in just a local church because we have an opportunity to do that a little bit easier. Will power of the holy spirit so often misunderstood we have people that take it from one end of the spectrum together that are afraid of the power of the spirit and it over apply the power of the spirit but I love what Paul write in Ephesians chapter 3. This is a prayer pause that I have prayed over people over the years. He's I pray that out of his glorious riches. He may strengthen you than the his is Jesus and then he is Jesus. I pray that out of his glorious riches. He may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being so that Christ May dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love Manpower together with all the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the full measure of the fullness of God. I have I have meditated on that last race over the years multiple times. What is it mean to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God? Paul says I'm praying for that for you and that will be accomplished by the spirit living in you. I'm not there yet. I don't think I'll get there this side of Eternity. What is a great journey to be on to be filled to the fullest of the measure of the fullness of God extraordinary for me just to think that through and and wonder what is that look like and begin to enjoy little bits and Tibbetts of it as I continue to grow and christlikeness know Jesus fully in our own strength. We just can't do it because there's too many errors that we make there's too many inaccuracies in our spare. There's too much of the old nature that still resides within us, even though we're born again in and we we live in communion with Jesus. We can't experience his love completely without the power of the spirit in our lives. We can't be filled to the fullness of God completely. We can't be effective Witnesses in around strength for it is the holy spirit that touches it invades our inner being and forms of sins of the likeness of Jesus and fills us with power power for living. power for Ministry power to be like Jesus well overdue it some people have but we must understand that. This is God's plan. It's part of who is asked us to become what we move past. The the spirit is coming next 182 The evangelization of the world.

Moving to the next step of what Jesus command was in those days in the late 1800. There was a New York journalist has approached a b Simpson a b Simpson is the the guy who is a presbyterian pastor and he started the Alliance Family. He never meant for it to be denomination any meant for it to be a mission agency and that's why we got the weird name. We it was the Christian Alliance and Missionary Alliance. So they were Christian alliances which word prayer bands of people who gather together on Sunday afternoons from multiple denominations to pray for the evangelization of lost vehicle around the world. And then it was a mission Alliance where people would give money to send missionaries overseas and then eventually that all got combined together. That's how we end up with this crazy name to Christian and Missionary Alliance every once while somebody says John aren't all missionaries to be Christians. And so why do you have both know your name? But that's a whole other matter. We just wrestle it out all the time. But a b Simpson was the Presbyterian Pastor who got the alliance started he broke away from the Presbyterian Church to start this movement of missions and a land that church is coming together. And this this reporter came to him. I don't think would happen in today's society. But this reporter came to him and said Simpson. Do you know when Jesus is coming back to Earth again? I don't think we have any reporters ask that kind of question today. But yes replied Simpson and I will tell you if you promise to print what I say references and all the reporter agreed and then and then since they put this down This Gospel of the Kingdom. So free preached in all the world for a witness unto the Nations and then shall the End come Matthew 24:14. Have you written the reference Simpson said reporter lower expenses that I think I begin to see the daylight. I see the motivation and the motive and Power in this movement then replied Simpson. You see more than some doctors of divinity Matthew 24:14. I'm going to read it in the NIV this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world is a testimony to All Nations. And then the end will come Simpson believe in. We believe and teach this somehow in The Sovereign nature of God our Father where is scripture? We read that he's the only one that knows when the return of Jesus is not even Jesus knows Jesus. That's I don't know only my father knows when I'm coming back the only the father knows but somehow in the sovereignty of the father our commitment to partner with other faiths families other Christians all over the world our commitment to partner together to proclaim the gospel in every tribe tongue and Patient somehow impact the return of Jesus to this earth. But at some point of time I've told the story. I was thinking about this passage when I was mowing one day of all things but when you're mowing you can't do much other than think I was thinking about this passage and I was mowing it had this picture in my mind that there's going to be a day at the picture that right now Jesus seated at the right hand of the father in The Throne Room. There's going to be a day sometime maybe in my lifetime, maybe my children my grandchildren great grandchildren's life. I don't know when there's