What Sustains You

ME

Good morning guys! I’m so glad to be here with you all this morning. How about that worship team? I love that each week those guys talk time and make sure you guys have songs to sing and a way to worship God that sounds really incredible. Can we give it up for them?

Man, it has been a while since I’ve spoken in chapel, and it’s been even

longer since I’ve sat in those seats and listened to somebody get up here and

speak a word they’ve gotten from the lord. I graduated from Faith Christian in

2011, and ever since have been involved in some way or another to this amazing

family, I mean...church. I’m so thankful for the teachers and people that God

placed in my path during high school to helped shape me into who I am today. I

consider that the leader I am today is because of those people. I’m sure you guys

can say the same thing or have those people in your life that you can look at your

life and contribute your success to.

WE

Let me see your hands if you’re a driver, you’ve got a permit or a license and you actually drive a car. Ok great, let me see your hands if you’ve ever been in a car when someone is driving it.

If you’ve ever been driving or in a car early in the morning or later at night, you’ve probably had to go through some fog. You guys know what i’m talking about? That stuff is so crazy looking, it’s light every sketchy part of Walking Dead or intense part of a movie, like right before a fight scene theres this mysterious fog that makes it kind of hard to see so you’ve got to really focus. You need like some sweet windshield wipers for your face so you can see through it!

As you guys may know, I lead worship at our Goose Creek campus, and we’re a portable campus, so each Sunday, we have to get up super early and drive a truck that has all of our stuff in it to the place we meet. One fine morning, I found myself behind the wheel of our sweet massive box truck with not so good windshield wipers and it was pretty foggy outside. I’m sitting int here freezing my face off, because, of course it, doesn’t have heat either, so I’m miserable and trying to stay warm in that truck and I’m making my way to the school where we meet and trying to be cautious along the way. Apparently they had installed a new curve in the road on the way to the school and forgotten to CC me in the email or shoot me a friendly text like, Hey taylor, you might want to be careful on the way today. We put in a sweet new curve. Thanks. See you later.”

So suddenly I found myself on the other side of the white lines of the road struggling to get back on the road! I was blind to where the curve was! I couldn’t see it, but I should have.

I don’t know about you, but I love my life. I’m sure you do too! I didn’t want to die that morning. We do all kinds of things to keep ourselves healthy and all kinds of stuff to sustain the good thing that is our life. Nobody wakes up and thinks to themselves, you know I think i’ll put this blindfold on and walk in the street. But it’s when we are blind to the dangerous things that come into our lives, and the red flags, we struggle to keep our heads above water.

Let’s see what the bible has to say on this. Turn in your bibles to Luke 6. I’ll give you just a second to get there.

GOD

Let’s set up this scene. Jesus is talking to another large crowd and speaking on loving your enemies, judging others, and wisdom versus foolishness. He is just unpacking crazy amounts of knowledge on these people. It reminds me of how we feel sometimes when we listen to certain preachers, and they’re speaking and just digging so deep in greek words, and ancient calendars, or stuff like that and we just kind of sit there with that look on our faces, like...you know... yeah: that one. Alright: Luke 6 verse 39 says this.

“He also told them this parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”

What is Jesus saying in this passage? When we read this pull on the surface, we see that someone cannot actually lead anyone else if they are blind. It just doesn’t work. It’s like me trying to drive in the fog with the worlds worst wipers.

Now let’s look spiritually. Most of you are involved in local churches. Big ones, small ones, all kinds of shapes and sizes and that’s what makes the bride of Christ so incredible. We’re all different. The one thing that can’t be different is our source, though.

We have to make sure we are all connected to Christ to

experience the best possible life. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. My main

point this morning is this: your sight will sustain you.

When you keep your eyes on Jesus, you walk in step with Him and the

word becomes a light to your feet and a lamp to your path. He has ordered your steps! Students, hear me this morning. This is where the challenge comes in, and stay with me, I want to encourage you this morning to accept that challenge.

YOU

You are here for a purpose. And maybe you can’t see that right now. Maybe you can look at me this morning and say, Taylor, I really don’t fit in. Nobody cares about what I say. I’m really not good at anything. Let me encourage you: that’s exactly where God begins to do amazing and incredible things through you! If you’re full of yourself and consumed with pride, there is no room for dependency on God!

On the other hand, I’m not saying that’ve gotta be depressed and think you’re the worst and not worth anything. You will never walk in the potential with the passion you need until you grab ahold of the promise. God says that you are a royal priesthood and a chosen generation. We can be humble because he is our hero. We can be passionate because he is our prize. We can be joyful and full of hope because he is our judge and says that though we have fallen short of what he requires, Christ died for us making us right in his eyes.

I want to challenge you today. Look at your life, look at your friends. Look at the work you do in the local church. What’s sustaining you? Is it your own strength? You’re own efforts? You’re cloths, your phone, your house? Your sight will sustain you. Keep your eyes on God and watch how he turns your weakness into something amazing for his glory and for your good.

WE

Imagine what would happen in our churches if we stepped up to the plate. Now, each Sunday morning isn’t just another service we drag ourselves to and try to stay awake during the message so we can get our Zaxby’s after service. Now I’m preaching to somebody.

These silly little things wouldn’t trip us up all the time. Then, instead of filling the altars with our repentant prayers each week, we would fill them with faith-filled prayers offered up on behalf of others. Our sight will sustain us.

God is calling you. You are a leader. So lead!

PRAY

This morning we’re gonna pray, and I’m old school, so close your eyes and bow your heads for me. This is a safe place where I’ve been honest with you and you can be honest with God.

If during this thing God has been pushing you towards saying you know, I am relying too much on my own strength. Can I see your hand? Be honest. Good, thanks for that.

Some of us have issues getting there. We feel a little under appreciated, and like God may not have any place for us in our churches. We don’t quite fit in. We’re too young. Too weird. Too something. If you’re struggling with those kind of things, can I see your hand? Wow. Wow, ok thanks.

As you’re eyes are closed and his spirit is in this place, let me pray. New deeper reliance on you. Grace for every new opportunity. Amen.

Give to Mrs. Todd