going to be a day when somebody is going to tell the story of Jesus the very last time that might be an English might be in Spanish and might be in Russian might be in Portuguese might be in mandrin might be in any one of the hundred fifty or 250 languages around the world with somebody's going to tell the Jeep the Jesus Story the very last time as that Mama had this picture in my mind that the father is going to look just right son, okay. You can go get him now. And the heavens will open up in Jesus stand before all of mankind and say it's time to come home church and I'll take his bride home for all of eternity. And that's what comes out of Matthew 24:14 for us not to be clear. There was some theologians to say that's not exactly what that means and I get that I respect them. And and so I hold this with open hands as many people in our family do but it's one of the things that's going to navigational marker for us. It's been something that we've held onto and said we strive to go to the most difficult places in the Earth the most unreached places around the earth on the beach with a gospel so that we might proclaim the gospel hits why we send people like petulant Myers to Bosnia and the other seven or eight hundred people are serving in other parts of the world. That's why we do this the other because we want the gospel message to every person

It's part of who we are. It's alright Danity. It's our DNA. Do we do this? How do we strive we've adopted for phrases that I think are four phrases that should be markers and every believer's life doesn't matter whether they have the moniker of a different denomination or an independent church behind their name, but they should have these as markers in their life the first as we will love the essence of calling of our calling is summed up in one world one word where the love we all know the great commandment for Matthew 22, right love your neighbor as yourself. This is the first of the greatest commandment Jesus said as he continues to teach in a Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches and Luke chapter 6 that we're to love our enemies not just the people we get along with the people who agree with us the people disagree with us and take those are against us. We are to love them in a way that only Christians can love because we follow the example of Christ and John chapter 13 The mark of a disciple his love for one another Jesus that I gave you. This is a new command. I knew you were to love one another as I was growing up. We used to sing a song they will know we are Christians by our love. I don't even know if anybody here would even remember that song. That's that's who we are who we are as followers of Jesus Christ John 4:19 1st, John 4:19, we love because he first loved us we have an opportunity to show and demonstrate God's love to the world desperately in need of God's love and authentic love when all they see or a cheap imitations. Of what we understand true love to be. So we love we will Proclaim we celebrate that God is not a silent guy. But he is a speaking God first and foremost to the inspired text of scripture. We understand that I won't know where does the Living Word it cut some divides and it teaches us and it's alive and it's not just words on paper, but it it represents Jesus and it represents the spirit that represents the heart of the father. But we also know that Jesus speaks to us our father speaks with the spirit speaks to us in the quietness of our hearts there were times when when we know that Jesus is impressed upon as something that we are to to do with our lives a decision that were to make that we can say what is a piece that comes with it. We can say there's a direction that comes with hers is a variety of ways to express that and and and I can't say people say to me and wants my job I've ever heard the voice of God now say yes, is it really you heard the voice that way it's not like I had an audible voice but but I can say there's been multiple times. And one was just the earlier this year or late last year, I guess and it's crazy. That sounds as calcium Kathy and I were looking for a place to live in retirement years. We live in the Parsi. So we have to move out obviously whenever I'm not in office that we're looking to piece of property and Kathy was in the house with a realtor and I was walking and I are walk to the back of the property and I walk towards the front and I turn the corner looked at the house as a bunch of work that needs to be done cleaning up brush and trees out in the country and and and I just had this overwhelming sense of God saying it wasn't an audible voice, but it was just so clear John. This is for you and Kathy. I just knew we had to put together a deal. I didn't know if that was going to work. I wasn't sure the seller would agree with God, but at least I thought that God wanted us to speaks to us and we want to acknowledge that. Where is understand his heart his message? We are called to Proclaim this truth Acts 1:8. We are called to be his Witnesses in Romans chapter 1 Paul says that we are to preach to the wise and the foolish to those that rejects the word on those are embrace the word. We're not to be ashamed of it worth it to openly carry the word of Christ the word of the Gospel to every person that we have an opportunity. Paul also says interest 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse to read to be ready to preach in season and out at every moment. We're to be ready to preach no matter what we will not be ashamed of the Gospel even went and particularly when Society pushes against what we know to be God's absolute truth right now Christians are not a popular group in our society. We hold the truths that makes us look like we have narrow thinking and and we're not inclusive and we don't love everybody there's a difference between love and accepting Behavior. We all know his parents that we love our children, but we don't always accept their behavior, but it doesn't diminish our love. It just means that we try to be correct even hopefully along scriptural guidelines to tell me what's in our alliance family and certainly within the Church of Jesus Christ big sea church. We are called to represent truth and sometimes that means we have to say difficult things to people around us that for those who don't know who Jesus is and don't understand the love of the father Steam unloving and seem difficult, but we know that it really represents Our Father's Heart. It's a we Proclaim that truth without shame for we are God's ambassadors. We are we are representatives of the King by the Ambassador represents the president of Any Nation. He speaks on the president be happy with the authority of the present. We are in Christ and we speak on behalf of the father and we have the authority of the father through Christ to represent him as we interact with people around us. We will reach. So we will love will Proclaim we will reach our world is on the move people are coming to the United States and throw from all over the land. I hear any of the Midwest District. I think I mentioned we have about a dozen different languages are spoken in our Alliance Churches in the midwest District of the alliance and Indiana and Illinois this mixture this Melting Pot of all kinds of ethnicities and cultures and language and it's just a beautiful thing to see you taking place. But as that happens, we have an opportunity to welcome people with open arms that are different than us. It's our privilege to let them know that we not only love Jesus but we love them. So we strive to to reach those that are different from us and it's not just those who speak a different language come from a different culture, but the Overlook the children in the teens and adults in the senior adults and those with special needs anyone who needs to understand who Jesus is who is somehow marginalize. Those are the people that we should pay special attention to and share the gospel with we reach those lacking access access to the gospel there about 4,000 people groups around the globe right now who who don't have a meaningful expression of the Gospel within their mixed with another language other than their City within a country within their Nation within their grouping. The simplest way to explain this is in the United States if you want to find someone who can tell you what it's like to have a relationship with Christ as Savior. You have to knock on about a half a dozen doors depending on your region. So he knocked on the door every 15 minutes within an hour and a half or so at least from a statistical point of you within about an hour and a half you would run into someone who would know who Jesus is and can tell you this is how you can know Jesus. If you go to Europe, you have to knock on a door for every 50 every 15 minutes for about a day and a half to find somebody A places like North Africa where we have part of our family serving and tough tough difficult places. We'd have to knock on the door every 15 minutes 8 hours a day 365 days a year for 3 years before you find somebody who could tell you who Jesus is. So that's why we send people there it's just difficult for people to know who Jesus is and so we reach we reach the fulfill our mission Matthew 28:18. My Jesus says we are to go into all of the word teaching the gospel baptizing people in name of the father Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that he commanded helping them understand what it means to live like Jesus we preach or we reach rather to the bring back the king Matthew 24:14. We preach and reach so that none will stay lost or perish 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9. It is God's will is God's heart that none will perish to spend eternity with him. And finally we will launch the church is Jesus's plan for the Salvation of all people he doesn't have a backup. He could he just doesn't it is fibrin wisdom. He said I got one way this is going to go down in a form the church and the church is going to be in my ambassadors and they're going to represent me and they're going to take the gospel to the Nations.

Is the entire church it's not just Extraordinary People. It is so easy for us to default to to those that have gifting to those who are good speakers to those who have outgoing personality to those who can accomplish things that most of us can't accomplish anything, but we'll leave it up to the Extraordinary People to carry the message of Christ to the Nations. That's not his plan. His plan is to use the entire church every one of us has equal opportunity and I would even say equal responsibility to represent Jesus within the sphere of influence that he gives us whatever that is in our homes and our neighborhoods on the Block at workplaces in our families, wherever it is he wants everyone of us to be representative. Of him, he doesn't have a back-up plan again. He could he can make the Rock's Proclaim. We can make the donkey's Proclaim. We know that from scripture, but that's not as planned. His plan is to use us the church to represent him and two set the stage for his return.

The word declares we are ambassadors his Ambassador 2nd Corinthians 5 20 out of first or second Peter 2:9 to 19 as a wonderful passage. I love to preach through it. I have a number Cajuns. We are all chosen people. I want you to know this one in church. You are a chosen people. You are members of a royal priesthood. Remember priest represent God. Among the people you're members of a royal priesthood. You are a holy nation and you are a people belonging to God as his prized possession. Who you are and he wants you to live in harmony with him in step with the spirit representing him day in and day out. Leaving the results of your interactions with people led by the spirit to the spirit complete Christ Mission giving all people and offer due to No One follow him. We're all invited to participate sure the extraordinary the big-name speakers that the big-name leaders Shore God uses them. But he also uses everyone of us with our unique gift Tina personalities and experiences to represent him in our areas of life. Set together. We prepare we release we engage we boldly pray we generously give before Ali serve. To be clear of the alliance family is not a perfect family. We make mistakes. We get it wrong sometimes but by God's grace we hope to be obedient to his calling to return. We are committed to Jesus becoming more and more like him to return to him and humility and repentance. If and I should say when we get it wrong. imagine imagine what it will be like for Christchurch to function together. is Christchurch is supposed to certainly these past few weeks and months have been extraordinarily difficult for us as a nation. Obviously The Cove at sang that is hit us and take us off Charter. Of course in so many ways all of the social injustice things are going on and what the outcomes of all of that and all of the stuff if they can just bring heartache and they can bring depression and defensiveness and all kinds of things and that we just so often we almost kind of go into a shell. But I said the people over and over and over again. No matter what's happened in our world doesn't matter if it's the corona 19 virus. It doesn't matter if it's social unrest it doesn't matter. If it's Riot. It doesn't matter if it's a recession or even a depression in our economy. It doesn't matter if there's wars in the world affect. I believe Jesus even said near the end. There will be wars and rumors of wars and famine and earthquakes and all of that stuff is part of what Jesus said is coming near the end of time before he returned. It doesn't matter whether any of that is happening. Because it will happen if we remember was written throughout the book. I've read the end of the book. I'm sure that most of you half as well. Jesus wins. Any establishes his kingdom for all of eternity and we get to live with him there. That's the way this works out. The rough days between here and there I get that.

But we who follow Christ have hope when the world around us. So regardless of where God takes you in the days weeks and months ahead and if it's to connect with the Alliance Family welcome, if it's not I hope that you will strive to be all that she's asking you to be. As you strive then to engage in the ministry opportunities as he gives you Jesus well in Adams County. I mean I don't live here anymore, but it is my roots so represent in Adams County. And Decatur, I'm sorry and Indiana and to the ends of the Earth.

Nothing more at stake than the energy just want you to be. I think that's pretty cool and pretty important. Thanks for the option to letting me preach my last message as a district superintendent here in Adams County among you. I appreciate the opportunity and I will look forward to what God has in store for you and the months and years. They had trust in the God. Will it be with you Dave? I didn't ask how we're ending the service. Are you coming back and closing to? Okay. I know I failed to ask that I'm out of practice. I normally ask those things and I did so my blessings to you. Let me just closed with a word of prayer for you and then I'll step off the platform father I ask for your blessing to the cover and that descended upon these people there to gather these dear people who you want to be. Who you called him to be in the walking stuff with your spirit father. Would you give them Clarity of heart and mind and spirit a Unity together to understand what you're calling them two to two and five. Would you bless their efforts even as I saw the joys and the concerns on the screen of head up above earlier. I saw the people in need and as a father would you would you go beyond the spiritual and also address the the Practical needs among the body here? What are the health issues are employment issues are families use whatever it may be. Why would you be all in with them in these days so that they would also be all in with you. With joy the privilege like you met them to you in the Name of Christ Our Savior. Amen.